The Arctic Congress 2024 combined three international Arctic events: International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS) XI, UArctic Congress 2024, and High North Dialogue 2024.
Bodø, Norway 29 May – 3 June 2024
USAPECS participated in the Arctic Congress 2024 by hosting a session with APECS Norway and presenting a paper.
5.12 Cross/Trans-Disciplinary Collaborations and Advancing Community, Equity, and Inclusion in Arctic Research, May 31, 2024
Session description
Arctic research brings together a diverse mix of disciplines, scholarships, and perspectives. Yet, there continues to be a struggle to adequately create meaningful collaborations and fully represent a diversity of Peoples, for both historical and contemporary reasons. Research incorporating this diversity is imperative to address the rapid social, environmental, economic, and geopolitical changes unfolding across the region and to create a more accessible, safe, and inclusive research community; necessary for building research networks and work environments where people feel safe, valued, and productive. This session aims to highlight the growing number of cross-disciplinary and transdisciplinary projects underway across the Arctic as well as the advances being made to encourage diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in such research. Focusing on the work of early career and established researchers, Indigenous scholars, community members, and others this session highlights completed and ongoing research efforts that transcend disciplinary lines and strive to create a more accessible, safe, and inclusive research community. In particular, we invite abstracts that discuss both the challenges and opportunities presented by such research efforts as well as lessons learned through collaboration.
Presenters ​
Roxana Roos
Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development
"We need to reflect on this". Challenges researchers face in projects, including local and Indigenous people
Inclusion of local and indigenous communities in adapting to rapid environmental change is important for developing more robust and inclusive diagnoses and responses. In this paper, I present some of the results from my study done in an international project, Sense-Making, Place Attachment, and Extended Networks as Sources of Resilience in the Arctic, where I interviewed 15 practicing researchers who included local people in their projects. My research addressed the following questions: What challenges do researchers who work with local and indigenous peoples face? How do they deal with these challenges? How are these challenges (or other) discussed in their articles?
Using thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, I have identified eight themes that categorize challenges that researchers face when collaborating with local people. These eight themes are: (1) external pressure, (2) engaging local people, (3) relevance of projects, (4) prior negative experiences, (5) cultural, historical and geographical differences, (6) language challenges, (7) payment for participation, and (8) diverging epistemic cultures. In addition, I have analyzed articles of the researchers I have interviewed. Each of the interviewees has chosen one of their publications. This analysis revealed that researchers hardly write about the challenges they face. In my presentation I will reflect on the ethical implications and lessons learned for the research community.
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Can we talk about ‘Inuit research? An example from Nunavik
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In this paper, I will present an overview of the research landscape in Nunavik. A particular focus will be put on the ways by which Inuit knowledge is produced and mobilized in research projects led by Nunavik Inuit and local organizations. By analyzing the dynamics of collaboration and the practices by which Inuit knowledge is braided into research projects, I will illustrate how it contributes to defining an original form of research.
Cecilie Helén Bratt, Maiken Bjørkan, Salina Spiering,
Nordlandsforskning
EmpowerUs: Socio-economic Empowerment of coastal communities
empowerus-project.eu
​True co-creation in transdisciplinary projects to maintain the “leaving no one behind” principle
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The UN SDG17 includes the principle of leaving no-one behind (LNOB). With this principle, there is an explicit commitment to focus on the less privileged through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Incorporating diversity through the LNOB principle into Arctic research can be helpful to encourage equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
The article presented in this session is part of my PhD titled “From Policy to Practice: A Critical Review of How the “Leaving no-one Behind Principle can be Operationalized”, which I am conducting within the EU-funded project EmpowerUs. The PhD project aims to understand how the principle of LNOB is implemented in practice at different levels (local-level and in policy development at the national- to EU level), how transdisciplinary processes can support the LNOB principle, and what the barriers and possibilities are.
This article is about how to conceptually enhance co-creation in transdisciplinarty projects, using EmpowerUs as a case study. EmpowerUs applies a multi-method and multi-actor approach characterized by participatory methods and co-creation of knowledge. This holds true both between project partners, as well as in collaboration with the coastal communities that the project engages with.
The article analyses the co-design principles (sharing power, prioritising relationships, using participatory means and building capacity) to assess the project's transdisciplinary collaboration from the design phase to the end. I will present the conceptual framework of the article, as well as first insights and learnings about the challenges and opportunities we encountered within EmpowerUs to enhance transdisciplinary collaboration and incorporate the LNOB principle.
*APECS Norway has been organizing skill development workshops, education & outreach opportunities, and resource databases for early career polar research scientists since 2017. We are committed to creating a vibrant community for polar researchers, educators, students, and enthusiasts based in Norway. We have over 300 members and form the Norwegian National Committee of APECS International.
Webpage: https://apecsnorway.wixsite.com/home
E-mail: apecsnorway@gmail.com
USAPECS presentation:
Session 5.8: Building & Sustaining Strategic Linkages for Network-to-Network Arctic Research Collaboration, June 1, 2024
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Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of USAPECS: Lessons from a Decade of Supporting Early Career Research Across National and International Polar Networks
Navigating the multitude of organizations and institutions involved in Arctic research can be daunting for those just beginning their careers, from outside traditional academic circles, or from historically excluded communities. To foster connections and encourage the inclusion of these groups within broader Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine research communities, USAPECS was formed in 2014 as the national committee representing the United States members of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS). Led by a board composed of volunteers, USAPECS has engaged in a variety of activities and partnerships with US and international institutions and networks. Over its 10 years of operation USAPECS has sought to bring together early career researchers from across disciplines and backgrounds, including underrepresented groups, to support and showcase their work. This has included collaborations with IARPC, PSECCO, APECS, and ARCUS as well as online webinars and roundtables, conference presentations and networking and social events, an annual blog series, and the International Polar Film Festival. In particular, USAPECS aims to advance the principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) through its collaborative efforts. Based on input from past and current members, participants, and other partners, this presentation provides an overview of the ongoing work of USAPECS and its collaborative activities with a focus on lessons learned over the past decade and plans for the future.
