Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Higher Education: Preparing Alaska Native PhDs for Leadership Roles in Research

Abstract

Native peoples in Alaska have usually been the subjects of research rather than thoseresponsible for conducting it. However, the role of Alaska Natives in research ischanging due to a concerted effort on the part of the University of Alaska and Nativepeople themselves to develop new programs aimed at recruiting and preparing Nativescholars in all academic fields who can take on leadership roles and bring anIndigenous perspective to the policy arenas at the local, state, national, andinternational levels. This article describes the activities underway, their rationale,and the implications for research.