Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science

Supported by the National Science Foundation's Science and Technology Centers Program, the Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science (CBIKS) examines how to effectively and ethically braid Western and Indigenous science research, education, and practice related to the urgent and interconnected challenges of climate change, cultural places, and food security. 

CBIKS' research is fully community-based, developed from Indigenous community priorities and conducted in full partnership with our community partners. CBIKS education components involve Indigenous community members and students at the preK–12, undergrad, and graduate level to train professionals who are skilled leaders in the ethical braiding of Indigenous and Western Sciences. CBIKS knowledge exchange activities provide workshops, trainings and internships for ethically utilizing them for policy makers and state, federal, and Tribal agencies who manage and care for our nation's lands, waters, and cultural places. CBIKS brings together arts and storytelling as a means to share scientific research with the public, Indigenous communities, and diverse audiences.

The Center includes 57 Indigenous partners distributed across four continents. It is the first Science and Technology Center grant at any UMass system, and the first ever to be awarded by NSF to the social sciences.