Image

NSF CBIKS is headquartered at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and includes a team of international, interdisciplinary, and predominantly Indigenous scientists (Native American, First Nations/Métis, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, Māori, and Aboriginal Australians). NSF CBIKS Central maintains connections to each of the eight regional research hubs and the Kumu thematic research planning group. 

NSF CBIKS also collaborates with 39 organizations—which include universities, NGOs, museums, and industry partners—across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand.

NSF CBIKS's leadership and central administration are listed below.

The NSF CBIKS Leadership Circle (CLC) leads NSF CBIKS in accomplishing the primary activities of the center. Members of the CLC are listed below:

The members of the NSF CBIKS Central team are listed below:

The following positions are based at UMass and support central research activities. Additional post docs and students associated with CBIKS research will be posted soon.

NSF CBIKS research focuses on three primary and interconnected areas: climate change, protection and care of cultural places, and food security. Through research, education, and knowledge exchange activities, the NSF CBIKS team aspires to bring together Indigenous and Western data and knowledge to address key challenges in these three interrelated areas.

Component I: Regional Research Hubs

The regional research hubs were selected to leverage pre-existing relationships among scientists and Indigenous community partners. Our aim is to build on these strong foundations to form new community-based research partnerships focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation and related impacts on cultural places and food security. Hub research follows a community-driven research methodology that involves knowledge co-production. We utilize a braiding approach to bring together Indigenous and Western data as well as research protocols and practices throughout the research process. This approach brings together diverse ecologies, languages, lifeways, disciplines, and networks of researchers and Indigenous community members carrying out scientific research questions and concerns. 

For a list of hubs and co-leads:

Visit our Regional Research Hubs

Component II: Transforming Science Co-Laboratories

The Transforming Science Co-Laboratories bring together interdisciplinary scholars to advance NSF CBIKS's meta-level research agenda on how to effectively and ethically braid Indigenous knowledges and Western science. Their focus is two-fold: developing a robust understanding of the processes, methods, and protocols of braiding knowledges using the Indigenous Research Circle framework (pictured below) and exploring best practices for community-based participation research with Indigenous communities. 

Each Co-Laboratory addresses a distinct theme within the Indigenous Research Circle. They learn alongside Hubs to build research portfolios in their specific thematic area. This work includes creating guidance documents, facilitating cross-institutional and cross-cultural dialogues, and producing impactful scholarship that advances knowledge in each Co-Laboratory's thematic area.

Image

 Transforming Science Co-Laboratory Leads Are Listed Below:

• Ethics Co-Lab: Alison Wylie
• Relationality Co-Lab: Tsim Schneider
• Braiding Knowledges Co-Lab: Kisha Supernant
• Data Sovereignty Co-Lab: Jane Anderson with support from Local Contexts
• Storywork and Knowledge Mobilization Co-Lab: Sally Pirie
• Education Co-Lab: Noah Romero
• Training Scientists Co-Lab: TBD
• Higher Ed Research Policy Co-Lab: Ora Marek-Martinez

Component III:  Knowledge Base

The NSF CBIKS Knowledge Base is scheduled for launch in 2026. This will be a go-to, searchable repository of resource for ethical community-driven research with Indigenous community partners. It also includes all NSF CBIKS research outputs as well as a wide range of existing resources such as literature reviews, bibliographies, teaching resources, MOU/MOAs, and ethical guidelines. Indigenous communities maintain control and care over their data and all resources on the Knowledge Base have explicit permission for public sharing.

Getting in Touch and Getting Connected

We welcome feedback! 

We want to hear from you. Please email us with feedback, gratitude, questions, or suggestions. We are continually reflecting on our systems and approaches; we welcome ideas and feedback to help us evolve into a more effective organization. 

If you have concerns that you’d like to report about research or ethics conduct, you may submit these to the appropriate UMass office for review. Submissions may be made anonymously or with attribution and will be brought to the appropriate office or to the NSF CBIKS Leadership Circle for review and resolution.

Research Misconduct

Equal Opportunity and Access

Whistleblowing Policy | Campus Policy Library

OEI/EOA Incident Reporting Form

[email protected]

Join our Mailing List

NSF CBIKS will release a periodic email newsletter containing the latest NSF CBIKS information, including research updates, upcoming events, notable dates, reminders, and opportunities for engagement. 

Join the Mailing List