This 2.5-year planning grant project was awarded under the National Science Foundation, Cultural Transformation in the Geosciences Community program. The thematic focus is rapid change in the Arctic including climate change, impacts, and adaptation as well as hazard mitigation -- particularly for rural and Alaska Native communities throughout the State, which are the most vulnerable and threatened at this time. Thus, there is an urgent need for Indigenous expertise in addressing these issues in Alaska and the Arctic.

● Convergence of currently siloed disciplines, groups, and initiatives across campus as well as expanded connections and collaborations beyond the university to Alaska Native organizations to build a strongly integrated and interdisciplinary learning experience with direct links to job placement opportunities.

● Institutionalization of inclusive teaching, learning, and research that is supportive of multiple ways of knowing, in order to create an environment in which Alaska Native students thrive and succeed, including Indigenous metrics of success.

● Contextualization of concepts, frameworks, curriculum, and ideas with specific and concrete examples and applications relevant to Alaska Native cultures, identities, values, and ways of knowing, e.g. summer Alaska Native science camp and sustainability internship.