Research Brief: McKalee Steen, Graduate Student

McKalee’s research employs data science, Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and geospatial analysis approaches in order to understand the landscape of where and how Tribes in the United States are reclaiming land within their traditional territories. 

Her work investigates acquisition mechanisms, land cover and use changes, long-term ethical data stewardship, and specific case studies. This work can help Tribes understand regional and national trends in land return, informing strategic approaches for future acquisitions as well as management strategies post acquisition. 

Centering Tribal sovereignty, emphasizing accountability, and treating land not as a commodity but as a living system with cultural, ecological, and spiritual significance are central to her approach as an Indigenous scholar. Indigenous knowledge systems inform both her research questions and methodologies, particularly in how she thinks about long-term stewardship, intergenerational responsibility, and community benefit of projects.