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CXCS Newsletter Issue November 2017
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Greetings!
Welcome to the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies (CXCS) monthly newsletter. As you may know, the CXCS department offers a
PhD in Indigenous Studies
and an
MA in Cross-Cultural Studies
to students that can earn their graduate degree via distance audio-conferencing.
Our faculty and staff are here to help you succeed, please contact our office at (907) 474-1902 if you have any questions.
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Indigenous Studies Alumni Spotlight
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Dr. Pearl
Kiyawn Brower, PhD Indigenous Studies Alumni Class of 2016
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Dr. Pearl Kiyawn Brower received her B.A. in Anthropology and B.A. in Alaska Native Studies from University of Alaska Fairbanks, in 2004. Masters in Alaska Native and Rural Development from University of Alaska Fairbanks, in 2010. Ph.D. in Indigenous Studies, with an emphasis in Indigenous Leadership from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, in May 2016.
Dr. Brower is currently the President of
Iḷisaġvik College, Alaska’s only Tribal College. She has been with the College since 2007 working in External Relations, Institutional Advancement, Student Services, and Marketing. She has served as President since 2012. Prior to working for the College Dr. Brower managed an education and culture grant for the North Slope Borough for three years and worked as the Museum Curator of the Iñupiat Heritage Center.
Dr. Brower grew up in both Barrow, Alaska and in northern California practicing a subsistence lifestyle in both areas. She has a daughter, Isla, who is 5 and along with her husband, Jesse Darling, lives in Barrow, Alaska where she loves to be close to her culture and community. Brower was named one of Alaska’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2015.
Brower is active in her community in Barrow, on the North Slope and statewide. She is Board Member of the Friends of Tuzzy Library and is a co-founder of Leadership:Barrow. She serves on the Wells Fargo Community Advisory Board, serves as the Vocational/Tribal representative on the Alaska Post-secondary Access and Completion Network, serves on the Alaska Airlines Community Advisory Board, on the Foraker Group’s Operations Board, and as a Commissioner for the State of Alaska Commission on Post-secondary Education.
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We are proud of our alumni!
Stay connect with the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies. Do you have an exciting career or family success story to share? We would love to feature you on our newsletter and highlight your accomplishments.
To share your story, email
uaf-cxcs@alaska.edu
with a paragraph of your accomplishments, your research, along with a photo.
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Check Out Our New 2017 CXCS Brochure!
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Indigenous Studies Candidates Present at the National Indian Education Association
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It was a privilege to represent the University of Alaska, along with Olga Skinner, at the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) gathering in Miami, Florida, in October. This year’s NIEA theme, “
Building Education Nations by Amplifying Innovative Voices,” recognized the role educators and communities have in shaping the future leaders of Native education.
Olga and I, Ph.D. candidates in the UAF Indigenous Studies program, had the opportunity to share our current research following a Skype introduction by our chair, Dr. Beth Leonard. The session engaged the audience around successes and challenges in Alaska Native studies– including STEM fields and teacher preparation.
In addition to having an opportunity to present our research, the gathering was a unique chance to meet and learn from others working toward similar objectives nationwide. NIEA provided excellent professional development in Indigenous education, including K-12 and higher education initiatives, grant and advocacy reports, and innovative and encouraging ideas for sustaining language and culture.
This opportunity was a rich addition to the coursework I have received at UAF. I appreciated the support and encouragement of Dr. Beth Leonard in the workshop proposal, the UAF Cross Cultural Studies Department, especially Crystal Frank, for assisting in registration and travel, and UAF Provost Henrichs for partial funding to make this experience possible.
Quyanaa!
Kitty Deal, PhD candidate
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November 2017
Alaska Native Knowledge Network Brown Bag Luncheon Series
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This month’s Brown Bag Seminar is planned for Nov. 29 at Noon Alaska time. We are planning to discuss writing up a projection description, turning that into a more formal research proposal, and then using it to find funding in order to carry out your research. So, wherever you are in your research journey… please join us to share your experiences and resources while we learn from each other!
Mark Your Calendars!
Nov. 29, 2017
12:00 pm AKST
Gruening 503F, UAF main campus
Or…
Via audio at +1 866-245-8984 (no pin)
In case you missed last month’s meeting… we discussed committees, who can be on them, and how to form one. Afterward we
put together this Google Document listing the main UAF departments our students often work with, as well as potential faculty within each department that could serve on PhD committees. It is not a comprehensive document and by no means list out all the potential people that could potentially serve a committee, but it should get you started!
For more information or to suggest possible guest speakers please e-mail Rich Hum at: rehum@alaska.edu or via phone 907-474-5897
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2018 Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley Indigenous Scholars Award
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Our nomination application is now live! You may access it by clicking on the link below or going to our website at http://www.uaf.edu/cxcs/aok-award/.
Please submit your nomination by the deadline
February 1, 2018. The award will be presented during the Alaska Native Studies Conference in Juneau, AK in April 2018. Submit your nomination today!
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The Center for Cross-Cultural Studies decided to participate in Major Mania this year. It was a blast to participate and speak with prospective students. Thank you to the Major Mania staff for putting on such a great event this year and for inviting us.
In the photo is Crystal Frank, the Graduate Student and Administration Coordinator for CLA and Center for Cross-Cultural Studies and Professor Ray Barnhardt who stopped by to say, "hello."
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Network Weaving: Moving your research to practice for community well-being
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The Center for Cross Cultural studies is offering a new Spring 2018 course next semester... Network Weaving: Moving your research to practice for community wellbeing.
This is an interdisciplinary course that examines social and environmental change from a communication network perspective with a focus on Alaska-based systems. The course addresses the role of academic research as a form of organizational leadership in strengthening community resilience during times of rapid change. Course activities focus on the role individual researchers play in system change at the community level and how they may strengthen the relationship between the results of their work and improved community wellbeing. This is an action-based course and students are expected to apply course concepts and the results of their class activities directly to their own research domains. This course is designed to meet the needs of students interested in the Leadership emphasis area of the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies Indigenous Studies PhD program. However, the course is applicable to any student engaged in research that ultimately seeks to improve community wellbeing and/or resilience. It is particularly well suited to those interested in educational reform and sustainability issues.
Course objectives
● Define systems and system change from a dynamic network perspective.
● Identify important leadership and functional roles within a changing system using principles from resilience and communication studies.
● Map a variety of systems (based on students individual research needs) using social network analysis tools.
● Develop and begin initial implementation of an adaptive communication strategy to positively influence the system of choice through the ways in which students engage in their research.
Upon successful completion of course students will be able to:
● Understand the system their research is embedded in through a communication network perspective.
● Understand the value-based outcomes desired as a result of conducting their research.
● Apply social network analysis tools to map the communication network of their research domain.
● Use the results from network maps to develop and implement a communication strategy designed to support positive change as a result of their work.
e-Mail Rich Hum at
ReHum@Alaska.edu
for any questions or a copy of the syllabus.
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An Event Sponsored by the
Native Student Union
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To Order ANKN Books & Materials contact
Rich Hum at 907-474-5897
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Alaska Native Knowledge Network
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ANKN is located on the 5th floor of the Gruening Building, room 503F. Please contact Richard Hum at 907-474-5897 or email
rehum@alaska.edu
for any inquiries on books and posters.
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University of Alaska Fairbanks
Center for Cross-Cultural Studies
201 Eielson Building, UAF campus
PO Box 756730
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6730
Phone: (907) 474-1902
Fax: (907) 474-1957
Office Hours 8AM-5PM M-F
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