Connecting the Dots with Dr. CANA ULUAK ITCHUAQIYAQ and CORINA QAAĠRAQ KRAMER

In a recent episode of our podcast, we had an enlightening conversation with Iñupiaq Conservation Biologist Dr. Victoria Buschman about the role of Arctic Indigenous communities in shaping conservation strategies.Today, we are expanding upon our previous discussion to more deeply explore a decolonizing approach to Arctic research in general. We are privileged to have not just one, but two highly knowledgeable guests joining us for this episode: Dr. Cana Uluak Itchuaqiyaq and Corina Qaaġraq Kramer, who are not only sisters but also collaborators currently spearheading the groundbreaking Respectful Research intiative.Dr. Cana Uluak Itchuaqiyaq is assistant professor of technical and scientific communication at Virginia Tech. Cana is Iñupiaq, from Northwest Alaska and an enrolled member of the Noorvik Native Community. The digital humanities, data analysis, critical race theory, and Indigenous knowledges are combined in Cana’s research, in order to investigate the intersections of identity, science/technology/medicine, colonialism, and culture. Their work sheds light on how the marginalization of underrepresented scholars and communities is often perpetuated in mainstream academic, institutional, and societal practice.Corina Qaaġraq Kramer, also of Iñupiaq descent, hails from the Native Village of Kotzebue. As a community leader with extensive frontline experience, Corina brings a unique expertise to her work, specializing in bridging traditional Indigenous knowledge and values with Western institutional practices to enhance the well-being of Native communities, health, and sovereignty. Notably, Corina played a pivotal role in establishing the Sayaqagvik system of care for children, youth, and families in Northwest Alaska. She served as a co-investigator at Siamit Lab, an innovative academic–tribal Health Partnership affiliated with Harvard Medical School, and held the position of community director for the Della Keats Fellowship, a postgraduate program based in Northwest Alaska supporting the development of the next generation of Indigenous health leaders. Recently, Corina founded Mumik Consulting, dedicated to assisting Indigenous-serving organizations in enhancing their initiatives..We strongly encourage our listeners to continue exploring Cana and Corina’s work: https://respectfulresearch.com.WATCH a video version of this interview or READ transcripts in English and Portuguese here: https://azimuthworldfoundation.org/insights/entry/stories/connecting-the-dots-cana-corina.html.AZIMUTH WORLD FOUNDATION - JOIN THE CONVERSATION:- WEBSITE: https://www.azimuthworldfoundation.org- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/azimuthworldfoundation- THREADS: https://www.threads.net/@azimuthworldfoundation- FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/azimuthworldfoundation- LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/azimuth-world-foundation/