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Enhancing knowledge exchange among MEOPAR researchers and Indigenous communities through SIKU: The Indigenous Knowledge Social Network – Part 1

By January 12, 2023No Comments
Institution: University of British Columbia
Theme:
Area of Vulnerability:

Project Complete

Principle Investigator

Phillipe Tortell, University of British Columbia

Co-PI

Arctic Eider Society

Call

Knowledge Mobilization Fund Call in 2021-2022

SIKU, the Indigenous Knowledge Social Network, supports Indigenous self-determination in research, education, and environmental stewardship. The SIKU website and app, created by and for Inuit, provide cutting-edge technological tools and services to facilitate climate change adaptation, ice safety, research, monitoring, project management, and knowledge mobilization (KM). KM occurs at many levels on SIKU: within and among Inuit communities, between Inuit and research teams, from research projects back to communities, and from researchers and Inuit to decision-makers. Already used by over 6000 Inuit in Canada, SIKU is an effective platform on which to share information about research projects and outputs with northern communities. Inuit are also leading and collaborating with research projects using SIKU. For example, Inuit users share their expertise on SIKU by posting observations about wildlife, ice conditions, and measurements from research tools, which contribute to their communities’ environmental stewardship efforts.
This project will facilitate KM between MEOPAR researchers, Inuit communities, and decision-makers through SIKU. Our objectives are to 1) provide remote training to MEOPAR researchers on using the SIKU platform, including existing tools for oceanography, project management, and report delivery; 2) develop or improve tools on SIKU to strengthen MEOPAR-supported research, both in the short-term and by building relationships between MEOPAR researchers and the SIKU team that will be further explored and developed in the next fiscal year; and 3) use built-in analytics to track SIKU users’ engagement with MEOPAR-related posts or products. We are confident that there is significant interest from MEOPAR researchers to support these activities.

SIKU SUPPORTS RESEARCH WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

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SIKU

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Arctic Eider Society

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