Towards Climate and Environmental Justice in Indigenous Communities: The Role Of Stem Research, Community Engagement, and Education

Indigenous communities are already experiencing disproportionate impacts from climate change, which are compounded by the long history of settler colonialism, violence and forced displacement, harm from the mining and fossil fuel industries, and exploitative research practices from western scientists. It is no coincidence that Native American andIndigenous students are among the least represented in the geosciences, yet increasing representation of Natives in geoscience and other STEM fields is critical for addressing the challenges presented by global change. In this talk, Johnson will share her perspective on these issues as a Native climate scientist and director of the UCI American Indian Summer Institute in Earth System Science, which ran from 2012-2017. She will also share resources and guidance for ethical engagement with Indigenous communities, students, and researchers, and highlight ways for members of the UCI community to get involved.

This event is part of the UCI School of Social Sciences Changemaker Series.