Governance of Indigenous data in open earth systems science

Lydia Jennings; Katherine Jones; Riley Taitingfong; Andrew Martinez; Dominique David-Chavez; Rosanna ʻAnolani Alegado; Adrien Tofighi-Niaki; Julie Maldonado; Bill Thomas; Dennis Dye; Jeff Weber; Katie V. Spellman; Scott Ketchum; Ruth Duerr; Noor Johnson; Jennifer Balch; Stephanie Russo Carroll

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-53480-2

Nature Communications (Jan 2025)

Governance of Indigenous data in open earth systems science

Lydia Jennings,
Katherine Jones,
Riley Taitingfong,
Andrew Martinez,
Dominique David-Chavez,
Rosanna ʻAnolani Alegado,
Adrien Tofighi-Niaki,
Julie Maldonado,
Bill Thomas,
Dennis Dye,
Jeff Weber,
Katie V. Spellman,
Scott Ketchum,
Ruth Duerr,
Noor Johnson,
Jennifer Balch,
Stephanie Russo Carroll

Affiliations

Lydia Jennings: Lands of the O’odham and Yaqui peoples, Native Nations Institute, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona
Katherine Jones: Nunt’zi (Ute), Hinono’eino’ (Arapaho) and Tsistsistas (Cheyenne) traditional homelands. National Ecological Observatory Network, Battelle
Riley Taitingfong: Lands of the O’odham and Yaqui peoples, Native Nations Institute, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona
Andrew Martinez: Lands of the O’odham and Yaqui peoples, Native Nations Institute, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona
Dominique David-Chavez: Nunt’zi (Ute), Hinono’eino’ (Arapaho) and Tsistsistas (Cheyenne) traditional homelands. Colorado State University, Dept. of Forest & Rangeland Stewardship
Rosanna ʻAnolani Alegado: Hawaiʻi (kanaka ʻōiwi). Department of Oceanography and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa
Adrien Tofighi-Niaki: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB)
Julie Maldonado: Traditional homelands of the Shawnee, Cherokee, and Chickasaw Nations, Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network
Bill Thomas: Hawaiʻi (Kanaka maoli). NOAA Inouye Regional Center NOS/Office for Coastal Management-Pacific Islands
Dennis Dye: Land of Southern Tiwa people (Sandia and Isleta Pueblos). Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Jeff Weber: Nunt’zi (Ute), Hinono’eino’ (Arapaho) and Tsistsistas (Cheyenne) traditional homelands. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Katie V. Spellman: Lower Tanana Dene Lands. University of Alaska Fairbanks, International Arctic Research Center
Scott Ketchum: Kitikiti’sh (Wichita), Hasinai (Caddo), Na i sha and Ndee (Apache), Nʉmʉnʉʉ (Comanche) and Cáuigù (Kiowa), and eventually the Chahta (Choctaw Nation), and now the Chikashsha (Chickasaw Nation). East Central University
Ruth Duerr: Nunt’zi (Ute), Hinono’eino’ (Arapaho), Tsistsistas (Cheyenne) and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship
Noor Johnson: Nunt’zi (Ute), Hinono’eino’ (Arapaho) and Tsistsistas (Cheyenne) traditional homelands. National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado Boulder
Jennifer Balch: Traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), Hinono’eino’ (Arapaho), Nunt’zi (Ute), (Apache), (Comanche), Cáuigù (Kiowa), Oceti Sakowin (Lakota), (Pueblo) and (Shoshone) Nations. Environmental Data Science Innovation & Inclusion Lab, Department of Geography, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
Stephanie Russo Carroll: Lands of the O’odham and Yaqui peoples, Native Nations Institute, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53480-2
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

Read online

Abstract In the age of big data and open science, what processes are needed to follow open science protocols while upholding Indigenous Peoples’ rights? The Earth Data Relations Working Group (EDRWG), convened to address this question and envision a research landscape that acknowledges the legacy of extractive practices and embraces new norms across Earth science institutions and open science research. Using the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) as an example, the EDRWG recommends actions, applicable across all phases of the data lifecycle, that recognize the sovereign rights of Indigenous Peoples and support better research across all Earth Sciences.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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