Empowering Tribal Communities: $4M Grant Boosts Climate Research and Training

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NORMAN, OKLA. – Researchers at the University of Oklahoma, in partnership with the Chickasaw Nation and the University of New Mexico, have received a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation for their project to establish sustainable research and education partnerships to build climate resilience in tribal communities across Oklahoma and New Mexico.

The principal investigator of the grant is Elinor Martin, Ph.D., an associate professor and Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professor in the OU School of Meteorology. It is funded through the NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, EPSCoR, which aims to advance geographic diversity in STEM fields. EPSCoR boosts research competitiveness in targeted regions through investments in talent and infrastructure. The funding given to the University of Oklahoma, University of New Mexico and the Chickasaw Nation is part of $77.8 million funding initiative supporting 14 projects awarded by EPSCoR. 

"Every part of our nation has been impacted by the changing climate. We build a sustainable future for all by investing in climate resilience research and solutions across our country," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "By empowering researchers from different EPSCoR jurisdictions and enabling collaborations across diverse institutions from the Mountain West to the Gulf Coast, from the Southwest to the mid-Atlantic and New England and beyond, we are driving innovation that fosters STEM opportunities, economic growth and climate resilient communities."

“We are working to establish respectful, reciprocal and sustainable research and education partnerships,” said Martin. “A theme throughout the project is adaptation planning. Tribal communities have been adapting [for climate change] and have been at the forefront of this for a long, long time, but they have generally not been included in the research and planning process.”

Jennie Mosely — director of Land Sustainability and Services for the Chickasaw Nation, a principal investigator with the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center at OU and a lead on this project — says that tribal leadership support is part of what makes this work possible.

“Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby is very supportive of our environmental, natural resources, and wildlife programs as well as our land sustainability,” said Mosely. “He values these partnerships and supports the use of our time, expertise and focus to do what is needed not only for the Chickasaw Nation but for other tribes in Oklahoma as well.”

This project, Enhancing Indigenous Community Resilience to Climate Change Impacts through Partnerships and Co-Development of Adaptation Planning, will improve the resilience and well-being of tribal communities regarding climate change. The research topics will be based on community needs and interests. Mosely says that drought, and consequently water, will be an important area of focus, as well as increasing preparedness for severe weather events.

Current plans include partnering with tribes to build capacity to monitor and manage their own air quality through acquiring new air quality sensors and training community members on how to deploy the sensors and collect and interpret data. The project will also provide water quantity research that will help enable Indigenous communities to evaluate how changes in water quantity will affect their plans for food sovereignty and cultural practices.

On top of the research portion of the project, an education and training branch of work will foster a new generation of Indigenous scientists and students in climate change disciplines.

“Within this grant, a goal is to connect youth with Indigenous elders’ knowledge,” said Mosely. “We want to pass our land knowledge down and make sure we bridge the gap of understanding on our cultural resources and what we can do to protect them.” In the journey to Oklahoma Territory, during removal, our people had to endure hot summers and deadly winters. This journey showed the resilience of Chickasaw people in the pursuit of land.  That ties to the work we’ll be doing with this grant and that makes me truly excited,” said Mosely.

A summer internship program will be established for undergraduate and graduate students. Interns from diverse educational backgrounds will engage in practical, community-based projects, often in their own communities. The projects will address real-world issues, providing tangible benefits to the communities involved and the students themselves, aiming to support the long-term career development of Indigenous students and scientists. The program will not only educate future scientists but will also build research capacity. Martin says a majority of the research team have existing connections to tribal communities or are members of tribal communities themselves. Lani Tsinnajinnie, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and Planning and another lead on the project, is also part of the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute, an initiative that engages individuals in culturally responsive practices related to Indigenous design and planning.

Amelia Cook remarks that the curriculum weaves together multiple perspectives, emphasizing the importance of understanding climate resilience from both a scientific and cultural standpoint. This approach strengthens students’ functional climate literacy but also empowers them to become leaders in their communities, equipped with the knowledge and skills to address climate challenges in ways that honor and sustain our cultural heritage.

By prioritizing the needs and interests of these communities, the project aims to create lasting impacts that not only address immediate climate challenges but also foster long-term sustainability and empowerment. Martin says this effort is another step toward recognizing and valuing the contributions of Indigenous communities in the broader scientific and environmental landscape.

Learn more about Martin’s Climate Variability and Change Research Group.