Dawn Toppah-Landon
GEN Program Highlights and Announcements
The GEN Program collaborates with an amazing network of Indigenous professionals, Native-serving organizations, Tribal health programs, and other Tribal stakeholders to offer training opportunities for students to learn about ethical, legal and social implications of genomics research through Indigenous experiences.
Creating educational interventions and training opportunities that center Indigenous experiences through mentor-linked and community-linked learning is a priority for the GEN Program.
2022
Welcome to the 2022-2023 GEN Cohort!
We are so pleased to announce the 2022-2023 GEN Cohort. The following students were selected to join the GEN program. We are so pleased to welcome them and excited to be part of their academic journeys! Stay tuned for more about our shared experiences as part of the GEN Program!
2021
Welcome to the 2021-2022 GEN Cohort!
We are so pleased to announce the 2021-2022 GEN Cohort. The following students were selected to join the GEN program. We are so pleased to welcome them and excited to be part of their academic journeys! Stay tuned for more about our shared experiences as part of the GEN Program!
Trinity Guido, Julia Guerrero, Jared Blackbear, Dawn Toppah-Landon, Karissa Wynne, Asa Samuels, Ryn Evans, Sadie Littlecreek.
We look forward to working together toward something great! GEN Staff, Justin Lund, Dalaki Livingston, Jessica Blanchard
Resource Alert: Check out ELSI Hub!
ELSIhub Collections are essential reading lists on fundamental or emerging topics in ELSI, curated and explained by expert Collection Editors paired with ELSI trainees. This series assembles materials from cross-disciplinary literatures to enable quick access to key information and offers a mentored editorial experience for ELSI early career researchers and trainees.
Of particular interest may be the latest installment by Dr. Vanessa Hiratsuka entitled, Realizing the Self-Determination Goals of Indigenous People in Genetics Research (April 28, 2021). Check it out here.
Check out ELSI Hub for more amazing resources related to the Ethical, legal and social implications of genetics and genomics.
July 2021- Congratulations to Dawn Toppah-Landon & Trinity Guido
Congratulations to Dawn and Trinity! Dawn and Trinity were both selected as fellows for the 2021-2022 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Impact Fellowship. We look forward to seeing how they both continue to blaze foward in their respective fields of study and careers.
Trinity Guido
GEN Summer 2021 Book Club - Registration Now Open
Join us this summer (May-August) as we explore the theme of Indigenous Research Ethics through the reading of four seminal Indigenous-authored books. This book club is intended for Indigenous students at all levels to connect with GEN students in spirited discussions about how Indigenous Research Ethics intersect with our own lives and experiences.
We plan to read four titles:
Research Is Ceremony (Wilson)
Braiding Sweetgrass (Kimmerer)
Native American DNA (TallBear)
TBA- suggestions welcome!
Register HERE if you are interested in being part of the discussions. If you'd prefer, you can also follow our discussions and engage us through social media via Twitter @GenProgram #GENbookclub.
April 2021- Congratulations to Trinity Guido
Congratulations to GEN Fellow Trinity Guido for being selected as the recipient of the Anona Adair Greek Award of Excellence & Outstanding Greek Seniors (Gamma Delta Pi). Way to go!
March 2021- Congratulations to Dalaki Livingston
Congratulations to GEN Research Assistant Dalaki Livingston for being accepted to attend the Alaska Indigenous Research Program (AKIRP). He will be receiving training in Advanced Research Methods and Research Ethics. We can't wait to hear how it goes!
January 2021 Announcement: Congratulations GEN Fellow Dawn Landon
GEN Fellow Dawn Landon was selected to participate in the Mayo Clinic's Native American Pathways Program. This program prepares American Indian/Alaska Native students to pursue careers in health. As part of this program, Dawn completeed a series of trainings and workshops focused on strategies for the medical school admissions process. Way to go, Dawn!
Mayo Clinic's Pathway Program prepares Native students for success in health careers.
2020
Sept 2020 Announcement: New Connections in the Time of Covid
The pandemic has shaped our program more than any other factor this past year. As a result of COVID, we (like everyone) have had to adapt our plans, adjust our expectations, and be creative in how we foster learning environments amid so much loss.
In spite of the obstacles presented by this pandemic, we are working hard to maintain the supportive connections between the GEN fellows, GEN staff, and the amazing network of mentors who are committed to sharing the inspiring work that they do.
We are also so pleased to announce the addition of new GEN Fellows to the program. Congratulations to Edward Stewart, Julia Guerrero and Karissa Wynne. Welcome to the GEN Program!
The GEN Program hosts its annual "Welcome Back" gathering while practicing social distancing, Sept 2020..
GEN Program hosts its annual "Welcome Back" gathering outside due to the pandemic, Sept 2020.
Regular check-ins over the summer were an important part of keeping connected during the time of covid. Little did we know that zoom would be our primary mode of connection to each other for many months ahead!
May 2020 Announcement: Congratulations on your Graduation!
The GEN program congratulates Kaleigh Edwards and Asher Stephens-Ticman on their graduation from the University of Oklahoma. We are so proud of their accomplishments and look forward to seeing all that they accomplish moving forward. You have both been such a joy to have as part of the inaugural cohort of GEN Fellows!
Kaleigh has been accepted to the Masters of Social Work Program at Washington University in St. Louis, and has received a full scholarship as a Buder Scholar.
Asher has been accepted to the Master's in Applied Archaeology Program at the University of Hawai'i.
Congrats, you two!
Jan 2020 Announcement: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Event
The GEN Program, in partnership with Gamma Delta Pi and OU's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, hosted an event raising awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women: An evening with Abigail Echo-Hawk. The evening was filled with important information, beautiful and inspiring speakers, and inspiring artwork donated as part of a sponsored raffle for MMIW organizations.
Jan 2020 Announcement: Welcome New GEN Cohort Members!
Jared Blackbear and Dawn Landon join the GEN program as the newest GEN Fellows, January 2020. We are so excited to have them join our program, and look forward to watching them pursue their goals!
August 2020 Announcement: Justin Lund AIGC Student of the Year!
American Indian Graduate Association announced Justin Lund as the 2019 Graduate Student of the Year! Justin co-directs the GEN Program, and we appreciate all of his efforts!
2019
Sept 2019 Announcement: Indigenous Research Impacts Series Begins!
The inaugural guest for the GEN Indigenous Research Impacts Speaker Series is Dr. Keolu Fox. He visited OU's campus in September 2019, providing students and guests a series of stimulating discussions about equity, diversity and ethics in genomics research.
August 2019 Announcement: Welcome the First GEN Cohort!
We welcome the first cohort of GEN Fellows, Aug 2019. Pictured (l to r): Dalaki Linvingston, GEN Outreach Coordinator Noah Collins, Kaleigh Edwards, Asher Stephens-Ticman, and Trinity Guido.
Congratulations to our first cohort of GEN Fellows! Each of these students was chosen because of their commitment to learning about serving Tribal communities through more ethical research. We are excited to have them join the GEN Program. Picture (l to r): Dalaki Livingston, Kaleigh Edwards, Asher Stephens-Ticman, Trinity Guido.
June 2019 Announcement: NCAI Scholarship recipients
The GEN Program sponsored a scholarship for current OU students to attend the National Congress of American Indians Mid-Year Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum at the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, NV. Congratulations to the three scholarship recipients: Trinity Guido, Treyton Vu Morris and Hanna Wensman!
Pictured: Scholarship recipients, Hanna Wensman and Treyton Vu Morris, attend the NCAI Mid-Year Conference with CEIGR partners including Joseph Yracheta, Justin Lund, Christie Byars, Jessica Blanchard and Michael Peercy.
A highlight of GEN travels is the opportunity to see new places and meet great people. GEN Co-director Justin Lund and OU student Treyton Vo Morris enjoy the view of Lake Tahoe area with GEN mentor Dr. Rodney Haring (Seneca) with Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
May 2019 Announcement: Noah Collins Awarded Fulbright!
GEN Outreach coordinator, Noah Collins, was selected for a Fulbright Scholarship to study diabetes disparities in Aotearoa.
GEN Outreach Coordinator, Noah Collins (White Mountain Apache and Cherokee), was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study genetic analysis of Type 2 Diabetes and Gout for the purpose of improved Māori health disparities. His appointment was at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand with dual appointments in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Biochemistry with Dr. Phil Wilcox and Dr. Tony Merriman. Noah arrived in Aotearoa in Spring 2020.
