CIHSN

Together with The University of Alberta, Canada, the Science & Justice Research Center is now accepting applications for a Graduate Student Researcher.

This position supports The Critical Indigenous Health Studies Network, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. More information about The CIHSN project can be found on the project webpage.

In consultation with PIs Jenny Reardon and James Doucet-Battle (Sociology), and Colleen Stone (Program Manager) at the Science & Justice Research Center (SJRC) and PIs Jessica Kolopenuk (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, UofA) and Kim TallBear (Native Studies, UofA), one UC graduate student researcher will be offered a GSRship (a total of $5000) in Summer 2024 with the possibility of extension to a 50% GSRship in Fall 2024 (or split 25% in Fall 2024 and 25% in Winter 2025).

The graduate student researcher will: 1) assist in developing and organizing a weeklong visit to the University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada including a Symposium; 2) help implement activities during the visit; 3) assist in developing a literature review on critical Indigenous health research, sovereignty, and governance; 4) and work with the team to produce a final end-of visit report on activities including plans of future in-person gatherings.

The Graduate Student Researcher Must:

Be currently enrolled as a graduate student in the UC System (any campus, any discipline); available to accept an appointment at UC Santa Cruz.
Knowledge of and experience in working with tribal communities.
Be interested in strengthening partnerships with the University of Alberta, Edmonton and UC Santa Cruz, and developing a network for critical Indigenous health studies.
Be available to be in Edmonton for the in-person visit (August 19-23, 2024).

The Graduate Student Researcher Will Receive:

A fellowship with the SJRC and listed on the Project’s webpage.
An initial GSRship for Summer 2024. Date range, percent, and step to be confirmed upon acceptance of offer.
Appropriate funding to cover travel and lodging expenses associated with Symposium#1 in Edmonton.

To Apply:

By Monday, May 28 at 12 Noon, email (scijust@ucsc.edu) expressing interest, letting us know and sending the following:

Your name, home campus and department, academic faculty advisor(s).
Your resume/CV.
Why you are interested in the project and how your learning/research/career goals would benefit from the fellowship.
Your experiences with the project topic, if any.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

9:00-10:00 AM PT

Zoom Only (registration)

Are you interested in centering support for Indigenous peoples’ right to govern health research? The UCSC American Indian Resource Center and the Science & Justice Research Center invite you to attend an Informational Meeting!

ABOUT CIHSN

Supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the leadership teams of the Indigenous Science, Technology, and Society Research and Training Program (Indigenous STS) at the University of Alberta (UofA) and the Science & Justice Research Center (SJRC) at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) are working to address increasing calls to support Indigenous peoples’ right to govern health research by developing the Critical Indigenous Health Studies Network (CIHSN). CIHSN supports the RWJF’s aligned goal to decolonize health systems. In line with leading Indigenous Studies scholars (and in the University of Alberta Indigenous Strategic Plan), CIHSN defines decolonization as the restoration of Indigenous land, life, and relations appropriated or disrupted by colonialism. While no single project can undo the massive upheavals of colonialism, our project uses decolonial thinking and practice to build and restore Indigenous expertise and leadership in, and governance of, health research.

How to Get Involved in CIHSN

The leadership teams at UofA Indigenous STS and UCSC SJRC are recruiting a graduate student who is interested in strengthening partnerships with the University of Alberta, Edmonton and UCSC, and developing a network for critical Indigenous health studies. Around the theme of problems of the extraction of power, not theorizing colonial violence, topics include but are not limited to: medical genomics, ecological health perspectives (fire, water, food), and Indigenous health systems (botanical knowledge, sport/culture).

Team meetings are conducted remotely. Over the course of the three year grant, research teams will come together in-person at both UofA and UCSC. Students participating in Summer 2024 should be available to be in-person in Edmonton, Canada from August 19-23, 2024. Students participating in Fall 2024 and Winter 2025 should be available to be in-person in Santa Clara, California from February 24-28, 2025. Travel and lodging expenses will be covered.

To apply: review the Call for Graduate Student Researcher.

For more information: visit the project website at https://indigenoussts.com/cihsn/.

For questions, contact scijust@ucsc.edu.

CIHSN LEADERSHIP

Jessica Kolopenuk (Cree, Peguis First Nation) is an Assistant Professor and Alberta Health Services Research Chair in Indigenous Health in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.

Kim TallBear (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate) is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Society in the Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta.

James Doucet-Battle is Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz and Co-Director of the Science & Justice Research Center.

Jenny Reardon is Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz and Co-Director of the Science & Justice Research Center.

Summer 2024 Graduate Student Researcher Opportunity (PAID)