“Indigenous Communities & Tallgrass Prairie Resilience in a time of Changing Climate: A Science, Education & Co-Design Research Collaboration”

Presentation by CGII GPOD grant winners:

• Phoebe Crisman (Architecture/Global Environments + Sustainability)
• David Edmunds (Global Development Studies)
• Howard Epstein (Environmental Sciences)
• Jennie Chiu (School of Education & Human Development)

Abstract

Changing climate requires resilient ecological systems, human communities, and built environments. This research examines coupled human–environment systems of tallgrass prairies, Indigenous peoples, and their ways of living and learning. UVA faculty and students from architecture, environment science, global studies, and education are collaborating with Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate NGO partners Nis’to and Makoce Ikikcupi on their Lake Traverse Reservation in South Dakota. Intersectional research objectives and implementation encompass three areas: Science best practices to restore and maintain vital tallgrass prairie ecosystems with climate change; Design strategies for ecologically and culturally sustainable architecture, landscape, and infrastructure; and Education methods and knowledge co-production.

Full Research Team

UVA Co-PIs: Phoebe Crisman, Architecture/Global Environments + Sustainability; David Edmunds, Global Development Studies; Howard Epstein, Environmental Sciences, Lora Henderson Smith, Education School

Lake Traverse Reservation team: Dustina Gill, Nis’to, Inc., WaziyataWin, Makoce Ikikcupi

Other UVA Faculty partners: Lauren Simkins, Environmental Sciences; Jennie Chiu, Education School

Register here to attend. Please email em6ks@virginia.edu with any questions.