Heather Sauyaq Jean Kwamboka Gordon (MS 2014) is one of twenty outstanding scholars who will engage in collaborative, multi-disciplinary research over the next 18 months as part of the fourth iteration of the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Arctic Initiative, which seeks to advance Arctic nations’ shared interest in building a secure and sustainable Arctic region. Researchers will explore topics in the thematic areas of climate change and Arctic resources, Arctic security and governance, and mental health and well-being.
Heather Sauyaq Jean Kwamboka Gordon, PhD, owner/principal consultant at Sauyaq Solutions and adjunct professor at American University, specializes in research, evaluation, and technical assistance for and with Indigenous Tribes/communities.
Dr. Gordon holds a PhD in Indigenous Studies with a concentration in Indigenous Sustainability. Her work highlights links between culture and wellbeing, emphasizing connectedness with nonhuman and more than human kin, and the importance of listening to Indigenous Knowledges. She addresses conservation, land/water management, and climate change. Her work also highlights the connectivity between Indigenous cultures and educational outcomes, health, wellbeing, and reduced substance use. She is a boundary spanner between knowledge systems and a science diplomat to communicate research to policy makers.
Dr. Gordon’s Fulbright project is titled Indigenous Sovereignty and Arctic Security: Human Rights and Environmental Justice in Governance. Climate change exacerbates risks to people worldwide. By integrating Indigenous sovereignty over land and water management into Arctic governance frameworks (learning from Sami in Sapmi and Inuit in Nunavut, hosted by Finland and Canada), this research aims to enhance ecological and thus human security, resilience, and wellbeing while safeguarding Indigenous cultures and livelihoods—shown to be protective factors for Indigenous people. This study contributes to sustainable Arctic governance and global human and environmental security.