Donna Hauser is a research associate professor at UAF. Photo courtesy of D. Hauser.
By Alice Bailey
Dr. Donna Hauser is a marine ecologist whose research emphasizes community-based monitoring of coastal changes. Based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, she is a research associate professor and the science lead for the Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub (AAOKH), a collaborative program connecting Arctic Alaska coastal communities with researchers at UAF’s International Arctic Research Center.
AAOKH evolved from the Seasonal Ice Zone Observing Network (SIZONet), which began in 2007 at UAF. The program weaves Indigenous Knowledge with Western science. “It’s truly holistic and long-term environmental monitoring of the ocean and sea ice from the perspective of Iñupiaq observers—people who live there and rely on that ecosystem,” Hauser said.
Sustaining local observations rooted in Indigenous ways of life
AAOKH’s foundation is a network of Indigenous observers, currently spanning over 900 miles from Kaktovik to Kotzebue. Observers contribute regular reports on ice, weather conditions, and wildlife, often paired with scientific instrumentation to measure seawater or ice properties of interest to a specific community. The observational data are added to a database curated by AAOKH’s partner, the Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA), and are accessible with the acceptance of the data use agreement developed with the observers themselves.
Local observations have been useful to improve our understanding of Arctic changes while also mitigating the impact of climate change, particularly where changes in shorefast ice create dangerous travel conditions. “In Utqiaġvik, ice ridges taller than people can form and vary each year. Hunters are literally out there with pickaxes, cutting and building trails to get snow machines to the lead edge for spring whaling,” Hauser explained.
Whaling camp at the ice edge. Photo by Billy Adams, courtesy of AAOKH.
Safe navigation requires careful observation of conditions throughout the season, and the process of trail placement is deeply rooted in local Indigenous Knowledge and whaling crew experience. Since 2007, AAOKH has worked with the whaling community, North Slope Borough personnel, and scientists to map whaling trails in Utqiaġvik. To make the maps that are distributed to communities, the team uses a GPS to map trail locations, an electromagnetic conductivity (EM) meter to measure ice thickness, and satellite imagery to show the types of ice. Since 2023, the Alaska Ocean Observing System has supported this effort with funds from the Inflation Reduction Act.
AAOKH’s recently published book, Trails to the Whale, compiles nearly 20 years of whaling maps alongside environmental conditions, whale harvest numbers, and photographs. Hauser describes the book as a way to give back to the whaling community for their years of partnership and support of the project.
A new generation of Indigenous scholars
AAOKH is committed to supporting the next generation of Indigenous scholars and leaders, particularly at UAF. For example, Lease Patton, also an intern at AOOS, is working on wind pattern analysis for Utqiaġvik. Roberta Tuurraq Glenn-Borade, who completed her master’s degree in connection to AAOKH, now serves as AAOKH’s community liaison and project manager. Graduate student Kimberly Kivvaq Pikok contributed to the book about trail mapping and will soon release a film based on her thesis about multigenerational perspectives of bowhead whaling.
Making data accessible and useful
Another core function of AAOKH is putting observations in practice in order to serve the needs of partnering communities. This supports AAOKH’s long-standing goal of fostering knowledge sharing across generations and making environmental monitoring tools accessible to the people they serve.
“The focus is on ensuring that the over 11,000 observations collected over the years are used by younger generations and local Indigenous-led organizations,” Hauser said. She noted that AAOKH’s Steering Group and Iñupiaq observers have emphasized the importance of elevating Indigenous Knowledge alongside Western science for decision-making.
AAOKH recently compiled decades of whaling trail maps into a book that was printed with support from AOOS and distributed to the whaling community in Utqiaġvik. Photo by Alice Bailey.
With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, AOOS is supporting a new AAOKH project led by Alexandra Ravello and Hauser, aimed at developing a curriculum around archived observations. The project will also create strategies to make the data useful and accessible for community members, including Tribal administrators, for example to use the information in their own grant proposals.
Looking Ahead
In November, AAOKH is hosting a workshop focused on its observers, in collaboration with the Experimental Arctic Prediction Initiative at UAF and the National Weather Service (NWS), targeting improved sea ice forecasts and inclusion of Indigenous perspectives. The workshop, funded by NOAA, will include a tour of weather service facilities and foster stronger relationships between AAOKH and NWS.
AAOKH regularly shares updates through printed newsletters, mailed to nearly 2,800 households, and maintains an active Facebook page where recent observations are posted. A paper published last year details AAOKH’s evolution and future priorities, providing further insight into the program’s unique contributions to environmental science and Indigenous Knowledge.The organization is actively seeking new funding opportunities and partnerships to maintain and expand its efforts.
CONTACT: Donna Hauser at dhauser2@alaska.edu.