Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.

Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.

Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.

Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.

Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.

Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.

Nothing about us without us 

One of the NNA-CO's major efforts is to bring people together in different ways. Rather than individual researchers presenting their work, the NNA-CO strives toward a mix of dialogue and discussion, offering panel or teaching sessions for stronger participant engagement.   

For example, during the Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), which took place in March 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, the NNA-CO supported and co-hosted the Indigenous Pavilion, where participants could gather in a more intimate setting. The summit brought more than 800 researchers and Indigenous experts, focused on developing a strategy for the next decade of Arctic research. The pavilion offered a place where meaningful connections could be made, which can be difficult in lecture-based, large conferences. The structure featured two interwoven tents with an outdoor firepit to gather around. In the evenings, singing, dancing, and food sharing helped build connections among attendees. As the summit concluded, the Indigenous participants and supporters came together to hold up a banner stating, a phrase that captures a grounding principle for research in Indigenous homelands: Nothing about us without us. 

Druckenmiller believes it is a profound statement and speaks to how research in the past often excluded these voices. “Even projects that had immediate relevance and could benefit Arctic communities rarely delivered results back to the people who need it the most,” Druckenmiller said. “So, if you're trying to support, whether you call it adaptation or resilience or just informed planning, it really requires the solutions being sustainable in the community, culturally appropriate, place based.” But that requires a longer-term perspective than a typical three-year grant allows. 

Druckenmiller emphasizes that there is no substitute for time. To truly engage on a community level requires tremendous commitment. However, research positions are often not designed to sustain long-term projects. “I think there are ways of improving upon this model,” Druckenmiller said, “and I think the Community Office has shed light on that in a lot of ways.” Coproduction is essential, and the NNA-CO has embraced that concept, supporting progress through their relationship-building approach at conferences such as ASSW.

In March 2026, at the ASSW in Aarhus, Denmark, the NNA-CO again supported a team that created an Indigenous Pavilion modeled on the one in Colorado. “The pavilion made us feel at home again,” said Indigenous scholar Inga Hensen. “To show our cultures with singing and ceremonies made us feel like yes, even though there is a summit about the Arctic we can go back to our roots, and within seconds we can adapt to the mainstream way of western society conference.” Another Indigenous scholar Vera Kuklina said, “The Pavilion provided me with the unique opportunity to meet, learn from, and build relations with Arctic scholars, artists, and knowledge holders across the whole Arctic. I’m inspired by our Indigenous scholars who walk two worlds and bring together the best of them.” 

The next NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in September 2026 in Fairbanks, Alaska, focusing on “Living with Change.”

Identifying our legacy 

With less than three years of funding remaining, the NNA-CO is looking to the future. Kuklina said, “I greatly appreciate the efforts and dedication of our allies who in the current situation of shrinking funding and public pressure keep supporting us in all endeavors.” Without a dedicated funding stream, however, projects built around coproduction of knowledge may be harder to develop and sustain.  

As active NNA projects wind down, the Community Office will eventually do the same, raising a question about its legacy. “I like to say its legacy will be the people,” Carlo said. “The people it brought in to have conversations around what it means to work co-creatively. What does it mean to consider knowledges that are different and more diverse than academically trained science? What does it mean for institutions to structure their organization to support this work? I think the Community Office has illustrated these questions more clearly.” 

 

 

Sámi scientist and leader Gunn-Britt Retter contributes to a discussion at the Indigenous Pavilion at the 2026 Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

Unangax̂ scholar and dancer Haliehana Alaĝum Ayagaa Stepetin performs at the Indigenous Pavilion at ASSW 2026 in Aarhus, Denmark. — Credit: Kari Fannar Larusson, 2026

The answers are only beginning to take shape at some institutions, but growing awareness that the NNA initiative can provide greater value than the sum of its individually funded projects has already left a mark. As Carlo put it, “We can work together and consider different perspectives, different types of knowledge, including Indigenous Knowledge that is deeply rooted to a place and over generations, to drive research questions and to then know how to apply the research results on the backend.” 

Druckenmiller hopes that part of the Community Office’s legacy will be the ability to demonstrate what has come out of this research and investment. “We want to be able to revisit what we’ve done here and look at how career trajectories have shifted or who’s still engaged a few years down the road,” he said. To do this, the NNA-CO is developing an evaluation framework to share NNA results and lessons with NSF leadership, policymakers, and Indigenous organizations. Druckenmiller added, “This detailed accounting will catalog what was realized with this $150 million investment, and hopefully it will provide a bit of a roadmap for future research investments.” 

But as Carlo sees it, the Community Office’s most enduring legacy may ultimately be simpler: the people and relationships it brought together.