University of Richmond Geographers Awarded $800K NASA Grant for Research on Climate Impacts to Native Americans
Grant News
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — David Seward Salisbury, an associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability at the University of Richmond, was awarded a three-year, $804,605 grant from NASA to support a collaborative project focused on climate impacts on Native Americans in Virginia.
Salisbury will work closely with members of the Nansemond, Mattaponi, and Monacan Nations; fellow University of Richmond geography professor Stephanie Spera; and faculty from Texas Tech. The researchers will co-design an online portal combining geographic information, satellite imagery, and other data to allow the Native American Nations of Virginia to monitor extreme events, identify climate trends, make informed decisions, and educate tribal members and allies.
The research team, including UR undergraduate students, will work with tribal partners to collaboratively layer their unique histories, cultures, and traditional environmental knowledge with existing socioeconomic and environmental data. They will learn from and work with the Native American Nations to determine the best strategies to prepare for climate change, increase climate resiliency, and educate university partners, non-governmental organizations, and state and federal agencies about the changing dynamics in Virginia’s Indigenous landscapes.
“I’m hopeful this framework and the dashboard tool we create can be used by other Native American Nations to identify environmental justice concerns and build capacity for climate resilience and environmental justice work,” Salisbury said.
This work builds off a previous NASA project that Spera and Salisbury recently completed in the Amazon rainforest. Salisbury has done extensive research over the past 20 years with Indigenous communities in the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon.
“While the continents are different, many of the issues and challenges to historically overlooked Indigenous peoples and landscapes are shared across the Americas,” said Salisbury. “One thing we know from experience is that robust data, engaging maps, and storytelling with science and culture are key to advocacy and impactful in driving change.”
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While the continents are different, many of the issues and challenges to historically overlooked Indigenous peoples and landscapes are shared across the Americas. One thing we know from experience is that robust data, engaging maps, and storytelling with science and culture are key to advocacy and impactful in driving change.
