Many Indigenous communities implement Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)-Practice Systems on their lands, caring for all parts of the ecosystem including human and non-human relations. However, our insect kin can often be overlooked in practice. TEK-Practice Systems have helped sustain much of the world's biodiversity despite impacts on ongoing settler colonialism. Reuben-Thomas will explore leading insect science the ANTie way through her own research which investigates and compares the impacts of TEK-Practice Systems and settler land management strategies on insect biodiversity. As such, she will outline guiding principles for collaboration and coproduction of knowledge with Indigenous communities to ensure data sovereignty and benefit-sharing across communities.
In addition to outlining her prospective research, Reuben-Thomas will highlight Indigenous-led initiatives that she is involved in which train the next generation of Indigenous biologists, geneticists, and even entomologists. Defining these guiding principles alongside the influence of such Indigenous-led initiatives empowers Indigenous communities to maintain sovereignty in their own research processes by setting them up with the tools and training necessary for their own research interests and goals.
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