OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA – The Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research, in collaboration with Tana Fitzpatrick, University of Oklahoma associate... vice president for tribal relations, and the OU Center for Faculty Excellence, hosted a continuation of its Ethical Tribal Engagement Series on June 17 at the OU Health Sciences campus. The event featured discussions on Indigenous perspectives in health research, governance and traditional healing. The event included nearly 70 in-person attendees and over 120 virtual attendees.
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OU's Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research congratulates the OKC Thunder for winning the 2025 NBA Championship.

Join us in uplifting tribal policy research and capacity building. The Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research is committed to supporting Tribal Nations... through ethical research and capacity building based on tribal priorities that strengthen sovereignty and governance.

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Let’s support tribal policy research. Let’s build capacity. Let’s make tomorrow count. #OUGivingDay #TribalSovereignty #NativeNationsCenter #GiveSooner

TULSA, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma hosted the Ethical Tribal Engagement Series on March 5, bringing together tribal leaders, legal experts... and university faculty to discuss the critical intersection of artificial intelligence, data sovereignty and tribal governance.

Tahdooahnippah examined the trust relationships embedded in treaties between Tribal Nations and the U.S. government. His presentation included... the historic and ongoing significance of treaty rights as more than legal contracts — they represent sacred agreements founded on trust and mutual respect, grounded in the sacrifices made by Native ancestors.

“For Indigenous peoples, treaties represent not just rights, but also responsibilities passed down from generations who fought, suffered and even gave their lives to secure them,” Tahdooahnippah said. “These are not just legal documents; they are human rights and fundamental rights that define the trust relationship between tribes and the federal government.”

Read the full article here: https://ou.edu/news/articles/2024/november/ou-hosts-comanche-nation-chairman-for-tribal-engagement-series

The Native Nations Center proudly celebrates Native American Heritage Month this November—a time to honor the history, traditions, contributions, and... enduring cultures of Native and Indigenous Peoples, past and present.

We also invite you to join us for upcoming events in our Ethical Tribal Engagement Series, focused on fostering respectful and meaningful engagement with Tribal Nations during this important month of recognition. Spaces are filling quickly for in-person attendance for our upcoming Keynote and Poster Showcase happening on November 7, 2024, from 12:00 pm - 3:00pm at the OU Norman campus.

Learn more about the ETE Series here: https://www.ou.edu/nativenationscenter/events/ete

The 2024-2025 Ethical Tribal Engagement Series is coming soon! Save the dates and join us throughout the year at OU Norman, OU Tulsa, and OU Health and Sciences Center for impactful... gatherings on ethical tribal engagement and collaboration. For more details and registration, visit nnc.events/ete. Follow us throughout the year as we roll out details about the ETE series!

The Native Nations Center Team is growing! The NNC worked with the SCC NACCHE team on this grant and will soon be adding a new tribal healthcare policy analyst position....

American Indian people suffer from incredibly high rates of cancer. We are excited to work with the dedicated team at SCC NACCHE to address and elevate policy considerations at the intersection of tribal health sovereignty and federal priorities, particularly in the area of cancer health disparities. More to come about the new position.

#nncou #nativenationscenter #policyanalysis #policyresearch #tribalsovereignty #selfgovernance

For the past 12+ months, the Native Nations Center has worked diligently to renew its focus on research and tribal engagement. We are excited to provide the first-ever year-in-review ... to highlight our team's extraordinary efforts.

The Native Nations Center is excited to invite you to our first of four events of the Spring 2024 Ethical Tribal Engagement Series! We are kicking off the series with a pa...nel featuring Kelly Berry, Robin Minthorn, Paul Spicer, and Daniel Wildcat at the OU Norman Campus. Come join us on February 7th!

For more information and to register, visit our new dedicated webpage for the Ethical Tribal Engagement Series at https://www.ou.edu/nativenationscenter/events/ete.

The University of Oklahoma hosted the Oklahoma Tribal Clean Energy Summit and Symposium, an event convened by State Senator Mary Boren (SD-16) and the first of its kind a...t the university. The Native Nations Center proudly supported this event in partnership with the OU Office of the Associate Vice President for Tribal Relations and the OU Institute for Resilient Environmental and Energy Systems.

The summit and symposium served as a significant platform where tribal officials, federal representatives, academics, and corporate interests converged to explore how tribes can harness clean energy to enhance their energy sovereignty, address climate resilience, and bolster their economies. These events not only showcased the Native Nations Center's active and visionary role in supporting tribal energy initiatives and its commitment to providing a vital space for networking opportunities for tribal representatives, but also highlighted the University of Oklahoma's extensive expertise in clean energy through poster sessions, laboratory tours, one-on-one engagement.

A takeaway from the summit for the Native Nations Center is the significance of forging enduring, reciprocal partnerships to overcome challenges and barriers on the path to tribal energy sovereignty.

Today, we honor and celebrate the rich history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples from around the world. It's a day to recognize their resilience, wisdom,... and enduring connection to the land.

Let's take a moment to learn about and appreciate the diverse Indigenous cultures that have shaped our world.

The Native Nations Center is thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for an Associate Director of Research to join our team! We are currently seeking internal OU fac...ulty applicants. To see a full job description or to apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/125233

OKLAHOMA CITY — In Oklahoma and across the United States, Indigenous women have the highest rates of death and health complications during and following pregnancy. Howeve...r, data shows that more than 90% of those deaths are preventable and that contributing factors like hemorrhage and mental health conditions can be better addressed.

The Chickasaw Nation Medical Center was recognized as an Outstanding Premier Medical Education Hub, and Rikki Scoggin, M.D., was honored as a Distinguished Family Medicin...e Preceptor. The awards were presented by the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the OU College of Medicine in Oklahoma City. The department is establishing partnerships with Oklahoma community hospitals like the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center to provide third- and fourth-year OU College of Medicine students with patient care experiences in small cities and tribal settings.

Research Consortia Leaders will guide seven areas of strength in research at OU, charting a path forward for the Imprint’s development and implementation. Tribal community engagement is... the foundational principle of each area and is facilitated in close coordination with OU Associate Vice President of Tribal Relations Tana Fitzpatrick.

An expansion of the Native Nations Center was approved. According to the agenda, the expansion will add 30,000 to 35,000 square feet for faculty and staff office spaces, meeting areas,... classrooms, a small library, exhibit space and a space to honor Oklahoma’s 39 federally-recognized sovereign nations.