Featured Stories
Stockholm University: Four New Colleagues Join ERC-funded Project PROTECT
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 3 -- Stockholm University issued the following news:
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Four new colleagues join ERC-funded project PROTECT
The department happily welcomes four new researchers to PROTECT - Protectionism in Place: Explaining How Subnational Change Affects Public Support for Protectionism.
PROTECT is an ERC-funded research project that examines how local economic, environmental and socio-cultural changes affect public attitudes towards protectionism. The project is led by Professor Lisa Dellmuth. The new employees consist of two postdoctoral researchers and two doctoral students.
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STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 3 -- Stockholm University issued the following news:
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Four new colleagues join ERC-funded project PROTECT
The department happily welcomes four new researchers to PROTECT - Protectionism in Place: Explaining How Subnational Change Affects Public Support for Protectionism.
PROTECT is an ERC-funded research project that examines how local economic, environmental and socio-cultural changes affect public attitudes towards protectionism. The project is led by Professor Lisa Dellmuth. The new employees consist of two postdoctoral researchers and two doctoral students.
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Postdoctoral researchers
Hongyi She comes to us from a postdoctoral position at Princeton University's Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance. She defended her PhD in political science at the University of Rochester in 2025 and has researched the individual causes of opposition to free trade.
"What I find most interesting is how economic and cultural factors interact when protectionist attitudes are shaped, and how information affects this interaction. I hope to help solve a central riddle in open economies research: why regional economic shocks predict protectionist behavior, while individual-based surveys often only find weak effects of personal economic self-interest on protectionist attitudes.
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Muzhou Zhang joins from a postdoctoral position at Aarhus University and defended his PhD at the University of Essex in 2024. His specialization includes comparative survey research, experimental design and spatial econometrics.
"Why do many consumers rely in an apparently 'irrationally' trade safeguards that restrict their access to affordable goods? I expect my work in the project to generate internationally comparable data that can be widely reused, on the level of public support for various protectionist measures in different locations. I also hope that my work can help distinguish causal relationships from pure correlations behind place-bound expressions of support for trade protection."
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Doctoral student
Viola Pulkkinen has a background in political psychology and five years of professional experience in global migration and development policy, including through work at international think tanks and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Egypt.
"I hope to discover something more universal about political psychology during the stresses of globalisation. The most exciting research problem for me is the gap between objective local changes and the subjective narratives through which these changes are interpreted. This is an area very vulnerable to the influence of elites and disinformation."
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Torkel Gure has almost three years of experience as a research assistant at Stockholm University, where he built up deep expertise in the collection and processing of regional context and survey data for statistical analysis.
"The complex mechanisms behind support for protectionism are very fascinating, and PROTECT will give us the opportunity to identify previously unexplored causal relationships in new local contexts. I also hope that the insights I can contribute through the project can help policymakers design trade policies that are fair, robust and broadly supported."
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Original text here: https://www.su.se/enheter/institutionen-for-ekonomisk-historia-och-internationella-relationer/nyheter/nyhetsartiklar/2026-09-02-fyra-nya-kollegor-ansluter-till-erc-finansierade-projektet-protect
Open University Launches New Strategy to Widen Opportunity and Help More Students Succeed
MILTON KEYNES, England, Sept. 3 -- Open University issued the following news:
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The Open University launches new strategy to widen opportunity and help more students succeed
The Open University (OU) has today launched Opening Up, its new strategy for 2026-2031, setting out how it will widen opportunity, improve student success and increase its impact through education, research, innovation and partnership.
The strategy marks the next stage in the OU's mission to make higher education open to people regardless of background, location or circumstance. It responds to major changes in how people
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MILTON KEYNES, England, Sept. 3 -- Open University issued the following news:
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The Open University launches new strategy to widen opportunity and help more students succeed
The Open University (OU) has today launched Opening Up, its new strategy for 2026-2031, setting out how it will widen opportunity, improve student success and increase its impact through education, research, innovation and partnership.
The strategy marks the next stage in the OU's mission to make higher education open to people regardless of background, location or circumstance. It responds to major changes in how peoplelive, learn and work, including the rapid development of artificial intelligence, changing skills needs and growing demand for flexible lifelong learning.
At its heart is a shift from access alone to ensuring students have the best possible opportunity to succeed by taking our education and research into places where people live and work. The OU will develop even more flexible and personalised learning and support so people will not need to accept a one size fits all offer but be partners in the design of their learning. Partnerships will support the creation of a scramble net of educational pathways into and through HE, and we will continue to lead in the responsible use of technology where it can demonstrably improve learning and student outcomes.
Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, Professor Dave Phoenix, said:
"Opportunity should never be limited by circumstance. Yet for too many people, it still is.
"Our purpose at The Open University does not change. What must change is how we fulfil it. We want more students to succeed in ways that matter to them, our education and research to make a stronger contribution to society, and the OU to reach people and communities in new ways.
"We were founded because the established model of higher education did not work for everyone. No one model ever does. At the OU, we must continue to challenge convention, make the best use of new technology and work with others to open doors to opportunity still wider."
The strategy is built around three connected themes:
1. Creating Societal Impact
The OU will widen access through stronger educational pathways and focus its research more clearly on areas where it can deliver distinctive excellence and public value. It will work more closely with communities, policymakers, employers and other partners to address educational cold spots and turn education and research into practical social and economic impact.
2. Supporting Student Success
The University will design learning, assessment, support and services around the different lives, circumstances and ambitions of its students. It will make responsible use of AI and other technologies to support more personalised learning, while strengthening belonging, flexibility and support throughout the student journey. Students will be partners in their learning and in the creation of their course.
3. Reaching New Communities Through Innovation and Partnership
The OU will deepen partnerships with employers, governments, education providers, public services and communities across all four nations and internationally. It will develop new education models, expand work-based and flexible learning, and explore new physical and hybrid approaches where they can extend opportunity and strengthen local impact by taking our education and research into the places it is most needed.
It is underpinned by three enablers: People and Culture, Digital, and Finance and Estates, reflecting the changes needed within the University to deliver its ambitions sustainably.
As part of Opening Up, the University will strengthen its leadership in the responsible use of AI in education, develop clearer routes into higher education through further education and work-based learning, focus investment in research with demonstrable public impact, and build deeper partnerships with communities, employers and public services.
The full strategy, Opening Up: The Open University Strategy 2026-2031 is available at www.strategy.open.ac.uk
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Original text here: https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/news/around-ou/university-news/the-open-university-launches-new-strategy-to-widen-opportunity-and-help-more-students-succeed/
NYU: End of Free School Meal Program Led to Increased Stress and Hunger, Poorer Diets, and Reduced Focus, Say Teachers
NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (TNSjou) -- New York University issued the following news:
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End of Free School Meal Program Led to Increased Stress and Hunger, Poorer Diets, and Reduced Focus, Say Teachers
Teachers perceived no benefits to ending free school meals for all students
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How did students' diets and behavior change after the expiration of a pandemic-era universal free school meal program in 2022? Researchers asked teachers for their observations on the impact on students, and found that teachers perceived more student hunger and stress, increased consumption of junk foods, and reduced focus
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NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (TNSjou) -- New York University issued the following news:
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End of Free School Meal Program Led to Increased Stress and Hunger, Poorer Diets, and Reduced Focus, Say Teachers
Teachers perceived no benefits to ending free school meals for all students
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How did students' diets and behavior change after the expiration of a pandemic-era universal free school meal program in 2022? Researchers asked teachers for their observations on the impact on students, and found that teachers perceived more student hunger and stress, increased consumption of junk foods, and reduced focusin the classroom, among the negative outcomes.
"Teachers are first-hand observers of the impact school meal policies have on children. Participation data can tell us that fewer students ate lunch, but teachers can tell us why a student did, or did not eat and how it presented in the classroom," says Deborah Olarte,opens in a new tab the study's lead author and assistant professor of nutrition at NYU Steinhardt. "Universal free school meals removed a worry from the school day. When they went away, the worry came back, and teachers watched it play out in their classrooms."
Researchers interviewed 25 teachers in the Anchorage School District in Alaska, asking them to compare the 2021-2022 year when their schools participated in the universal meal program--a federal program which provided meals to all students, regardless of economic need--to 2022-2023 after the program ended. They asked questions focused on the benefits and challenges of offering free meals to students. The article is published in Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. opens in a new tab
During the universal meal plan, teachers perceived the following:
* Reduced student and family stress
* Increased food waste among students
"I think the kids who would be shy about saying that they're hungry or don't have lunch didn't have to worry about it because it was just provided," one teacher shared.
After the program's expiration, teachers shared these observations:
* Increased student hunger
* More frequent behavioral issues among students
* Students had more difficulty concentrating
* Increased student anxiety about paying for meals
* Teachers were more likely to provide food for students
* Increased consumption of sugary snacks and beverages, and ultra-processed foods
* Decreased meal participation, particularly among students eligible for free meals
According to one teacher, "Some kids...they're just hungry all afternoon and can't focus, and again disruptive behaviors happen."
"Teachers gave us one window into this policy shift. We should also include the voices of students, parents, administrators, and food service staff across different districts and states," Olarte says. "But what stayed with me from these interviews is how much of school meal policy lands on teachers who were buying snacks, cleaning up, etc. I think it's important to focus on how the burden school meal programs place on educators may shape families' decisions to participate in school meals."
Funding for this study was provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD107492).
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Original text here: https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2026/july/-end-of-free-school-meal-program-led-to-increased-stress-and-hun.html?challenge=d06e90d7-4d8f-4b88-9d8c-10b73beb60f1
London School of Economics Academics Awarded European Research Council Starting Grants
LONDON, England, Sept. 3 -- The University of London - London School of Economics and Political Science issued the following news release:
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LSE academics awarded European Research Council Starting Grants
European Research Council Starting Grants have been awarded to Assistant Professor Mobarak Hossain from the Department of Social Policy, Assistant Professor Paula Onuchic from the Department of Economics and Assistant Professor Maarten De Ridder, also from the Department of Economics.
The highly competitive grants are awarded to researchers to help develop ambitious ideas, build their
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LONDON, England, Sept. 3 -- The University of London - London School of Economics and Political Science issued the following news release:
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LSE academics awarded European Research Council Starting Grants
European Research Council Starting Grants have been awarded to Assistant Professor Mobarak Hossain from the Department of Social Policy, Assistant Professor Paula Onuchic from the Department of Economics and Assistant Professor Maarten De Ridder, also from the Department of Economics.
The highly competitive grants are awarded to researchers to help develop ambitious ideas, build theirown teams and establish their independence at a pivotal stage in their careers. In 2026 Starting Grants worth a total of Euros705 million will go to 421 early-career researchers across Europe.
Assistant Professor Mobarak Hossain of the Department of Social Policy will receive his award for his project: Life Chances and Education Systems in LMICs.
Assistant Professor Mobarak Hossain commented: "I am very pleased to have received this ERC grant to work on how and to what extent education systems influence educational and employment outcomes."
Project summary: Across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), enrolment has expanded and gender gaps have narrowed. Yet, substantial inequalities remain in learning and labour market outcomes.
This project argues that institutions are the missing link: the same years of schooling lead to different skills and returns depending on how education systems are organised. It will build a harmonised longitudinal dataset of education system institutions across LMICs spanning over four decades. These institutional data will be combined with individual-level survey data and derived measures of inequality and intergenerational mobility. Reform episodes will be used to test whether institutional change narrows or widens inequalities in outcomes. A subnational study of Bangladesh will then examine how a common national system produces divergent opportunity structures.
By combining cross-national breadth with subnational depth, the project aims to show how education systems influence inequality across the life course and when reforms can equalise rather than reproduce social (dis)advantage.
Assistant Professor Paula Onuchic from the Department of Economics will receive her award for her project: Building Reputation in Groups: Attribution Biases and Strategic Responses.
Assistant Professor Paula Onuchic commented: "I am thrilled to have the ERC's support to continue pursuing my theoretical and experimental research agenda on reputation formation in collective settings. Over the next five years, I look forward to deepening our understanding of how reputational dynamics shape incentives, power, and collaboration within groups."
Project summary: Most major economic, political, and creative outcomes arise from collective decisions rather than individual actions. Committees, research teams, firms, and artistic collaborations all produce outcomes that observers must interpret when assigning credit and blame to individual participants. This proposal investigates how reputations are built within such groups - and how systematic misperceptions in this collective inference problem shape incentives, power, and efficiency.
The project combines theory and experiments to analyze how audiences' beliefs about group decision rules influence behavior within and across teams. Part 1 develops a model of group communication in which actual versus perceived power over group decisions jointly determine reputational outcomes, effort incentives, and project selection. Part 2 tests these mechanisms experimentally, documenting systematic biases in how collective decisions are interpreted and how informal deliberation distorts formal rules. Part 3 extends the analysis to group formation, showing how reputational externalities inherent to biases in the collective inference problem can endogenously generate inefficient collaboration patterns and talent allocation.
Together, these studies build a unified theory of how reputational dynamics operate in collective environments, showing how misperceptions of power and responsibility shape real outcomes in organizations, and offering a blueprint for designing institutions that foster efficient, accountable collaboration.
Assistant Professor Maarten De Ridder from the Department of Economics will receive his award for his project: Fragile Growth: Innovation, Productivity, and the Macroeconomy.
Assistant Professor Maarten De Ridder commented: "I am delighted and very grateful to the ERC for supporting this research agenda. We understand a great deal about what drives firms to invest in innovation, but surprisingly little about what those investments actually deliver for economies as a whole. Productivity growth has slowed across advanced economies even as R&D spending has risen, and Europe in particular urgently needs to understand why. GROWTH will develop new theory and evidence on how rare, transformative innovations emerge, diffuse across firms and borders, and shape growth, inequality and the global economy. I am excited to take this work forward at LSE."
Project summary: Economic growth in advanced economies is primarily driven by productivity improvements, and productivity growth depends on technological progress arising from innovative investments by firms and governments. Yet since the mid-2000s, productivity growth has slowed sharply across advanced economies even as R&D investments have risen.
This research agenda aims to spearhead a new understanding of how innovative investments translate into economic growth and shape macroeconomic outcomes. While we know much about what drives firms' incentives to innovate, we know far less about what those innovations achieve - both for aggregate productivity and for the distribution and diffusion of economic gains.
A first theme will develop new theory and evidence on growth as "fragile" - driven by rare, transformative innovations that diffuse slowly through the economy - and use administrative micro data to estimate the relationship between innovative investments and productivity, including whether short-run shocks such as recessions permanently scar long-run growth. The second theme studies the broader macroeconomic consequences of innovation: how transformative innovations shape the distribution of wealth, how wealth taxation affects inequality, innovation and growth, and how trade and financial imbalances shape frontier innovation and the diffusion of technologies across borders.
President of the European Research Council Professor Maria Leptin said: "The creativity and ambition of this new generation of grantees are inspiring. Over 50 nationalities are represented amongst these researchers who will carry out their work across Europe. ERC Starting Grants will give them independence and support early on in their careers, needed for them to push scientific boundaries. This is the best investment we can make to further strengthen our research base and Europe's future."
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Original text here: https://www.lse.ac.uk/news/lse-academics-awarded-european-research-council-starting-grants
King's College London: How Can We Improve School Attendance?
LONDON, England, Sept. 3 (TNSjou) -- King's College London issued the following news:
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How can we improve school attendance?
A new systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence has found a large range of interventions exist to address the diverse causes of school absence, with substantial new evidence from randomised controlled trials.
Poor school attendance can negatively affect young people's behaviour and their future health. It is a growing public health concern, due to increasing rates of persistent absence from school, something which has risen considerably and remained high in
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LONDON, England, Sept. 3 (TNSjou) -- King's College London issued the following news:
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How can we improve school attendance?
A new systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence has found a large range of interventions exist to address the diverse causes of school absence, with substantial new evidence from randomised controlled trials.
Poor school attendance can negatively affect young people's behaviour and their future health. It is a growing public health concern, due to increasing rates of persistent absence from school, something which has risen considerably and remained high insome parts of the country, since the COVID-19 pandemic. A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health reviewed and synthesised the evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on interventions to help improve school attendance.
The review looked at 61 articles on RCTs conducted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, due to similarities in education systems. It also focused on studies including pupils of primary or secondary school age, their parents, guardians or teachers.
Dr Jean Strelitz, joint first author on the review said "This review comes at a critical time, as school attendance hasn't fully recovered since the pandemic. Persistent school absence presents a public health concern, as it is associated with poorer developmental and behavioural outcomes.
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"We identified a large number of recent high-quality trials of school attendance interventions. In our meta-analysis, engaging with parents and improving communication to parents had consistent positive impacts on attendance across several studies. However, there is a wide range of intervention types which may suit different needs of schools and populations. We can learn from this new research, to inform a more evidence-based approach to improving attendance."
-Dr Jean Strelitz, Research Fellow in Population Mental Health, Psychological Medicine, IoPPN
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The analysis identified that parental engagement and mentoring interventions were most consistently effective, particularly among younger age groups, with small improvements in attendance.
Teaching social and emotional skills, behavioural interventions, and interventions targeting high-risk pupils also showed some positive effects on attendance, but there were fewer trials of these types of interventions, so it is harder to be certain of the impacts. However, the study notes that there may be broader aims and benefits of these kinds of interventions, beyond attendance.
Professor Ann John, Swansea University, senior author on the review said "Persistent absence impacts children's life chances. It's an issue that disproportionately affects disadvantaged children compounding existing differences in how well pupils do at school. The start of a new school year brings renewed attention to how we can address it.
Our findings strengthen the evidence that improving attendance requires approaches which respond to the complex causes of school absence, rather than relying on a single solution.
In particular, working closely with parents and providing consistent, individual mentoring type support can make a difference. The priority now is to build on this evidence and understand how these approaches can be used effectively across our schools."
The evidence suggests that a one-size-fits-all approach would fail to respond to the needs of different student populations, given the diverse causes of absence. However, the implementation of parental engagement interventions may be a beneficial large-scale option, due to its effectiveness and relative ease of scaling this kind of intervention up to a national level.
The review highlights a need for more UK-based trials to take place around this topic to help inform policy and address the current downward trends in school attendance in the UK.
Jessica Barrett, National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (Royal College of Psychiatrists), joint first author on the review said, "Every day a child misses school is a missed opportunity to learn, build relationships and develop confidence. We know that attendance, wellbeing and educational outcomes are closely connected, making absence a concern for schools, families and communities.
Our findings show that there are many ways to improve attendance, reflecting the numerous reasons why children are absent. Schools can play an important role in addressing attendance by strengthening relationships with students, parents and guardians, and by tailoring support to individual needs. Our review provides a clearer picture of approaches likely to improve attendance, helping educators identify what may work best for the children they teach."
'Interventions to improve school attendance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence from randomised controlled trials' by Jean Strelitz et al., was published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2025-225671
This evidence review was proposed by Professor Ann John of Swansea University and the Dyfodol programme from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in response to the Welsh Government identifying school attendance and absence as a priority area.
This work was supported by Administrative Data Research (ADR) Wales programme Swansea University (ESRC grant ES/S007393/1) and the Dyfodol programme from the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The research was led by researchers at the Public Mental Health Implementation Centre, the National Centre for Mental Health, and Swansea University and at the UKRI national research network, Population Health Improvement UK (PHIUK) Population Mental Health Consortium (MRC grant MR/Y030788/1).
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Original text here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/how-can-we-improve-school-attendance
Franklin & Marshall: 'I Find It Important and Necessary' - Uncovering Lancaster's Hidden History
LANCASTER, Pennsylvania, Sept. 3 -- Franklin and Marshall College issued the following news:
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'I Find It Important and Necessary': Uncovering Lancaster's Hidden History
By Alicia Morrissey-Kinee
For Frances Taylor '27, the Lancaster Vice project checked all the right boxes. The research initiative offered an opportunity to collaborate with a faculty mentor whose work they had long admired, explore how their two majors converge in the real world, and unearth stories the city had forgotten.
"I enjoy learning about hidden history that popular culture often overlooks," said Taylor, who hails
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LANCASTER, Pennsylvania, Sept. 3 -- Franklin and Marshall College issued the following news:
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'I Find It Important and Necessary': Uncovering Lancaster's Hidden History
By Alicia Morrissey-Kinee
For Frances Taylor '27, the Lancaster Vice project checked all the right boxes. The research initiative offered an opportunity to collaborate with a faculty mentor whose work they had long admired, explore how their two majors converge in the real world, and unearth stories the city had forgotten.
"I enjoy learning about hidden history that popular culture often overlooks," said Taylor, who hailsfrom Baltimore and is double majoring in public health and women's, gender and sexuality studies at Franklin & Marshall College. "I find it important and necessary to tell the stories of people whose experiences are rarely told and remembered."
Bringing those forgotten narratives to light is the core mission of Lancaster Vice. Led by Alison Kibler, professor of American studies and women's, gender and sexuality studies, Lancaster Vice investigates the city's history as "wide open" for vice in the early 1900s. Police and other officials encouraged and even participated in prostitution, gambling, and drinking. During Prohibition, Lancaster law enforcement ignored mammoth illegal distilleries, breweries and saloons, and refused to cooperate with federal agents.
"It seems more fitting for New York City or Philadelphia, but this hidden history really is Lancaster history -- contrary to Lancaster County's contemporary reputation as conservative and wholesome," Kibler said.
Kibler specializes in the history of popular culture, particularly during the turn of the twentieth century. Her work on Lancaster Vice began when she discovered a LancasterHistory archive of notes from undercover investigators who visited Lancaster annually from 1913-1916.
Over the years, Kibler has enlisted students like Taylor to help uncover more of that infamous past. By examining a wide array of primary sources -- including newspaper databases, public census records, and local archives -- student researchers help Kibler transform this raw data into public storytelling. Lancaster Vice now features two walking tours -- the Backstreet Brothel Tour delves into the city's history of brothels, and the Brew-Haha Tour charts its brewing heritage and opposition to Prohibition -- alongside a blog and a podcast that currently has 10 episodes and over 2,700 downloads.
"I enjoy the teamwork that emerges over the summer," Kibler said. "I learn a great deal by collaborating with these talented students. They motivate me to get a lot more done."
Taylor was eager to contribute to that collaborative summer momentum.
"Getting the opportunity to work on the project and grow my knowledge and relationship with Professor Kibler has been amazing," Taylor said.
Alongside fellow Diplomats Caitlin Bonner '28 and Sara Smith '28, a 2026 Rouse Scholar, Taylor spent the summer researching local doctors who provided medical services in brothels in the early 20th century.
"By combining local newspaper archives and genealogical records, I built biographical profiles exploring their daily lives, political connections, and community standing," Taylor said. "I contextualized their work by analyzing Pennsylvania health legislation and broader national attitudes toward sex work and STIs (sexually transmitted infections)."
As they dug through historical records, Taylor uncovered more than the past -- they caught a glimpse into their future. Taylor, who is also minoring in Classics, is eyeing a career in library sciences, particularly in special collections or archives work.
"This project gave me experience working in archives and handling archival materials," Taylor said. "It has helped me grow my research, critical thinking, and time management skills."
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Original text here: https://www.fandm.edu/stories/wgss-public-health-lancaster-vice-research.html
Dartmouth College Guidelines Created for Publishing Indigenous Data
HANOVER, New Hampshire, Sept. 3 -- Dartmouth College issued the following news:
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New Guidelines Created for Publishing Indigenous Data
Scholars seek to ensure Indigenous peoples have governance rights to data.
Written by Amy Olson
To ensure that Indigenous peoples' rights and knowledge are recognized in scientific data and scholarly publishing, a team of Indigenous scholars led by Lydia Jennings, an assistant professor of environmental studies, has established Guidelines for the Governance of Indigenous Peoples' Data in Scholarly Publishing.
The guidelines (PDF) seek to implement the
... Show Full Article
HANOVER, New Hampshire, Sept. 3 -- Dartmouth College issued the following news:
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New Guidelines Created for Publishing Indigenous Data
Scholars seek to ensure Indigenous peoples have governance rights to data.
Written by Amy Olson
To ensure that Indigenous peoples' rights and knowledge are recognized in scientific data and scholarly publishing, a team of Indigenous scholars led by Lydia Jennings, an assistant professor of environmental studies, has established Guidelines for the Governance of Indigenous Peoples' Data in Scholarly Publishing.
The guidelines (PDF) seek to implement theCARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance in the publishing realm. CARE is an acronym that stands for collective benefit, authority to control data, responsibility, and ethics.
Through the principles, the scholars hope that anyone working with Indigenous data will do so in a manner that is consistent with supporting Indigenous peoples' rights, interests, self-determination, collective benefit, and well-being.
"When I was a PhD student and postdoc, I found that there was a lot of culturally important information available in public places, such as in environmental impact statements, reports, and publications, that are about Indigenous peoples without their full knowledge, consent, or access," says Jennings, a citizen of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Huichol.
As a soil scientist engaging with large soil databases and herbarium collections, Jennings found that the data she was working with might list that a sample is culturally significant to Native Americans, but not to which tribal nation the data pertains. And the information was only attributed to the researchers who collected the samples, not to the Indigenous peoples who shared and stewarded the information in the first place.
"The processes and expectations of how we as scholars communicate information back to the communities was pretty sparse," says Jennings.
At the time, the American Geophysical Union was interested in establishing standards in this area, so AGU's Shelley Stall contacted Jennings' mentor, Stephanie Russo Carroll, an Ahtna woman and citizen of the Native Village of Kluti-Kaah and an associate professor of public health at the University of Arizona, about potential next steps. Given that Jennings had already been navigating conversations about the use and governance of Indigenous data, Carroll invited her to take the lead on the project.
Some of the issues that had come up were that journals need guidance for crediting Indigenous knowledge and a style guide for citing Indigenous communities that co-authors represent and work with.
Given that publishing such standards would have relevance across disciplines, including in environmental studies, anthropology, and health, Jennings and Carroll believed that it had to be a community effort.
They collaborated with Riley Taitingfong (CHamoru) at the Native Nations Institute at the University of Arizona, Jane Anderson at New York University, and Maui Hudson (Whakatohea, Ngaruahine, and Te Mahurehure) at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, who joined the initiative as project leaders, working closely with partners at AGU and the National Information Standards Organization.
The leadership team coordinated with over 125 scholars, publishers, editors, and metadata experts from around the world.
"It's been an honor to be part of this Indigenous-led collective effort to create first-of-its-kind guidelines for the scholarly publishing industry," says Mia Ricci, director of publications operations at AGU.
From 2023 to 2025, Jennings and the team convened four workshops to develop best practices and guidelines for working ethically with Indigenous data throughout the research cycle, from design and implementation of a study to publication and post-production.
The CARE guidelines include updating peer review policies so that Indigenous community members and/or Indigenous organizations are properly attributed and included as reviewers.
The recommendations also propose featuring translated titles and abstracts in an Indigenous language alongside text in English, and publishing in both English and an Indigenous language, when feasible.
"In working with Indigenous authors from around the world, I've seen that so much can get lost in the English translation," says Jennings, "so identifying opportunities to expand perspectives and share results in an Indigenous language can deepen reporting and extend reach."
One of the challenges with publishing in peer-reviewed journals is access, as the process is expensive, and access to content often lies behind a paywall.
The CARE principles call for removing economic barriers for Indigenous authors by providing support for publishing fees and making content open access, so that anyone, including Indigenous groups, can access the literature.
"By establishing the CARE guidelines, we have outlined more ways for Indigenous communities to be engaged in the publishing process of research and to also be more digitally connected to the data," says Jennings.
"We've created a framework for researchers and academic publishing to be more inclusive, where Indigenous knowledge and the contributions of Indigenous peoples and communities can be better recognized."
The project was a collaborative effort by leadership from the Collaboratory for Indigenous Data Governance, the Sovereign Soils Research Collaborative, the Indigenous Data Law Lab at New York University, and Te Kotahi Research Institute, with programmatic and organizational support from the American Geophysical Union's Publications and Open Science Leadership teams and the National Information Standards Organization.
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Original text here: https://home.dartmouth.edu/news/2026/09/new-guidelines-created-publishing-indigenous-data
