Meet Kristen:
My Iñupiaq name is Atluk, given to me in honor of the late Emma Skin. I carry the lineage and teachings of my family, including my grandfather, Warren Ramoth, and my grandmother, Pauline Foxglove of Selawik. Though my childhood was shaped by living in different parts of Alaska, my family eventually made North Pole our anchor, the place where my husband and I have raised our two teenage daughters. Today, our home is driven by learning and lineage: our oldest daughter is crafting her own path in wildlife biology at UAF, while our youngest is in high school, deeply immersed in learning our Iñupiaq culture.
My own journey into research took a non-traditional path. I spent years in the classroom as an early childhood educator teaching ages 3 to 6 in the North Pole and Fairbanks area. In 2019, I made the decision to return to higher education, earning an associate’s in Allied Health from Iḷisaġvik College in 2022. Somewhere along the way, I realized that maybe I was a scientist after all. In May 2025, I earned my B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies with minors in Fisheries and Environmental Change from UAF.
What does Inuit-led conservation advocacy mean to you? How will your education and degree program prepare you to contribute to this work?
To me, Inuit-led conservation advocacy means honoring our ancestors as the original scientists of these lands and waters. It means ensuring Arctic communities lead the decision-making processes that impact our ecosystems, braiding generations of Indigenous knowledge with Western science rather than forcing a choice between them. True advocacy is rooted in self-determination, protecting our subsistence way of life, and building reciprocal relationships where research directly serves the well-being of our people.
My educational path equips me with the multidisciplinary tools required for this work. Building on my B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, my graduate studies in Earth System Science and Sustainability at UAF focus on the co-production of knowledge, science communication, and community engagement. Contributing to research that directly addresses community concerns, such as the impact of predatory fish on juvenile salmon, requires genuine partnership and actionable community engagement. This education prepares me to advocate for habitat resilience, uphold tribal sovereignty, and foster collaborative research partnerships that honor Indigenous knowledge for generations to come.
