Introducing the SHARE Logo for the Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic

I am pleased to announce that IARPC has released a new logo graphic reframing the Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic as SHARE Principles.

Indigenous Peoples have lived in the Arctic since time immemorial, and their close relationships with and knowledge of the land and its inhabitants are vital to our understanding of the rapidly changing Arctic. Arctic research cannot overlook this knowledge, and researchers must work in relationship and collaboration with the original caretakers of the Arctic. With this in mind, one key deliverable of the Arctic Research Plan is to evaluate, and potentially update, the 2018 Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic. These principles were developed to promote mutual respect and equitable communication between Arctic residents and Arctic researchers.

This new SHARE graphic and acronym does not change the core principles, but rather further foregrounds the critical importance of Indigenous Knowledges and Co-Production of Knowledge in Arctic research. In early summer 2024, IARPC will be conducting a survey and evaluation of the SHARE Principles.

The SHARE Principles are:

• Sustain and build relationships
• Humble accountability
• Advance responsible environmental stewardship
• Respect Indigenous knowledges
• Effective communication

More information about these principles is available here.

I am particularly excited that the logo was designed by Dylan Paisaq Crosby, an Iñupiaq multimedia artist born in Kotzebue, Alaska, in collaboration with the leaders of IARPC’s Participatory Research and Indigenous Leadership in Research Foundational Activity Collaboration Team. Crosby describes that the logo’s frame is "Tasritchaġvik, a place to stretch skins … These skins are pulled evenly to meet many needs. A harpoon (nauligaq) unites each concept through its forward-moving throw.” They explain that they “designed this logo to evoke the cooperative effort in the traditional subsistence activities of my people and other Indigenous Arctic communities. Our people are united through acts of sharing and stewardship which are powerful tools for working together toward equitable and innovative research and education. This logo embodies the framework that Indigenous communities model; the IARPC SHARE Principles support this frame.”

This rebrand and new logo are a key step toward increasing public recognition of the importance of the SHARE Principles and ethical, cooperative research in the Arctic. Indigenous Knowledge plays a vital role in our understanding of the Arctic, and IARPC is committed to supporting meaningful engagement among researchers and Arctic Indigenous communities.