SHI to name, officially open new science building next week

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will host a public ceremony next week to formally name its new Indigenous Science Building and to dedicate a Sukteeneidí kootéeyaa (totem pole).

The event will mark the official opening of the building, which will be a hub for SHI’s education programs and hands-on learning grounded in Indigenous knowledge, languages and values and Western science.

The building, SHI’s third facility opened in recent years, represents a forward-thinking approach to education, said SHI President Rosita Worl.

“The Indigenous Science Building will offer learning experiences that showcase the traditional knowledge of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples that has existed for thousands of years. By bringing Indigenous knowledge that integrates Western science into the classroom, we will empower youth and community members with critical thinking skills that will strengthen regional economies and deepen our knowledge of the environment,” Worl said.

The facility will accommodate K-12 programming and community classes, in addition to after-school and weekend activities. It will also house SHI’s summer camps and workshops for youth from across Alaska and the Lower 48.

Hands-On Learning

The building, which includes four floors, features a traditional foods kitchen and three cutting-edge labs with resources such as 3D printers, electronics and laser cutters.

The kitchen has space for intergenerational learning opportunities; community and family workshops on harvesting and preservation; food festivals, cooking classes, storytelling and cultural celebrations; and professional development opportunities for teachers.

A digital media lab will accommodate video production, photography and podcast training; workshops for documenting ceremonies and oral narratives; and rural community communications, video conferencing and livestreaming.

An Indigenous science research lab will provide space for mentorships, training, scientific investigations, and data collection and analysis; scientific research focused on cultural resources, such as seaweed, clams, salmon, seal, berries and herring; traditional knowledge science projects, such as wildlife tracking and understanding seasonal changes and tides; interdisciplinary workshops on topics such as subsistence foods, biodiversity and environmental stewardship and opportunities to form partnerships to advance research, education and initiatives in Indigenous science.

A fabrication lab and makerspace will offer design lab sessions for students on topics such as tool design and entrepreneurship, as well as unstructured studio time for collaboration and mentorship.

The façade features a monumental art installation based on an original piece by the renowned Haida artist Robert Davidson, whose work also inspired the facades of the institute’s Walter Soboleff Building and Atnané Hít, the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus building, which SHI opened in 2015 and 2022 respectively.

During the ceremony, the facility will officially be given the name Indigenous Science Building. SHI will also dedicate a new Sukteeneidí totem pole, which was carved by Haida lead artist Lee Wallace and five apprentices in Ketchikan for SHI’s Kootéeyaa Deiyí (Totem Pole Trail) project in downtown Juneau.

The ceremony will take place from 1–3:30 followed by dancing on Monday, Oct. 13, at Heritage Plaza next to the Walter Soboleff Building in Juneau. Staff will offer tours of the public floors of the building from 3:30-4:30 pm.

CONTACT: Therese Pokorney, SHI Communications Officer, therese.pokorney@sealaska.com

Caption: Indigenous Science Building with some of the formline design affixed to the façade on Oct. 6. Photo by Mircea Brown, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: Media outlets are permitted to use this image for coverage of this story. For a higher-res image, contact therese.pokorney@sealaska.com