Indigenous Knowledge and Arctic Research in the Age of Trump

By Julia Caulfield

February 28, 2025

A woman stands at a podium with a laptop, speaking at an event. Behind her, a large screen highlights Arctic Research in Greenland and Arctic imagery, alongside informational banners and chairs.

Christina Callicott (Courtesy Photo)

In the month since Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term as president, his administration has laid off and fired thousands of federal workers, defunded numerous agencies, and called for taking control of Greenland.

For the past couple of years, Telluride local, Ph.D. and cultural anthropologist Christina Callicott has worked in Washington, D.C., through fellowships with USAID and the National Science Foundation. Her work focused on federal DEI initiatives with Indigenous peoples and Arctic research.

Callicott spoke with KOTO News about the importance of this work and what it could mean if the Trump administration continues with its agenda.

Recent News

  • A group of children, filled with wonder, listens to adults in lab coats teaching outdoors by a pond on the valley floor, with mountains and trees in the background under a clear sky.

    Valley Floor Day Sparks Curiosity and Wonder

    May 16, 2025

    Kindergarten through second-grade students in Telluride spent a day exploring the Valley Floor as part of the annual Education Day. Led by local nonprofits, the outdoor event featured hands-on STEM learning, environmental science, and lessons about the region’s history and ecology — inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.

  • A group of twenty people wearing matching green shirts pose for a group photo outside a building in Colorado; most are standing, with some kneeling or sitting in front.

    AmeriCorps Cuts Leave Hundreds in Colorado Without Service Roles, Prompting Legal Challenge

    May 9, 2025

    Hundreds of AmeriCorps members in Colorado had their service terms abruptly ended after the Trump administration announced major funding cuts. Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera says the move threatens rural nonprofits, education programs, and public land conservation projects. Colorado has joined 24 other states in suing the federal government to block the cuts.

  • A house with solar panels covering the roof sits in a grassy field, with the sun setting in the background and clouds drifting across the sky.

    Telluride Sixth Grader Explores Beet Juice, Solar Panels in Statewide Science Fair

    May 8, 2025

    Telluride sixth grader Ingram Olson is tackling climate change one solar panel at a time. After months of research and a boost from NREL, Olson presented his beet juice-powered solar project at the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair—earning the Burt Rutan Energy Award.