CREST’S Trip to Mane as Part of TEK & Water Ecosystem Project
CUNY CREST HIRES Director and Deputy Director of the CUNY CREST Institute, Dr. Shakila Merchant, CREST Research Scientist, Dr. Vartika Chandra Saman and CREST Faculty Affiliate, Prof. Smita Ekka Dewan and CREST Faculty Affiliate Dr. Naresh Devineni visited the Tribal Nations of Mi’kmaq, Presque Isle, as part of the TEK and water ecosystem project in Maine on April 16-18, 2025. One of the main purposes of the meeting was to connect with the Mi’kmaq community members and discuss the project goals and objectives. A letter of collaboration in support of this partnership was signed by the past Tribal Chief Mr. Charlie.
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
CREST Research Scientist, Dr. Vartika Chandra Saman and CREST Faculty Affiliate at NY City College of Technology, Prof. Smita Ekka Dewan attended the 23rd Session of the United Nations (UN) Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII 23). The theme of the event was ‘Enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Self-determination in the Context of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Emphasizing the Voices of Indigenous Youth.
CREST Researchers Receive a Grant by NSF UCAR
CREST Researchers received a grant by the National Science Foundation University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (NSF UCAR) titled Enhancing Water Ecosystem Resilience Through Revitalizing Local Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). CUNY CREST HIRES Director and Deputy Director of the CUNY CREST Institute, Dr. Shakila Merchant will lead this project along with Co-PIs Dr. Smita Ekka Dewan, CREST affiliate Faculty at NY City College of Technology, CUNY CREST Research Scientist Dr. Vartika Chandra Saman and CREST Affiliate Faculty Dr. Naresh Devineni in partnership with UCAR scientist Dr. Curtis Walker, and Tribal Members of Mikmaq Nation, Presque Isle, ME and Urban Indigenous Collective (UIC), New York.