The Joseph A. Myers Center is housed at UC Berkeley's Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI). The Center's mission is to provide the people of Indian country with pragmatic research products that can be employed to improve the quality of life for Native Americans throughout the US. Read more here.

Myers center now accepting applications for summer internship program

The Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues, in collaboration with the Center for Ethnographic Research, is pleased to announce it is accepting applications for an intensive summer research internship and mentoring program for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students.  To read more about the Internship Program and how to apply, click here.

Myers center ANNOUNCES NEW GRADUATE FELLOW

Tria Andrews, doctoral student in Ethnic Studies, is the new Graduate Fellow for 2013-14. Her dissertation research examines culturally relevant forms of rehabilitation for Native American youth in juvenile detention centers located on tribal grounds. Tria joins Pam Mei Wai Graybeal, Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, who is beginning the second year of the fellowship.

MYERS CENTER Hosts Native American Museum Studies Institute

In January, 22 professionals and volunteers from tribal museums and cultural centers gathered for four days of training in museum skills. The participants, from California, Arizona, Oklahoma, Alaska, Washington, and South Dakota, came from a range of institutions, including some in the planning stages, and they all rated the training very highly. One person commented on the "variety of materials, topics, and participant sharing." In addition to learning from presenters from the Myers Center, the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, the Center for Digital Archaeology, the C.N. Gorman Museum, and the Huhugam Heritage Center, they enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other and share experiences. One participant was especially pleased by "meeting all the other participants and learning from institutions that are already established and those with great knowledge."

MYERS CENTER RELEASES "DEADLY ROADS" REPORT

Researchers at the Myers Center recently completed a pilot project that examined fatality and injury rates involving pedestrians and motorists on main thoroughfares in or near Indian country in Humboldt County, California.  Every year thousands of motorists die and millions more are injured on the nation’s roadways.  But while the number of fatal crashes nationally has declined by 2% over the past 25 years, the number of vehicle-related fatalities in or near Indian country has increased over 50%.  In order to understand the reasons for this increase and to begin developing safety countermeasures, we need better data documenting the problem.  This pilot study combined analysis of CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) database and other sources of crash data with GIS mapping to document the areas in or near Indian country in Humboldt County with the highest rates of vehicle related injuries and fatalities over the past five years.  The Myers Center plans to expand this pilot study into a statewide analysis of fatality and injury rates in or near Indian country in California.  The results of the analysis will be used to help Native nations document the dangers associated with roadways that, while they run through Indian country, are the responsibility of the state to ensure safe passage. To read a report summarizing the pilot study's findings, click here.