Dr. Karletta Chief: University-Community Research Response to COVID-19's effects on the Navajo Nation

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly worsened pre-existing struggles with food, energy, and water security on the Navajo Nation. Officials believe that lack of access to healthy food, lack of running water, poverty, and high rates of co-morbidities led to one of the highest infection rates in the US. This talk will focus on the university-community research response to the pandemic’s effects on public health disparities.

Dr. Chief's bio: Dr. Chief, who grew up on the Navajo Nation, received her PhD from and is currently a professor at the University of Arizona. Through her research and as director of the Indigenous Resilience Center, she supports indigenous resilience against climate change and related environmental impacts. In recognition of her exceptional work, she has received a number of awards, including the 2015 Native American 40 Under 40 Award, the Phoenix Indian Center 2016 Woman of the Year Award, and the 2021 Haury Tribal Resilience Leadership Award from the University of Arizona.