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Jesse Brisbois is a Ph.D student at the iSchool

When you meet someone who doesn’t know about your research, how do you describe it?

Broadly, my research focuses on using Indigenous Research Methodologies to explore community-led health intervention strategies that address the health disparities experienced by Indigenous communities as a result of environmental harm caused by extractive industries. Additionally, I am working to apply Critical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methodologies to identify the patterns of environmental harm while supporting community-driven data sovereignty practices.

Who is the faculty member working closest with you? What are you learning from them? Why are you interested in this subject? 

The faculty member I work closest with is my advisor, Dr. Clarita Lefthand-Begay. From her, I’m learning how to conduct research that employs Indigenous Research Methodologies, as well as how to meaningfully center Indigenous voices and perspectives in Critical Information Science research. I’m very grateful for the valuable knowledge Dr. Lefthand-Begay has shared with me, and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn from her.

What impact do you hope to make in the information field through your research/dissertation?

I believe that research on environmental justice and health equity is indispensable right now, and that Critical Information Science is crucial when it comes to advancing that research. I hope that through my research, I can contribute to the understanding of environmental justice and health equity in a way that centers the invaluable worldviews and knowledge systems that Indigenous communities hold. As a descendant of the Spokane Tribe of Indians, my goal, first and foremost, is always to do work that is done in a way that shows my community respect, and makes my family proud.

What surprised you the most when digging into your research?

I knew that the study of information Science was interdisciplinary in nature, but I was excited to discover the sheer diversity of research that’s being done in the field. The variety of methodologies, frameworks, and perspectives being used by my mentors, peers, and colleagues has been incredibly inspiring to witness and learn from

Being a teaching assistant as a PhD student has shown me that I love to teach, which is something I’d like to explore further after I graduate. I’d also love to continue to do research, either in academia or industry. Whatever I do after graduation, I know that I will always want to work with Indigenous communities.