Project Title: Impacts of Climate Change and Changes in Socio-Economic Structure on Indigenous Populations: A Research, Education & Community Development Initiative between the University of Montana and Kumaun University in India

Partner Institution: Kumaun University

This grant had to be modified. Below are the changes that took place:

• Reconfiguration of the Research Team: The new Principal Investigator - Dr. Keith Bosak - is the Associate Professor of Nature-Based Tourism and Recreation at the College of Forestry and Conservation at University of Montana. Dr. Bosak has a background (Bachelors, Masters and PhD) in Geography.
• New partner institution is Kumaun University in India

The reconfigured proposal adheres to the original in the number and duration of exchange visits. In addition, the scope of the activities listed below remains the same as in the original proposal. UM NARL and Kumaun University will also maintain the objective of graduate student, faculty and administration bi-directional exchange that includes research and training opportunities for American graduate students, faculty, and administrators in India and for Indian graduate students, faculty, and administration in the USA, specifically at The University of Montana and through the NSF EPSCoR-funded Montana Institute on Ecosystems (MT IoE). Objectives for the modified OSI award include the following:

• Engage UM and KU faculty and graduate students from the natural sciences and social sciences in interdisciplinary research projects under development by UM NARL and KU.
• Provide opportunities for UM and KU faculty researchers and graduate students to conduct research and facilitate community science in India.
• Facilitate the participation of UM and KU administrators in this OSI international exchange with the goal of fostering educational reform with respect to providing educational opportunities for students from groups that have been historically underserved by the sciences.
• Provide opportunities for KU faculty researchers and graduate students to conduct research and facilitate community science at UM and through the MT IoE.
• Utilize the developed interdisciplinary research projects and community science initiative in India to foster socio-economic development in Indigenous communities of the Indian Himalaya.
• Utilize the developed interdisciplinary research projects and community science initiative in India to foster socio-economic development in Indigenous communities of Montana.