Using education to bridge the chasm between Western science and traditional knowledge

The chasm between TEK and Western Science presents a formidable impediment to advancing science and conservation globally. Education can bridge this chasm. Earthwatch Institute funds ecological research globally, often in landscapes owned and managed by Indigenous people. To succeed we deliver ecological education via community fellowships to secondary school students, teachers, and young adults, Sustainable Development Goal #4. Our education model feeds back knowledge gained on multiple levels to stakeholders, improving ecosystem services, strengthening partnerships and trust, and empowering Indigenous communities in land stewardship and in becoming scientists. Case studies will be presented illustrating our education model.