Category Archives: Indian

What you don’t know about the Boston Tea Party

Posted on May 17, 2013 by

Sometimes we approach history with doubt, especially when it comes to stories about Native Americans. In grade school I heard North America was largely unpopulated until settlers arrived: a story quite different than the ones my relatives told. Reading about … Continue reading →

Posted in Native Science, framing, Indian, science, authenticity, journalism, writing, Boston tea Party | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mind Different from Brain?

Posted on May 14, 2013 by

Consider the mind, rather than the brain. I asked readers in the last blog to think about the mind rather than the brain because Samuel Morton’s skull measurements in the 1860s asserted that American Indians have smaller skulls, hence smaller … Continue reading →

Posted in framing, Indian, journalism, Native Science, neuroscience, science, science communication, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Brain Full of Buckshot

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

In the Wild West soldiers could earn a dollar for every American Indian skull they collected. Skulls were then shipped back east so scientists could study them. One of the collectors, Samuel G. Morton, used skulls to extrapolate on personality … Continue reading →

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Remembering Maria Tallchief

Posted on April 14, 2013 by

When someone mentioned ballet my mother would chime in that a famous ballerina came from her American Indian community. Maria Tallchief. We learned this week that Tallchief passed on. She and her sister Marjorie came from a prominent Osage family, … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, community, Family, film, Indian, journalism, native american, Native Science, Osage, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Maggots for Medicine

Posted on March 22, 2013 by

Maggots—the offspring of flies—are making their way to the modern medicine chest, according to this month’s Scientific American. The wee young of flies—larvae—munch on dead skin, cleaning bacteria from wounds. Science writer Carrie Arnold notes the FDA approved medical use … Continue reading →

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Making Memories

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

Exploring how we invent stories—and then stick to them—confounds journalists and scientists alike: how can we separate fictions from fact? I am keenly interested in how we make decisions—especially decisions built on information we gather from media that affect how … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, framing, health, Indian, individualism, journalism, neuroscience, science, science communication, writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Defining Race

Posted on March 8, 2013 by

The conversation turned to race. My talk Wednesday at the Newberry focussed on Native and scientific perspectives, particularly over Kennewick Man–the 9300-year-old skeleton discovered in the Columbia River. During the question and answer session one guest asked if Kennewick Man … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, ethics, Family, framing, human origin, Indian, journalism, Kennewick Man, native american, Native Science, news bias, repatriation, science, science communication, Uncategorized, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fire in the Brain

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

One life-changing moment arrived when my poor grades in science resulted in a letter home to my parents. As I confessed in a post penned weeks ago, my parents waved away my argument that girls don’t need science or math. … Continue reading →

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Science of Mixed Messages

Posted on February 25, 2013 by

Received a thoughtful comment from a reader about the mixed messages we receive in light of Nike’s campaign to promote Oscar Pistorius as a weapon, warrior and “bullet in the chamber.” The campaign hit a concrete wall when Pistorius’ girlfriend … Continue reading →

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Girls Don’t Need Math

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

What can you say to attract undergraduate college students to a course in science communication? When I explain to new acquaintances that my work revolves around science communication, their eyes glaze over. Boredom sets in.

Posted in advertising, film, framing, Indian, journalism, Native Science | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments