Faith Bowman is a proud Indigenous scholar from the Mohican Nation. Faith Received her B.S in Genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and minors in American Indian Studies as well as Leadership and Involvement. Faith is currently, a doctoral candidate in the department of biochemistry at the University of Utah, researching glucose regulation in the context of diabetes and heart failure. She aims to obtain an administrative position at a research-1 university, non-profit, or federal research laboratory working with tribal health boards and urban Indian health organizations. In this career, she seeks to make an impact by serving as an advocate and touchstone for under-represented minority communities seeking knowledge on metabolic dysfunction; to serve as a contributor to the construction of culturally responsive therapies and health policies; and to participate in educational workshops aimed at improving scientific literacy, decolonizing data, and increasing data representation overall. It is her hope that culturally responsive research studies and interventions aimed at addressing the unique biochemical, metabolic, and cultural needs of Native Americans will help improve Native health policies and programs.
As a Native community scholar on the NEH Project, Faith is looking forward to digging into her community’s history and understanding how the historical journey of a native nation influences how a tribal community approaches/participates in research and its subsequent impact in the age of self-determination in regard to Native health policy and Native health programs – both urban and tribal community initiatives.
