Cheyenne Reuben-Thomas

Cheyenne Reuben-Thomas (Onʌyoteˀa•ká• and Onöndowa:ga:’) (she/they) is a PhD candidate in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Entomology at Cornell University. Her background is in population genetics and climate change adaptation, while her broader research interests include Indigenous data governance and environmental justice. As an emerging Indigenous scholar, she is committed to ensuring community-driven research in biodiversity and genetic contexts. In her doctoral work, Cheyenne is investigating the potential benefits of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Indigenous land management practices on insect biodiversity. Alongside this work, she is also investigating the harms of settler land management practices. Through her research, Cheyenne hopes to emphasize the need for Indigenous-led conservation in policymaking.

Cheyenne is also an advocate for increasing accessibility to science for Indigenous communities and has been involved with various mentorship and teaching programs which center Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives. She has been involved with SING since 2022, allowing her to learn more in-depth about critical Indigenous perspectives in academia. After attending the SING-Canada 2022 workshop, she was brought on as a Teaching Assistant for 2023 and continues training alumni in the lab and with data analysis alongside the SING-Canada Faculty.