This workshop is the first of six invitation-only events led by the University of California, Los Angeles, and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The series focuses on Innovation, Culture, and Creativity. The aim of this inaugural workshop is to foster collaboration among Pacific Rim Indigenous communities, creative industries, and academia to promote Indigenous leadership in pre-commercial technology research.

The workshop will focus on Creative Computational Media (CCM), which includes cinematic animations, special effects, video games, virtual and augmented reality, and other interactive digital systems. It will explore how Indigenous cultural knowledge, language, and practices can form the foundation of a CCM industry. By integrating these elements, the workshop aims to identify opportunities for equitable research pathways, businesses, and technological innovations.

Envisioning innovation hubs centered on Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and practices, the workshop will promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth and foster cross-Pacific collaboration through Hawaiʻi’s strategic position. These efforts will influence NSF’s strategic investments and cultivate a new generation of culturally competent technologists and creators.

Expected outcomes include an outline for equitable and inclusive translational computational media research pathways, conceptual models of innovation spaces that integrate IK and CCM, and a report advising the NSF on research and development investments to empower Indigenous communities nationwide.