Overview
The Ḵutí Project is an evolving collaboration between high school youth programs, Indigenous and rural Alaskan communities, environmental scientists, and student designers from Oregon State University’s Design for Social Impact (DSI) program. Co-led by the Sitka Sound Science Center (SSSC) and OSU, the project supports the co-design and deployment of environmental sensing technologies in response to real-world issues about environmental and community resilience, water quality, and landslide hazards.

DSI student teams engaged directly with researchers and local partners to identify design gaps in the Ḵutí field deployments. Among the key needs were a more practical and efficient way to carry essential tools during remote fieldwork, a clear setup and troubleshooting guide usable without expert oversight, and a fix for tipping buckets clogging with debris. Students responded by developing a custom field vest to organize and standardize deployment gear, a modular installation guide with visual aids, and an open-frame strainer that reduces blockages. These solutions were not only tested during summer deployments—they were also used and led by local youth. Participants in Alaska Youth Stewards (AYS) programs used the student-designed tools to carry out installations independently, with several students stepping into facilitation roles by the end of the field season. In one case, the DSI-designed field vest even became a platform for teaching and leadership when a previously timid participant became the go-to “gear manager” for her team.

This project exemplifies the core principles of socially impactful design: build with, not for; meet people where they are; and ensure the tools created are meaningful, usable, and sustaining long after the designers head home.

Summer 2025 Highlights
Over the course of the summer, OSU and SSSC teams traveled across Southeast Alaska to install environmental monitoring units and lead youth training sessions in Hoonah, Sitka, and Prince of Wales. Two primary OSU student-designed sensing platforms were deployed: SmartRock and CHIMES.

SmartRock, a modular, PVC-encased stream sensor developed at OSU, measures stream temperature, turbidity, and water depth. It was introduced this summer in locations where stream health and restoration are key community concerns. Youth participants played a hands-on role in installing the devices, collecting data, and even helping to identify ideal locations for future deployment based on their knowledge of local conditions.

CHIMES (Climate Hydrology Instrumentation for Monitoring Environmental Systems) is a solar-powered weather station system that has been evolving over several years with community feedback. The latest generation deployed this summer measures air temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, water table height, soil moisture, rainfall, and sunlight. This year’s stations also featured a 4G telemetry upgrade and real-time data sonification through the Ear to Earth platform, which allowed students to turn weather data into music as a creative tool for data engagement. Workshops on interpreting sensor graphs were combined with audio experimentation, giving participants new entry points into understanding environmental patterns.

Youth involvement was central to every aspect of the project. From hands-on sensor deployments to leading peer groups in setup procedures, AYS students moved from learners to leaders. OSU students not only facilitated these transitions, but also found themselves learning deeply about the strengths and needs of their partners. One of the field lessons emphasized by all involved was that environmental technology becomes most useful when it is embedded in existing community activities—like stream remediation or hatchery management—rather than imposed as an independent research effort from outside of the community.

Team members also participated in cultural activities, including traditional crafting, garden maintenance, and local science outreach events. These moments helped build relationships that make the technical work meaningful and sustainable.

Outcomes
 

• Developed and field-tested custom environmental sensors (SmartRock and CHIMES) to measure stream temperature, turbidity, water depth, rainfall, barometric pressure, humidity, and solar radiation.
 

• Designed and deployed user-friendly gear kits (field vests), installation guides, and maintenance procedures usable by local high school youth.
 

• Empowered Alaska Youth Stewards (AYS) participants to lead sensor installations and become active stewards of local data collection.
 

• Piloted creative engagement tools like real-time data sonification through the Ear2Earth app.
 

• Strengthened relationships between OSU students, researchers, and Indigenous communities through cultural exchange and hands-on co-design.