Lana Lopesi

Lana Lopesi is an Assistant Professor in Native American Studies at the University of Oregon's College of Arts and Sciences. Her work bridges Pacific Islander studies, Indigenous and Women of Color feminisms, and contemporary Pacific art practices, with a particular focus on digital humanities approaches to understanding Pacific cultural production and global indigeneities.

Education:

• PhD, Auckland University of Technology (2021)
• BFA (honours), University of Auckland (2013)

Lana Lopesi's research explores the intersections of Pacific Islander identity, diaspora, and cultural production in contemporary contexts. Her scholarly work centers Indigenous and Women of Color feminisms as frameworks for understanding Pacific experiences globally. She investigates how digital spaces shape Pacific identities and communities, with particular attention to racial grammars, ethnic fragility, and the concept of "Vā" (relational space) in both physical and digital contexts. Her research also examines contemporary Pacific art practices, including performance art, and how these forms express sovereignty, care work, and immaterial labor within Pacific communities. Through her work on Samoan methodologies like "Suʻifefiloi," she contributes to transdisciplinary theorizing that centers Pacific epistemologies in cosmopolitan worlds.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on decolonial approaches to Pacific studies, with particular emphasis on genealogy, reproduction, digital spaces, and artistic expression. Lopesi's work frequently appears in interdisciplinary journals that bridge Pacific studies, gender studies, and digital humanities, reflecting her commitment to transdisciplinary scholarship that challenges conventional academic boundaries. Her research often centers Pacific voices and experiences while engaging with global conversations about race, gender, and decolonization.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Women of Color Summer Writing Grant, 2024
• Summer Stipend for Humanities and Creative Arts Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
• Ockham Book Awards Longlist, Illustrated Non-Fiction Category for Pacific Arts Aotearoa, 2024
• Faculty Research Grant, Center for the Study of Women in Society, University of Oregon, 2023-2024
• Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, New Year honours list, 2023
• Ockham New Zealand Book Awards Longlist, General Non-Fiction Category for Bloody Woman, 2022
• Māori & Pacific Excellence Award, Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies, Auckland University of Technology 2021
• Michael King Emerging Pasifika Writers Residency, 2021

Lopesi has received significant research support through grants including the Faculty Research Grant from the Center for the Study of Women in Society at the University of Oregon (2023-2024) and the Summer Stipend for Humanities and Creative Arts Faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences. Her collaborative work with Pacific scholars, particularly through the Pacific Early Career Academic (PECA) network, demonstrates her commitment to mentoring emerging Pacific researchers. She has co-edited several significant collections that uplift Moana perspectives and create space for Pacific researchers in academic discourse.