Frank C. Dukepoo
American geneticist, educator, and bioethics advocate
Frank Charles Dukepoo (January 29, 1943 – October 28, 1999) was an American geneticist, educator, and bioethics advocate from the Hopi community. He was the first member of the Hopi Nation to receive a PhD in human genetics and was known for his work on the genetics of Indigenous populations, his opposition to unethical DNA research, and his contributions to increasing Native participation in STEM.
Early life and education
Dukepoo was born on January 29, 1943, in Parker, Arizona. He was one of 13 children and was originally named Pumatuhye Tsi Dukpuh. Pumatuhye means "first crop," and Tsi Dukpuh refers to the sack carried by Hopi snake dancers, who pray for rain to help crops grow.
He attended Arizona State University, where he received multiple scholarships, including the Arizona Republic News Carrier Scholarship, the United Indian Scholarship Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Scholarship, the John Hay Whitney Opportunity Fellowship, and the Ford Foundation Advanced Study Fellowship. Despite receiving support, he struggled in college, failing his first semester and losing his scholarships. However, with guidance from Charles M. Woolf, he improved his grades, regained financial aid, and continued his studies.
He received a bachelor's degree in biology, a master's in zoology, and a PhD in genetics and zoology from Arizona State University, making him one of the first Native Americans and the first Hopi to earn a doctorate in this field.
Career and federal contributions
Following his doctoral studies, Dukepoo held faculty appointments at institutions including San Diego State University and Northern Arizona University (NAU). His early research included genetic studies of albinism and hereditary traits in Native populations; one of his early publications, coauthored with Charles M. Woolf, was "Hopi Indians, Inbreeding, and Albinism" in Science (1969).
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