Safekeeping Native Knowledge Once ignored, traditional Indigenous knowledge is now valued. How much should tribes actually share?
Finding Common Ground New guidelines require federal agencies to include Indigenous knowledge in research, policy and decision making. What does this newfound respect mean for tribes? We begin a three-part series by looking at opportunities for tribal-federal cooperation in land management.
Keeping Watch In a region scarred by coal mining, a new research center at Chief Dull Knife College is helping the Northern Cheyenne Reservation of Montana remain an environmental oasis.
Opening the Gate Gatekeeping STEM courses are difficult. Who is to blame when Native students fail? We asked seven tribal college educators to share their perspectives.
Money Growing on Trees Tribes were once criticized for failing to “develop” their land. Now their sustainably managed forests are generating income through the carbon market.
Field Notes
Hard Work, But Worth the Effort A recent workshop offered encouragement and advice for colleges seeking funding through the National Science Foundation’s Tribal Colleges and Universities Program
A Mixed Report Card Fewer American Indians and Alaska Natives are pursuing STEM degrees, according a new federal report, but more are employed in STEM-related fields.
Will Teslas Become the New Rez Car? Federal money is available to tribes interested in purchasing electric vehicles. Weekly listening sessions held by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals are helping to get the word out.
Credit Where Credit is Needed South Dakota State University’s “Expanding the Circle” program is helping tribal college STEM faculty gain credentials needed to teach outside their disciplines.
NSF’s Human Resources Directorate Renamed The National Science Foundation says new names selected for the Education and Human Resources directorate and its Division of Human Resource Development emphasize the federal agency’s efforts to promote equity in STEM education.
Haskell Receives $20 Million Climate Change Grant The largest award ever made to a tribal college will investigate the impact of climate change on coastal regions from Alaska to Puerto Rico.
Student Research
Native Science Report’s 2021-2022 Student Research Showcase is featuring the work of five undergraduate students from tribal and Native-serving colleges.
Voices
From Kyiv to Tsaile Oleksandr Makeyev describes his path from Ukraine to the Navajo Nation, where he is now an associate professor in the School of STEM at Diné College. Along the way, he offers advice for those interested in teaching at a tribal college—and expresses hope for the future of his own homeland.
Weaving Worldviews In a climate many outsiders find inhospitable, Iḷisaġvik College science instructor Linda Nicholas-Figueroa, a transplant from the American South, has made the Arctic Circle her home. She was recently named an AAAS Fellow for her innovative approaches to teaching and place-based research.
Gardens That Build Community Little Priest Tribal College student Trey Blackhawk is showing his community that they can grow their own food in a way that benefits the land and themselves.