Photo by Elvie Underwood
Nalugalria Joevahnta Usugan-Weddington already had a strong desire to learn their Native language when they were surprised to discover that Cup’ik was the first language they had spoken as a young child. English became their primary language when they moved from their village to Seward, Alaska. Years later, Usugan-Weddington arrived at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), intending to focus on engineering, but after taking an introductory Yup’ik course (Yup’ik is closely related to Cup’ik), they fell in love with it.
Usugan-Weddington’s campus activities include several cultural and STEM groups. They are a co-founder and current president of Yugtun Egmilta (Yup’ik Language Club), which was recently involved with the statewide Yup’ik spelling bee and will be hosting a workshop soon with the goal of encouraging Yup’ik and Cup’ik language revitalization.
Last year, Usugan-Weddington was president of the Native Games Club. Competing in games like one foot high kick and one hand reach, Usugan-Weddington and a group of UAF students participated in an annual Alaska Native Traditional Games event where UAF won the Overall College Team Award.
Thinking of STEM and STEM education as closely related to Native language and culture is an important part of their vision for the future. “I know I want to bring my language with me,” says Usugan-Weddington. “I know I want to bring my culture with me.”
On the STEM side, Usugan-Weddington is vice president of UAF’s AISES College Chapter and is involved in the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP). They had a chance to speak at a recent ANSEP banquet and to meet and get a picture with John Herrington, the first tribally enrolled NASA astronaut. ANSEP and AISES connections are important to Usugan-Weddington, who is eager to meet people who are also interested in language, culture, and STEM.
Their involvement with multiple student groups has made Usugan-Weddington aware of how important it is to balance the demands on their time. Recently, they have found that saying no can ensure that they have time to run, sew, and find other forms of creative expression. When the Iñu-Yupiaq Dance Group held officer elections, Usugan-Weddington decided to focus on singing and drumming instead of taking on additional officer responsibilities.
In becoming a successful student and student leader, Usugan-Weddington recognizes their parents and teachers as big sources of inspiration. Their mom was a role model for teaching herself — using library books, she would learn and explore along with Usugan-Weddington. From those experiences, they learned: “I’m supposed to learn on my own.” Usugan-Weddington’s stepdad taught them about attention to detail and showing up and working hard. Alongside these influences, Usugan-Weddington recalls, “I had supportive teachers who encouraged me to seek out more opportunities than the ones I saw immediately around me.” Along the way, they learned that encountering difficulty — and even failure — is an important part of the journey. “A lot of my failures made me who I am today,” Usugan-Weddington says.
They have been drawn to the challenge of space science and engineering. “I like to problem solve,” Usugan-Weddington says. They are currently part of the NASA- and NSF-sponsored Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project and are a team lead for UAF’s participants. Looking to the future, Usugan-Weddington is interested in engineering the devices scientists use to study space and in teaching.
Thinking of STEM and STEM education as closely related to Native language and culture is an important part of their vision for the future. “I know I want to bring my language with me,” says Usugan-Weddington. “I know I want to bring my culture with me.” According to Usugan-Weddington there are phrases in Yup’ik, “Nalluyagucaqunaku kingunren,” and “Quyana, piuraa,” that translate to “Don’t forget where you came from,” and “Thank you, keep being as you are.” Commonly said as a form of goodbye, the saying captures a primary principle that anchors Usugan-Weddington: keep being as you are.
— by Kyle Coulon
The Chevak Native Village is located six miles from the Bering Sea on the vast tundra of western Alaska, accessible only by plane. The Native language in Chevak is a unique form of Cup’ik spoken by the Cup’ik Qissunamiut people.
Dr. Ellison holds an Aquaplast mask utilized during radiation therapy in treating the brain for various types of cancer. “I treat pediatric cancers, so I always paint my patients’ masks prior to treatment in a design of their choosing to make the experience a bit more fun and hopefully less scary,” she says.
Courtesy photo
Despite obstacles and unexpected twists, Dr. Ciani Ellison has been spurred on her professional journey by her passion for service. Her parents inspired her from an early age with their work ethic and commitment to making a contribution: her mother raised four children while working full-time as a high school teacher, and her father is a mechanical engineer and former Navy diver. Dr. Ellison graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and went on to the Medical College of Wisconsin to study radiation oncology.
Though medical school is challenging even in the best of times, Dr. Ellison encountered obstacles beyond the rigorous coursework. During her second year, she endured frequent headaches, nausea, and falls before finally receiving a diagnosis of a blood clot in a cerebral vein. This complication did not derail her plans, and she continued to work toward her medical degree as a full time student. But she had another setback during her first year of residency, when she was diagnosed with a Chiari I brain malformation, where the lowest part of the brain extends into the spinal canal. She underwent surgery while working full time at the hospital.
Dr. Ellison looks back at her experience with medical treatment as an opportunity. “It made me more empathetic,” she says. “It showed me a small sliver of how my patients feel, which helps me be a better doctor.”
Despite these health problems, she completed her residency only to be devastated by receiving an honorable medical discharge from the military. “I mourn every day the loss of the opportunity to serve,” she says. Still, Dr. Ellison looks back at her experience with medical treatment as an opportunity. “It made me more empathetic,” she says. “It showed me a small sliver of how my patients feel, which helps me be a better doctor. And I’m able to serve my patients every day in my current positions.”
In August 2023 Dr. Ellison became an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences where she specializes in treating pediatric cancer, sarcomas, lymphomas, and gynecological malignancies. “My job is very humbling,” she says. “I learn a lot, which I love. Even my senior coworkers say that they learn something every day and that this work keeps you on your toes.” Dr. Ellison also cherishes the opportunity to serve her community. “It’s really cool that you get to see a patient at the beginning when they’ve been diagnosed, walk with them and their families, and see how their story continues, hopefully by curing them or helping them feel better. I always make sure they know I’m with them every step of the way,” she says.
Looking toward the future, Dr. Ellison hopes to capitalize on some of the skills she learned at the Air Force Academy. “I would love to be in a leadership position, maybe as a program director for a residency program or as department chair,” she says.
As a future leader interacting with medical students, Dr. Ellison already knows some of the advice she would give. “Be true to yourself and understand that there are lots of pressures from friends and family,” she says. “But at the end of the day, it’s you that must do the work, so choose to do it for yourself, and no one else. Make sure you choose something that is sustainable for you.”
— by Alexandra Leiseca
The largest tribally operated system in the United States, Cherokee Nation Health Services has more than 2,200 employees and 160 full-time providers serving patients in a CNHS hospital and nine health centers.
Photo by Alissa Dykstra
Below: Q-AISES Rocket Team leads (and roommates) Justice Bressette-Fleming and Madeleine Duncan (Anishinaabe, Curve Lake First Nation)
Photo by David Cournoyer
Justice Bressette-Fleming, a third-year student at Queen’s University in Ontario, is working hard to pave the way for increasing Indigenous representation in STEM, where innovation is powered by diverse perspectives. Because she grew up in the Anishinaabe and Potawatomi communities of the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, she brings a unique cultural lens to the field of electrical engineering.
Right at home amid the picturesque landscapes of southwestern Ontario, Bressette-Fleming split her childhood between the small town of Forest and her reserve, which gets its name from spherical rock formations called “kettles.” Kettle Point is one of the only places in the world where the geological phenomenon has been documented. According to the tribe’s storytellers, Kettle Point is the nesting ground for Thunderbirds — spirits who bring healing rains — and the kettles are their eggs. Traditions like this make up the rich cultural tapestry of Bressette-Fleming’s upbringing and instilled in her a deep appreciation for where she comes from.
Her great-grandmother’s legacy of resilience and advocacy fuels Bressette-Fleming’s determination to carve out space for future generations of Indigenous voices in STEM.
Bressette-Fleming was set on her STEM path at the age of 12 when two electrical engineers visited her school. Their demonstration of wiring a simple circuit board ignited a spark and set her on a trajectory toward aerospace. Despite the lack of STEM opportunities in her high school, Bressette-Fleming remained steadfast, driven by a desire to advocate for Indigenous representation in the field. She researched universities across Canada and zeroed in on the renowned engineering program at Queen’s.
Earning an engineering degree is rarely described as “easy.” Many students struggle to find the academic and social support to make it through, and Indigenous students often face further challenges like culture shock and isolation from their traditional practices. Queen’s University offers two programs that meet the academic and spiritual needs unique to Indigenous students and facilitate internships and post-grad opportunities: Indigenous Futures in Engineering and STEMInA (STEM Indigenous Academics). These programs have helped carry Bressette-Fleming through the most difficult aspects of earning an engineering degree and enabled her to remain engaged in her culture. “These supports for Indigenous students are the reason why I am reaching all my goals academically and professionally,” she says.
The Queen’s University Q-AISES Chapter provided further inspiration by encouraging members to participate in the First Nations Launch competition, where Indigenous students design, construct, and deploy high-powered rockets. “Other students and I have been able to use resources from AISES to promote the Rocket Team and get further involved in the community of Indigenous people in STEM,” says Bressette-Fleming. Through this platform she not only honed her engineering skills but also found a community of like-minded Indigenous students passionate about aerospace.
As she progresses through her undergraduate studies, Bressette-Fleming remains committed to her ultimate goal: a career in aerospace. Inspired by her experiences with the Q-AISES Rocket Team and fueled by her passion for space exploration, she hopes to join a prestigious organization like NASA or the Canadian Space Agency.
Bressette-Fleming also finds strength and inspiration in her family’s support. Her great-grandmother Yvonne “Bonnie” Bressette, who served as the community’s first female chief, received the Order of Canada in 2022 for her contributions to community development. Her great-grandmother’s legacy of resilience and advocacy fuels Bressette-Fleming’s determination to carve out space for future generations of Indigenous voices in STEM. “All my academic goals were created by me, but my aunts and grandparents helped me solidify them,” she says. Her biggest inspiration is her two younger siblings, who show her new perspectives, an inspiration she will undoubtedly reciprocate as she becomes a role model for future generations — just like her great-grandmother.
— by Dr. Tyler J. Rust
Located near the Michigan border along the south shore of Lake Huron in southern Ontario, the unceded territory of the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation is named for its unusual rock formations, a notable feature of the lands the community is focused on preserving.