AISES Joins USDA to Promote Indigenous Knowledge
A new agreement between AISES and the USDA Office of Tribal Relations will support work on Indigenous knowledge research. This cooperative agreement establishes a three-year program designed to encourage high school, undergraduate, and graduate students to engage in Indigenous knowledge research projects. The students will present their work at the AISES National Conference.
Partnership with Comcast Promotes Pre-College Indigenous Coders
AISES has joined with Comcast NBCUniversal to provide a funded program to Indigenous high school students. Covering topics like computer science, engineering design, and readiness for college STEM courses, the Next Generation of Indigenous Coders (formerly Native Coders) program is offered through the Comcast Project UP, which fosters equity in computer science education and careers.
Students use FIRST Tech Challenge Class Packs.
Courtesy of FIRST Robotics
FIRST Robotics Partners with AISES
As part of its pre-college programming, AISES is facilitating the introduction of the FIRST Robotics Tech Challenge Class Packs for students in grades six through 12 in Native-serving schools. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) offers team-based, classroom, and after-school robotics programs designed to engage students and showcase their achievements. The initial FIRST partner schools for AISES will be in New Mexico and North Carolina in the 2023–2024 academic year.
AISES Named as Participating Company in Pinterest Report
The 450 million global users of Pinterest stand to benefit from the organization’s “Pinclusion” initiative outlined in its “2022 Inclusion and Diversity Report.” AISES is cited in the report as an organization Pinterest is collaborating with that champions change in the tech industry. Pinterest was a sponsor of the 2022 National Conference.
First Nations Launch Gathers AISES Teams and More
A total of 21 teams from colleges and universities, TCUs, and AISES chapters from 11 states and one province in Canada arrived in Wisconsin in April to compete in the largest high-powered rocket competition for Native college students. Judges for the competition came from NASA, the Kennedy Space Center, and global aerospace companies. The 2023 NASA Artemis Student Challenge First Nations Launch Champions are the University of Colorado Boulder (Moon), University of Washington Seattle (Mars), and Queen’s University (International). NASA Artemis Student Challenge First Nations Launch is a collaboration between NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project, and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium.
Learning at the Leadership Summit
The 2023 Leadership Summit, which took place at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Okla., April 30–May 2, attracted more than 300 participants comprising both students and professionals. The event offered everyone abundant opportunities to attend sessions focused on career building and leadership skills, as well as chances to network, socialize, and break for a restorative chat with an elder. At the Opening Reception, Muscogee Second Chief Del Beaver offered a warm welcome full of good advice, and visual storyteller Matika Wilbur delivered the keynote address, explaining her “Project 562,” a monumental effort to counter stereotypes about Native people. A highlight of the event was a surprise commemoration of Sarah EchoHawk’s 10-year anniversary of leading AISES.
Research in Winds of Change
Share your research with the AISES family in Winds of Change digital content. Submit your proposal to Dr. Kathy DeerInWater, AISES vice president of programs and research, at kdeerinwater@aises.org.
In Remembrance
Joe A. Garcia
The AISES family is saddened by the passing in May of Joe A. Garcia, a distinguished leader and longtime advocate for tribal sovereignty and Indigenous education. He served three terms as governor of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo and two terms as president of the National Congress of American Indians. He also chaired the All Indian Pueblo Council (now the All Pueblo Council of Governors). His many awards include the highest AISES honor, the Ely S. Parker Award, and the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award. An electrical engineer by training, he worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for 25 years, then started his own consulting firm. Most recently he served as vice president at the Santa Fe Indian School Board of Trustees.
Allen E. Doering
A beloved educator and winner of the AISES National Teacher of the Year Award, Allen Doering passed away in April in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Dr. Jack Farmer
A longtime professor of geological science at the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University, Dr. Jack Farmer passed away in February. He was an astrobiologist and paleontologist, and widely respected as a conscientious researcher, teacher, and mentor. A Sequoyah Fellow, Professor Farmer worked to expand opportunities for Indigenous students in the geosciences and received a Recognition Award from AISES for his outreach work with Native communities.
AISES offers opportunities for Leadership Summit sponsorships, including STEM Activity Day, a post-summit event for area students in elementary and middle school with hands-on programming and interactive sessions ($10,000 investment or two co-sponsors at $5,000), and a networking event to be held during the 2023 Leadership Summit ($5,000 investment, 2 available).
▸ Malachite Sponsors
▸ Travel Scholarship Sponsors
▸ Platinum Sponsors
▸ Gold Sponsors
▸ Silver Sponsors
▸ NAISEF Partner
▸ Legacy Builders Partners
▸ STEM Advocate
Do you or a member you know have a new academic degree, promotion, or award? Newly published book or paper? Let us share the good news — just email Winds of Change editor Karen English at kenglish@aises.org.