Presenters Crystal Echohawk of IllumiNative, Sarah EchoHawk of AISES, Dr. Matthew Tiscareno of the Seti Institute, and Daniella Scalice of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute discussed issues involved in giving heavenly objects Indigenous names. Dr. Tiscareno said the planetary science community is involved in a 10-year review of procedures, and he has submitted a paper about naming planets and features of planets (likes craters and valleys). He made the point that when we use an Indigenous name, it should be co-creative and respectful rather than a cultural appropriation. Crystal Echohawk pointed out that words matter, resonating with the way we treat people and make policy. Dr. Tiscareno said that the intentions behind using Indigenous names might have been good, “but intentions don’t matter nearly as much as impact.” All panelists spoke to the need to secure prior consent before using a name by involving Native communities from the beginning of the naming process. “We need to stop the cultural appropriation and think more about relationship building. We need respectful relationships in place that include Indigenous ways of knowing,” said Scalice.
▸ HEARD AT THE CONFERENCE
It hinges on relationships. Looking to the great scholars … Greg Cajete, Robin Kimmerer, Vine Deloria, and everybody. They’re telling us the universe is fundamentally relational. And so everything stems from relationships. I understand something only in relationship to something else.
— Daniella Scalice, NASA’s Astrobiology Institute
Words matter. Representation [of Native people] matters. It resonates with the way we treat people and make policy.
— Crystal Echohawk, IllumiNative
AISES CEO Sarah EchoHawk described how the organization has fared during this pandemic year. While it hasn’t been easy, she reported that as a Native organization AISES is resilient and responding to COVID-19 as a family. She explained that although this is certainly not an easy time, AISES is doing well and pursuing its mission of providing a Full Circle of Support — K–12 through retirement — for Indigenous people in STEM. AISES works in three areas: student success, which includes educators and parents; career support, which provides a network of support from internships onward throughout a career; and workforce development, which involves working with institutions and organizations to, in turn, enable individuals to be successful. For Natives in STEM, AISES provides a cultural contextualization of STEM programs and works with communities to meet their needs and provide opportunities. AISES supports career professionals who may be the only Native in their organization, and helps organizations equip their Native professionals to succeed. EchoHawk spoke about the organization’s priorities, strategies, and values, which focus on advancing education and professional development while embracing Native culture and traditions. She explained that AISES works through seven regions and that there are opportunities for individuals to be involved with the organization in many ways and at many levels. One way to be involved is by running for a seat on the Board of Directors or serving on one of the seven Advisory Councils. She pointed out that the Council of Elders is what makes AISES unique through its role of providing spiritual grounding and cultural guidance. In her summary of membership data she noted that both membership and revenue grew through 2019. There are now more than 6,000 members, the majority of whom are female, with the largest portion being college students. EchoHawk described the Leadership Summit, the second-largest event of the AISES year. Another project of note was the T3 Fund (Together Towards Tomorrow), established last March to help college students affected by the pandemic. The fund has so far raised more than $170,000, distributed directly in a one-time $500 emergency scholarship for 195 vulnerable students and counting. Also new in 2020 is the AISES Literature Review, published in August by Dr. Kathy DeerInWater. Funded by an NSF grant, the project is designed to help AISES and others improve education for Native students. The review is available in the Resource Center at aises.org. Also available there is the AISES Annual Report and the 2020 Programming Priorities document. Additionally, EchoHawk discussed Winds of Change magazine, the digital newsletters, the Winds of Change website (woc.aises.org), and their collective role in communicating with members, advancing the AISES mission, and raising revenue. She ended with a reminder that the 2021 National Conference is scheduled for September 23–25 in Phoenix.
Presenters Zachary Dunn, Latanya Goh, and Joshua John, all from Raytheon Technologies, shared their own stories of growing up, experiencing college, and finding a professional path. Goh and John grew up on a reservation, but Dunn described his pre-college days as lower-middle-class suburban. Still, he says, he had to negotiate leaving the family bubble and was fortunate to discover AISES at University of Oklahoma. They offered plenty of advice, including speak up for yourself, ask for help, ask questions, and find mentors. Also, it’s important to work with students from other backgrounds because that’s “real world.” Their takeaway message was seek advice but realize that your beliefs, character, and actions are within your control — you own the design of your own life.
The presenter was Corville Allen of IBM, an organization with a strong culture of innovation, with more than 110,000 corporate patents. Allen himself has 27 years of experience in patents and 240 patents to his credit. The session he provided was a workshop on innovation — how to take a new idea and develop it so that it can be turned into a patent. Part of the process as he explains it involves brainstorming. Allen described how to have an effective session, emphasizing the importance of a scribe. The presenter explained the definition of a patent, the steps in the patent process, and how to deal with setbacks, including tips on how to make an innovative idea move through the process more efficiently. He invited questions and encouraged young engineers to patent their ideas.
Inventions were ‘why not’ questions at some point.
— Corville Allen, IBM
If your dream is to fly, this session set out options for achieving that goal. Air Force Major Afton Brown, along with the team of presenters from the Air Force Recruiting Service Detachment, explained that they work with external strategic partners to inspire the next generation of aviators. The presenters offered an overview of each arm of the Air Force and its advantages: Air Force Active Duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air Force Civilian Service. Among the aviation careers discussed were pilot, remotely piloted aircraft pilot, combat systems officer, and air battle management. The presenters also outlined the basic requirements for joining the Air Force: U.S. citizen, age 17–39 with no prior military service, and must pass physical and eligibility tests and meet other requirements.
