Chaired by panelist Jamie Ricci from the nonprofit Indspire, the panel addressed what it means to be Indigenous in Canada. Following a brief historical overview, Matthew Dunn, from the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering, pointed out that because identity is so complex, the panelists would speak only to their own experiences as Indigenous people who are also in AISES. They discussed the labels for Indigenous people and said that “Indigenous†is a more contemporary term than “aboriginal†or “Indian.†Melanie Howard of Queen’s University in Ontario pointed out the collective term “First Nations†does not include the distinct Métis Nation, whose members are found mostly in British Columbia and the Prairie Provinces, or the Inuit people of Northern Canada. The constitution of Canada recognizes those three groups as Indigenous Peoples with rights under Canadian law; reflecting this legal standing, FNMI is an acronym in popular use. When discussing how being Indigenous has influenced her experience in STEM, student Brielle Thorsen said, “I’m not just a student but most of all I am Cree. I’m a family member, caretaker for my family, and a healer for them and myself. I carry them with me and see how my engineering degree can help my community.†She added that as one of the few Indigenous students in STEM she feels she must always be on her best behavior because “I’m cast as an ambassador.†Another panelist pointed out that “we are not all the same but we are coming together to maintain who we are.â€
Led by Carolyn Jurca from Intel Corporation, this session was hands-on fun rather than an informative lecture. Presenters began by dumping a large collection of miscellaneous Lego pieces in a wide range of sizes on each table of eight participants. Then the presenters gave an assignment, such as building a bridge. The variety of bridges at each table was interesting as there was a marked contrast between the fanciful bridges and bridges where stability was the goal. Some even included Lego figures and each person told a story about their creation, which might include a back story about the Lego people on the bridge. Lego building assignments became increasingly imaginative and fun to execute during the session.
Honeybees were brought to North American by Europeans, and as presenters Dr. Holly Schaeffer and Dr. Ken Poff told it, some bees escaped and the Natives knew when colonists were approaching because they encountered “stinging flies†a few miles ahead of them. Attendees learned that one-third of our food is dependent on pollinators for 100 types of crops. The widespread use of pesticides and insecticides is having a severe effect on bees. Colony collapse disorder is caused by an accumulation of water-soluble poisons in the honey and non-water-soluble poisons in the wax. As worker bees chew the pollen to make the wax, they ingest poisons from the fields. A normal life span of a bee is 45 days, and the discussion included how bees reproduce and communicate: they indicate the location of nectar via a “waggle†dance that orients bees in relation to the sun. They make a correction for the time it takes them to get back to the hive and how much the sun will have moved. When bees are overcrowded or the temperature changes, they will swarm and use group intelligence to find a new home. When 50 or so bees come back with the same new location, they set off together. When the swarm flies, they lock together to carry the queen bee, who is not able to fly.
Presenter Dr. Ruth Pickett Seltner, from Mount Royal University in Canada, started from the premise that the study of art helps scientists really see, think, and talk about what they perceive. Creativity is important in science, and art fosters a non-linear approach to problem-solving. She showed slides giving examples from both art and science that in some cases were very similar. One showed an optical illusion that depicts both an old woman and a very young woman, depending on perspective. Attendees then broke into pairs with one member describing what was shown on the screen, and the other trying to draw what was described, which made for an engaging exercise.
Dr. Craig Wilson, director of the USDA Future Scientists Program, emphasized that the focus of the ARS Labs is environmentally sensitive agricultural production. He pointed out that only 1/32 of all land is used for agriculture, so it’s important to research efficient methods and protect productivity. He gave the innovative example of impeding the migration of destructive screwworms by releasing sterile screwworms in their path northward. He explained that a current ARS focus is the collapse of honeybee colonies, and that much progress is being made researching contributing factors like mites, diet diversity, neonicotinoid insecticides, and insecticide drift across agricultural fields.
Virginia’s first Native American extension educator, Dr. Warner Orozco discussed his work with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe in developing natural resource management, researching and implementing alternative agri-business methods for tribal land, and promoting cultural rescue and outreach. He differentiated traditional farming (intercropping several crops in one area) from Euro-colonial methods (straight rows of one crop) and made the point that intercropping is much more efficient: colonists would get 40 bushels of wheat/acre, while intercropping melons, corn, squash, etc., would yield 200 bushels, enough to feed a family for a year with minimal work. When he arrived as an extension agent, he was encouraged to plant cotton, soybeans, and wheat on fields sprayed with insecticides that killed the beneficial soil creatures. Instead he secured a grant to plant raised gardens fertilized with compost and intercropping plants in the traditional way, which was dramatically more productive. During his session Dr. Orozco discussed many heritage plants, but his description of tobacco as a “cell phone to the spirits,†motioning as if he were guiding the smoke as it ascended with intercessions, was especially memorable.
Representatives from several Department of Energy locations, led by Tony Baylis of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, teamed up for this session. They described their facilities and the internships, research stipends, and other opportunities available. They said that the DoE facilities are often far beyond what students will find at a university, which attracts other bright people who are inspiring to work with. Many programs cross-train staff and their work is multidisciplinary, including such areas as metallurgy, statistics, physics, climate science, and virtually every engineering discipline. They offered some examples of initiatives including smart buildings that use energy efficiently, hydrogeology (ground water contamination), energy grid integration, cybersecurity, 3-D printing, and legacy management (overseeing maintenance and monitoring of facilities like post-closure uranium sites nearing the end of their useful lives).
Presenter Heather Heckler from General Motors pointed out that handling conflict is essential, and how you do it is integral to your personal and professional “brand.†The session included a discussion of the types of conflicts (positional, personality, historical) and the stages of escalation, with tables of possible approaches and conflict positions (negative vs. positive, passive vs. aggressive), with a principal takeaway being that “I†messages are very helpful. The session broke into groups for “hands-on†role-playing of conflict management skills.
Shiny vehicles are hard to resist, and some lucky conference-goers were able to snag a hands-on experience with famous Fiat Chrysler rides. Company representatives brought a variety of their popular vehicles — from the versatile Jeep Truck and Jeep Wrangler to the formidable Dodge Ram and Dodge Challenger and the Chrysler Pacifica and sleek Alfa Romeo Stelvio — for a limited number of students to “ride and drive.†The students were able to choose a vehicle and drive along a preplanned route. Along the way the test-drivers picked up some insights on how the state-of-the-art engines work and why engineering the next generation of safe, efficient Fiat Chrysler vehicles is a great career.
Led by AISES staff members Ruth BlackHawk Cameron, Dr. Kathy DeerInWater, and Marsha Whiting, this session explained the Native Financial Cents curriculum that AISES has adapted from the Wells Fargo personal finance curriculum. The goal of the program is to enhance the financial capability of Native youth and, ultimately, Native professionals. Designed so that Native students can better relate to the material, the adaptation is supported and funded by Wells Fargo with a two-year grant (the first year was for curriculum development; the second for implementation). The result of the first year has been life-stage-appropriate curriculums for elementary, middle school, and high school with teachers’ guides offering techniques, approaches for different learning styles, and lesson plans. The goal of this session was to recruit 25 ambassadors to implement the curriculum in communities by recruiting 50 teachers and others in the field (there will be training and a stipend). Prospective ambassadors can be college students, chapter leaders, community members, or Native educators.
