chloenycp Announcement, Culture, Events, STEM

LIGHTING THE PATHWAY TO FACULTY CAREERS FOR NATIVES IN STEM

From AISES:

AISES is now accepting applications for the 3rd LTP cohort!
All applications and supporting documents must be received by August 19, 2016.

DESCRIPTION

AISES was awarded a 5-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create the “Lighting the Pathway to Faculty Careers for Natives in STEM” program.  The program’s goal is to increase the representation of American Indians, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiians in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty positions at universities and tribal colleges across the country.  The program aims to create an intergenerational community of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior and senior faculty members.  This full circle of support will help guide students to successful degree completion and advancement to the next stage on the academic career path.  In addition to full circle mentorship, the program strives to provide students with valuable academic and professional support, travel funding, and educational, research, fellowship, and internship opportunities.

ELIGIBILITY

  • Full time college undergraduate, graduate student, or postdoctoral scholar in a field within Biological Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Geosciences, Computer and Information Science and Engineering, or Engineering at an accredited four-year college/university or two-year college.  Must be enrolled in a program leading to an academic degree.
  • Interest in becoming a faculty member at a college, university, or tribal college.
  • Have a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA), with consideration being given to applicants reflecting somewhat lower GPAs but with high potential to raise the GPA above 3.0.
  • Current member of AISES.

Selection of students will seek balance with respect to a diversity of tribes, geographic areas in the United States, STEM majors, and gender. While the focus is primarily on American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Native Hawaiians, all AISES members are eligible. The selection process will attempt to ensure that a diversity of STEM disciplines is reflected.

Scholars in the program will receive an annual participation stipend of $2,250 for two years, and two years of travel funding to attend the AISES National Conference and AISES Leadership Summit or discipline-specific professional conference.  Scholars will be matched with an AISES selected faculty mentor to interact with at least monthly.  Scholars are required to participate in skill-building, professional-development in-person programming and webinars.  Finally, scholars will have the opportunity to engage in an active community of Native STEM researchers.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

  • You must be either an undergraduate student, graduate student, or post-doctoral fellow to apply.
  • Complete the “Lighting the Pathway” application online: www.aises.org/pathways2016
  • Submit the following supporting documents to kcoulon@aises.org(link sends e-mail):
    • Unofficial transcript(s)
    • CV/Resume
    • One Letter of Recommendation
  • Application and supporting documents are due August 19, 2016 by 5:00pm (applicant’s time zone)

If you have any questions, please contact Kyle Coulon at kcoulon@aises.org(link sends e-mail).

A link to begin the application can be found here

Article, STEM, Youth

Yakama Nation Youths Show Off Their STEM Savvy to Visiting Educators

Aaron Arquette caught the attention of about 40 visitors in the Yakama Nation Cultural Center auditorium Thursday when he discussed his work on solar water heaters.

A senior at the Yakama Nation Tribal School, Arquette explained how solar evacuated tubes warm up water for residential use; as a result, solar water heaters tend to save customers money on energy bills.

School Principal Relyn Strom was quick to note how Arquette was already involved in an ambitious project to install solar water heaters in dozens of homes.

Arquette’s project was one example members of the Yakama Nation used to convey their students’ love for science, technology, engineering and math to educators from across the state. The educators visited the Toppenish center as part of a three-day bus tour of several STEM initiatives in Washington.

“STEM is in service to this community,” said Elese Washines, a Heritage University assistant professor.

The bus tour, organized by the nonprofit Washington STEM, began in Vancouver on Wednesday, then moved east to the Yakima Valley on Thursday and will conclude in Spokane today.

Groups and companies represented included the University of Washington, Walla Walla School District, Pacific Science Center and Expedia.

Stopping in the Yakima Valley made sense, as the schools represent a wide swath of communities — rural, Latino and Native American, among others.

To read the article on the Yamika Herald, click here.

Matthew Campbell Announcement, Article, Culture, Curriculum, Discussion, History, Legal, Politics, STEM, Youth

Teaching Tribal History Is Finally Required in Washington Public Schools

Here, from the Stranger. An excerpt:

When Shana Brown was in 11th grade, her US history teacher took a metal wastebasket, flipped it upside down, and started banging on it like a drum. “Go, my son, get an education! Go, my son, get off the reservation,” he sang. Brown had grown up on the Yakama Indian Reservation, but went to public school nearby.

“Yeah,” she says, letting several seconds pass after telling that story. We’re sitting at a cafeteria table on one of the basketball courts of the Chief Leschi School, a cluster of buildings set among fields of plump Puyallup Valley strawberries, raspberries, and rhubarb. A warm breeze drifts in from a propped-open door in the back.

Brown recounts this memory precisely, patiently, and sitting absolutely straight. She’s been teaching for 24 years. For the last seven of those years, Brown has taught language arts and social studies in Seattle Public Schools. But for nearly half the time she’s been teaching, she’s also been painstakingly crafting a curriculum that aims to correct the marginalizing Pilgrims-and-Indians version of history and Native culture so many kids in this state still learn. That’s why she’s here at Chief Leschi, a tribal school on the Puyallup Indian Reservation, with more than 30 eager teacher-trainers equipped with big, blue binders that read, “Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty Curriculum.”

Reports, STEM, Youth

Via ACT.org: The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2014

The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2014 is ACT’s annual report on the progress of the graduating class relative to college readiness. This year, 57% of the graduating class took the ACT® college readiness assessment. The increased number of test takers over the past several years enhances the breadth and depth of the data pool, providing a comprehensive picture of the current graduating class in the context of readiness levels as well as offering a glimpse of the emerging educational pipeline.

This report is designed to help educators understand and answer the following questions:

  • Are your students prepared for college and career, and are your younger students on target?
  • Are enough of your students taking core courses, and are those courses rigorous enough?
  • What are the most popular majors/occupations, and what does the pipeline for each look like?
  • What other dimensions of college and career readiness, like academic behaviors, should educators track?
  • How are educators tracking progress on STEM initiatives?

The data includes average scores and benchmark attainment by state for the Class of 2014 as well as 2013 and other other readiness factors. To view the report, click here.

Article, STEM

From stemteachingtools.org: Implementing Meaning Full STEM Learning with Indigenous Students and Families

Author Marissa Spang cover the issue of “Indigenous ways of knowing are often perceived to be contrary to STEM learning, but they are in fact powerful resources for learning. STEM instruction should be made inclusive for Indigenous students by building connections between Indigenous and Western STEM. There are a set of strategies teachers can use to intentionally incorporate indigenous ways of knowing into STEM learning environments—both in and out of school and in relation to family and community.”

Why It Matters To You

  • Teachers should focus on Indigenous ways of knowing & encourage Indigenous students to navigate between Indigenous & Western STEM.
  • District staff and PD providers should build relationships with Indigenous communities they serve and focus PD on Indigenous STEM, including relations to land.
  • School leaders need to recognize what it looks like for Indigenous students to learn western & Indigenous STEM and ensure approaches are adopted.

Things to Think About

  • How can you change your instruction to “center” it on Indigenous ways of knowing?
  • Who are partners (parents, teachers, systems leaders, students, organizations) that can help you center Indigenous ways of knowing? How can they help your students navigate multiple ways of knowing?
  • Where are some places you can take students to strengthen their connections to their territories and localize knowledge and learning?

To view the entire article, click here.

Announcement, Events, Save the Date, STEM

American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Conference: November 12-15, 2014

Dates: November 12-15, 2014
Location: Orlando, Florida

The AISES National Conference is a one-of-a-kind, three day event convening graduate, undergraduate, and high school junior and senior students, teachers, workforce professionals, corporate and government partners and all members of the “AISES family”.

The AISES National conference has become the premier event for Native American Science, Engineering & Math (STEM) professionals and students attracting over 1,600 attendees from across the country.

Keynote Speakers

  • Notah Begay III
  • John Herrington

Conference Highlights

  • Social & Professional Networking
  • Mentoring
  • Research Presentations
  • Awards & Ceremonies
  • Nationally Recognized Speakers
  • Leadership, Skills & Professional Development
  • STEM Career & Education Expo
  • Cultural Activities
  • Meetings, Gatherings & Caucuses
  • Campus Tours
  • Resume Room
  • Powwow & Marketplace

To receive notification updates about the 2014 National Conference, sign-up for informational updates.