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Our Work in 2016

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Our Four Program Areas

Program Area One: 
Awareness & Retention for Native Pre-College Students, Students’ Parents and Educator

In order to increase the numbers of Native Americans seeking degrees and careers in STEM fields, students must be started on the STEM pathway early. One of the biggest challenges in reaching this goal is ensuring that students, educators, and parents have access to information and resources related to STEM. Far too often, because there is little, if any, access to these critical resources, students are unprepared to undertake a STEM major when they begin college. Many students lack the necessary high school classes required for entrance into a STEM major in college and are thus faced with the challenge of taking additional pre-requisite college classes, which require more time and more money. Given this, many Native students opt-out of STEM majors for other majors.

AISES engages in a multitude of programs and events to ensure students, educators, and parents are provided quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities and resources to help to prepare Native youth for college.

In 2016, AISES provided the following programming:

  • Energy Challenge Competition
  • Power-Up Workshops
  • Robotics/Computer Science Programming
  • Research and Poster Presentations and Competitions
  • College and Career Fair
  • STEM Day Activities
  • College Tours 
  • Sessions at the National Conference
  • K-12 Affiliate (Chapter) Membership to 158 Schools

Program Area Two: 
Access and Success for Native  Undergraduate and Graduate Students

AISES administers many programs, services, and events for undergraduate and graduate students designed to increase their access to college and support their success in STEM in preparation for career opportunities in STEM fields. Native college students need professional mentorship and peer support in addition to scholarship support. Students are most successful when they have a network of other Native students as well as professionals who can provide ongoing support while they are pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies. AISES provides exactly this critically-needed support through its programming.

In 2016, AISES provided the following programming:

• Scholarship Funding for STEM Majors
• Internships in STEM Fields with Corporations and Government Agencies
• Fellowships (NSF Lighting the Pathway Program)
• Research and Poster Presentations and Competitions
• Professional Mentorship

• 190 College Chapters Across the Nation
• Regional Conferences
• College and Career Fair
• Leadership Development and Student Leadership Opportunities
• Sessions at the National Conference

Program Area Three: 
Leadership and Change for Native STEM Professionals

AISES is dedicated to supporting its professional members in STEM, supporting early, mid, and executive professionals in STEM fields through professional development, career opportunities, networking, research support, and opportunities to mentors who support Native students in STEM. AISES support doesn’t end once a student graduates from college and enters a STEM career but rather provides ongoing career and professional development programming to help Native STEM professionals grow and succeed in their chosen career fields. Additionally, AISES offers a multitude of opportunities for professionals to “give-back” through mentoring and supporting Native STEM students.


In 2016, AISES provided the following programming:

  • Mentoring of Students
  • Scholarship Review and Scoring
  • Research and Science Fair Judging
  • Serving as Speakers and Trainers at AISES Events
  • Corporate Advisory Council Service
  • Government Relations Council Service
  • Professional Chapter Council Service
  • Academic Advisory Council Service
  • Professional Development Programming
  • Career Fair
  • Professional of the Year Awards
  • 15 Professional Chapters Across the Nation
  • Opportunities to Present Research

Program Area Four:  Strategic Partnerships and Research for Native People in STEM

In addition to AISES’ three core programs – Pre-College, College, and Professional – AISES also engages in strategic partnerships and conducts research to further our mission of substantially increasing the representation of Native people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.

50k Coalition – 50,000 Diverse Engineers by 2025  

AISES, in partnership with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the preeminent engineering professional societies focused on diversity and inclusion, and who collectively serve more than 75,000 precollegiate, collegiate, and professional members, formed the 50k Coalition. The Coalition is working toward a singular goal: to increase the annual number of engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded to underrepresented minorities and women from 30,000 to 50,000 by 2025 – a 66% increase. The Coalition intends to achieve this goal by collecting and monitoring plans generated by Coalition partners to achieve this strategic goal and by measuring, monitoring, and reporting on key indicators, including the number of women and underrepresented minorities qualified to enter the engineering pipeline and the number earning engineering degrees. The 50k Coalition was created in 2015 and will continue its work to 2025. For more information, visit: www.50k.org.

Department of Energy, Minorities in Energy Initiative:

In 2016, AISES received a four-year grant totaling almost $700,000 to work with the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte Schools (C-BE) and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) to address barriers to college and career readiness, specifically in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), among American Indian students. Through this project, AISES is working to increase interest and engagement in STEM subjects among students of all ages, build the capacity of C-EB Schools to support students in STEM, and generate CRST parent and community support of and engagement in STEM studies and careers, particularly for CRST youth. Improving STEM education by introducing novel and culturally relevant curriculum and programs provides C-EB students with opportunities to grow and flourish in new environments is the core mission of this collaborative project. The project builds upon existing relationships, opportunities, and infrastructure to provide novel STEM programming to C-EB students; working toward restoring hope and paving a vibrate future in STEM for the whole CRST community.

Department of Education – Native Youth and Culture Project (NYCP)

In 2016, AISES received a four-year grant totaling almost $700,000 to work with the Cheyenne-Eagle Butte Schools (C-BE) and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) to address barriers to college and career readiness, specifically in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), among American Indian students. Through this project, AISES is working to increase interest and engagement in STEM subjects among students of all ages, build the capacity of C-EB Schools to support students in STEM, and generate CRST parent and community support of and engagement in STEM studies and careers, particularly for CRST youth. Improving STEM education by introducing novel and culturally relevant curriculum and programs provides C-EB students with opportunities to grow and flourish in new environments is the core mission of this collaborative project. The project builds upon existing relationships, opportunities, and infrastructure to provide novel STEM programming to C-EB students; working toward restoring hope and paving a vibrate future in STEM for the whole CRST community.

Growing the Legacy Program – Supported by Intel

AISES received a $1.32 million contribution from Intel to support undergraduate and graduate scholarships for Native Americans. The support is part of a partnership between Intel and AISES to increase the number and success of Native American students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. In October 2016, Intel hosted a thought leadership event in partnership with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). The event brought together key leaders in academia; government; tribal nations; nonprofit organizations, including AISES; and the tech industry to facilitate constructive collaboration aimed at increasing Native American leadership in STEM. From this convening, Intel produced a white paper outlining six key recommendations for increasing Native American student participation and retention in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. Based on the recommendations from the white paper, Intel made a tremendous four-year commitment to support the “Growing the Legacy” scholarship program at AISES to support 40 Native American university students every year for four years by providing them with financial support, Intel mentors, paid internships, and an Intel job upon successful graduation. Students who are awarded will receive scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 per academic year. In addition to scholarship support, Intel and AISES are planning to develop culturally-appropriate computer science curriculum for Native American high school students.

National Science Foundation (NSF) ASSIST & LEVERAGE Projects

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and in partnership with Great Minds in STEM (GMiS); Latinos in Science and Engineering (MAES); National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE); Advancing Chicano/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS); Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE); and Society of Women Engineers (SWE), AISES is working to support Native Americans who are early-career faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers in any field of engineering. The overall focus of the project is to target and support those who are traditionally underrepresented in engineering fields.

National Science Foundation (NSF) REESE Project

This project is an empirical research study using a resiliency-based framework to investigate the factors that contribute to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) success and achievement in STEM education and careers. The focus is on what makes people successful rather than what makes them fail. It was developed through a partnership between the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), the Office for Community Health (OCH) at the University of New Mexico (UNM), and Northwestern University. The aim of this research is to identify the role of culture, individual identity, epistemology, and bi-cultural efficacy in this process. This information is particularly salient in the face of the continuing stagnation of AI/AN STEM graduation rates and the ongoing need for expansion and equity in the STEM pipeline that has been identified as a national priority. The project utilizes AISES historical American Indian STEM data collected over its almost 40-year existence. Developing a plan for several journal articles and the creation of a database to house the data were the primary focus of the project in 2016.

Comcast/NBC Universal Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

In 2016, the Comcast Foundation provided over $1.8 million in airtime to broadcast AISES’ two Public Service Announcements (PSAs). The PSAs are designed to convey how, through our work at AISES, intergenerational traditional Native American cultural knowledge is woven together with new ideas to generate innovative technology, ideas and people that create a better world for everyone. The PSAs will again run in 2017 in multiple markets on multiple channels and can also be viewed on the AISES website

AISES EVENTS

For More Information:


Annual National Conference

The Annual AISES National Conference is a one-of-a-kind, three-day event focused on educational, professional and workforce development. Attendees include American Indian high school and college students, educators, professionals; tribal nations and tribal enterprises; universities, corporations, and government agencies. The AISES National conference has become the premier event for American Indian science, technology,

Highlights Include:

  • Amazing Keynote Speakers: Actor and physician Dr. Evan Adams (Sliammon Band, BC Canada), and Camille Chang Gilmore, Vice President Human Resources at Boston Scientific Corporation
  • Indian Country’s largest College and Career Fair
  • Sessions Designed for Students and Professionals Covering Topics and Providing Resources and Information Pertaining to Educational and Career Access and Development in STEM Fields
  • Student Research Competitions for High School, College and Graduate Students
  • Interactive Tours of Colleges, Universities and Industry Partner Facilities – 2016 Tours included 3M, CHS, Inc., and the University of Minnesota.
  • STEM Activity Day with Interactive, Hands-On Sessions, Events and Activities for Middle School, High School and College Students
  • Professional Opportunities Expo for AISES Professional Members
  • Grand Awards Banquet on the Closing Night
  • Native American Powwow and American Indian Products Marketplace

The 2016 National Conference was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where 1,900 participants joined us! Minneapolis is a destination city because of its economic impact, hospitality, strong college representation, and its diverse business industries. Data shows the AISES National Conference is clearly growing in professional, college, and high school student areas. AISES is creating opportunities and is successfully preparing and promoting Indigenous students in STEM education and careers. It reiterates that AISES is the best kept secret in STEM education that corporate partners have taken notice. They have ramped up their efforts to align with AISES that in time gives our students and professional members better chances at landing jobs.

2016 National Conference Registration Numbers:

Professionals 289
College Students 615
High School Students & Chaperones 304
Educators & Judges 75
Exhibitors/Sponsors 548
Speakers 65
Other 4
Total 1,900

2015 National Conference Registration Numbers:

Professionals 278
College Students 587
High School Students & Chaperones 267
Educators & Judges 76
Exhibitors/Sponsors 562
Speakers 41
Other 4
Total 1,815

Annual Leadership Summit

2016 Location: IBM and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN

Number of Participants in Each Summit: 183

AISES’ Leadership Summit is aimed at providing Native higher education students and AISES professionals with in-depth professional development workshops and networking opportunities. Multiple sessions engaged participants on personal and professional development topics such as “Rising Up from Technical to Management” to “Impact of Leadership Styles on Decision Making” and “Harness the Teamwork.” The Leadership Summit also offers networking opportunities for early to mid-career level professionals and Native students in STEM and fosters the matching of STEM professionals with STEM students for mentoring. Studies prove that building peer support networks and providing positive role models, mentors, and career development programs have profound effects on minority college students in STEM and, we all know, that it’s important for professionals too!

AISES’ Regional Conferences 

AISES’ Regional Conferences take place every spring and provide an opportunity for AISES College and Professional Chapters to gather and share information, form partnerships, and to network with each other and with selected presenters and partners. Each regional conference has informative sessions and activities for both college and high school students. Among the activities provided are mini career fairs, poster presentations, and engineering competitions. Generally, each Regional Conference host develops a theme or focus area for the Regional Conference (environmental, bridging native cultures with science, etc.). Local and national professionals within a variety of fields provide workshops, seminars, and  discussion groups about a wide variety of topics.

AISES’ student representatives and the host chapters for the following year are selected during the regional conferences. Chapters interested in hosting the regional conference indicate their interest in hosting and make a presentation regarding their resources, planning, and ability to host the conference. Each college chapter that is in “Good Standing” is allowed one vote and the most votes determines the location of the regional conference.

2016 Regional Conferences

  • Region 1 - Virtual Conference, Friday, April 8, 2016
  • Region 2 - California State Polytechnic University at Pomona, Pomona, CA, March 18-19, 2016
  • Region 3 - Navajo Preparatory School, Farmington, NM, March 11-12, 2016
  • Region 4 - University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, March 4, 2016
  • Region 5 - University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, March 4-5, 2016
  • Region 6 - McGill University, Montreal, Canada, February 28-March 1, 2016
  • Region 7 – No 2016 Conference

AISES AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS & INTERNSHIPS

Ely S. Parker Award Winners

The Ely S. Parker Award is the highest honor bestowed by AISES, given in honor of the first recognized American Indian scientist/engineer. Recipients of the Ely S. Parker Award are leaders who carry on Parker’s legacy and contributions to U.S. society. Parker was a sachem Seneca chief, who studied law. He was also a peacemaker and engineer. The award recognizes individuals whose training, education and experience is exemplary in service to others. Their talent and brilliance sustains AISES’ mission and powerfully illustrates Native Americans’ contributions to STEM.

1983 - A T (Andy) Anderson, Chemical Engineering (Seneca) - Awarded Posthumously
1984 - Phil Stevens, Engineering (Oglala Sioux)
1985 - Mary Ross, Mathematics & Aerospace Engineering (Cherokee)
1986 - Al Qöyawayma, Mechanical Engineering (Hopi)
1987 - Phil Lane Sr., Civil Engineering (Yankton Sioux)
1988 - Tom Dawson, Electrical Engineering (Cherokee)
1988 - Don Ridley, Aerospace Engineering (Shoshone)
1989 - Dr. Lois Steele, Medicine (Assiniboine)
1990 - Dr. George Blue Spruce, Dentist (Pueblo)
1992 - Fred Begay, Ph.D., Physics (Navajo)
1993 - Dr. Taylor MacKenzie, Medicine (Navajo)
1994 - Dwight Gourneau, Electrical Engineering & Physics (Chippewa)
1995 - Cliff Poodry, Ph.D., Biology (Seneca)
1996 - Fred Cooper, Ph.D., Civil Engineering (Shoalwater Bay)
1997 - Jane Mt. Pleasant, Ph.D., Agronomy & Soil Science (Tuscarora)
1998 - Dick French, Forestry (Yakama) - Awarded Posthumously

1999 - Robert Megginson, Ph.D., Mathematics (Lakota) 
2000 - Jim May, Ph.D., Engineering/Business/ Library Science (Cherokee)
2001 - Carolyn Elgin, Ed.D., Educator (Choctaw)
2002 - Dr. Judith Kaur, Medicine (Choctaw/ Cherokee)
2003 - Carole Gardipe, Geology, (Penobscot)
2004 - Jerry Elliott, Physics, (Osage/Cherokee)
2005 - George Thomas, Engineering, (Cherokee)
2007 - Governor Joseph Garcia (Ohkay Owingeh)
2008 - Norbert S. Hill Jr. (Oneida)
2009 - Sandra Begay-Campbell (Navajo)
2010 - Dr. Robert Whitman (Navajo)
2011 - Everett Chavez (Kewa Pueblo)
2012 - Dr. Henrietta Mann (Cheyenne)
2013 - Bessie Newman Spicer (Navajo)
2014 - Dr. Jason Younker (Coquille)
2015 - Dr. Bret Benally-Thompson (White Earth Band of Ojibwe)
2016 - Dr. Robin W. Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) 

Professional of The Year Awards

In recognition of the significant contributions American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, First Nations and other indigenous peoples of North America have made to the STEM disciplines, AISES conducts the Professional Awards Program. Each year, AISES produces a short video highlighting the accomplishments of each category winner. The videos are shown during the awards banquet at the AISES National Conference where each winner receives an engraved Nambe Silver Eagle Award.

 

2016 Award Winners

Overall Professional of the Year Award
Karletta Chief, Ph.D., (Navajo) University of Arizona

Blazing Flame Award
Marie Capitan (Navajo), Sandia National Labs

Executive Excellent Award
Richard Johnson (Cherokee), Boeing

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist Award 
Michael Dockery, Ph.D., (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), United States Forestry Service

Technical Excellence Award
Tara Astigarraga (Choctaw), IBM Research

Professional of the Year - The AISES Professional of the Year Award is presented for overall leadership and technical achievement. This individual is selected from among the top candidates submitted in all categories; therefore, individual nominations are not accepted for this award.

Blazing Flame Award - The Blazing Flame Award is presented to an individual who blazes a path for indigenous people in STEM careers. This award recognizes individuals with 10 or more years of professional experience with significant accomplishments in advancing STEM education and careers.

Executive Excellence Award - Executive Excellence nominees must be an experienced upper-level manager or a career-path engineer, scientist, professional, or academician who has significant department and budget responsibilities.

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist Award - The Most Promising Engineer or Scientist nominee must be a professional engineer or scientist with less than five years’ experience after earning his/her degree. The candidate’s early technical contributions should already indicate a promising career.

Technical Excellence Award - The Technical Excellence nominee must have made a significant contribution to science, engineering, or technology by having designed, developed, managed, or assisted in the development of a product, service, system or intellectual property.

2013 – 2015 Fellows - Lighting The Pathway to Faculty Careers For Natives In Stem

Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the “Pathways” program focus is to increase the representation of Native Americans in STEM faculty positions in higher education through the creation and support of an intergenerational community of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior and senior faculty members.

Cohort One

Angelita Bearquiver (Northern Cheyenne)
Rene Begay (Navajo)
Rebecca Buckman (Hopi)
Katherine Crocker (Kaw Nation)
Joshua Danny (Navajo)
Megan Dunn (Cherokee Nation)
Devin Etcitty (Jemez Pueblo, Navajo)
Amber Eule-Nashoba (Choctaw Nation)
Bradley Ganoe (Anishinaabe)
Jennifer Remme (Fort Peck Assiniboine, Sioux)
Ariel Helms (Cherokee Nation)

Kelsea Hosoda (Native Hawaiian)
Carrie Joseph (Hopi)
Nicole Kenote (Menominee)
Sandra Kjono (Mohawk)
Janie Locklear (Lumbee)
Jacinda Mainord (Village
of Selawik, Village of
White Mountain
Jack Martin (Navajo)
Alexander McGirt (Lumbee)
Na’ta’ne Miles (Comanche, Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux,
Salt River Pima- Maricopa)

Jocelyn Painter (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska)
Keith Parker (Yurok)
Anthony Barela Nystrom (Chickasaw Nation)
Mackenzie Pearson (Menominee)
Jesse Peltier (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
Darryl Reano (Acoma Pueblo, Santo Domingo Pueblo)
Biidaaban Reinhardt (Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa)
Joshua Thomas (Seneca Nation of New York)
Ranalda Tsosie (Navajo) 
Crystal Tulley-Cordova (Navajo)

Cohort Two

Chad Auginash (Red Lake Chippewa)
Shanadeen Begay (Navajo)
Johnny Buck (Yakama)
Katrina Claw (Navajo)
Jesse Gibson (Poarch Creek)
Ciarra Greene (Nez Perce)

Candice Guy (Delaware)
Megan Kiedrowski (Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa)
Naomi Lee (Seneca Nation of New York)
Rebekah Lester (Osage)
Kristen Lycett (Cow Creek Umpqua)
Phillip Medina IV (Huron Potawatomi)
Jordan Oshiro (Native Hawaiian)

Ulali Phillip (Navajo)
Canek Phillips (P’urepecha)
Dylan Suvlu (Artic Slope Inupiat)
Scott Tan (Blackfeet)
Henrietta Tsosie (Navajo)
Delbert Willie (Navajo)

Cohort Three

Sarah Aarons (Village of Unalakleet)
Mark Berger (United Nation of New York)
Edward Chew (Tuscarora)
Alexander Cody (Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas)
Kyle Dahlin (Native Hawaiian)
Tammi Duncan (Navajo)
Maxwell Goldstein (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)
Danielle Guzman (Nez Perce)
Joshua Lelemia Irvine (Native Hawaiian)

Laurel James (Yakama)
Jordan Kennedy (Blackfeet)
Donna Kuehu (Native Hawaiian)
Moses Leavens (Chippewa-Cree)
Lizzie Lightning (Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma)
Benjamin Lilley (Eastern Cherokee)
Michaela Long (Navajo)
Kevin McPherson
Jenny Nakai (Navajo)
Cheyenne Nelson (Santa Ynez Chumash Mission)

Talia Quandelacy (Zuni)
Kyle Roessler (Salish Kootenai)
Kenneth Swift Bird (Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota)
Jackie Taylor (Choctaw Nation)
Sidney Thompson (St. Regis Mohawk)
Kayle Thunstrom (Minnesota Chippewa)
Lani Tsinnajinnie (Navajo)
Tada Vargas (Cheyenne River Sioux)
Noelani Villa (Kaw Nation)
Clayton Wauneka (Navajo)

National Science Foundation
ASSIST Travel Fellows

Funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) ASSIST Project, this program is designed for early-career faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students in engineering. The program providedsupport to travel to and attend the 2016 AISES National Conference as well as specific professional development sessions.

Chad Auginash (Red
Lake Chippewa)
Grace Bulltail (Crow)
Michael Charles (Navajo)
Ronson Chee (Navajo)
Karletta Chief (Navajo)
Otakuye Conroy-Ben (Pine
Ridge Oglala Sioux)

Ann Cross (Pine Ridge
Oglala Sioux)
Franklin Dollar (Dry
Creek Pomo)
Megan Dunn (Cherokee
Nation)
Juanita Francis (Navajo)
Joshua Gosney (Little Shell Chippewa)

Joshua Lelemia Irvine (Native Hawaiian)
Melia Iwamoto (Native Hawaiian)
Sonu Jose
Carrie Joseph (Hopi)
Jordan Kennedy (Blackfeet)
Donna “Sweetie” Kuehu
(Native Hawaiian)

Sandra Manosalvas-Kjono (Mohawk)
Phillip Medina (Huron Potawatomi)
Benjamin Parker (Chippewa-Cree, Squaxin
Island, Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
Canek Phillips (P’urepecha)

Christina Smith (Navajo)
William Terrell
Henrietta Tsosie (Navajo)
Michael Valdez (Cherokee Nation)
Clayton Wauneka (Navajo)
Delbert Willie (Navajo)

AISES Scholars

2015– 2016 BNSF Scholars

Kira Brown (Cherokee Nation)
Nicholas Burt (Cherokee Nation)
Braden Edwards (Cherokee Nation, Osage)
Lindsey Hancock (Choctaw Nation)
Haley Hilborn (Laguna Pueblo)

2015-2016 Intel Scholars

Mark Berger (Oneida Nation of New York)
Maxwell Goldstein (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)
Phillip Medina IV (Huron Potawatomi)
Cameron Sharpe (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
Paul Stoner, Jr. (Village of Savoonga)
Lonny Strunk (Village of Kwinhagak)
Adam Williams (Bad River Lake Superior Chippewa, Cherokee Nation)

2015 – 2016 NextEra Energy – Ford Dry Lake Scholars

Tiffany Adams (Chemehuevi)
Dusti Bacon (Chemehuevi)
Sydney Harper (Colorado River)
Steven Leash (Cahuilla Mission)
Jameson Lopez (Fort Yuma Quechan)
Anthony Madrigal (Cahuilla Mission)
Leanna Mike (Twenty Nine Palms)
Kaitlyn Snodgrass (Chemehuevi)

2015-2016 NAVSEA – Naval Seas Systems Command Scholars

Zachery Herman (Choctaw Nation)
Christon Manuelito (Navajo)
Jessica Meylor (Osage)
Kyle Rhine (Cherokee Nation)
Felix Yepa (Jemez Pueblo)
Shanya Whitehorse (Navajo) 

2015-2016
A.T. Anderson Memorial Fund Scholars

Supported by: Bayer USA Foundation, Boeing, Chrysler, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Oracle, Rosemary Schaefer, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and individual supporters.

Abby Jessell (Cherokee Nation)
Alexander McGirt (Lumbee)
Erica Poe (Cherokee Nation)
Emily Wheeler (Choctaw Nation)
Emery Whitfield (Navajo)
Brandt Daniels (Chickasaw Nation)
Keely Moriarty (Standing Rock Sioux)
Shannon Peterson (Navajo)
Biidaaban Reinhardt (Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa)
Blake Yort (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
Sheilah Allison (Navajo)
Shanice Britton (Round Valley)
Amy Irons (Picayune Chukchansi)
Ashley Martinez (Navajo)
Tyler Rust (Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux)
Justin Sanders (Cherokee Nation)
NaShowda Shadley (Yurok)
Daven Tagaban (Navajo, San Carlos Apache)

Henrietta Tsosie (Navajo)
Luke Gibson (Navajo)
Micah Hawk-Lowenstein (Apache Tribe of Oklahoma)
Braden Heid (Cherokee Nation)
Jennifer Jones (Navajo)
Trevor Mackey (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)
Dillon Nockideneh (Navajo)
Andrew Quinton (Cherokee Nation)
Thaddeus Smith (Shoshone-Bannock)
Nathan Yellowhair (Navajo)
Ryan Caldwell (Central Council of Tlingit & Haida)
Seth Burger (Iowa Tribe of Kansas & Nebraska)
Narae Wadsworth (Paiute, Pyramid Lake Paiute)
Tasina Helper (Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux)
Juliana Alden (Native Hawaiian)
Gabriella Alden (Native Hawaiian)

Rene Begay (Navajo)
Andrew Cloud (Red Lake Chippewa)
Ashton Fishinghawk (Cherokee Nation)
Shelbi Fitzpatrick (Blackfeet)
Danielle Freemont (Northern Cheyenne)
Consuelo Gurule (Navajo)
Ariel Helms (Cherokee Nation)
Shawn Poe (Cherokee Nation)
Annabeth Pruett (Three Affiliated Tribes)
Ivan Rajen (Navajo)
Nicholas Santine (Choctaw Nation)
Anna Teague (Muscogee Nation)
Romilly Tsinhnahjinnie (Navajo)
Lani Tsinnajinnie (Navajo)
Riley Vancuren (Cherokee
Nation, Choctaw Nation)
Chase Voirin (Navajo)

2015-2016 Travel Support Scholars

Supported by: AMB Foundation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Bayer Foundation, CHS Foundation, General Motors, Google, Lawrence Livermore Labs, USDA NRCS (United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service), and individual donors.

Chad Auginash (Red Lake Chippewa)
Brooke Fettig (Three Affiliated Tribes)
Tyler Rust (Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux)
Kayla Murphy (Prairie Band of Potawatomi)
Roxanne Benally (Navajo)
Ivan Rajen (Navajo)
Lisa Willis (Navajo)
Drew Williams (Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin)
Eron Guy (Navajo)
Blake Yort (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
Erica Poe (Cherokee Nation)
Maveric Abella (Native Hawaiian)
Michael Charles (Navajo)

Emily Irey (Chippewa-Cree)
Tayler Pave (Native Hawaiian)
Torvald Thomas (Village of Koyuk)
Jordon Melcher (Native Hawaiian)
Jennifer Osborne (Curyung Tribal Council)
Ivan Rajen (Navajo)
Brendan John (Seneca Nation of New York)Adam Williams (Bad River Lake Superior Chippewa, Cherokee Nation)
Kimberlynn Cameron (Standing Rock Sioux)
Levi Hoffman (Three Affiliated Tribes)
Adam Williams (Bad River Lake Superior Chippewa,
Cherokee Nation)

Jenna Blue (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
Brooke Fettig (Three Affiliated Tribes)
Breon Cree (Menominee, Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
Ashley Carlisle (Navajo)
Jonathan Clyde (Navajo)
Brien Gabriel (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
Trey Goodsell (Sisseton- Wahpeton)
Shangreaux Greydon (Rosebud Sioux)
Dara Jerome (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
Thomas Jones (Cherokee Nation)
Tadlock Sonni (Colville)
Tada Vargas (Cheyenne River Sioux)

2016 Bonneville Power Administration Summer Student Interns

Sage Wagner (Jemez Pueblo) Kimberly 

Stewart (Yakama)

Winds of Change Magazine

Winds of Change magazine consistently delivers content relevant to every segment of the AISES family. Students, professional members, retirees and our elders, as well as our sponsors and supporters, all look to Winds of Change for articles that are both interesting and informative. From inspiring profiles to member news and feature articles, each issue is a reliable resource that brings indigenous STEM students and professionals content that will help them realize their aspirations and advance on their career path. Selective advertising promotes products and services that serve a diverse base of readers, increasing awareness of promising trends and opportunities that are shaping STEM careers. Through a combination of print and digital publishing, Winds of Change reaches a growing audience. The digital version employs social media to deliver compelling content and promote advertising campaigns that effectively target specific demographics.

Winds of Change is designed to reach readers with articles that resonate with critical AISES constituencies. Every issue includes the CEO Welcome, AISES Notebook, AISES People, Career Builder, Paths in Education, Partner Index, and Last Word. Together these components draw readers closer to AISES, and forward our mission, by offering extraordinary stories only AISES can tell. Cover articles are an engaging “hook” that gets younger readers interested in and inspired by the possibilities that STEM education and careers can open for them. Behind the success of Winds of Change are the writers, editors, sales force, designers, advertisers, and others who creatively work together to build relationships with AISES and attract readers. Why STEM? That is the key question Winds of Change will continually work to answer in ways that inspire students, promote STEM careers, and address the current challenges of increasing diversity in STEM and promoting involvement with AISES. Ultimately, Winds of Change is dedicated to helping students and professionals succeed in doing what they love.

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Winds of Change Transition

In 2017, AISES will start managing the Winds of Change Magazine which was previously managed for seven years by the full-service publisher, The Pohly Company, Inc. located in Boston, Mass.

The transition of Winds of Change in-house is a strategic move that will have long-term benefit. Winds of Change is being produced by a printing and publications transition team made up of editors, freelance writers, graphic artist, art director, and a managing editor. The transition team is responsible with tackling technology that includes developing and implementing new internal processes, data transfer, contracts, and platform training and design. Winds of Change is at the heart of our business. Our goals are to continue to provide the best quality content and grow the magazine over time.

“New” Tribal Enterprises to Watch List

Winds of Change publishes annual research-based feature articles such as the Top 50 Workplaces for Native American STEM Professionals and the Top 200 Colleges for Native Americans. A feature article on the 25 Native STEM Enterprises to Watch will be in research and development in 2017. The economy is growing again and AISES aims to develop more business opportunities with tribes and corporations to raise more capital to do more for our students and professionals. Tribal enterprises are remarkably changing the landscape of STEM in Indian country through job creation, broad impact, efficiency and innovation. These organizations are leaders in meeting, the technological needs, challenges, and advances of the 21st century and we want to honor them.

Advertising in Winds of Change! 

With a print distribution of more than 6,000 and an email distribution that exceeds 13,000 to students, professionals, supporters, universities, and commercial and government businesses, Winds of Change remains unsurpassed in its commitment and ability to reach a broad spectrum of rural and urban American Indians/ Alaska Natives/Native Hawai’ians/First Nations. Readers anticipate arrival of the magazine for career and educational opportunities, for inspiration and motivation, and for
information about and for Native people and their careers.

Winds of Change is also a valuable recruitment tool for corporations, government agencies, tribal and non-tribal businesses, and colleges and universities across the U.S. The editorial focus of this dynamically designed magazine honors tradition while exploring topics in STEM fields, as well as
health, education, business and culture.

To submit a story or story idea to Winds of Change, please contact Winds of Change Editor, Karen English at kenglish@aises.org / 617-827-3395. To advertise, contact Candace McDonough at cmcdonough@aises.org / 617-969-2137. To access our media kit visit www.aises.org/mediakit.

Looking To The Future: What’s New In 2017

National Native Health Research Training
Initiative and National Conference

AISES is one of three national Native nonprofits launching the National Native Health Research Training Initiative in 2017 to expand the number of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health researchers while supporting health care, health concerns, reducing health disparities, and enhancing quality health care to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, AISES, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and the Native Research Network will partner in the First Annual National Native Health Research Training (NNHRT) Conference. The conference will offer professional development and training to AI/AN scientists, students, and professionals as a venue to share biomedical, clinical, behavioral and health science research that is responsive to the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Celebrating 40 Years

2017 is the 40th anniversary for AISES that is sure to generate much excitement and energy amongst our AISES family and partners. The tagline for our 40th anniversary is “Forty Years Supporting Natives in STEM” and will be utilized throughout the year in public relations opportunities and messaging via our website, social media platforms, and other mediums. Throughout our 40 years, AISES has continually reinventing and reinvigorating the AISES mission to best meet the needs of a new generations of Native leaders, academicians, and scientific innovators. Throughout the AISES journey, we have been supported by extraordinary people who have nurtured and supported our work passing from generation to generation. It is has been a movement larger than AISES itself.

As we move into 2017, AISES is experiencing its highest member enrollment to date and are creating an array of initiatives, advisory councils, and affiliate partnerships that will take us into new areas of expansion and adventure. AISES remains the central hub for Native STEM students and professionals to engage and explore together an environment to educate, advance, and inspire one another in our collective journey. Our goal beyond our 40th anniversary year is to continue working within our growing and thriving AISES family toward our shared vision for the next seven generations of Native people to be successful, respected, influential, and contributing members of our vast and ever changing global community. Onward and upward to the next 40!

AISES & Indigenous Education, Inc. (Cobell Scholarship Fund) to Partner on
Scholarship Management and Administration

AISES is excited to announce a new partnership with Indigenous Education, Inc. (IEI), the nonprofit corporation that administers the Cobell Scholarship Fund that was established to distribute $60 million in scholarship funding in accordance with the Settlement Agreement that resolved the Cobell v. Salazar class action litigation. What does this mean for AISES students? Beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, the AISES scholarship application will reside on the IEI website, cobellscholarship.org. Students will still be able to access AISES scholarship information and the link to the application on the AISES website as well. With this partnership, AISES students will have the opportunity to apply for additional scholarship opportunities more easily and students applying to the Cobell Scholarship Fund will have the opportunity to apply for AISES scholarships as well. It will be a win-win for Native students, AISES, and IEI!

Canadian Indigenous Advisory Council

The Canadian Indigenous Advisory Council (CIAC) of AISES is a formal organization of representatives from the Canadian Indigenous science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) community, whose role is to advise AISES on issues of relevance and importance to its Canadian Indigenous (Status and Non-Status First Nation, Metis, and Inuit) members. In addition, the CIAC will work to assist AISES in creating opportunities for Canadian Indigenous members, and support the AISES mission to substantially increase the representation of Canadian Indigenous Peoples in engineering, science, and other related technology disciplines. 

The CIAC Charter will be developed in 2017 to support and represent Canadian Indigenous interests. It will advise AISES on issues important to Canadian Indigenous chapters and members from professional and post-secondary chapters of AISES in Canada. The CIAC will encourage K-12 Canadian Indigenous educator and student participation in AISES programming, where appropriate. Other activities are liaison between the Canadian Indigenous STEM community and AISES, create networking opportunities for Canadian Indigenous AISES chapters and members, advocate to publicize Canadian Indigenous content in Winds of Change and on the AISES website, increase relevance for Canadian Indigenous AISES members, host a gathering of Canadian Indigenous AISES members and allies at the National conference, and more. 

Getting the CIAC up and running is an important step for AISES that not only reinforces our mission, and further our connection with our Canadian relatives. It is a natural progression a part of our larger organizational structure and growth capability.

Tribal Nations Advisory Council

In 2017, AISES will introduce a new Advisory Council, the Tribal Nations Advisory Council (TNAC). The role of this Council will be to advise AISES in its work with Tribal Nations and will be comprised of representatives from Tribal Nations across the nation. AISES currently has five other advisory Councils, the Corporate Advisory Council (CAC), Government Relations Council (GRC), Academic Advisory Council (AAC), Professional Chapter Council (PCA), and the Council of Elders. Each of these Councils plays an important role in advising AISES in its work. The development of the TNAC will meet help to address the growing tribal STEM workforce development needs while also advising AISES in our work with representatives from Tribal Nations to help shape and guide STEM
programming for Native youth in those communities. The inaugural meeting of the TNAC will be held at the 2017 AISES National Conference in Denver, Colo. in September.

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Suite 200  
Albuquerque, NM 87109

Phone: (505) 765-1052
Fax: +1 (505) 765-5608
www.aises.org




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