More Session Highlights for AISES National Conference

The third installment of session previews before the start of the AISES National Conference! We are looking forward to seeing you in Minneapolis!

Session Track: Pre-College
Session Title: Why Our Communities Need More Native Architects and Engineers
Presenter: Michael Laverdure, First American Design Studio LLC, Minnesota

“"You spend about 90% of every day indoors.  Who designed that building?  Was it a Native Architect or Engineer?  Sad to say, there are only a handful of Native Architects & Engineers that can participate. We hope our discussion today, helps you Rise to the need of your people.  There is a need out there for Native Architects and Engineers to be a part of the future in our communities, to be an advocate. Our discussion can also shed light on some of the most frequently asked questions about the Architect & Engineering profession. Projects on reservations should be functional, culturally subsistent, sustainable and financially responsible."

Session Track: College
Session Title: Careers at the National Labs- How to leverage the Student Internship Experience
Presenter: Sandra One Feather, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico

“"A panel of professionals from four of the National Labs:  LANL, SNL, LLNL and LBL will talk about their career path and how they utilized student internships to gain experience and ultimately obtain a full-time position at their respective Lab.  Discussion will include challenges and strategies for success.  This interactive session will allow attendees to ask questions and be part of the discussion.”

Session Track: Professional
Session Title: Changing the Face of STEM: The Natives in STEM Project
Presenter: Chelsea Chee, NM EPSCoR, New Mexico

“Studies show that images affect a person's identity and sense of belonging. From that, individuals may find it difficult to imagine themselves as students or professionals in a STEM discipline because they don't see themselves represented in STEM-related images. The Natives in STEM project is increasing the visibility of Native STEM professionals and build STEM identity in tribal K-20 schools and communities through electronic and print media. This session will introduce a new project built to increase the visibility of Native STEM professionals and build STEM identity in tribal K-20 schools and communities through electronic and print media. The goal of this session is for attendees to leave with a new STEM resource ready to use and share with others. This session will include a PowerPoint presentation, interacting with a newly created website, and Q&A.”

Session Track: Partner
Session Title: Supporting LGBTQ Individuals in the Workplace & Schools
Presenters: Sheila Lopez, Intel, Arizona

“Come and learn how to create a welcoming environment for all individuals in your schools and workplaces. Learn about the importance of Safe Spaces for LGBT individuals and how to create one of your own. The audience will work in groups to develop solutions to real life situations and will be given information on how to create safe spaces and inclusive environments in schools and workplaces. They will also be given an opportunity to ask questions of the presenter that have personal experience in LGBT issues in schools, corporations, and American Indian communities. By the end of the session, participants will be able to 1.  Have a basic understanding of LGBT terms, 2.  Awareness of LGBT health and wellness issues in school and the workplace and 3.  Resources on how to create safe and inclusive environments where students and professionals can thrive."

Session Track: General
Session Title: Systems Engineering Approach to Product Development
Presenter: James Leatham, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, California

“Begin with the end in mind. Many product designs originate with a great idea, and grow in steps to a finished product.  Finding an efficient, testable, and producible design often comes through an iterative process.  There is a better way. In this session we will contrast a systems approach to the design to a more organic design/prototype/test "maker" approach, and show how up-front effort can reduce the design cycle and result in more predictable performance and a more efficient design cycle.”