The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is mourning the loss of Jimmy “Jim” Curtis Shorty, one of the original co-founders of AISES and a former member of the Board of Directors. Jim dedicated his life, and his legal and engineering career, to his people, the Navajo Nation.

For six years, Jim directed the Native American Program in the College of Engineering (NAPCOE) at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. NAPCOE is likely the first university-level program in the United States for Native students (some 30 at the time). Carol Metcalf-Gardipe, another instrumental AISES co-founder, was the first NAPCOE director, with Jim following in the mid-1970s. NAPCOE had a role in the early genesis of AISES, before there was any discussion about the formation of an organization for Native people in STEM.

The story of AISES began when Al Qöyawayma read a short article in the Arizona Republic about NAPCOE, which brought him into contact with Carol and Jim, and ultimately A.T. Anderson and George Thomas. What soon followed was the formation of the American Indian Engineering Council, where Jim helped write the bylaws and formalize legal aspects of creating what would eventually become AISES as we know it today.

My remembrance of Jimmy C. Shorty by Dr. Bob Whitman

I first met Jimmy C. Shorty (Jim Shorty) when I returned to school for the fall semester in 1976. He was the new director of the Native American Program in the College of Engineering (NAPCOE) at the University of New Mexico (UNM). NAPCOE was the first program of its kind in an engineering school which was established solely to recruit and retain American Indian students in engineering. I worked for NAPCOE as a tutor and recruiter. He was my new boss but also became a good friend. He shared his experiences working in the Navajo Tribal government and in establishing AISES.

When I graduated with my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from UNM, Jim slipped me a brochure of an organization called the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. He had informed me that it was a new organization and that I could join it with a one-time membership fee, and I would be a member for life. I was very skeptical of this organization, so I did not act on it for over a year.

In the summer of 1978, Jim submitted a request to my employer, IBM for my release time to teach basic mathematics to students in the NAPCOE summer institute. IBM granted the request and I returned to the University of New Mexico to teach a group of 28 American Indian students. This four-week summer institute set the basis for students to become familiar with the demands of being in engineering school.

When I was elected to the AISES board of directors in 1983, Jim provided counsel and advice. When I was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of AISES, I relied on him to interpret the bylaws of the organization. These bylaws were largely drafted by him.

Over the years, I would occasionally meet with Jim, usually at AISES conferences. He had many stories about his professional experiences. I feel that these stories set the basis for my mentoring. It was professional development that went well beyond the technical education I received as an engineering student.

When I joined the electrical and computer engineering faculty at UNM in 1996, my first course I taught there was video recorded. Jim, who worked for Sandia National Labs, would coordinate the receiving of my video-recorded lectures for distribution to Sandia employees taking my course.

Jim was one of only two American Indian bosses I had in my career and one of the few Navajo mentors in my professional development. He was a good friend who shared many Navajo jokes.

An Amazing Life Story

The third eldest of six siblings, Jim grew up in a humble environment and worked herding sheep in the gulches of Coyote Canyon, New Mexico. After graduating from St. Michael’s High School in 1957, he earned his BS in geology from St. Joseph’s College in 1961.

After being honorably discharged by the U.S. Army, Jim attended the University of New Mexico where he received his PhD in law and worked as a geologist for the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources. He was well-known within the Navajo Tribe, where he was a fluent speaker and served as an assistant to the president.

While employed at Sandia National Laboratories, he worked as an educator and supervised various minority outreach efforts from 1983 to 2007 before retiring.

Jimmy is survived by his wife of 54 years, Patricia Shorty, sons Richard and Patrick Shorty, two granddaughters, and four great-grandchildren.

Jimmy was born April 15, 1937, in Rehoboth, N.M.; he peacefully passed away April 17, 2021, surrounded by his family.

He believed strongly in the AISES mission who was generous with his knowledge, teachings, and who inspired thousands of students through his work. Jimmy will be honored during the memorial portion of the 2021 AISES National Conference in Phoenix in September.