The focus of the College Program is “Access and Success.” AISES administers and is involved in many programs and events for American Indian and Alaska Native college students to increase access to, and boost success in, STEM.
The College Program supports undergraduate and graduate education and students in STEM studies through college chapters, regional and national conferences, leadership development, mentorship, scholarships, internships and career resources.
AISES offers a universe of opportunities to students! Our students choose to move fiercely forward in their educational journeys by learning and acquiring new skills that will help them in meeting the ever-changing STEM needs of our communities.
At AISES, we invest more than just scholarship support into our students; we invest confidence, trust and a large community of support and encouragement for our students. Year after year, our AISES scholars bring potential and limitless possibilities for the future of STEM, each working towards advancing his or her opportunities in STEM career fields.
Among our current and past scholarship programs, sponsors have included Chevron, Boeing, Intel, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Navy Civilian Careers and many others.
The AISES Internship Program provides students with applied work experience and an opportunity to explore career options. Placing students in 10-week summer positions with partner agencies, the program also promotes advanced study to the graduate level and assists students in developing professional networks. Interns are provided with round-trip airfare or mileage to the internship site, a weekly stipend, dormitory lodging, and a local transportation allowance.
The “Lighting the Pathway to Faculty Careers for Natives in STEM” (LTP) program supports the Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands who are pursuing careers in academia. LTP is one of AISES’s cornerstone programs, with over 160 participants since the grant was originally awarded in 2014 and supported through the award of a second grant in 2019. LTP has served as the premiere program engaging in our holistic support model, as detailed below.
The holistic support model includes:
AISES, in partnership with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, is excited to announce the 2024-2025 Full-Circle Mentorship program. This year-long program will match and support participants in one-on-one academic and career mentorship. Mentorship matches are only available to college and professional members. Take advantage of this program and receive the benefits of mentorship!
Qualifications
Benefits of being a Mentee
Benefits of being a Mentor
As part of the Full-Circle Mentorship program and with AISES staff coordination, participants will co-create a mentorship commitment plan, check-in monthly, and are encouraged to
participate in webinars to enhance their mentorship relationship. Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis May 1, 2024 – June 15, 2024.
Don't miss your chance to strengthen your journey by getting a mentor or becoming one; apply for the AISES Full-Circle Mentoring opportunity!
If you are already a part of the Full-Circle Mentorship program and want to stay with your mentor or mentee, you do NOT need to reapply.
Contact AISES Program Officer Crystal Lepscier clepscier@aises.org for more information.
Through AISES, members are connected with employers seeking to hire in STEM fields. AISES members have access to AISES Career Hub. Additionally, by signing up for AISES Paths to Opportunities newsletters, you will receive information about job postings, scholarships, internships and other STEM opportunities.
Posting jobs on the AISES website enables employers to advertise opportunities within their organizations to AISES’ top-talent membership of professionals, students, educators, and others in the STEM fields.
Establishing a leadership pipeline is fundamental to developing today’s best science, technology, engineering, and math talent. Students from high school through postdoctoral studies, as well as emerging and mature professionals, value the AISES Leadership Summit as an opportunity to acquire the skills they need to be confident leaders. Through workshops and sessions — along with built-in time to relax, socialize, and have fun — the AISES Leadership Summit delivers on strategies that enable Indigenous STEM professionals, students, and leaders to learn from each other, network, and find support.
Goals of the Summit
For more information visit the AISES Leadership Summit website at
The AISES National Conference has been held annually since 1978 and is an unparalleled opportunity to connect companies with over 2,500 Indigenous high school juniors and seniors, college and graduate students, educators, workforce professionals and our corporate, government, private foundation, nonprofit, and tribal partners for professional development, networking opportunities, research presentations, workshops, awards, and traditional Indigenous cultural events. The National Conference hosts the largest college and career fair in Indian Country with many companies also hosting hiring events by conducting onsite interviews. Job seekers are provided interview coaching, and resume development, as well as career planning and other skills necessary to be successful in today’s job market. For students considering college or graduate school, resources are provided to assist in financial planning, applying to college or graduate school, as well as information on the many STEM majors and careers available. AISES members and attendees from the U.S. and Canada, and as far away as Alaska and Hawai’i make connections and they find the resources and services to advise and advance their academic studies and careers.
For 43 years, the AISES National Conference has provided:
For more information visit the AISES National Conference website at:
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 a number of informative sessions and activities for both college and high school students. Among the activities provided are mini career fairs, poster presentations, and engineering competitions. AISES’ student representatives and the host chapters for the following year are selected at the regional conferences.
Local and national professionals within a variety of fields provide workshops, seminars, and discussion groups about a wide variety of topics. Generally, each Regional Conference host develops a theme or focus area for the Regional Conference (environmental, bridging native cultures with science, etc.).
The host chapter for the following spring’s regional conference is determined during the Regional Conference held each spring.
Chapters interested in hosting the regional conference indicate their interest in hosting and make a verbal presentation regarding their resources, planning, and ability to host the conference. Each college chapter in "Good Standing" is allowed one vote; the majority of votes determines the location of the regional conference.
The ASSIST program engages early-career faculty, post-doctoral professionals, and graduate students in Engineering toward increasing diversity of the Engineering professorate. This program provides registration and travel to attend the Faculty Career Development Workshop as pre- events to the AISES National Conference and Leadership Summit for the purpose of collaboration and networkin
Through the generous support of the National Science Foundation, AISES collaborates with leading national diversity-serving professional organizations supporting engineering:
Applications open in March for Leadership Summit and in July for National Conference!
The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Energy Workforce Development (AEWD) Cohort Program was created with support from United States Department of Energy (DOE). It is designed to support Native 2-year college students at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) majoring in energy, energy conservation, business, or environmental fields to transition into 4-year degree programs in STEM.
Twenty-four cohort members will be selected to be paired with mentors in their respective fields and receive educational support services. The cohort members will receive support to prepare for a career in energy or related fields workforce, financial support to ensure retention, educational support to facilitate transfer from 2-year to 4-year institutions, and professional development to ensure the students are prepared to enter the workforce.
Call for Applications
Accepting applications on a rolling basis
Final Deadline: Friday, February 26, 2021 or when all slots are filled
AISES invites you to engage in a research study aimed at understanding how participation in AISES contributes to educational and career journeys. AISES is looking for undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows who are interested in enriching AISES’ understanding of its impact on Native scholars and their career trajectories in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Participation involves completing one survey every six months for two years. By becoming involved, you will receive (i) a $25 gift card per survey, (ii) AISES membership, and (iii) access to online AISES resources. Your participation will help AISES to provide programs best suited to support current and future Native scholars along varied chosen career paths.
To submit your interest, please complete this very short (3 minute) online form.
Stars were used as navigational tools for travelers by Native Hawaiians; this guidebook is to be used as a navigational tool for students.
Stars are included in many of our Indigenous origin stories; we are connected to the stars and are made up of the same material.
Indigenous ancestors have been studying the stars since time immemorial; we were always scientists.
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