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Centering Native Americans in the NSF INCLUDES Network

  

As the nation celebrates Native American Heritage Month, the Hub is showcasing NSF INCLUDES-funded projects that center Native American communities across the country in STEM education and careers. Many of these projects are led by or partner with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).

This is the first of a series blog posts exploring how institutions influence changes in systems that create more equitable outcomes for students and learners from minoritized populations, including TCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).   

The NSF INCLUDES National Network hosts an Indigenous STEM Affinity Group, where researchers and practitioners can share ideas, challenges, and work together to build a movement. The Affinity Group focuses on specific areas of interest for the Native community, including culturally competent curriculum in STEM learning, the challenges of virtual learning in highly rural and underserved regions, and exploring how TCUs in particular are changing systems, mindsets, and representation of the Native community within the higher education landscape.    


Tribal Colleges were first established in the 1960s by tribal governments ─today they are a vibrant network of 37 colleges serving 75 locations and more than 100,000 in academic and community-based programs annually. The educational programs at TCUs embrace Native American culture, languages and traditions, while providing quality education and holistic services to their communities. TCUs generally work to ensure sovereign tribal nations have the workforce and entrepreneurs to preserve water, land, and place for generations to come.  

The following is a list of former and current NSF INCLUDES-funded projects that center STEM opportunities in education and careers for Native Americans, including Native Alaskans and Hawaiians:

Current Projects

    Former projects

    Are you a project that centers Native American students and communities in STEM education and careers? Join our online community and tell us more about your work.

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    Rebecca Hardin
    01-05-2022 01:51 PM

    This is a really useful synthesis and short comment for those of us working to learn these INCLUDES resources, thanks!