PETE/NSF Tribal Program - Environmental Fellows Institutes and Technical Assistance

PETE/NSF Tribal Program

Program Name: A National Collaboration to Strengthen the Advanced Environmental Technology Education Programs at Tribal Colleges

NSF DUE Project Number: 0702247

Project Period: May 31, 2007 - November 2012

Geographic Scope: National; Tribal colleges across the United States

Mission:
Strengthen environmental science and technology programs at Tribal Colleges consistent with the unique needs and traditions of these communities, while strengthening STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and acknowledging the critical cultural component to the study of environmental science by Native Americans.

Project Goals & Objectives:

• Ensure project activities reflect historic/cultural beliefs and contributions of Native Americans
• Ensure Tribal Colleges have ready access to full range of technical assistance for program strengthening
• Develop a Tribal College Environmental Fellows Institute as vehicle to strengthen environmental science/technology education

Technical Assistance Component (2008-2011)

Structure: Competitive application process; awards selected from 11-36 applications per solicitation

Support Provided: Specific, on-site, one-on-one technical assistance selected by each school from menu of topics

Recipient Tribal Colleges:

• Sitting Bull College, ND
• United Tribes Technical College, ND
• Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College, MI
• Navajo Technical College, NM
• Leech Lake Tribal College, MN
• Fort Belknap College, MT
• Tohono O'odham Community College, AZ
• Fort Peck Community College, MT
• Little Priest Tribal College, NE

Fellows Institutes Component

2009 Fellows Institute:

• Location: Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, ND
• Focus: Water on the Reservation
• Design: Field-based and laboratory exercises and learning activities
• Faculty could apply for Mini-Grants to implement enhanced STEM curricula

2010 Faculty Development Fellows Institute:

• Location: Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, MT
• Focus: Water Management/Pollution Prevention
• Design: Field-based and laboratory exercises and learning activities
• Faculty could apply for Mini-Grants to implement enhanced STEM curricula

Mini-Grant Component (2011)

Eligibility: Tribal colleges improving environmental programs

Recipients:

• Nebraska Indian Community College
• Fort Peck Tribal College
• Institute of American Indian Arts
• Salish Kootenai College

Requirement: Recipients submitted reports detailing fund usage and curriculum improvements

Environmental Program Summit (June 20-21, 2012)

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Participants: Tribal college and high school faculty

Purpose:

• Highlight information learned through Fellows Institutes
• Provide curricula developed through Institutes
• Offer additional program development through EPA and STEM-relevant sessions

Contact Information:

• Address: 584 Main Street, South Portland, Maine, 04106