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The Indigenous Resilience Center will work directly with Native nations to address environmental challenges in ways that respect Native and Indigenous sovereignty and knowledge. Dr. Karletta Chief was instrumental in advancing this initiative.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $10 million grant to a higher education program aimed at broadening Indigenous career pathways in food, energy and water systems.

The awarded network, called the Native FEWS Alliance, focuses on expanding the career field in food, energy and water systems (FEWS) within Native American communities. It also provides educational resources for Indigenous students to build these systems within their own communities.

Dr. Karletta Chief and IndigeFEWSS faculty have partnered with University of New Mexico on an NSF Transformation Network award.

The award is part of $30 million in funding that the NSF announced this week to create two new research networks to understand and design innovative and equitable solutions that build community resilience.

Alexandra “Alex” Trahan is currently an Indige-FEWSS trainee and is a second year Master’s student in the Department of Environmental Science. Alex is currently interning with Sixth World Solutions and immersed on the Navajo Nation this summer living without access to running water or easy access to food – this is her story.

William Borkan is currently an Indige-FEWSS trainee and is a second year Master’s student in the Department of Environmental Science. William is currently serving at the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during his Summer 2021 Internship – this is his story.

Sarah Abney is currently an Indige-FEWSS trainee and is a second year Doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Sciences. Sarah had the opportunity to intern with The Peoples Water Board Coalition and the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization in Detroit, Michigan this summer –this is her story.

The chemical and environmental engineering professor was a top candidate in a national competition focused on researchers gathering "diverse knowledge for a sustainable future."