| NSF Org: |
OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 26, 2020 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | January 11, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2038196 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
J.D. Swanson
jswanson@nsf.gov (703)292-2898 OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities O/D Office Of The Director |
| Start Date: | October 1, 2020 |
| End Date: | September 30, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $185,330.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $185,330.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1340 ADMINISTRATION AVE FARGO ND US 58105 (701)231-8045 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
Dept. 4000 - P.O. Box 6050 Fargo ND US 58108-6050 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | EPSCoR Research Infrastructure |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.083 |
ABSTRACT
The CIRCLES, Cultivating Indigenous Research Communities for Leadership in Education and STEM, Alliance is a partnership between six states in the western half of the U.S. (Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota , South Dakota, and Wyoming) to address the under representation of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines and workforce. The AI/AN population within the states associated with the CIRCLES Alliance represents 10.5% percent of the nation?s AI/AN population. With access to this population, the collective of STEM related activities, programs, and collaborations developed and implemented within these states through existing partnerships with tribal communities and with colleges that serve the tribes provides a path for increasing the success of AI/AN students through the combined Alliance. This network of people, institutions, and communities along with the results of this project could serve as a national model for other states to follow. The project will start by furthering conversations within tribal communities through interviews centered on STEM education in their communities and brainstorming ideas on how to combine efforts towards the success of students. It is then expected that these conversations will lead to tribal communities taking the lead in identifying projects, activities, and programs that are of greatest need to their students for STEM success.
The CIRCLES, Cultivating Indigenous Research Communities for Leadership in Education and STEM, Alliance is a partnership between six states in the western half of the U.S. (Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota , South Dakota, and Wyoming) to address the under representation of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in the STEM disciplines and workforce. The preparation, cultural, and access reasons for this this low representation require organically grown and trusted partnerships, which are in place within the participating states. The AI/AN population within the states associated with the CIRCLES Alliance represents 10.5% percent of the nation?s AI/AN population. Subsequently, the development and implementation of integrated formal and informal STEM activities within these states through already existing partnerships with tribal communities and tribal colleges provides a pathway for increasing the engagement, involvement, and success of AI/AN students within this network and could provide a national model for scaling to other states. The CIRCLES Alliance looks to increase the knowledge gained by the combined effort of states that will collectively engage and impact AI/AN communities through conversation, interviews, and relationship building between tribal entities and EPSCoR jurisdictions. As part of these growing relationships, tribal communities will take the lead roles in identifying STEM projects and programs that have been successful and in developing programs that are determined to be of greatest need in the STEM education of their students to produce a STEM-ready workforce that fits into the economic development plans of their respective communities.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The project strengthened an existing collaboration with six EPSCoR jurisdictions (ID, NM, ND, MT, SD, WY) focused on Native American STEM Education. The CIRCLES Alliance conducted 103 personal interviews and 101 online surveys (95 interviews/surveys were fully analyzed) with tribal members in our respective states to learn more about Indigenous views of science and math as well as successes and challenges in STEM within tribal communities. Participants also identified a number of strategies for creating environments that promote Native students' learning, strengths, and skills:
- Incorporation of more culture and Indigenous knowledge in STEM classrooms so that students feel more included and course content is more relevant to them
- Development of more Indigenous knowledge-based curriculum in STEM and professional development opportunities for both Native and non-Native educators
- Increased learning for teachers about Native cultures, backgrounds, and histories
- Opportunities for K-12 teachers to obtain the skills and tools they need to teach basic science and math subjects more effectively
- More Native mentors, role models, and teachers
- Improved communication during K-12 grades about STEM career pathways and tribal community needs regarding STEM-related professions
- Additional STEM jobs based in the community
- Increased support programs to assist with college preparation and transitions into non-tribal higher education institutions
These strategies have informed the future direction of the Alliance to help address the disparity in STEM education and the workforce with Indigenous populations.
Another important outcome is the continued conversations on how to approach the above strategies from an Indigenous point of view. The Alliance strives to address these through an Indigenous framework centered on 7 R's - Respect, Responsibility, Relationships, Relevance, Representation, Reciprocity, and Resilience. However, competing viewpoints still exist from Western expectations and viewpoints and those from an Indigenous lens. There is still a need to create space for Indigenous voices and ways of knowing to lead and guide the Alliance pathway. This means honoring Indigenous values and processes, ensuring that all work centers accountability to communities, and that structures and systems are designed to let communities drive the process rather than the project. This includes the need to be flexible and responsive, rather than imposing a program, and being able to deeply listen to community voices, which takes time and commitment. Learning how to best address this within the structure of an Alliance is an ongoing process that will continue within the Alliance states.
Last Modified: 01/27/2023
Modified by: Kelly A Rusch
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