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Project Descriptions

Native Science Field Centers

August 1, 2006 - October 31, 2012 | Public Programs
Hopa Mountain, in collaboration with Blackfeet Community College, One Step Further, and Ogala Lakota College, will develop "Native Science Field Centers (NSFC)" to provide year-round informal science education for youth ages 8-18 and adults. Informal science education professionals are also served through the publications and materials designed to support programs targeting Native communities. The "NSFCs" will be located on the Blackfeet, Fort Belknap, and Pine Ridge reservations. The centers will develop "TribalWatch" environmental science programs that will be disseminated to six other tribes in the Missouri River Watershed. The "Tribalwatch" programs create a STEM career ladder for youth and adults to develop scientific expertise, knowledge of monitoring and an understanding of management of local lands. New technologies will be created for the evaluation of Native science programs that incorporate indigenous evaluation methodologies. Key partners include the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), the Field Museum of Natural History and the Science Museum of Minnesota. Deliverables include "Native Science Field Centers, ""TribalWatch" programs and a "TribalWatch" toolkit and training plan. Strategic impact will be realized through capacity building within Native communities, research and documentation of programming practices and dissemination of the toolkit and publications to informal science education professionals, 32 tribal colleges and other educational organizations that serve Native communities. It is anticipated that this project will reach 100,000 Native and non-Native youth, adults and informal science education practitioners in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Funders

NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 0610270
Funding Amount: 2077723

TEAM MEMBERS

  • Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer
    Principal Investigator
    Hopa Mountain, Inc.
  • Helen Augare
    Co-Principal Investigator
    Blackfleet Community College
  • Michael Fredenberg
    Former Co-Principal Investigator
    Ogala Lakota College
  • Discipline: Ecology, forestry, and agriculture | Geoscience and geography | Nature of science
    Audience: Elementary School Children (6-10) | Middle School Children (11-13) | Youth/Teen (up to 17) | Adults | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Public Programs | Community Outreach Programs

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