Abstract

It is well known that many tribal communities are not provided resources for, or access to, high-quality STEM education. Too often, the educational pipeline does not ensure Native American students are academically prepared to undertake STEM studies when they enter college.

At the same time, STEM education has historically marginalized Indigenous knowledge, including knowledge embedded in Indigenous medicine. This history of limiting access to education and invalidating traditional scholarship perpetuates inequities regarding who can access science (by virtue of where they are from) and what constitutes scientific knowledge.

To help address the gap in STEM education for Native American students, tribal colleges and universities are leading the way in integrating STEM education and Indigenous knowledge. This summer, faculty from Diné College initiated Convoy, a five-year education and professional development program with youth from junior and high schools across the Navajo Nation.

Funded through the National Institutes of Health, and National Institute of General Medical Science’s Science Education Partnership Award program, Convoy aims to engage students from local communities across the Navajo Nation to prepare them for college and careers in biomedical sciences while staying connected to their culture and its knowledge. The project is headed by Dr. Shazia Tabassum Hakim, a professor of biomedical sciences and microbiology at Diné College’s Tuba City, Arizona, center. Other team members include Dr. Babatunde Ojo, a professor of medicinal chemistry; Francetta Begaye, director of the dual credit program at Diné College; and Benita Litson, director of the Land Grant office, at Diné College.