Trafzer 9809709 In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need for increased science education and science literacy in our society. There is also a growing awareness that various ethnic and cultural groups are persistently under-represented in all fields of science, with Earth Science as no exception. Native Americans are one cultural group especially poorly represented in all basic sciences, the geosciences included. Reasons for the under-representation of many minority groups and particularly for Native Americans is often linked to basic pedagogical and cultural styles that may not be automatically compatible with the teaching and research styles common to much basic science. The Earth Sciences offer a potential bridge between a Native American approach to knowledge and the more traditional "Western" scientific approach. The Geosciences are commonly integrationist in their practice, deliberately drawing on knowledge from many different fields, and applying that knowledge with the understanding that the Earth is an integrated system. Additionally, we in the Earth Sciences teach our students in a very "active" manner, allowing students to struggle with new material and problems until they solve them on their own, based on their own prior knowledge and creativity. These styles of knowledge and pedagogy make the Geosciences the most accessible of all the sciences for reaching many Native American cultures. The Earth Sciences, and all sciences, stand to benefit from the increased understanding and interest generated among Native American groups resulting from organized outreach. This award supports a three-session conference series taking place over a total of three months which will foster direct and candid discussions between practicing researchers, professionals, and groups on whose lands many various Earth Science-related projects operate. The program includes sets of moderated, frank and open discussions of various political, economic, spiritual, philosophi cal, cultural, and educational issues important to Geoscientists and Native Americans alike. The ultimate goal of this project is to improve mutual understanding and education of the scientific and traditional interpretations of the history and significance of our regional landscapes and geology. A new communication aimed at increasing direct Native American participation in the Earth Sciences and at increasing awareness and appreciation in the scientific community of Native American culture, values, and interpretations of the Earth will be established. This communication will be established through workshop sessions via presentations and subsequent extended discussions.
