The TCU Enterprise Advancement Centers (TEA Centers) strand allows TCUP institutions to capitalize on their investments in STEM instruction and research. A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the intellectual leadership of TCUP institutions so that they can address scientific or engineering needs or interests, specifically for their tribes or communities, or broadly for the Nation. This project aligns directly with that goal, and moreover will impact the economic strength of the Northern Cheyenne tribe by fostering new STEM employment opportunities and, through multiple pathways, providing the high-skilled workforce required for those opportunities.
Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) will establish a fully equipped, industry standard laboratory for water quality research and environmental assessment and monitoring on the Northern Cheyenne reservation and surrounding areas. The Environmental Research Center (ERC) addresses a critical juncture in the STEM education pipeline for American Indian students and the coalescing of tribal government, tribal college, and industry partners to engage students in environmental issues and strategies for mitigation. The TEA Center project will add value to students and to the community. Many tribal residents are subjected to inadequate or toxic water supplies. In addition, tribal lands have been impacted by years of abuse by mineral extraction or other land uses which harm the environment and/or ecosystems. The Environmental Research Center will be a collection point for physical data and a hub for land management discussions, training and environmental studies.
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.
