The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is working with partners in the Mid-West to convene a planning conference to launch a new National Alliance for Broadening Participation of Native Americans in the Geosciences (NABPNAG). The purpose of the NABPNAG will be to bring together geoscientists, native leaders, educators and students for the purpose of advancing research, identifying best practices, improving evaluation, promoting educational opportunities, and fostering new collaborations. The conference will take place in the fall of 2010 at the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Northern Minnesota. The alliance effort builds on best practices for improving participation by Native Americans in STEM fields, and particularly in the geosciences include 1) cultural context, 2) relevance, 3) a holistic approach that considers the entire student, 4) involvement of the community, family, and elders, 5) a communal learning environment, and 6) problem-based or real-world-based activities. The conference will address the following research strands: Topics in Education and Evaluation Related to Native American Geoscience and STEM Learning, and Topics in Geosciences Research Affecting Indigenous Communities. Attendees at the conference will include: Native American K-12, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty from Tribal colleges and other universities, teachers, elders, and other interested researchers. The following strands will promote the broader impacts of the conference: Collaboration-Building Opportunities for All Participants; an Education and Research Opportunity Fair, for exposing students to new education and research programs; New Curriculum and Activity Demonstration, for exploration and evaluation of new education resources; and, a Research Poster Session for showcasing high-school and undergraduate research, as well as new research by geosciences faculty. This conference builds on preliminary meetings held during sessions at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in the Sciences (SACNAS) and American Geophysical Union (AGU) national meetings. Continuation of the alliance after the NABPNAG conference will be fostered by organizing sessions and receptions at professional conferences, through communication by technological and traditional means, and via new ongoing research and education collaborations.
