Native Science Report: Broadening Awareness and Amplifying Native Voices

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's indigenous students. Expanding the discipline-based research and STEM curricular offerings at these institutions expands the opportunities of their students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be culturally significant, and encourages a community and generational appreciation for science and mathematics education. This project supports that goal by disseminating the achievements and findings of the colleges that have been realized with federal funding, and to increase the knowledge and understanding of tribal colleges and their role in economic and community development for a significant portion of the Nation's Native citizens. Since its founding in 2015, Native Science Report has been working to build needed awareness of STEM-related programs within TCUP institutions and the communities they serve. Published online and available subscription-free, the website, NSR.org, provides regularly updated news about the needs and accomplishments of TCUP institutions, analysis of trends in STEM that affect Native nations, and examples of exemplary student research. This project significantly expands the work by enlarging the website’s news reporting staff, supporting production of broadcast quality videos about NSF-sponsored research taking place at TCUP institutions, and providing journalism workshops and internships for TCUP students. 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.