Indigenous Making and Sharing: Claywork in an Indigenous STEAM Program

Publications
In this article we expand on ideas of making and maker spaces to develop Indigenous making and sharing. We draw from an ArtScience participatory design project that involved Indigenous youth, families, community artists, and scientists in a summer Indigenous STEAM program designed to cultivate social and ecologically just nature-culture relations grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and making. In this article we focus specifically on clay making and the ways in which onto-epistemic heterogeneity can be engaged to create transformative maker spaces. We present findings from an
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If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

Publications
Indigenous sciences are foundationally based in relationships, reciprocity, and responsibilities. These sciences constitute systems of knowledge developed through distinct perspectives on and practices of knowledge creation and decision-making that not only have the right to be pursued on their own terms but may also be vital in solving critical twenty-first-century challenges. “Science” is often treated as if it were a single entity, free of cultural influences and value-neutral in principle. Western science is often seen as instantiating and equivalent to this idealized, yet problematic
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Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning: A Defined and Cohesive Educational Foundation for P-12 Engineering

Publications
Engineering touches every aspect of human life, from providing access to clean drinking water to 5G telecommunications and vaccine development. Yet few young people ever encounter the subject in school or graduate with the foundational skills and knowledge to pursue engineering studies and careers. Now more than ever, we must inspire and prepare our students to grow into the informed designers and innovators the world needs to solve the tough challenges facing us today and in the future. In short, engineering learning is essential for every child in every school, town, city, and county in the
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STEM Dreams in Motion - Episode 3

Video
This series of videos highlights contemporary stories of refugees who are considered role models for their tenacity and accomplishments. Each story sheds light on journeys to becoming a STEM professional in the United States. Episode 3 features STEM college students from Syria and Iraq who all
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STEM Dreams in Motion - Episode 2

Video
This series of videos highlights contemporary stories of refugees who are considered role models for their tenacity and accomplishments. Each story sheds light on journeys to becoming a STEM professional in the United States. Episode 2 features Ralph Ngaboyimana. Ralph's family arrived in the United
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Creating STEM Pathways at Detroit's Aquarium

Video

Welcome to Detroit and the Belle Isle Aquarium, where students come to see fish, turtles, and frogs and leave with learning and excitement about what they, too, could be doing in the world of science. This project starts with teacher professional development to enhance their knowledge of biology and

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Virtual Field Trip and Ecology Lesson at the Belle Isle Aquarium

Curricular Materials

“ Promoting Student Interest in Science and Science Careers through a Scalable Place-based Environmental Educational Program at a Public Aquarium,” is an NSF project that will work with 90 Detroit Public School Community District (DPSCD) fifth grade teachers in biological STEM areas related to fisheries, wildlife, conservation and aquatic sciences. More than 2,300 fifth grade students from DPSCD are expected to participate in field trips to the Belle Isle Aquarium and follow-up activities. The COVID-19 epidemic has caused the Aquarium to be closed temporarily and our program of fifth grade

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