The program’s goal is to increase on-reservation, scientific expertise in the hands of Native American resource managers, and increase the numbers of American Indian students who pursue geoscience-related education and careers. The IESP supports and coordinates projects designed to aid Native students in pursuing scientific education and careers, from elementary education through professional in-service training.
The goal is to discover the best practices in earth science education for Native peoples, with the intent of helping science educators and Native communities around the nation build local partnerships and culturally-appropriate curricula. Program directors and staff conduct educational research to understand how science curricula and research experiences can best be tailored to serve Native American students and their communities.
The goal is to find the ways that science and traditional knowledge best interact and support one another. Researchers aim to learn with Native communities as they work to integrate scientific knowledge with traditional indigenous knowledge, history, and culture.
The goal is to ensure smooth and productive research relationships for the betterment of Native communities and the advancement of scientific research. The IESP works to build connections between geoscientific researchers and sovereign Indian nations upon invitation, and provides advice and assistance with protocol development, data handling procedures and expectations, and general help in ensuring mutual understanding of the purposes and outcomes of research.