Science Fairs

The mission of AISES to support Indigenous students in STEM extends to encouraging the scientific and engineering thinking skills in younger students as well. A big part of this effort are the National American Indian Science and Engineering Fairs (NAISEF). During these events, students compete for the chance to represent NAISEF at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) where students compete internationally against students from over 70 other countries. NAISEF competitors are also eligible for various other prizes and can use the fair to build their network at a college and career fair.

“We became a player in the international science fairs. And we started doing science fair exhibits that were culturally based. One girl did a science fair, in fact, one month recently, a girl did something on curing cancer through some indigenous ways. Another girl said I’m gonna measure the loss of culture through a social science. So every day she for a semester, she wore a different pair of moccasins. And her peers laughed at her, made fun of her for wearing moccasins. But after school she went to the old folks home or the tribal community center and the elders say what a nice pair of moccasins you have. So she was able to measure the loss of culture from her peers to the value that she got from the elders, and that was, so we gave special awards out for that, but we wanted the kids to get their hands dirty with science. . . So we had to teach the scientific methodology, the western science methodology, but also try to infuse other things with it.” Norbert Hill, Jr.