Transforming Indigenous Geoscience Education and Research (TIGER)

该项目旨在满足对更多美国原住民地球科学家的迫切需求，在Salish Kotenai学院创建了一个创新的水文学学士学位课程，这是一所部落学院，为萨利什人、库特奈人和Pend d‘oreille人以及来自美国各地的美国印第安人提供服务。该课程包括对部落土地的本科生研究，其独特的组合包括文化相关的教学、行业公认的标准、外部顾问委员会的意见，该委员会由科学家、教育工作者、行政人员、行业专业人员、部落首领和资源经理组成，以及在美国原住民流域工作的地球科学家所需的能力，如水资源法和主权问题。课程开发得到课程保留策略的补充，项目评估解决了与文化相关的课程和共同课程努力的影响，以提高美洲原住民地球科学毕业率。该项目的智力优势在于其创造性和综合性的课程设计方法，并在部落学院或大学的第一个以地球科学为中心的学士学位课程中保留。更广泛的影响包括一个可持续的项目，该项目将培养更多的美洲原住民水文学家，他们为科学贡献了宝贵的观点，并支持正在经历自然和人类原因变化的流域的资源管理。

The project is addressing the critical need for more Native American geoscientists by creating a innovative Baccalaureate degree program in Hydrology at Salish Kootenai College, a tribal college which serves the Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreille people, as well as American Indians from throughout the U.S. The curriculum, which includes undergraduate research on tribal lands, is informed by a unique combination of culturally relevant instruction, industry-recognized standards, input from an external advisory board comprising scientists, educators, administrators, industry professionals, tribal leaders and resource managers, and competencies required for geoscientists working in Native American watersheds, such as water-law and sovereignty issues. Curriculum development is supplemented by co-curricular retention strategies, and project assessment addresses the impact of both the culturally relevant curriculum and co-curricular efforts to increase the rate of Native American geoscience graduates.The intellectual merit of the project lies in its creative and comprehensive approach to curriculum design and retention in the first geoscience-centered baccalaureate program at a Tribal College or University. The broader impacts include a sustainable program that graduates additional Native American hydrologists, who contribute valuable perspectives to the science and support resource management in watersheds undergoing change from natural and human causes.