Salish Sea Research Center: Transforming STEM Education in Native Environmental Sciences

西北印度学院(NWIC)的学生将使用生长增量实验室来调查传统本土水产养殖的生产力潜力，以比较现代收获的文蛤的生长速度，如Saxidomous巨型茶，以及考古记录中的蛤壳。此外，学生将使用水下视频系统对就地的潮间带生态系统进行研究，或使用SeaFET pH传感器探索海洋酸化对具有重要文化和经济意义的生物(如文蛤和螃蟹)的影响，以更好地了解附近海洋生态系统中发生的变化。这些项目描述了将传统知识和文化经验与以地方为基础的研究相结合的一些方式，以丰富土著环境科学学位，并增加STEM课程和职业与部落学生的相关性。已经广泛表明，本科生的研究经验可以通过STEM学术项目和相关职业来增加学生的成功。除了增加NWIC的STEM课程外，该项目还将通过为学生研究人员建立一个空间和组织结构，以及以设备的形式进行能力建设，促进学生和教职员工的研究，从而促进土著学者的发展。该项目将增加美国印第安人对STEM的参与，通过提高理科学士的成就和毕业生对STEM职业的坚持不懈来衡量。

Northwest Indian College (NWIC) students will investigate the productivity potential of traditional indigenous aquaculture using a growth increment laboratory to compare the growth rate of modern harvested clams such as Saxidomous gigantea, to clam shells from the archeological records. In addition, students will conduct research on in-situ intertidal ecosystems using underwater video systems, or will explore the impact of ocean acidification on culturally and economically significant organisms such as clams and crabs, using SeaFET pH sensors to better understand changes occurring in nearby oceanic ecosystems. These projects describe some of the ways that traditional knowledge and cultural experience will be combined with place-based research to enrich the Native Environmental Science degree and increase the relevance of STEM programs and careers to tribal students. It has been widely shown that undergraduate research experiences increase the success of students through STEM academic programs and related careers. In addition to increasing the STEM course offerings at NWIC, this project will promote the development of indigenous scholars through the creation of a space and organizational structure for student researchers, as well as capacity-building in the form of equipment to promote student and staff research. This project will increase the American Indian involvement in STEM measured through an increased achievement of Bachelor of Science, and graduate persistence into STEM careers.