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

西北印度学院（NWIC）的学生将调查传统的土著水产养殖的生产力潜力，使用生长增量实验室比较现代收获的蛤蜊（如石蛤）的生长速度，从考古记录的蛤蜊壳。 此外，学生将使用水下视频系统进行现场潮间带生态系统的研究，或将探索海洋酸化对文化和经济上重要的生物，如蛤和螃蟹的影响，使用SeaFET pH传感器，以更好地了解附近海洋生态系统发生的变化。这些项目描述了传统知识和文化经验将与基于地方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。它已被广泛表明，本科研究经验通过STEM学术课程和相关职业增加学生的成功。除了增加西北国际中心的STEM课程外，该项目还将通过为学生研究人员创造空间和组织结构，以及以促进学生和工作人员研究的设备形式进行能力建设，促进土著学者的发展。该项目将通过增加科学学士学位的成就来增加美国印第安人对STEM的参与，并将毕业生坚持到STEM职业生涯中。

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.