TEA Center: “Tó éí Ĺíná át’é”- “Water is Life” Center at Dine' College

部落学院和大学计划（TCUP）的一个目标是提高TCUP机构的知识领导力，使他们能够解决科学或工程需求或利益，特别是为他们的部落或社区，或广泛的国家。TCU企业发展中心（TEA中心）链允许TCUP机构利用他们在STEM教学和研究能力方面的投资。该项目与这一目标直接一致，并将对纳瓦霍族的部落社区产生直接影响。迪内学院的水是生命（Tó éí íná át'é）中心旨在加强水安全和转变研究能力的机构。 Diné学院打算开发化学，分子和微生物的核心分析实验室设施，并建立水和生物样品的研究数据库和档案，以支持其水是生命中心。该中心的中心主题延伸到沼泽地和河岸走廊内的生态系统服务，影响水系统和依赖于水系统的食物资源。在这个网络的各个方面的研究包括水质，微生物多样性，农药负荷，并在响应环境压力的基因表达。该中心旨在开发和测试家庭规模的离网太阳能水纳米过滤系统，以支持受水质差影响不成比例的社区。通过改变该机构进行的研究的性质，该中心寻求推进知识，并提供经验数据，数据所有权，以及纳瓦霍民族的学生和公民更深入的参与机会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the intellectual leadership of TCUP institutions so that they can address scientific or engineering needs or interests, specifically for their tribes or communities, or broadly for the Nation. The TCU Enterprise Advancement Centers (TEA Centers) strand allows TCUP institutions to capitalize on their investments in STEM instructional and research capacity. This project aligns directly with that goal, and will have a direct impact on tribal communities on the Navajo Nation. Diné College’s Water is Life (Tó éí íná át’é) Center aims to enhance water security and transform research capacity at the institution. Diné College intends to develop core analytical laboratory facilities for chemical, molecular, and microbiological and establish a research database and archive of water and biological samples to support its Water is Life Center. The center’s central theme extends to ecosystem services within marshlands and riparian corridors impacting the water system and food resources relying on the water system. Research in various aspects of this network includes water quality, microbial diversity, pesticide load, and gene expression in response to environmental stress. The center aims to develop and test home-sized, off-grid solar water nanofiltration systems to support communities who are disproportionately affected by poor water quality. By transforming the nature of research conducted by the institution, the center seeks to advance knowledge and provide empirical data, data ownership, and deeper engagement opportunities students and citizens of the Navajo Nation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.