PREM Vision for Excellence at Navajo Technical University in Research and Education in STEM (VENTURES)

材料研究和教育伙伴关系：纳瓦霍技术大学在STEM研究和教育方面的卓越愿景（PREM VENTURES）是纳瓦霍技术大学（NTU）和哈佛大学NSF材料研究科学与工程中心（MRSEC）之间的合作伙伴关系。作为第一个基于部落大学的PREM，该合作伙伴关系将为美国原住民学生在STEM教育和职业生涯中建立强大的途径，从K-12到本科，从本科到研究生课程。伙伴关系的目标是：（1）增加获得STEM领域本科学位的美国原住民人数，（2）增加南大的研究基础设施，使学生和教师能够调查社区内的问题，（3）增加进入和完成材料科学及相关领域研究生课程的美国原住民人数，（4）将美国原住民的观点和探究方法融入材料科学研究。该伙伴关系的重点是调查科学问题，其解决方案可以改善纳瓦霍民族的生活和环境。研究和教育活动旨在吸引南大学生从事STEM职业，并为他们在STEM领域的保留和成功提供资源和工具。该伙伴关系将探索传统食品的材料科学，纺织染料和其他纳瓦霍技术，并采用尊重纳瓦霍传统知识的方法。这种方法将提供以文化为中心的研究和教育基础设施，支持美国原住民学生的STEM途径的发展。该项目由材料研究部支持，并由教育和人力资源局人力资源开发部TCUP计划共同资助。该伙伴关系的三个研究领域将把材料研究应用于纳瓦霍民族的重要优先问题。这些研究方法将促进技术和专业知识从哈佛材料研究科学与工程中心（MRSEC）转移到纳瓦霍技术大学（NTU），以在NTU建立一种研究文化，既吸引美国原住民本科生，又能够进行现场实验，激发，吸引和保留NTU的学生研究人员。第一个研究领域将培训纳瓦霍学生使用微流体平台进行各种检测，分析和生产应用，从分析纳瓦霍民族废弃铀矿附近的土壤微生物和土壤成分，到创建控释水凝胶和胶囊系统，在治疗糖尿病方面具有潜在的应用，这在纳瓦霍民族非常普遍。第二个研究领域侧重于2D和3D电化学材料的制造，解决了纳瓦霍族偏远地区无法获得可靠电力的储能需求，并专注于开发低成本的电化学传感器，以监测土壤和水中的采矿污染物。第三个研究领域，动态软材料，将利用软致动器的形状变形能力，用于医疗保健，农业，制造业和兽医护理，这些都是纳瓦霍民族感兴趣的领域。由于这项研究是由纳瓦霍民族当前的优先事项，并提供给K12学生，发现将被纳入旨在招募美国原住民学生进入STEM途径的推广计划。这个奖项反映了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。

The Partnership for Research and Education in Materials: Vision for Excellence at Navajo Technical University in Research and Education in STEM (PREM VENTURES) is a partnership between Navajo Technical University (NTU) and the NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at Harvard University. As the first PREM based at a Tribal University, the partnership will build robust pathways for Native American students in STEM education and careers, from K-12 to undergraduate and from undergraduate to graduate programs. The goals of the partnership are to: (1) Increase the number of Native Americans earning undergraduate degrees in STEM fields, (2) Increase the research infrastructure at NTU so that students and faculty can investigate problems within their community, (3) Increase the number of Native Americans entering and completing graduate programs in materials science, and related fields, (4) Integrate Native American perspectives and methods of inquiry into materials science research. The partnership focuses on investigating scientific problems whose solutions can improve the lives and environment of the Navajo Nation. The research and educational activities are designed to engage and attract NTU students to STEM careers and provide resources and tools for their retention and success in STEM fields. The partnership will explore the materials science of traditional foods, dyes for weaving, and other Navajo technologies, with an approach imbued with respect for Navajo Traditional Knowledge. This approach will provide culturally-centered research and educational infrastructure, supporting the growth of STEM pathways for Native American students. This project is supported by the Division of Materials Research with co-funding from the TCUP program in the Division of Human Resource Development of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources.The three research areas of the partnership will apply materials research to important issues of priority for the Navajo Nation. These research approaches will facilitate the transfer of technology and expertise to Navajo Technical University (NTU) from the Harvard Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) to establish a research culture at NTU that both attracts Native American undergraduates and enables in-place experiments that will excite, engage, and retain the cadre of student researchers at NTU. The first research area will train Navajo students in using microfluidic platforms for a variety of detection, analysis and production applications, from analyzing soil microbes and soil composition adjacent to abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, to creating controlled release hydrogel and capsule systems, with potential applications in treating diabetes, which is highly prevalent in the Navajo Nation. The second research area, which focuses on fabrication of 2D and 3D electrochemical materials, addresses the need for energy storage in remote parts of the Navajo Nation without access to reliable electricity, and also focuses on developing low-cost electrochemical sensors to monitor mining contaminants in the soil and water. The third research area, dynamic soft materials, will harness the shape-morphing capabilities of soft actuators for applications in health care, agriculture, manufacturing, and veterinary care, which are all areas of interest for the Navajo Nation. Because the research is motivated by current priorities in the Navajo Nation and is accessible to K12 students, discoveries will be integrated into outreach programs aimed at recruiting Native American students into the STEM pathway.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.