Welcome to the Edvotek blog! We’re passionate about discussing the inventions, tools, and techniques that drive science forward. Here, you’ll discover tips drawn from hours at the lab bench, stay updated with recent discoveries, and enjoy the occasional art, humor, and food-focused posts.
We also want to celebrate the human side of science. Scientists like you are at the heart of our community. So amidst all the knowledge sharing, we’re excited to spotlight some incredible individuals behind the discoveries. Check out our posts on Dr. Emmett Chappelle, Dr. Mario Molina, Dr. Svante Paabo, and our women in science round-up post.
Today, in celebration of Indigenous American Heritage Month (coming up in November), we’re highlighting four exceptional American Indian scientists. Read on and share!
Dr. Annette S. Lee is an artist, storyteller, and astrophysicist known for her interconnected contributions to science and indigenous cultural preservation. As the director of Native Skywatchers, a groundbreaking program she initiated in 2007, Dr. Lee focuses on recording, mapping, and sharing Indigenous star knowledge. A lifelong learner, Lee first earned a BS in Applied Mathematics (1998) at UC Berkeley before switching tracks to attend UIUC for a BA in Art. She continued this dual path of science and art, receiving a Masters of Fine Art from Yale (2000) and a Master of Astrophysics from Washington University (2008). In 2020, she earned her Ph.D. in physics and astronomy at the University of Western Cape. And in 2021 she won the AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement in Science. Dr. Lee herself is a mixed-race Lakota and her communities are Ojibwe and D/Lakota. Today she teaches at the University of California Santa Cruz and continues to direct the Native Skywatcher program while also creating art (which you can see here) and sharing her experience through talks. Currently, she is a lead curator and indigenous design advisor for an indigenous astronomy traveling exhibit, “One Sky-Many Worlds: Indigenous Voices in Astronomy” (opening May 2022).
Best known for her best selling book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants,” Robin Wall Kimmerer is a distinguished American educator and scientist. She currently holds the title of Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental and Forest Biology and serves as the Director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). Her research focuses on plant ecology, bryophyte ecology, traditional knowledge, and restoration ecology. As an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer masterfully melds her indigenous heritage with her scientific pursuits, making her a leading figure in the field of environmental biology and Indigenous ecological knowledge. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Kimmerer was awarded the prestigious MacArthur “genius” award in 2022.
Dr. Lydia L. Jennings is a Native American soil microbiologist and geochemist and a member member of the Huichol (Wixaritari) and Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme) Nations. After getting a BS at California State University and working in the field collecting water quality data she decided she wanted to use her science skills to protect the place she was from – particularly from the cascading environmental issues associated with mining. Dr. Jennings earned her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona, focusing on the identification of biochemical indicators that help make mine waste reclamation efforts more effective AND tracking how policies have influenced the placement of mines. When her graduation was canceled due to the COVID pandemic she decided to instead run 50 miles to honor Indigenous scientists and knowledge keepers. This run and her work are featured in the Patagonia movie Run to Be Visible ( 20 minutes). Her work continues to bridge science, policy, and indigenous knowledge and focuses on environmental remediation, water quality, soil quality, environmental justice, science communication, and indigenous data governance. She is currently a postdoc researcher at Arizona State University/Duke University.
Aaron Yazzie is a distinguished Diné (Navajo) mechanical engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. His expertise lies in designing mechanical systems crucial for NASA’s robotic space research missions. He is the lead engineer for drill bits that are used to search for ancient microbial life on Mars and also served as a surface operation downlink chair for the Curiosity Rover 2012 Mars landing. He was born in 1986 on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba City Arizona and received a BS in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 2008. Throughout his career Aaron Yazzie has been committed to STEM outreach and deeply involved in the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. In 2019, he received the prestigious NASA JPL Bruce Murray Award for his unwavering dedication to promoting inclusion and excitement in science education, particularly among Indigenous Communities.
This roundup only scratches the surface of remarkable Native American scientists. Explore further with this Discovery Magazine post featuring eight historical Native American scientists or encourage your students to discover and share other scientists within this community.
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