The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently awarded about $1m to a project involving Cedar Creek (CDR) Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) scientists. The NASA Innovations in Climate Education-Tribal [NICE-T] grant was awarded to project Gidakiimanaaniwigamig (Our Earth Lodge) STEM Camp: Investigating climate change and its effect on Ojibwe life ways, which is jointly run by the North Star AISES Alliance & Professional Chapter (NSAAP), the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community college; and the Cedar Creek Ecological Reserve.
The grant provides about $90,000 to support Native American student research at Cedar Creek; $33,000 to support NSAASP’s outreach and community development activities; $10,616 to support professional development to increases faculty and staff cultural proficiency at Cedar Creek; $24,000 in Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) stipends for Native students at Cedar Creek; and $8,100 in stipends and $10,000 for travel and lodging to support graduate student mentors of Native students at Cedar Creek
Another $3m in grants were awarded to 4 other organizations (of the 12 that applied): College of Menominee Nations, Keshena, Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, North Dakota; Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Cloquet, Minnesota; and Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Montana.