RSS feed source: National Science Foundation

Across America, Indigenous communities are working to advance programs that honor their people’s cultural, societal and economic values. One of the ways that the U.S. National Science Foundation supports this is through Tribal Enterprise Advancement (NSF TEA) Centers, which strengthen the STEM expertise of the tribal college or university they are associated with to serve the surrounding communities better.

The following NSF TEA Centers support local priorities by monitoring the environment to keep it healthy, conserving and reintroducing native wildlife, and preserving and revitalizing tribal languages. 

Environmental monitoring

For over 100 years, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe has served as stewards and protectors of their land, working diligently to preserve their ancestral home.  An integral part of this is the ability to monitor their lands, conduct independent research and work with their community to identify potential environmental threats before they become an issue. TEA Centers allow NSF Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (NSF TCUP) institutions to do this. Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) in southeastern Montana established and manages a fully equipped, industry-standard laboratory for water quality research and environmental assessment and monitoring on the Northern Cheyenne reservation and surrounding areas. The NSF Environmental Research Center (NSF ERC) provides tribal college students with robust research experience and training in environmental issues and strategies for mitigation, increasing their likelihood of completing two-year degrees and pursuing four-year degrees.

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In response to the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022,” the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) is continuing its investment in the National Secure Data Service Demonstration Project (NSDS-D).

NSDS-D is designed to provide a platform for shared services that streamline data access, enhance data linkage, and strengthen privacy protections, thereby enabling broader data use across sectors. Collaboration with federal, state, local and tribal governments and nongovernmental stakeholders is vital to creating this secure data ecosystem. NSDS-D aims to support informed decision-making, particularly in evaluating and improving public programs and policies through the use of data.

NCSES utilizes America’s DataHub Consortium (ADC) to facilitate the NSDS-D pilot projects. Following a competitive selection process, NCSES awarded over $10 million in Fiscal Year 2024 to fund 10 NSDS-D projects across diverse organizations, including one nontraditional partner — an organization that has not typically worked with NSF. 

“It’s been an exciting couple of years for the ADC in its support of the five-year National Secure Data Service Demonstration project mandated by the ‘CHIPS and Science Act,'” said Emilda B. Rivers, NCSES director. “We have engaged with a diverse range of users and partners across the nation to identify needs and explore innovative solutions to evidence building. Progress includes developing features and tools that leverage privacy-preserving technologies and creating models for a

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The NSF ExLENT program offers all Americans opportunities to gain the skills needed to succeed in key technologies and prepare them to enter the workforce.

The U.S National Science Foundation directorates for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) and STEM Education, together with the Micron Foundation, announced an updated funding opportunity to expand options for all U.S. workers to receive training in emerging technologies.

The NSF Experiential Learning in Emerging and Novel Technologies (NSF ExLENT) program aims to expand hands-on and practical learning opportunities for individuals interested in entering or gaining more experience in technology areas such as advanced manufacturing, microelectronics or biotechnology. With awards of up to $1 million over three years, the program will promote cross-sector partnerships between organizations in key technology areas and those with expertise in workforce development. 

“As NSF invests in the development of key technologies, we must also invest in the American workforce,” said Erwin Gianchandani, the assistant director for NSF TIP. “The NSF ExLENT program enables all Americans to gain exposure to key technology areas, allowing individuals to pivot into higher-wage, better-quality, and technology-rich jobs. In this way, the program bolsters U.S. competitiveness.”

“Across the agency, we are thrilled to see the continued growth of the NSF ExLENT program. It is truly making an impact in every corner of the country,” said James L. Moore III, NSF assistant director

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In recent decades, the Western United States has faced a mounting environmental crisis: the depletion of groundwater resources. This pressing issue, driven by unsustainable agricultural practices and increasing demands for food production, underscores the urgent need for sustainable groundwater governance

Economic growth has significantly impacted natural ecosystems, leading to a global degradation of land and water resources. Groundwater depletion, particularly severe in the Western U.S., poses a serious threat to future water security. The region’s agricultural practices, essential for meeting national and international food demands, rely heavily on groundwater for irrigation. Climate change is intensifying the need for irrigation as an adaptation strategy, exacerbating the strain on already stressed water resources.

Researchers of the Institute for Geospatial Understanding through an Integrative Discovery Environment (I-GUIDE), funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, are investigating the complexities of this challenge and the potential global repercussions of local policies.

Thomas Hertel, distinguished professor of agriculture at Purdue University and co-author of the study explained that “Local groundwater sustainability policies, while well-intentioned, can lead to unintended global consequences. For instance, restrictions on water for irrigation in the U.S. is projected to shift crop production to other parts of the world, increasing environmental pressures elsewhere. Since crop yields are lower in most other regions, our findings project that such shifts could lead to cropland expansion by up to 20 million

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