TRADITIONS AND GEOSCIENCE: INTEGRATING ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND CULTURES

The Black Hills of South Dakota serve as a significant cultural focus for both Native Americans and other residents of the area and the surrounding Upper Great Plains. At the South Dakota School of Mines, a number of programs have been initiated to support the success of Native American students in STEM disciplines and improve access to higher education. Geoscience modules and threads in these programs provide ample opportunities to integrate mathematics and basic sciences into a holistic context. At the same time, through a series of field experiences students are exposed to culturally significant geographic localities. The authors describe several specific examples of curriculum and exercises, report on results in these programs, and future directions in fostering and fomenting institutional and systemic changes to enhance involvement of Native Americans in STEM disciplines and higher education.