NEWS

Chelsea shows off her work with a smile—Natives in STEM poster, NM campus map for STEMAP, & National EPSCoR Jurisdictions

In order to put the focus on our amazing people in the Energize New Mexico project, we've started a new monthly series on the blog—NM EPSCoR Spotlight! Each month we will feature one participant and one student in the project and learn a little more about where they come from, and what they do for Energize New Mexico. To kick-start our new endeavor, NM EPSCoR's first Spotlight features our Diversity Coordinator, Chelsea Chee.

Where are you from, and what does it look like?

I am from Arizona, a place called Cedar Springs near Teesto on the Navajo Nation. It is a small rural community in a high desert area. Beautiful brown and green mesas surround the place that I grew up. My community wasn’t very dense; my nearest neighbors lived about a half-mile away. The lack of density allowed me to explore my natural environment and see the night sky clearly; it is one of my favorite things about my home community.

First Natives in STEM poster featuring Stan Atcitty from the Navajo Nation

What is one of your earliest and meaningful memories of your interaction/engagement with STEM disciplines?

I owe my parents for teaching me the usefulness of math. My father (who was a carpenter) showed me how to use a measuring tape. We were measuring out various lengths of wood and he explained the dashes between the whole numbers. My mother showed me how to use measuring cups. I wanted to bake a cake and she helped me figure out the instructions and tools. That is when fractions made sense to me. I actually saw math in use!

What is your role with NM EPSCoR?

I am the Diversity Coordinator for NM EPSCoR. My job is to increase the representation of female and underrepresented minorities in all NM EPSCoR–supported programs. My work is most active through our Diversity Plan, the STEM Advancement Program (STEMAP), and the Natives in STEM project.

With STEMAP, I visit undergraduate campuses throughout New Mexico to recruit students, which I will actually be doing this month and next. I also get to build a relationship with the selected STEMAP students over the summer and into the fall and spring semesters. STEMAP will be featured in next month’s Spotlight, so stay tuned for more info on that program!

Natives in STEM is a new project in collaboration with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). This project is creating and exposing positive images and stories of Native American STEM professionals through a website and posters. We just debuted our first poster, featuring Stan Atcitty (left). Stan is an Electrical Engineer at Sandia National Labs and is a member of the Navajo Nation.

After getting over being star struck, Chelsea (right) & her sister Ashley (left) took a photo with Dr. Herrington (center)

We are now working on two things – distributing the poster and finishing our website. We would like to get the posters to tribal schools and communities throughout New Mexico and hopefully the world. Imagine seeing our poster in a classroom next to one of Einstein! That is one of our goals.

The other is to connect students to actual scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians through our website. When completed, the Natives in STEM website will host many stories of Native STEM professionals for students, parents, teachers, counselors, and grandparents to see. We are eager to see the website go live, possibly next month, so keep an eye on the Natives in STEM website, www.nativesinstem.org!

What has been your most memorable moment with NM EPSCoR to date?

NM EPSCoR sends me to different national STEM conferences each year. This year I attended the AISES National Conference to debut the Natives in STEM project. While talking about the project and giving away posters, the first Native American astronaut stopped by to get a poster!

I was paralyzed for a moment as I stood in astonishment to see the very first Native American person to go into space, John Herrington, standing in front of and being introduced to me. Quickly, I gathered my wits, shook his hand, and thanked him for his work in STEM. I think we may have found a future poster person.

To learn more about Chelsea’s work, contact her at crchee@epscor.unm.edu or visit the Diversity webpage on the NM EPSCoR website: http://www.nmepscor.org/about/diversity