Science in Indian Country

• Introduction
• Events
• Funding
• E-mail Updates
• Newsletter
• Photo Gallery
• Monthly Minutes

Welcome to the Science and American Indians web site. This site provides a wide range of science information and resources gathered through tribal traditional knowledge, analytical science, and integrated approaches to science by tribes, EPA, and other federal agencies and tribal organizations. In addition, this site provides information on the activities and products of the EPA workgroup that address tribally driven science issues, the National EPA-Tribal Science Council (TSC).

 

All tribes have unique histories, cultures, and lifeways. One indication of this diversity is reflected by the different interpretations various tribal people have had to the above graphic. To some, it represents a medicine wheel, with the four sectors symbolizing the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual parts of each of us. Others have interpreted the graphic to represent the four directions. It is hoped that this web site will be useful to all tribes -- and that they will interpret it to meet their unique needs and improve the environment.

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National EPA-Tribal Science Council Fall 2011 Meeting - Tulsa, Oklahoma

Meeting Minutes:

• TSC Business Meeting Summary (2pp., 52MB)

Presentations:

• TSC History - Our Past, Our Present (22pp., 52MB)
• TSC History - Our Future (11pp., 767KB)
• A Climate Change-Focused Organization (27pp., 1.80MB)
• Energy and TEK (7pp., 1.69MB)
• Huslia Traditional Knowledge and Wisdom-Community Sustainability and Adapting to Climate Change (42pp., 8.56MB)
• Application of the Human Well-Being Index (HWBI) to Tribal Communities (26pp., 4.12MB)
• Development of EPA's New Climate Change Adaptation Plan (46pp., 2.80MB)

New National Tribal Science Priorities Process

One of the primary responsibilities of the tribally driven National EPA-Tribal Science Council is to work collaboratively to identify priority science issues of national significance. Building upon the initial set of issues identified in 2006, the TSC developed objectives and criteria to narrow and prioritize potential priorities. The six-month process was completed in July 2011, with the identification of (1) Climate Change and (2) Integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in Environmental Science, Policy and Decision-Making as tribal science priorities of national significance. Please see a more detailed description of the specific priorities at the top of this page, or look below for more information on the process:

• Letter from the NTC supporting the priorities (PDF, 1p., 27 KB, about PDF )
• Letter to Tribal Environmental Directors (PDF) (2 pp, 52K, About PDF Files)
• 2011 National Tribal Science Priorities Framework and Instruction Guide (PDF) (13 pp, 404K)
• Tribal Science Priorities Template (PDF) (2pp., 52MB)
• Learn more about the New National Tribal Science Priorities Process HERE >>

Tribal Ecosystem Services Research Program (ESRP) Workshop

This workshop will be on Tuesday May 24, 2011 to Thursday May 26, 2011 and will run from 8am to 5:00pm. This event will be hosted by Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, USEPA Office of Research & Development and USEPA Region 9. Click Here(PDF, 3pp., 279KB), for more information.

Tribal Science Priorities Webinar

The National EPA-Tribal Science Council hosted two webinars on the Tribal Science Priorities Process on March 9 and 10, 2011. Tribal Science Priorities Process Webinar (PDF) (1.04 MB).

Weren't able to attend? Check out what you missed by viewing the Tribal Science Webinar Presentation (PPT)(4.31 MB)!

National Tribal Science Priorities-
April 2006

Check out the Tribal Science Priorities from April 2006 HERE.

New! National Tribal Science Priorities