NOAA, American Indian Higher Education Consortium work to build climate resilience

Graduates listen to speakers at the University of Arizona’s 2022 convocation ceremony for Native American Student Affairs. (Image credit: Chris Richards/University of Arizona.)

NOAA and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) signed a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance Indigenous Knowledge, science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, and workforce training opportunities for tribal communities with the goal of building climate resilience.

“NOAA is excited to team up with the American Indian Higher Education Consortium to accelerate information-sharing aimed at building climate resilience, adaptation and co-production of knowledge in communities across the United States and tribal nations,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “Indigenous Knowledge has made it possible for Indigenous Nations to persist and thrive for millennia. These knowledge systems are needed more than ever to inform NOAA and our nation’s approach to environmental stewardship.”

“The American Indian Higher Education Consortium is honored to partner with NOAA to collaborate on shared goals and issues,” said Ahniwake Rose, AIHEC President & Chief Executive Officer. “This collaboration will create opportunities for our faculty and students, combine Indigenous Knowledge with western science to achieve strong climate resilience for our tribal nations and across the country and empower our tribal colleges and universities to be leaders in the ongoing response to climate change.”

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