Twenty-one American Indian youths from reservations in Nebraska and South Dakota, as well as Omaha, participated in the recent Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) camp hosted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center June 5-9.
The camp is part of a $1.3 million grant received by UNMC in 2006 from the National Center for Research Resources, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Maurice Godfrey, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics for UNMC and the Munroe-Meyer Institute, is principal investigator.
The purpose of the grant is to strengthen the math and science curriculum of American Indian youths living on reservations and in urban areas in Nebraska and South Dakota.
During the camp, the youths:
· Watched chemistry demonstrations and learned about wildlife forensics at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D.;
· Took field trips to Wind Cave National Park and The Mammoth Site, a paleontological dig site in Hot Springs, S.D.; and
· Learned about ethno-astronomy on a visit to the Journey Museum in Rapid City, S.D.
Cutlines for photos:
1. Isabel Earth, (left), and Sianne Davidson work on a water filtering activity at the Sanford Underground Laboratory science education center in Lead, S.D. Both are members of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Earth attends St. Augustine Indian Mission School and Davidson attends Winnebago Public School on the Winnebago reservation.
2. Cynthia Anderson, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at Black Hills State University, instructs Joseph Four Horns, (center), a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and Ponca tribal member, Waku Wright, how to use a pipetter. Four Horns attends St. Francis Indian School on the Rosebud reservation, and Wright attends Norfolk Junior High in Norfolk, Neb.
3. Yankton Sioux Tribal members, Mia Fischer, (left), and DeShayla Heth work on putting together their telescope for the evening astronomy lesson and star gazing activity at the Black Hills State University campus. Both girls attend Marty Indian School.
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.
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