IRES: Research to Support Energy Sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples

The University of North Dakota (UND) in collaboration with Kansas State University (KSU), North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the University of Adelaide (UoAd), Australia have established an International Research Experience for Students (IRES) Site as part of a larger initiative to form a global center focused on Energy Sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples (ESIP, NSF Awards 2316355 and 2330387). Each year, a cohort of six U.S. students, conduct year-long collaborative research projects that integrate activities from their home institutions with a 10-week summer research experience at UoAd.

They are mentored by a team of research advisors from UoAd and the participating US institutions. The objectives of this IRES are to: 1) engage US students who are interested in pursuing research in ESIP technology areas, with an emphasis on engaging US students from Indigenous backgrounds including Native American students, 2) conduct preliminary/seed data-focused research in four ESIP technology areas, and 3) establish deep research partnerships between the center’s US researchers and partners at UoAd.

The theme of this IRES transcends national boundaries, providing a compelling example of the globalization and cultural awareness needed in STEM research in general and energy research in particular.

A suite of research projects is being conducted to work towards providing sustainable, reliable and efficient engineering infrastructures and solutions for Indigenous energy sovereignty around the globe. Projects are in the following ESIP technology areas: 1) power, heat and fuel generation, 2) power, heat and fuel distribution, and 3) supply resiliency.

This topic is important to Indigenous peoples who have been disproportionally affected by climate change. As such, highly qualified US students will be motivated to pursue research and studies in this critical area. The projects introduce students to STEM research in a collaborative global context emphasizing the need for cultural connections within STEM research.

Involvement in hands-on research experiences at a world-class Australian facility with expert mentorship enhances participant awareness of the international facets of their STEM disciplines and improves recruitment of US STEM students for graduate studies. In addition to UND, KSU and NDSU, students are being recruited from TCUs participating in ESIP plus regional rural non-doctoral institutions.

This facilitates the inclusion of students from under-represented groups. The program is also designed to develop and foster international research collaborations between the US faculty mentors and their Australian counterparts to strengthen the global aspects of ESIP. Assessment with both summative and qualitative measures, coordinated by an external evaluator, facilitates annual program improvements.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.