AISES

At the Young Futures AI panel, AISES PK-12 Program Officer Cheyenne Skye Branscum (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) shared how distrust once shaped her community’s relationship with the U.S. Census and how she now sees similar questions surrounding AI among the young people she serves.

That’s why Indigenous voices must help shape the future of AI.

AISES is launching the BRAID Advisory Team to help create a culturally grounded AI literacy curriculum for Indigenous students rooted in Indigenous values, knowledge systems, and community perspectives.

✔ Virtual + in-person collaboration
✔ Travel covered
✔ $1,000–$2,000 stipends

Get in on the conversation!
Join BRAID: https://forms.gle/UH4bWineV9fyABwp6
Take our AI survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7VDo9JZTEVKA8raxmV3M_pcOfUC2kX41WxoX1j7gVssiG6w/viewform

The Spring 2026 issue of AISES Winds of Change is now live in a mobile-friendly digital format. 📖 https://read.nxtbook.com/aises/winds_of_change/spring_2026/cover.html

This issue highlights:
• Top 50 Workplaces for Indigenous STEM Professionals
• Indigenous-led bison restoration across the U.S. and Canada
• Career pathways in architecture and landscape architecture
• Inspiring stories from AISES students, professionals, and leaders

You’ll also meet Keeya Wiki, a Klamath River water protector, and read a moving tribute honoring longtime AISES mentor Dr. Carol Vallee Crouch.

Read the Spring issue today and celebrate Indigenous innovation, culture, and resilience.

Support Indigenous STEM futures this Native Nonprofit Day 👨🏽‍🔬✨ givenative.org/organization/AISES

When you support AISES, you help Indigenous students explore STEM, compete at science fairs, earn scholarships, and grow into the scientists, engineers, researchers, and innovators our communities need.

This year, joining AISES 365 makes giving simple: just $1 a day through a monthly $30 donation.

Small monthly gifts create lasting impact — from introducing kindergarteners to STEM to supporting professionals throughout their careers.

Native-led organizations know their communities best. Investing in Native students is investing in the future.

Will you Give Native with us today?

Calling all creatives, designers, and branding visionaries ✨

From coding clubs for Native youth to mentorship for future tech leaders and professionals, AUNTIE is creating pathways for Indigenous womxn, girls, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people in tech. Now we need a visual identity that reflects the power of community, culture, innovation, and future-building. 🌊💻🪶

We’re seeking proposals for a comprehensive branding guide including logos, typography, color systems, templates, graphic elements, and more. If your work centers story, culture, accessibility, and modern design — we want to hear from you.

Learn more at careers.aises.org and submit your proposal by May 25!

Help shape the visual future of AUNTIE. ✨

The Power of Alice: “She never leaves anyone behind.” 🪶

Know someone creating lasting impact in Indigenous STEM and beyond? Nominate (or self-nominate) at aises.org/professional-award-nomination and celebrate leaders shaping the future for all our relations.

From advancing Indigenous representation in cybersecurity to uplifting youth, culture, and community, Alice continues the legacy of her grandmother by opening doors for future generations through leadership, mentorship, and service rooted in community.

❗ Nominations for AISES Professional Awards ends May 22, 2026.

One more day to submit a session for the AISES National Conference in Portland, Oregon (October 15-17, 2026) ! Submit by May 14th at https://events.aises.org/eSites/870354/Homepage

From Indigenous knowledge to global innovation 🌎🧪

This week, our 2026 National Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Fair (NAISEF) Grand Prize winners are representing Indigenous brilliance on one of the world’s biggest STEM stages at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix.

🌿 Emmeline Whattoff (Native Hawaiian) is presenting groundbreaking cancer research exploring tumor progression through a 3D collagen hydrogel co-culture model.

🪲 Caytie Couch (Cherokee) is showcasing Insect Alliance, a study examining dermestid beetles and their impact on soil micro biomass.

NAISEF is more than a science fair. It is a pathway for Indigenous students to bring their ideas, research, cultures, and communities into spaces shaping the future of science and engineering worldwide.

Join us in wishing Emmeline and Caytie the best of luck this week as they compete alongside thousands of students from around the globe. Your communities are cheering you on every step of the way. 💫

Learn more about NAISEF at aises.org/naisef

At the 2026 AISES National Conference, we’re "WEaving Innovation," connecting organizations, Indigenous STEM talent, and leaders to create outcomes that extend far beyond the event.

For partners, that means:
✔ Direct access to a high-caliber STEM talent
✔ Opportunities to build authentic, long-term relationships
✔ Increased brand visibility aligned with impact

Show up where impact matters. Start your WEave today!

Register: https://events.aises.org/ereg/index.php?eventid=868115&
Present: https://events.aises.org/eSites/870354/Homepage
Explore Partnership: https://www.aises.org/partner-with-aises

The RISE Program, powered by Aristocrat Gaming, is opening doors through travel scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and virtual speaker roles.

If you're interested in the gaming industry and getting others involved, visit aises.org/rise

Excellence that uplifts others deserves recognition 🏆🦅
Good news: the deadline for the AISES Professional Awards has been extended to May 22!

Know a STEM professional creating impact through leadership, mentorship, and service? Now’s your chance to nominate them—or yourself at https://aises.org/professional-award-nomination-form