Indian Resources Development
Newsletter - Winter 2022 |
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In partnership with Navajo Technical University, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, Diné College, New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, San Juan College, and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, IRD offered summer internship and research experiences for Native American college students. The experiences present students with real-world examples that relate to their academic studies and contribute to their professional development, giving them opportunities to continue sharpening their critical thinking, communication, research, networking, and problem-solving skills. Examples of summer 2022 internship projects include: - Assisting the Southwest Sustainable Beef project with a cattle breed comparison study at the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center
- Learning about garden and fruit tree orchards, forage variety trials, cover crop weed control and soil health studies, and pollinator projects at the Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas
- Advancing the science of insect pest control in one of the principal crops in New Mexico at the Applied Economic Entomology Lab at NMSU
- Sampling soil under a pivot to measure carbon sequestration, as well as working on a sediment collection project in and around the Shiprock area with the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency and United States Geological Survey.
Please contact IRD at ird@nmsu.edu or 575-646-1347 to inquire about opportunities for you, if you are a Native American college or high school student; or for students you advise, if you are an instructor. |
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Shown above: Ag Science Center at Los Lunas and Farmington, and Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center. |
Opportunities for Tribal Education Departments, High schoools, and colleges/universities |
IRD’s mission is to assist Native American students in New Mexico in becoming agriculturalists, engineers, natural resource and energy scientists, and businesspeople prepared to contribute to the effective development and management of tribal resources. To fulfill its mission, IRD offers high school students information regarding college and career exploration, including internships, research experiences, and college camps. For college students, IRD offers information about degree options at any college and university in the state, sources of financial aid, and paid internships or research experiences. For tribal education departments and high schools serving Native American students, IRD offers informational workshops and presentations and helps identifying professionals in agriculture, natural resources, energy, tourism, engineering, and business who could serve as speakers. For more information about how IRD could be of help to you, visit ird.nmsu.edu or contact us via email at ird@nmsu.edu. |
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Two of the foundational and operational principles of Indian Resources Development are collaboration and consultation. Collaboration – IRD cannot accomplish its mission alone, so an important focus of the work is to develop and foster collaborations with tribal entities and community members; educational institutions like high schools, colleges and universities; and non-profit organizations, businesses, agencies, and other programs. Consultation – IRD does not act based on what it believes it is needed, but based on what tribal communities, and the students it serves, have stated they need and want. These two principles – collaboration and consultation – are why we would like your input regarding the updated IRD strategic plan. Please share your thoughts with us. Find a copy of the IRD strategic plan at ird.nmsu.edu. |
Job openings: IRD Program Specialist
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IRD is looking for program specialists to be located in McKinley County and Santa Fe County. IRD program specialists plan and coordinate the development, implementation, and execution of the high school and college units of Indian Resources Development, with the objective of offering educational and professional development opportunities for Native American students in high school and college. If you are interested, please send a letter of interest to ird@nmsu.edu. |
Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) |
IRD is very thankful to the members of its advisory committee: - Ms. Thora Padilla (Mescalero Apache Tribe)
- Mr. Norman Jojola (Isleta Pueblo, representing Northern Pueblos)
- Mr. Lawrence Abeita (Isleta Pueblo, representing Southern Pueblos)
- Mr. Jonathan Hale, Mr. Marvin Murphy, and Mr. Anthony Howard (representing the Navajo Nation)
- Mr. Arthur Blazer, TAC member at large.
IRD is seeking more at-large members and one tribal representative from Jicarilla Apache Nation. Please contact IRD at ird@nmsu.edu if you are a member of Jicarilla Apache Nation and are interested in serving as TAC representative. |
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Indian Resources Development (IRD) is a statewide program that offers educational and professional development opportunities for Native American students in high school and college; and supports tribal nations in New Mexico in advancing their economic development goals in agriculture, natural resources, engineering, energy, business, workforce development, and education. |
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