SDSU project opens more STEM research pathways for Native American students

ARTICLE: BY ADDISON DEHAVEN AT SDSU

Pictured: Delaney Wilson, a soon-to-be sophomore pre-pharmacy major and one of the students involved with this STEM research opportunity, works with an ice core in the Ice Core and Environmental Chemistry Lab.

A new South Dakota State University project aims to give Native American students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in scientific research and discovery.

The project, led by primary investigators Derek Brandis, an SDSU post-doctorate research associate, and Jihong Cole-Dai, a professor in SDSU’s Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, will have participants working in the Ice Core and Environmental Chemistry Lab (ICECL), housed in SDSU’s College of Natural Sciences. There, they will work on two projects related to the lab’s research focus — using chemical measurements of polar ice cores and other environmental media to study the environment.

“Putting together this grant proposal with Dr. Cole-Dai, I hoped to give Native American students interested in STEM an opportunity to gain experience in a research lab setting,” Brandis, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Oyate (Rosebud Sioux Tribe), said. “This grant has allowed me to share my own experiences as a Native American in STEM and to hopefully become a role model and mentor to others.”

Over the course of the six-week summer period, the students will measure perchlorate in rainwater samples collected from around South Dakota during the summer.

The second project will focus on the chemical analysis of polar ice cores. The students will learn how to use analytical results to assess the state and fluctuations of the atmospheric and chemical environment.

The goal of both projects is to provide students scientific opportunities beyond what their coursework would normally provide.

“SDSU scientific research offers opportunities for valuable experience to all students,” Cole-Dai said. “Derek Brandis is helping Native American students discover and benefit from the opportunities. I think his efforts will go toward increasing the contribution to science from South Dakota’s Native American communities.”

Research and lab experience

Delaney Wilson is a soon-to-be sophomore pre-pharmacy major and one of the students involved with this STEM research opportunity. Last spring, Wilson was attending an American Indian Science and Engineering Society chapter meeting (she is treasurer for the SDSU chapter) and heard Brandis and Cole-Dai discussing this forthcoming project. Wilson, who aspires to work in a STEM field following graduation, knew she wanted to get extra lab and research experience in as an undergraduate at SDSU and jumped at the opportunity.

“The project sparked my interest. I’ve always been interested in chemistry,” Wilson explained. “I knew I couldn’t pass this opportunity up.”

Thus far in the project, she has been learning and working with the ion chromatography machines in the lab, which run samples of ice cores. Later in the project, she will learn to work with mass spectrometers, another key tool in analyzing ice cores. Overall, she has been gaining invaluable research experience in a lab setting, which she says will help her both in the rest of her academic career as well as in her post-college aspirations.

“This has been an amazing experience,” Wilson said. “I’ve been able to see the work that goes into research while learning so much more about chemistry.”

Upon completion of the six-week period later this summer, Wilson will have the opportunity to contribute to the publication and presentation of the research project’s results.

“I’ve been able to compile research focused on perchlorate in the greater environment to present for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society national conference later this year,” Wilson noted.

Brandis, one of the first Wokini Scholars at SDSU, will introduce Wilson to scientific presentations and advise her on how to prepare and make presentations.

“This is an experience that I can take back to my community and get others interested in STEM and the opportunities that are on campus,” Wilson said. “Working in Dr. Brandis’ and Dr. Cole-Dai’s lab has allowed me to work with science that I am truly passionate about.”

This project is supported by the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).