Our Mission
The mission of the American Indian Science & Engineering Society is to increase the representation of culturally responsible indigenous peoples of North America in science, technology, engineering, and math studies who positively impact their communities.
Our Focus
The American Indian Science & Engineering Society was founded in 1977 at the University of Oklahoma by a group of American Indian scientists, engineers, and educators. In view of low college enrollment and graduation rates among the high dropout rates of American Indians compared with all other ethnic groups within the united States, and the severe under-representation of American Indians in the science and engineering fields, these Native American professionals resolved to create an organization that would identify and remove the barriers to academic success for Native American students.
Today, AISES is an international (U.S. and Canada), non-profit organization that is dedicated to pre-college chapters, college chapters, and professional chapters.
The focus of the Pre-College Program is “Awareness and Retention.” AISES engages in a multitude of programs and events that aim to ensure students are given exposure to first-rate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs and events.
The focus of the College Program is “Access and Success.” AISES administers and is involved in many programs and events for American Indian and Alaska Native college students to increase access to, and boost success in, STEM.
The focus of the Professional Program is “Leadership and Change.” AISES supports its professional members in STEM, providing a network of Professional Chapters and an annual Professional Awards Program to celebrate excellence in the field.
Our Impact
Through the quality and reach of our programs and the longevity and devoted commitment of its “family,” AISES is the leader in STEM opportunity in Indian Country. Members from over 200 tribal nations are represented within AISES, and AISES enjoys the support and partnership of corporate, government, academic, and tribal decision-makers.
- 189 Chartered College and University chapters throughout the United States and Canada
- 15 Professional Chapters
- 158 affiliated K-12 schools supporting American Indian students in the critically needed disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
- More than 4,000 current members (and rapidly growing!)
- More than a thousand Sequoyah Fellows (Lifetime members)
- Scholarship programs which have cumulatively awarded over $10.3M to 4,924 students