The AISES National Conference in Spokane, Wash., is just a month away! It’s sure to be an exciting and impactful event as thousands of Indigenous STEM students and professionals from across the United States and Canada gather from Oct. 19–21 for three days filled with learning, networking, and celebrating their culture. There’s a lot to take in, and it can be overwhelming, so here are some tips to help you make the most of your time at the conference.

Roommates are an integral part of the college experience. Whether it's dorms, suites, or apartment rentals, roommates are bound to be there. First, it's important to recognize that for some students living at college may be their first time away from home. It’s a big transition from living with your family to living with a complete stranger. Here are five tips for getting along with roommates to make everyone’s experience safe, productive, and fun.
 
Communicate expectations 

The newly established Indigenous Dental Association of Canada (IDAC) is one of the most prominent Indigenous-led initiatives addressing inequities in Canada’s oral health delivery. A 2017 report from the country’s auditor general found that First Nations and Inuit populations had nearly twice the rate of dental disease as non-Indigenous Canadians, partly due to geographical barriers, fewer dentist visits, and less access to nutritious food.

Beyond maintaining your winning smile, dental care is crucial in promoting overall health and well-being. But Native Americans continue to face disparities — and tribes continue to face unique challenges — in accessing care.

Dr. Stan Atcitty, Diné, has a record of tremendous technical success and remarkable achievements as a leader. His ability to cultivate and maintain relationships is paramount to his success. Whether he is presenting to a packed gymnasium at his high school alma mater in Shiprock, N.M., or coaching junior staff members on his team, Dr. Atcitty is energized by finding ways to build people up.

Tobias-Jesiah Keohokapu found himself getting lost in the stars from a young age. Everything he’s discovered about astronomy since then, from learning about Polynesian wayfinding to studying special relativity and chaotic dynamics at college, has only increased his fascination. When he learned about the world travels of the Hōkūle’a, a double-hulled sailing canoe built as a modern replica of the vessels that brought the first Polynesian seafarers to Hawaii, he knew he had to study astronomy.

As a young girl, Shanell Sinclair dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer working for NASA. Then, as she was growing up in rural Montana, achieving that career seemed increasingly remote. But today Sinclair’s dream is no longer up in the clouds. Now a junior at Montana State University majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in aerospace engineering/mechatronics, she is closer than ever to making her dream come true.

A profound connection to the beautiful boreal forests and freshwater lakes of her Lac La Ronge Woodland Cree homelands has guided Sarah Gauthier’s journey from microbiology studies to a successful career in water resources engineering, teaching, and mentoring.

Jordan Sahly has lost track of the number of baking soda volcanoes he made in his driveway as a child. But he hasn’t lost his passion for the sciences, chemistry in particular. After honing his interest in science, Sahly set his sights on chemical engineering and hasn’t looked back. Now a senior at Yale University, Sahly is well on his way to becoming a chemical engineer with the goal of helping Native communities combat energy and climate crises and limit harm to the land.

Professional work can be exciting, enjoyable, and challenging. It can also be exhausting, intense, and draining. It’s easy to let work take over your life. Especially now, as many professionals work remotely or in a hybrid setting, it’s easy for your personal and professional worlds to overlap. As a result, you may find that you’re not separating from work effectively, and you’re not taking time to recharge. Taking a break is key to being your best at work and at home. Here are a few reasons why taking time out to recharge is so important.