When Rebecca Price first enrolled at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), she went in with a tentative plan to get her associate’s degree in business administration. But by the time she left her student orientation, she had changed her mind. Inspired by what she heard about the science department, including NASA-funded projects and student internships, Price chose to go in a completely different direction. She decided then and there to pursue a dual major in pre-engineering and AutoCAD, which meant getting her computer-aided drafting and design certificate.

Before college, Cody Natoni Sifford, Navajo, had never considered a degree — not to mention a career — in environmental science. It was actually his family who encouraged him to try out the environmental science program in college. Then from the moment he set foot in his first class, he knew he had made the right decision.

Growing up near the ocean mostly in Vallejo, Calif., Amber Finley was fascinated by aquatic life. That love for the sea quickly transformed into a passion for STEM. As early as junior high, math and science became Finley’s focus at school — and her curiosity about biology was strongly encouraged by the adults around her.

“I had many teachers who supported my interest in math and science,” she says. “And my parents always wanted me to do well and supported my academic endeavors.”

During her senior year as an undergraduate at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (SDSM&T), a spark ignited for Kimberlynn Dawn Cameron. “A class in sustainable engineering showed me where I wanted to go with my career,” she says. “Now I’m a graduate student enrolled in a dual master’s program at SDSM&T. Starting in January 2018, I’ll be attending Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability in the Executive Master for Sustainability Leadership program.”

Growing up in Rough Rock, Ariz., Nizhoni Tallas, Navajo, spent a great deal of time exploring the outdoors. It was there, in her rural community, where she first became interested in the field of environmental science. “My brothers and I would hike the mesa and the canyon right in our backyard,” says Tallas. “I fell in love with the diversity of plants, rocks, and the smell of fresh air. From that point on, I knew I wanted to learn more about the environment and how I can protect it now and for future generations.”

The heart of Jeff Gregg’s work is vigilance. As a hazardous waste coordinator at the U.S. Coast Guard Base in Honolulu, he spends his days protecting water. Or as Gregg puts it, “We keep the black stuff out of the blue stuff.”

For as long as he can remember, the “blue stuff” has been a passion. “There was always something about the water, especially the ocean,” he says. “As a young boy, I discovered Jacques Cousteau and would watch the episodes over and over. I wanted to be Jacques Cousteau.”

Logan Pallin, First Nation, grew up just outside the northern Minnesota community of Cloquet. Relatively rural, Cloquet has only about 10,000 residents, and Pallin spent much of his childhood exploring the surrounding forests and lakes.

Like many graduate students, he was drawn to science early on when he became involved in science fairs. “I just loved working on a project, figuring it out, and then having the opportunity to share it with the scientific community,” he says.

When Onen Rhoades wants something, he isn’t afraid to work hard for it. For years he had been interested in building computers but lacked the resources. Still, Rhoades didn’t let that stop him. Once he was old enough to get a job, he began saving money to buy components. By the time he was 16, he had earned enough to build his first computer. “It started when I wanted a gaming computer,” he recalls. “Since there weren’t any classes on it, I went about teaching myself how to build a computer, and I eventually became really good at it.”

High school should be a time of growth and self-discovery, and it was especially transformative for Amanda Carroll, Peguis First Nation and Cree. As a high school student she discovered both her cultural roots and her professional path.

Born in Bozeman, Mont., Carroll is the oldest of six children. She is proud of her Peguis and Cree heritage, but didn’t always feel connected with her tribe the way she does today. Growing up, she didn’t hear the Peguis language spoken at home, nor did she learn about their traditions.

AISES cofounder and former chairman Al Qöyawayma has an excellent “man cave” in his home in Prescott, Ariz., filled with a cozy clutter of art and books. Steve Jobs, who stares out from the cover of his biography, reflects some of Qöyawayma’s own ideas about success. “When we write resumes, we want to put in the good things,” Qöyawayma says. “Of course, it’s not always the good things you learn from.”