THE NAOMI PROGRAM AND HERS: WORKING TO CREATE LASTING LINKS

W.M. Griswold¹, G.L. Godfrey¹, S.C. Grant² and D.L. Tillison³

¹Haskell Indian Nations University, Haskell Indian Nations University, 155 Indian Avenue, Box 1247, Lawrence, KS 66046; ²Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center, Kansas State University, 101 Ward Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-2502; and ³Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center, 5728 E. 10th St., Wichita, KS 67208


ABSTRACT

The Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center (HERS), located at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU), has joined with the Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center (GP-RM HSRC) to administer the Native American and Other Minority Institutions Program (NAOMI). The NAOMI Program was funded to involve minority educational institutions in research, training and technology transfer. HERS currently administers several programs. One primary element of the NAOMI Program is a Seminar Series that provides public education on hazardous substances and related environmental issues. Seminars are disseminated by the mailing of videotapes or through satellite downlinks. The NAOMI Program was able to provide funding for several individuals from participating institutions to attend the Tenth Annual Conference on Hazardous Waste Research in Manhattan, Kansas, on May 23-24, 1995. In addition, NAOMI was able to match six scholars from Native American and other minority academic institutions with HSRC research projects being conducted at other universities through the Summer Cooperation Program. HERS Staff, in association with the US Department of Agriculture, worked to coordinate "A Gathering of Nations," a program that was part of the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of Earth Day in Washington, DC. The program brought together tribal leaders, Elders and scientists in a panel discussion of global change issues. HERS also received funds from the Department of Defense to provide certified training to students from tribally-controlled colleges as part of an ongoing curriculum development project. The first workshop under this program is scheduled for July 16-29 at Haskell Indian Nations University. HERS is hoping to provide training for forty participants. Finally, HERS has been able to act as an information clearinghouse. HERS has distributed other agencies' grant solicitations to participating institutions where applicable. NAOMI Seminar videotapes are available through the library of Kansas State University and can be obtained nationwide through interlibrary loan.

KEY WORDS

Native American, minority, research, technology transfer, hazardous substances.

This paper is from the Proceedings of the 10th Annual Conference on Hazardous Waste Research 1995, published in hard copy and on the Web by the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center.


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