Cultivating Indigenous Research Communities for Leadership in Education and STEM (CIRCLES)

What is CIRCLES?

Cultivating Indigenous Research Communities for Leadership in Education and STEM (CIRCLES) at University of Idaho focuses on creating conditions for which Indigenous STEM is recognized within academic institutions. CIRCLES supports the development of leaders and educators who approach Indigenous STEM through integrated, holistic methods in both formal and non-formal contexts of learning.

By engaging faculty and institutions, CIRCLES works to build understanding and contribute to Tribal Nation building across all STEM disciplines. Our program is guided by a dedicated Advisory Committee of tribal representatives with expertise in Indigenous education and university-tribal research partnerships.

CIRCLES Idaho

CIRCLES Idaho fosters the conditions for Indigenous STEM to thrive by advancing research, institutional partnerships and long-term support for Indigenous-led initiatives.

Key efforts

• Supporting interdisciplinary and Indigenous research through the graduate Certificate for Indigenous Research and Education (CIRE).
• Developing a Faculty Nation Building Institute (FNBI) to promote reciprocal university–Tribal Nation partnerships in research and education.
• Contributing to the direction of the Center for Indigenous Research and Education (CIRE), an institutional space designed to sustain the work initiated through projects like CIRCLES.

The UIdaho project supports two cohorts of graduate students pursuing interdisciplinary degrees in STEM education. Researchers explore how deepening critical conversations about the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and our relationships with environments contributes to higher education rethinking curriculum and faculty awareness of Native peoples and lands.

CIRCLES Alliance

University of Idaho works with the CIRCLES Alliance, a six-state initiative consisting of Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Formed in 2020 with support from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR, #2038371) and Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES, #2217344) programs, the CIRCLES Alliance, through research and collaboration with tribal communities, aims to inform the NSF and educational institutions about Indigenous cultural understanding and humility, and to shift approaches toward Indigenous education.

Visit the National CIRCLES Alliance website

Certificate in Indigenous Research and Education (CIRE)

The Certificate in Indigenous Research and Education (CIRE) is a 13-credit graduate certificate completed over three academic semesters, beginning each fall. Classes are designed through a cross-disciplinary partnership between the Department of Culture, Society and Justice, Natural Resources and Society, and Education, preparing graduates to engage in research informed by Indigenous and relational methodologies that assess and address contemporary social and environmental challenges. There is a need for increased graduate preparation to build capacity among both Tribal and non-Tribal citizens to develop an integrated understanding and application of Native American law, educational philosophies and integrated natural resource management. The CIRE curriculum supports this need by helping students engage with Indigenous knowledge systems and work at the intersections of natural resources, social and cultural well-being, and enhancing learning settings to address epistemological diversities.

Learn more about CIRE

Faculty Nation Building Institute (FNBI)

Launched in spring 2025, the Faculty Nation Building Institute (FNBI) builds capacity among higher education faculty and staff to contribute to Indigenous-driven research goals. Faculty cohorts are invited to attend a workshop series where they build skills for seeing and supporting Indigenous students and Indigenous knowledge in courses and research practices. Faculty also learn how to ethically engage in research with communities.

Research and scholarly projects

In addition to supporting and mentoring students as they engage in independent research projects, CIRCLES scholars contribute as members of a research team conducting a qualitative study that uses collaborative autoethnography. This study examines the impacts of Indigenous-centered research training while advancing relational and community-driven STEM and education research. Findings will add a multidisciplinary lens to understanding how students and faculty co-produce institutional change in research apprenticeships and curriculum. Insights from student and faculty experiences will help educational institutions identify barriers and foster collaborative engagement to improve the experiences of Native peoples and communities in higher education.

Questions?

Do you have questions or want to learn more about how CIRCLES is transforming Indigenous STEM education? Contact Crissy Oliver, CIRCLES program manager, at coliver@uidaho.edu for more information.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under cooperative agreement EES 2217344. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.