Celebrating our Native and Indigenous Community

Across the University of Maryland, we acknowledge that our campus sits on the ancestral lands of the Piscataway People. More than a land acknowledgement, this recognition reminds us not only to honor Native and Indigenous people as ancestral stewards of the land, but also to recommit to engineering a more sustainable built environment for generations to come.

This November, Native and Indigenous Heritage Month gives the campus community an opportunity to revisit the past that shapes us and to celebrate ongoing Clark School partnerships that further education, research, and outreach that benefits tribal areas—and inspires the next generation of innovators from Native and Indigenous communities. Here are two of many examples:

The Piscataway tribe and Maryland Engineering’s Terrapin Works makerspace labs continue their collaboration to create replicas of silver peace medals to serve as accessible educational tools—this time for visitors in Historic St. Mary’s City in southern Maryland.
The Center for MultiModal Mobility brings together a diverse team of administrators, professors, students, and collaborators from U.S. universities aimed at advancing transportation research and outreach solutions—to enhance mobility, sustainability, and safety in urban, rural, and tribal areas.

I hope you will learn from and share these and other stories of contributions made by Maryland engineers.

Other STEM-focused resources aimed at nurturing success and increasing a sense of belonging among members of the Native and Indigenous community at UMD include the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science and American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Through the work of CMSE at Maryland, we drive positive change in our community and field by broadening the participation of pre-college, undergrad, and graduate students in engineering and other STEM fields.

Campus partners are also vital to expanding Native and Indigenous research and community experiences:

The Indigenous Futures Lab—a hub of research and relationship-building—is ensuring that Indigenous knowledge is celebrated, valued, and integrated into global solutions; a new initiative was awarded $3.6 from the Mellon Foundation to advance Indigenous archives.

UMD joins community members for events, including the Baltimore American Indian Center 49th Annual Pow-Wow on November 15, the annual UMD Powwow in March, and a community celebration on campus in spring.

A Division of Student Affairs initiative, the new Unity Center—located in Cole Field House—features cultural spaces including The Braid, a student lounge designed to reflect Native and Indigenous cultures while fostering connection and belonging for all Terps.

Our engineering profession and our society are strengthened by fostering community and belonging by recognizing and honoring history and heritage. For Native and Indigenous Heritage Month this year, MICA coordinated a calendar of campus-wide events open to all around the theme of Skoden! Stoodis!, Indigenous slang meaning, Let’s go then, let’s do this!

I encourage our community to take part, connect, and celebrate.

Sincerely,

Samuel Graham

Dean and Nariman Farvardin Professor