Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation has a long-standing partnership with NASA, dating back to 2005, focused on educational initiatives that combine scientific and cultural knowledge in a “dual-learning environment”. NASA and Navajo educators have developed educator guides with hands-on activities that bring together scientific and cultural knowledge. These have supported professional development workshops for teachers, summer camps for students, and other outreach programs. The moon and other celestial sites hold great cultural and spiritual significance for the Navajo people. This has led to discussions with NASA about protecting these sites from what the Navajo consider desecration, such as leaving human remains on the moon. There are efforts to increase the participation of Navajo students in STEM fields related to space science. President Nygren has proposed NASA-sponsored events on Navajo land to spark interest in space sciences among Navajo youth.