COLORADO—The American Indian Science and Engineering Society recently held its 45th annual national conference in California. This year’s conference saw record-breaking attendance with an estimated 2,700 people registered for the event. AISES is the nation’s premier organization supporting the professional development of Indigenous people of North America and the Pacific Islands. This year marked the first in-person conference since the pandemic.

The Forest Products Laboratory and other USDA Forest Service units have participated in the conference for over a decade. During the conference, over 1,000 Indigenous STEM students, professionals, advisors, and elders visited the Forest Service exhibitor booth.

“AISES is the nation’s leading organization for networking and professional development among Indigenous people in STEM, and AISES hosts a national conference every year. One big component of that national conference is the career fair,” said Serra Hoagland, Rocky Mountain Research Station research biologist and tribal liaison. “It’s inspiring to see all the interest, from youth to elders, in science, technology, engineering and math.”

AISES recognizes the Forest Service as one of the top 50 employers for Indigenous peoples in STEM. Staff at the AISES career fair actively recruited for several Forest Service positions, including a summer internship at the Forest Products Laboratory and a resource assistant position in the Pacific Southwest Region, and connected with hundreds of college students who wanted to learn more about career opportunities with the agency.

A National Recruitment Team member joined scientists and program specialists from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Forest Products Laboratory and the Pacific Southwest Region at the career fair.

“In 2009, I attended an AISES conference as a student and got my first job with the agency from that event. So, it is kind of neat coming full circle and being on the side where we are trying to recruit and engage,” said Hoagland.

The Forest Service plans to continue its participation in and financial sponsorship of the AISES National Conference. The 2023 AISES National Conference will be held in Spokane, Washington.