American Indian Research Center for Health (AIRCH)
The American Indian Research Center for Health (AIRCH) is a collaborative project between the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona and the University of Arizona to encourage practical research that improves the health status of American Indian people.
About AIRCH
AIRCH, a collaborative project between the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) and the University of Arizona (UA), is charged with the mission to:
- increase the number of American Indian scientists and health professionals engaged in research
- educate non-Indians about the need for culturally appropriate health research within American Indian communities and research institutions
- include Tribes as stakeholders in the processes of conducting research on their reservations and in the dissemination of the research findings
The ITCA-UA partnership has been awarded three rounds of AIRCH funding, with projects in place since 2003.
The Winter Institute is an all-day conference for students, researchers, health care providers and those working in Native American health. The event focuses on the social, ethical and legal implications of research with a special workshop for small tribes/communities on creating their own research review process.
GRADUATE FUNDING AND OPPORTUNITIES
The Cobell Graduate Fellowship
The Cobell Scholarship is annual, non-renewable, and available to any full-time and degree-seeking American Indian or Alaska Native post-secondary (after high school) student attending any nationally, regionally and industry accredited nonprofit, public and private, institution while pursuing a vocational certificate or diploma, associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral or professional degree. For questions concerning the Cobell Scholarship, and to apply for funding, please visit the Cobell fellowship webpage.
The American Indian Graduate Scholarships (AIGC)
The American Indian Graduate Scholarships (AIGC) manages a number of private funds and awards and provides these as supplemental scholarships ($500 – $5,000 each) based on the field of study and other criteria defined by the donor. All successful applicants will be notified at the time awards are announced. There is no separate application process for these awards. The awards are as follows:
- Grace Wall Barreda Memorial Fellowship – Public Health and Environmental Studies
- Ruth Muskrat Bronson Fellowship – Primarily Nursing or Health-related programs
- Jeanette Elmer Fellowship – Library Science
- Edna Furber Fellowship – Women studying Creative Fine Arts
- Katrin Lamon Fellowship – Literature or Journalism
- Gerald Peet Fellowship – Medicine
- John Rainer Memorial Fellowship – Continuing AIGC Fellows in all degree areas
- Dr. Beryl Blue Spruce Memorial Fellowship – Pueblo Citizens studying Medicine or Nursing (OB/GYN)
- Dr. George Blue Spruce Fellowship – Dentistry
UNDERGRADUATE FUNDING AND OPPORTUNITIES
Udall Undergraduate Scholarship awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. The Udall Foundation anticipates awarding 55 scholarships of up to $7,000 each.
The Udall Scholarship provides:
Tribal Policy
For Native Americans and Alaska Natives working on an array of policy issues in Indian Country
Native Health Care
For Native Americans and Alaska Natives pursuing health-related careers
Environment
For all undergraduates interested in conservation and environmental issues
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE FUNDING & OPPORTUNITIES
An internship with NCAI (the National Congress of American Indians) offers a unique opportunity for young leaders from throughout Indian Country — as well as for other young leaders with an interest in Native affairs, to be on the front lines of legislative action and policy development from within the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization. To ensure opportunities for participation by the wealth of emerging young talent in Indian Country, NCAI invites students enrolled in institutions of higher learning to apply for semester or summer-long internships (for which most institutions will offer college credit), with up to four applicants selected for each term. Tribal affiliation is not required to be approved for an internship. please fix dead link: https://www.ncai.org/about-ncai/internships-fellowships
AISES scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students are now open.
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES
- United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (UIATF) touches thousands of lives each year. The foundation’s central objective is to improve the spiritual, social, economic, educational and cultural conditions of Native Americans. UIATF has various open positions. please fix dead link: https://unitedindians.org/get-involved/jobs/
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
Centers for Disease Control Internships, Fellowships, and Public Health Training Opportunities Resource Guide. fix dead link This guide contains links to information on various fellowships, internships and resources related to public health.
The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is a unique two-year postgraduate program of service and on-the-job training for health professionals interested in the practice of epidemiology. EIS officers comprise a vital element at the front lines of public health conducting epidemiologic investigations, research and surveillance, both domestically and internationally. Formal instruction in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health ethics and law, evaluation of surveillance systems, and scientific writing supplement experiential training opportunities. Click here for an information flyer with more details. fix dead link
Centers for Disease Control and Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Fellowship is open: Click here for a link to webpage. fix dead link
Current CDC Research Opportunities may contain information for graduate students, recent graduates, and postdoctoral and post-master’s degree trainees.
Additional Opportunities
Teaching Fellowships: The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship is looking for committed individuals in STEM to teach in high-need secondary schools in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and New Jersey: Click here for the link to the webpage. webpage not online, does this fellowship still exist?
Scholarships for Minorities and New Americans (pdf)fix dead link
FoodCorps Service Member Opportunity: fix dead linkAre you a leader passionate about healthy food, farms and kids? Then we want you to be a FoodCorps service member! FoodCorps recruits talented leaders for a year of paid public service building healthy school food environments in limited-resource communities.
Teshia G. Solomon, PhD
Carlos R. Gonzales, MD, FAAFP
Rodney C. Haring
Jennie R. Joe, PhD
Partner Fellows
Lori Arviso-Alvordcannot find in phonebook, email address still good?
lorialvord@email.arizona.edu
Paulette Baukol
Baukol.Paulette@mayo.edu
Paulette Baukol (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) is director of operations for the Spirit of EAGLES, an AIAN leadership initiative on cancer funded by the NCI.
DeeAnn DeRoin, MD, MPH
deedoc@earthlink.net
DeeAnn DeRoin (Iowa) is a practicing physician and member of the research committee for the National Indian Women’s Health Resource Center. Her research interests include lupus and cancer.
Kathy Eagle, MD
DrEagle@nativeimages.org
Kathy Eagle (Arikara/Santee Sioux) is a graduate of the University of Arizona College of Medicine and is currently a MPH student. not in phonebook, is student status still current? She works with Native Images, Inc., as the GPRA coordinator/lead evaluator, and is a curriculum facilitator with the UCLA Center for AI Research and Education.
Stephanie Fryberg, PhD
fryberg@u.arizona.edu cannot find in phonebook, email address still good?
Stephanie Fryberg (Tulalip) received her doctorate from Stanford University, is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology,not in phonebook, is faculty status still current? and is affiliate faculty in American Indian studies at the University of Arizona. Her research focuses on social representations of race, culture and social class, and on psychological and physical health and educational attainment.
Patrisia Gonzales, PhD
pgonza@email.arizona.edu
Pattie King
pmking613@gmail.com
Pattie King (Gila River) practices nursing at the Caring House, a long-term care facility in her community. As an LPN with 28 years experiences, she led her Tribe’s cancer survivor initiative and patient navigator program. She is currently completing her undergraduate degree.still current?
Janelle Palacios, PhD
janellepalacios@yahoo.com
Janelle Palacios (Salish-Kootenai) earned her doctorate in nursing from the University of California at San Francisco and is completing a program in midwifery. Her research interest is in MCH and early childbearing.
Leslie Randall, MPH, BSN
leslie.randall@cpcinternet.com
Leslie Randall (Nez Perce) earned her MPH from the University of Hawaii and a Bachelor in Nursing from Oregon Health and Science University. She has 15 years experience in maternal and child health epidemiology with the CDC, where she conducted research in SIDS and FASD in Native populations.
Lyle Shorty
ltshorty@email.arizona.educannot find in phonebook, email address still good?
Nicole Stern, MD
nstern@email.arizona.educannot find in phonebook, email address still good?
Nicole Stern (Mescalero Apache) is an internal medicine physician in Santa Barbara with a specialty in sports medicine. She produced a documentary film on the lives of Native people living with HIV/AIDS.
Nina Wampler, DSc, MPH
nwampler@email.arizona.educannot find in phonebook, email address still good?
History
Dr. Jennie Joe, previous interim executive co-director of the Wassaja Carlos Montezuma Center for Native American Health, served as research core director in AIRCH 1 and 3, and managed the faculty development component. Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, then assistant professor of family and community medicine and former director of the Indian Health Service, served as director of the student training component. Dr. Teshia Solomon, associate professor of family and community medicine, serves as both the research and training core director for AIRCH 5.
Funding
The AIRCH is funded by the Indian Health Service under the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) initiative. The purpose of the NARCH initiative is to support partnerships between AIAN Tribes or Tribally based organizations and institutions that conduct intensive academic-level biomedical, behavioral and health services research.
The AIRCH 5 is funded for a four-year period from 2009-13 still current? and has three key programs:
- The Student Health Research Development (SHRD) provides lectures by Native scholars in health policy, culturally competent research and careers in health to University of Arizona students on campus and funds summer research scholarships
- The Faculty Research Development (FRD) program provides training and research opportunities and uses a cohort development model to provide mentoring and career development in health research
- The Research Core consists of two research studies. Dr. Nicky Teufel-Shone, adjunct professor of public health, is working with the Hualapai to reduce cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes risk factors in their study, “Leveraging Social Influence to Increase Physical Activity.” Faculty members Drs. Iris Bell, Mary Koithan and Cathleen Michaels still current? all are retired according to phonebook are partnering with the San Carlos Apache to determine community knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding traditional healing in their study, “Traditional Healing Practices and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Utilization.”
Conducting Health Research with Native American Communities
Alcohol Use among Native Americans Compared to Whites: Examining the Veracity of the ‘Native American Elevated Alcohol Consumption’ Belief, a University of Arizona study, debunked stereotypes about Native Americans and alcohol. The article published online February 8, 2015, in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, was conducted by James K. Cunningham, PhD, lead author, a U.S. Fulbright scholar and social epidemiologist with the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Wassaja Carlos Montezuma Center for Native American Health; Teshia A. Solomon, PhD (Choctaw), associate professor of family and community medicine; and Myra Muramoto, MD, MPH, former department chair for FCM.
Click link for more information on our book:
Conducting Health Research with Native American Communities