Karletta Chief facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karletta Chief
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| Citizenship | Navajo Nation, American |
| Alma mater | Stanford University (BS, MS} University of Arizona (PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Hydrology Pollution on the Navajo Nation |
| Thesis | Soil Air Permeability and Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Development of Soil Corer Air Permeameter, Post-fire Soil Physical Changes, and 3D Air Flow Model in Anisotropic Soils (2007) |
Karletta Chief is a scientist from the Navajo Nation. She studies water, which is called a hydrologist. She is famous for helping to clean up pollution on the Navajo Nation. She also works to get more Native Americans involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Dr. Chief is a professor at the University of Arizona.
Her Journey in Education
Karletta Chief went to Stanford University. There, she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees. She studied civil and environmental engineering. This field helps design and build things like roads and water systems.
Later, she earned her PhD in 2007. She studied hydrology and water resources at the University of Arizona. Hydrology is the study of how water moves on and under the Earth. Today, she teaches at the University of Arizona.
Her Important Work
One of Dr. Chief's main interests is helping Indigenous communities. She works on problems related to food, energy, and water. She makes sure to include traditional values in her solutions.
For example, she researched the effects of the 2015 Gold King Mine spill. This spill caused a lot of pollution. Her research helped many communities on the Navajo Nation that were affected.
Dr. Chief often gives presentations in the Navajo language. She speaks to farmers, ranchers, and families. She helps them understand how pollution and mining waste affect their lives. She feels a strong connection between her science and her identity. She once said, "my identity is water-based [from the Bitter Water Clan]. And so that motivates me to do the work that I do."
Dr. Chief was also featured in a short film. It was made by Science Friday in 2018. She was also interviewed for a documentary called Hacking at Leaves.
Awards and Special Honors
Karletta Chief has received many awards for her work. These awards show how important her contributions are.
- Most Promising Engineer/Scientist, American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), 2011
- Distinguished Alumni Scholar, Stanford University, 2013
- Native American 40 Under 40, National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, 2015
- Professional of the Year, AISES, 2016
- Woman of the Year, Phoenix Indian Center, 2016
- Featured Speaker, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Native Americans in STEM (SACNAS), 2019
- Ambassador Award (2020)
- Fellow, American Geophysical Union
