A Woman of Distinction- Bringing Indigenous Elder and Knowledge Keeper teachings into STEM education with Dawn Pratt- Episode 77

Dawn Pratt is a member of the Muscowpetung Anihšināpēk Nation. With varied experience in science education and an indomitable spirit, she has forged a professional consultancy company, askenootow STEM Enterprise, as an Indigenous STEM Educational expert for the past 20 years (STEM = science, technology, engineering, and math). Dawn earned a Master of Science degree with a specialization in the design of organic adsorbent materials directed toward the removal of arsenic from contaminated water (University of Saskatchewan, 2011).

Dawn is fundamentally driven to reinstate Indigenous Elder and Knowledge Keeper teachings into STEM education for the benefit of Indigenous Peoples’ futures. She seeks to amplify Indigenous STEM role models and Indigenized STEM content by transforming instructional practices and curricula in ways that embrace Indigenous cultural, linguistic, and land-based traditions and resources.

She remembers the moment her career calling took shape; in grade 4, her parents bought her a chemistry kit. Since then, she has pursued her passion for understanding the chemical world and sharing the joys of scientific discovery with children, youth, and adults. As part of realizing her passions, she is deeply dedicated to raising her two daughters to approach the world with a curiosity for STEM, replete with confidence in the Indigenous heritage she too derived from her family.

Key Takeaways: 

  1. Pursue your curiosities and interests - Combining her curiosity and grit, Dawn persevered and pursued mathematics and sciences (subjects she loved) to become the inspiring person she is today. Dawn has a Master’s in chemistry and owns her own educational consulting company focused on developing Indigenous STEM activities!

  2. It’s okay not to have a role model or mentor - Only at post-secondary school did Dawn meet people similar to her and find her community of indigenous scientists which included her First Nations physics professor. 

  3. We need to close the gaps in education - The strive for inclusivity in all subjects in education is something we need to work towards. Dawn realized this when she noticed how Indigenous studies were more easily found in subjects like social science, but rarely found in other sciences and fields.

  4. Learning can be done without you knowing - Sometimes, learning is invisible. This was true for the students Dawn taught. They were so immersed by the fun of building a tipi that they didn’t realize the engineering elements behind it.

  5. Make an impact by doing something natural to you - Dawn wasn’t aware she was Indigenizing science when she first started out because it felt so natural to her. She recognized that her second-nature knowledge and experiences were something she could share with others.

Dawn’s resources:

Website: https://www.askenootowstem.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AskenootowSTEM

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-pratt-askenootow/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dawnypratt

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Fiyin ObayanDawn Pratt, Indigenous, STEM, Indigenous elder, STEM Education, Indigenizing scienceComment