Karletta Chief
{{short description|Hydrologist}}{{Infobox scientist
| name = Karletta Chief
| citizenship = Navajo Nation, American
| fields = Hydrology
Pollution on the Navajo Nation
| alma_mater = Stanford University (BS, MS}
University of Arizona (PhD)
| thesis_title = 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
| thesis_url = https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/195482
| thesis_year = 2007
}}
Karletta Chief is a Diné hydrologist, best known for her work to address environmental pollution on the Navajo Nation and increase the participation of Native Americans in STEM. She is a professor at the University of Arizona.{{Cite web |date=2018-08-13 |title=Karletta Chief |url=https://environmentalscience.cales.arizona.edu/person/karletta-chief |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=Department of Environmental Science |language=en}}
Education
Chief earned her B.S. and M.S. in civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University. She completed her PhD in hydrology and water resources at the University of Arizona in 2007, where she is now a faculty member.
Career
One of Chief's research interests is addressing food, energy and water challenges in Indigenous communities with methods that include their traditional values.{{Cite web|url=https://uanews.arizona.edu/story/students-tackle-21st-century-sustainability-challenges-navajo-nation|title=Students Tackle 21st Century Sustainability Challenges on the Navajo Nation|last=Litvack|first=Emily|date=2019-09-25|website=University of Arizona News|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-10-29}} In particular, she has researched the impacts of the 2015 Gold King Mine spill on residents of the Navajo Nation. Her research regarding the effects of the Gold King spill have aided several communities affected by the disaster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/navajo-researcher-leads-search-for-answers-about-contamination/|title=Navajo researcher leads search for answers about contamination|last=Shinn|first=Mary|date=2016-08-05|website=Durango Herald|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2022-12-21}} As part of this work, Chief gives public presentations in the Navajo language, especially to farmers, ranchers, and families who are affected by pollution and mining waste.{{Cite web|url=https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2018/4/community-impact/karletta-chief/index.htm|title=Karletta Chief featured in Science Friday film (Environmental Factor, April 2018)|website=National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences|language=en|access-date=2019-10-29}} She has said that her scientific research and her identity are closely linked, telling Science Friday, “my identity is water-based [from the Bitter Water Clan]. And so that motivates me to do the work that I do.”{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/breakthrough-bitter-water/|title=Bitter Water|website=Science Friday|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-29}}
Chief was featured in a short film produced by Science Friday in 2018, and is one of the interviewees in the feature documentary Hacking at Leaves.
Selected awards and honors
- Most Promising Engineer/Scientist, American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), 2011{{Cite web|url=https://www.aises.org/news/2016-aises-professional-year-award-winners-announced|title=2016 AISES Professional of the Year Award Winners Announced|last=|first=|date=2016-08-24|website=AISES|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-10-29}}
- Distinguished Alumni Scholar, Stanford University, 2013{{Cite web|url=https://info.umkc.edu/unews/celebrating-women-in-stem-dr-karletta-chief/|title=Celebrating Women in STEM: Dr. Karletta Chief - University News {{!}}|website=info.umkc.edu|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-29}}
- 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{{Cite web|url=https://www.2019sacnas.org/keynote-speakers/|title=Keynote Speakers – SACNAS|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-29|archive-date=2019-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029222639/https://www.2019sacnas.org/keynote-speakers/|url-status=dead}}
- Featured Speaker, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Native Americans in STEM (SACNAS), 2019
- Ambassador Award (2020)
- Fellow, American Geophysical Union{{Cite web |title=Karletta Chief Receives AGU Ambassador Award and Conferred Fellowship {{!}} Indigenous Resilience Center (IRes) |url=https://resilience.arizona.edu/news/karletta-chief-receives-agu-ambassador-award-and-conferred-fellowship |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=resilience.arizona.edu}}
Selected publications
- Chief, K., R. E. Emanuel, and O. Conroy-Ben (2019), Indigenous symposium on water research, education, and engagement, Eos, 100,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019EO114313 . Published on 24 January 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://eos.org/meeting-reports/indigenous-symposium-on-water-research-education-and-engagement|title=Indigenous Symposium on Water Research, Education, and Engagement|website=Eos|date=24 January 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-29}}
References
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Category:American women scientists
Category:Native American women academics
Category:American women academics
Category:Native American academics
Category:Stanford University School of Engineering alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century Native American women
Category:Native American women scientists