Diné College STEM Faculty and Students Take the Stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Sept. 26, 2026. Diné College’s School of STEM joined the Flagstaff Festival of Science for the first time this week, presenting student research at Wheeler Park during the “Snook’s Science in the Park” event. The centerpiece was a live demonstration of a solar-powered ultraviolet water filtration system built to bring clean water to off-grid Navajo Nation communities.
Developed under the NSF-funded “Water is Life” and “MS Biology” grants in collaboration with the University of Arizona, the system disinfects microorganisms in natural spring water. It restores it to drinkable quality in areas without regulated water. MS graduate Neilroy Singer, now an environmental scientist with the School of STEM, created the unit.
“Our main goal is to show the community the work we are doing at Diné College and within the Navajo Nation,” said Dr. Shazia Hakim, Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Interim Dean of STEM. “The response from visitors has been wonderful. They keep sharing their excitement with others, which brings more people to our booth to learn more.”
Singer said community feedback shaped each version of the unit. “We use all this information, take it home and let our team know,” he said. “It disinfects microorganisms that might be in natural spring water to restore natural water to drinkable quality in off-grid areas.”
Biomedical science students Tori Fulton, Diizhonia Stanley, and Romeo Yellowhair also shared their research on water quality in rural Navajo Nation communities. Fulton, who has tested windmills, springs, washes, and reservoirs since 2021, is evaluating unregulated water sources in the Navajo Nation’s western agency for Norovirus. She plans to graduate next spring and hopes to pursue an MD-PhD program.
“Having the cultural identity of knowing who you are and knowing your passions in life, you can hold that close and achieve so much,” Fulton said.
Yellowhair, a Gap, Arizona, student who has attended Diné College since 2017, showed visitors “germs under the microscope” while working toward a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences. His current research focuses on extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables without refrigeration for remote communities. “Do not be afraid to ask questions,” he said. “Even if you get it wrong, you learn. If you get it right, you’ve learned.”
The team also highlighted STEM’s NIH-sponsored CONVOY program, which offers junior high and high school students summer and fall internships at Diné College’s Tuba City center and encourages careers in healthcare and biomedical sciences.
The Flagstaff Festival of Science is an annual 10-day event, running Sept. 25 to Oct. 4, offering more than 100 free science experiences across Northern Arizona.
About Diné College
Diné College is a multi-campus institution serving communities in Arizona and New Mexico. Its School of STEM prepares students for transfer, workforce entry, and advanced study, grounded in Diné values and a commitment to scientific inquiry that supports the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities. The college offers pathways from certificates in medical assisting and public health to Associate, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Science degrees in biology, environmental science, biomedical science, and related fields.
