Diné College’s CONVOY Program Earned Fellowships and a Research Award at AISES 2026
TUBA CITY, Ariz. Students from Diné College’s School of STEM and CONVOY Program presented 25 research posters and one oral presentation at the 2026 American Indian Science and Engineering Society National Conference. The conference took place Oct. 15-17 in Portland, Oregon. Students attended to share their research, connect with Indigenous scientists and explore paths to college and science careers. Their work came through hands-on research and mentoring grounded in Diné culture.
Three CONVOY students, Tori Fulton, Jacelyn Yellowhair and Olivia Walter, were named Sequoyah Fellows. Marisa Mares, a graduate student in Dr. Skaltsas’s lab, won third place in the graduate research category for her poster.
CONVOY students from Tuba City High School and Greyhills Academy High School created 22 of the projects. Students in Diné College’s Master of Science in Biology program presented four additional projects. The School of STEM also hosted a booth during exhibitors’ day and appeared on an informational page in Winds of Change magazine.
Dr. Shazia Tabassum Hakim, interim dean of STEM and director of the CONVOY Program, said the program helped students pursue science while staying connected to their culture. “Through CONVOY, we strive to create meaningful opportunities for students to explore careers in biomedical science and health care, while remaining connected to their Diné identity, cultural values and communities,” Hakim said. She added that the conference helped students envision their own futures. “Experiences such as the AISES National Conference help these young minds broaden their perspectives, build professional relationships and envision themselves as future scientists, researchers and health care professionals,” she said.
Hakim also credited her team for the students’ success. “Thanks to my team, Dr. Babatunde Ojo, Mr. Lorenzo Max, Ms. Francetta Begaye, Ms. Marquel Begay, Maya Begay, Patrick Begaye and Romeo Yellowhair, for their hard work, coordination and support,” Hakim said. “We are here to guide them and show them the light beyond their sight.”
CONVOY stands for Cultural Approach of Navajo Youth to Biomedical Sciences. The program serves middle school and high school students from the Navajo Nation. Funded by a National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award, CONVOY combines modern science with Diné cultural knowledge. Students learn molecular biology, microbiology, bioinformatics, neuroscience, forensic science, engineering and health education. Through these lessons, students build research skills, critical thinking and the confidence to pursue college and careers in science.
CONVOY’s presence at the national conference grew each year. In 2024, CONVOY interns presented 12 research projects at the conference in San Antonio, Texas. In 2025, 20 interns shared their research at the conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By linking cultural learning with scientific discovery, CONVOY helps prepare a new generation of Indigenous scientists equipped to serve their communities and address challenges facing Indigenous people.
For more information, visit the Diné College CONVOY Program website.
Diné College is a tribally controlled institution of higher education serving the Navajo Nation. The college offers learning that combines academic excellence, Diné language and culture, and community development.
