ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Her peers know her as an exceptional engineer.
But to some Indigenous people, Sandra Begay is legendary.
"Like many Native American students in STEM, I knew of Sandra
before I met her," said Suzanne Singer, who is Navajo and interned
under Begay at Sandia National Laboratories in 2008. "She was
the 'iconic' Native woman engineer -- an example of what could be
achieved through hard work and dedication."
In recognition of her substantial work to advance opportunities
for Indigenous students and professionals in science, technology,
engineering and math education and careers, Begay, a member of the
Navajo Nation, has received the 2020 Indigenous Excellence Award
from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. The organization
presented Begay the award at its annual conference, held virtually
Oct. 15-17.
Dozens of American Indian students like Singer have worked with
Begay through the Department of Energy's Office of Indian Energy
Policy and Programs internship, a program Begay started at Sandia
in 2002. Through the program, she inspires new generations of Native
American students and professionals to pursue work and research
in engineering fields, especially in the energy sector.
"I tried to convey to my interns that I expect them to be
respectful leaders, experienced tribal professionals and STEM champions
within their careers," Begay said. "I reminded them that
they have the academic credentials, and the internship provided
them with real hands-on experience in tribal energy development."
Energy engineer makes positive impact
across Indian Country
Since joining Sandia in 1992, Begay has worked to improve access
to electricity in tribal communities, where remote housing and lack
of infrastructure can make getting connected to the grid a financial
and logistical challenge. Without electricity, families don't have
refrigerators, running water, adequate heating and cooling, lights
or internet access.
"My passion for empowering tribal communities through renewable
energy comes from seeing the impact on my Navajo grandmother receiving
electrical power for the first time," Begay said. "When
I was in junior high, my family and I drove at dusk to see her new
porch light. My dad and mom did not grow up with electricity, and
many families living on the Navajo Nation do not have electricity.
Residential photovoltaic solar energy is seen as a viable off-the-electrical-grid
option."
Over the last 16 years, as requested by tribes, Begay and her team
have supported community-driven, strategic energy planning efforts
across the U.S. Communities they have worked with include Acoma
Pueblo; Crow Nation; Fort Independence Paiute; White Mountain Apache;
Turtle Mountain Chippewa; Navajo Nation; Shoshone and Bannock Tribes;
Mohawk Tribe; Mescalero Apache; Hopi Tribe; Klamath Tribes; Menominee
Tribe; Delaware Tribe; Hoonah Village, Alaska; Hughes Village, Alaska;
Gila River Indian Community; and Picuris Pueblo.
With Begay's help, tribes have modified their energy policy; made
plans to form a tribal utility; laid the groundwork to develop future,
large scale solar plants; and have built a solar farm to power a
village.
Past interns speak on Begay's lasting impact
Begay said her mentorship is rooted in providing interns real-world
experience. She teaches her students the complexities of issues
facing Native communities by traveling with them to meet tribal
government leaders and community members face to face.
These meetings made a personal and lasting impact on professor
Lani Tsinnajinnie of the University of New Mexico's School of Architecture
and Planning, who was Begay's intern in 2006. Tsinnajinnie, of Navajo
and Filipino descent, originally hails from Na'Neelzhiin, on the
eastern edge of the Navajo Nation.
"Approximately 50% of households in my community lack access
to running water," Tsinnajinnie said.
As her own community leaders struggled to explain when they would
build new water pipelines, she heard echoes of tribal leaders she
had met as an intern discussing difficulties in providing electricity.
"This led me to focus my expertise in water resources and
hydrology so that I could use my knowledge to help my community
best manage the water that will be delivered in a few years when
the infrastructure is in place," she said.
Tommy Jones, an intern in 2014 with Cherokee and Aleut heritage,
said "Giving back is ingrained into Sandra, and that perspective
of raising the collective well-being across Indian Country is infectious
to those who have been fortunate enough to work with her."
Many of Begay's interns have become highly regarded technical professionals
and leaders within tribal organizations, industry, academia and
nonprofit groups.
"Her impact is apparent when you see how her interns have
thrived in their careers to become experts and leaders in their
fields," said Singer, who went on to cofound Native Renewables,
a nonprofit that provides renewable energy systems to Navajo Nation
homes. "She has created a supportive environment among her
interns, who love meeting each other and crossing paths."
Jones, who is now a contractor to the DOE's Office of Indian Energy
Policy and Programs, said "Every major or minor event I attend
I find either an intern, current or past student, or professional
that Sandra has helped in some way achieve their goals."
Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated
by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia LLC,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the
U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Sandia Labs has major research and development responsibilities
in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense, energy technologies
and economic competitiveness, with main facilities in Albuquerque,
New Mexico, and Livermore, California.
|