Research & Development World

  • R&D World Home
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Careers
    • Chemistry
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Software
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
    • Semiconductors
  • R&D Market Pulse
  • R&D 100
    • Call for Nominations: The 2025 R&D 100 Awards
    • R&D 100 Awards Event
    • R&D 100 Submissions
    • Winner Archive
    • Explore the 2024 R&D 100 award winners and finalists
  • Resources
    • Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • R&D Index
    • Subscribe
    • Video
    • Webinars
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Top Labs
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Tribal Energy Program at Sandia powers tribal lands

By R&D Editors | August 15, 2011

Most Americans take
electric power for granted, but for thousands of people living on tribal lands,
getting to the grid can be a challenge.

A lack of
infrastructure, transmission capabilities, and policies impede the availability
of electricity within the reservations and to outlying tribal areas.

A program at Sandia
National Laboratories addresses those challenges and connects tribal
governments in remote regions with viable electricity solutions. At the same
time, Sandia is training a new generation of Native American renewable energy
advocates.

Interns are key to
the decade-old Department of Energy Tribal Energy Program, which provides three
levels of support to tribes turning to renewable energy sources: financial
assistance through competitive grants; education and training; and technical
assistance from Sandia and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden,
Colo. Sandia’s interns provide education and training as well as technical
assistance.

Sandra
Begay-Campbell, a Sandia researcher and member of the Navajo Nation, started
the internship in 2002 and works with tribes all over the country. “I wanted to
help build capacity within tribal governments. The goal is to get to the point
where you have tribal members who have technical skills to implement these
programs,” says Begay-Campbell. “DOE Tribal Energy Program funds the interns;
the students do the work and intensive research. At the end of the summer, we
provide the DOE with their research papers. The students are able to see what
is available to them, and they grow as advocates for renewable energy.”

Begay-Campbell is
actively involved in higher education and mentoring students. The University of
New Mexico (UNM) Regents President recently named her to the UNM presidential search committee. She is a
former UNM regent, Foundation Board member and Distinguished Engineering Alumna for 2005.

This year,
Begay-Campbell selected four interns:

  • Tammie Allen is a member of the
    Jicarilla Apache Nation in northwestern New Mexico
    and is enrolled in the Community and Regional Planning master’s program in the School of Architecture at UNM. She expects to
    complete her degree this summer. Allen graduated with honors in humanities from
    the College of Santa Fe. She hopes to work in renewable
    energy and community planning after graduation. Allen is also recognized for
    her traditional ceramic pottery work, which is displayed in galleries
    nationwide.
  • Gepetta Billie is a member of the
    Navajo Nation, grew up in Red Rock, N.M., near Gallup, N.M.,
    and is recently earned her master’s from UNM’s Community and Regional Planning
    program. She earned her undergraduate degree in environmental planning and
    design from UNM’s School
    of Architecture and
    Planning, and also attended the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute where
    she earned an associate of applied science in civil engineering technology.
    This is Billie’s third summer working with Begay-Campbell and she has been a
    year-round intern. She hopes to continue work in tribal energy development.
  • Chelsea Chee is a member of the
    Navajo Nation from Cedar Springs,
    Ariz., about 35 miles north of
    Winslow. She is working on her master’s in UNM’s Community and Regional
    Planning program. She worked for two years for a nonprofit youth organization
    that focused on the effect of climate change and global warming on indigenous
    people. With the experience Chee gains this summer, she hopes to take
    additional courses and eventually find work in the field of renewable energy.
  • Devin Dick, a member of the
    Navajo Nation, is enrolled in the Navajo
    Technical College
    in Crownpoint, N.M., about 50 miles northeast of Gallup. He became interested in renewable
    energy while attending dances with his family on the neighboring Hopi
    reservation, where he saw solar panels and wind turbines and grew curious about
    how they worked. He plans to graduate in the spring of 2012 with a degree in energy
    systems and hopes to work for a utility or as an installer. Dick also is using
    his knowledge of alternative energy to make suggestions for powering a
    veterans’ center that his parents helped establish.

The summer internship
starts in mid-May and ends in mid-August, and interns spend nearly six weeks
traveling to various tribal lands to meet with tribal utilities, customers, and
tribal leaders to explore options for renewable energy generation.

Using renewable
energy sources is increasingly popular among tribes seeking affordable and
sustainable ways to meet the demands of growing populations on tribal lands. On
a recent field visit to Acoma Pueblo’s Sky City,
Begay-Campbell and her interns listened to the energy efficiency goals met by
the pueblo. Beginning discussions with Acoma’s
Tribal Utility Authority may lead to Sandia’s support of their energy planning
efforts.

SOURCE

Related Articles Read More >

2025 R&D layoffs tracker tops 92,000
Efficiency first: Sandia’s new director balances AI drive with deterrent work
Ex-Google CEO details massive AI energy needs at House hearing, advocates for fusion and SMR R&D
Floating solar mats clean polluted water — and generate power
rd newsletter
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, trends, and strategies in Research & Development.
RD 25 Power Index

R&D World Digital Issues

Fall 2024 issue

Browse the most current issue of R&D World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading R&D magazine today.

Research & Development World
  • Subscribe to R&D World Magazine
  • Enews Sign Up
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Global Funding Forecast

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search R&D World

  • R&D World Home
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Careers
    • Chemistry
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Software
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
    • Semiconductors
  • R&D Market Pulse
  • R&D 100
    • Call for Nominations: The 2025 R&D 100 Awards
    • R&D 100 Awards Event
    • R&D 100 Submissions
    • Winner Archive
    • Explore the 2024 R&D 100 award winners and finalists
  • Resources
    • Research Reports
    • Digital Issues
    • R&D Index
    • Subscribe
    • Video
    • Webinars
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Top Labs
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE