Fact Sheet

Project Goals:
The Uranium and Radiation Education Outreach (UREO) Program is an education and public outreach program implemented by the Environmental Education Outreach Program (EEOP) at Northern Arizona University (NAU); the Uranium Education Program (UEP) at Dine' College (DC); and the Waste-management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) at University of New Mexico. The goal of UREO to increase awareness and scientific understanding of uranium and radiation health and environmental issues for elementary (3rd - 8th) students, high school students, and community members living in tribal communities that are impacted by uranium mining activities, nuclear energy, and nuclear waste.

General Information:
Relevant uranium and radiation curriculum and information resources from a variety of sources have been identified and reviewed. Selected resources have been distributed to educators throughout Navajo Nation. Eleven UREO regional workshops have been conducted including four two-day workshops for secondary educators and four one-day workshops for elementary (3rd - 8th) educators. A one-week workshop was conducted during the summer. Additional workshops and classroom visits are planned. Resource trunks with Geiger counters and other educational resources and materials will be distributed to educators to enhance their educational efforts. The program encourages collaboration between educators of Native American students and tribal environmental professionals to address community environmental issues. Additionally, the program encourages Native American students to consider preparing for and entering environmental careers.

Funding:
The UREO project is funded by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency - Radiation Protection Division, Washington DC to Northern Arizona University. Collaborators also provide a variety of in-kind resources, including co-facilitators for workshops and materials such as references, curriculums, and Geiger counters.

Timeline: The program started October 2000.

• UREO Press Release (October 2000) - The press release announced award of the UREO grant to Navajo Nation newspapers, and radio stations.
• UREO Advisory Committee Meeting (November 2000) - The meeting held Wednesday, November 08, 2000 in Window Rock, Arizona.
• Regional Workshops for Educators (January 2001 to January 2002) - Workshops in Tuba City, AZ, Shiprock, NM, Monument Valley, UT, Rough Rock, AZ, Crownpoint, NM, Wingate, NM, Window Rock, AZ.
• Follow-up Activities (September 2001 to June 2004) - The EEOP staff will provide onsite support and resource materials for educators implementing the curriculum in their classrooms. The EEOP staff will assist educators with developing educational videos.
• Summer Workshops (July 2001 and July 2002) - The EEOP and UEP staff will conduct a one-week workshop for educators.
• Curriculum Development (July 2002 to May 2003) - The EEOP staff will lead a curriculum development effort to support elementary education teachers.
• Curriculum Development (July 2003 to May 2004) - The EEOP staff will lead a curriculum development effort to support secondary education teachers.

Curriculum:
The EEOP staff is collaborating with Dine' College's Uranium Education Program (UEP) - Shiprock Campus, and many other sources in compiling uranium and radiation curricula materials. These materials include the past UEP-Shiprock educator workshops, other tribal entities including the Colville, Nez Perce, and Yakima tribes, the American Nuclear Society, Colorado School of Mines/Denver Earth Science Project, Department of Energy, Waste-management Education and Research Consortium (WERC), and standard science textbooks. The EEOP staff will also work with educators of Native American students to develop appropriate supplemental curricular materials for elementary and high school students that will help students understand the principles of radiation science, risk assessment, and how to identify and mitigate health impacts of uranium mining and milling, while recognizing historical and Native American cultural issues.

Staff:
US Environmental Protection Agency

• Program Manager: Susan Dolgin, Radiation Protection Division,

Northern Arizona University,

• Lead Educator: Mansel A. Nelson

Dine' College - Uranium Education Program

• Director: Perry Charlie
• Health Educator: Linda V. Torres

Collaborations:
This project is a collaboration with Dine' College (DC), Northern Arizona University, University of New Mexico, Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, US Environmental Protection Agency - Radiation Protection Division (RPD), Environmental Protection Agency Region IX, Abandoned Mine Lands/ Uranium Mill Tailings Remediation Act (UMTRA) Office, Tribal Governments, Tribal Agencies, and Educators of Native American students.

For more information, contact Mansel A. Nelson at mansel.nelson@nau.edu, phone (928) 523-1275, or fax (928) 523-1280.