LLNL honored as a top 2024 Indigenous STEM workplace by AISES ‘Winds of Change’ Magazine

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Winds of Change magazine has named Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) as one of the top 50 workplaces for Indigenous STEM professionals in 2024. LLNL has been honored as an organization that pursued specific recruitment initiatives with indigenous students and potential employees over the past two years.

LLNL shares this honor alongside other top companies who have pursued recruitment initiatives that provide indigenous communities with access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. According to Winds of Change, LLNL was recognized as a top employer dedicated to diversity recruiting and support for the AISES mission — advancing indigenous people in STEM. The organizations on the list are recognized as leaders committed to advancing inclusion, diversity, equity and accountability (IDEA) efforts and creating cohesive workplace environments.

“In the last five years, the Laboratory has brought more than 150 American Indian students into post-secondary education opportunities,” said Randy Pico, LLNL Engineering and IDEA staff member. “Through partnerships with tribes, we’ve worked to bring tribe representatives to Livermore for in-person experiences, to participate in AISES events and to collaborate with tribal colleges to increase the number of natives in STEM." As a champion for indigenous people in STEM, Pico has collaborated with LLNL allies to foster an inclusive environment for American Indian students while building support for future American Indian initiatives.

One-way LLNL is supporting outreach to indigenous communities is through the American Indian Activity Group (AIAG) employee resource group (ERG), which engages surrounding communities with LLNL.

“One of our missions with the American Indian Activity Group (AIAG) at Lawrence Livermore is to build relationships with our communities and inspire our Native American youth in the Bay Area to pursue higher education,” said Heath Bigman, AIAG leader, laser-system engineer, and group leader in LLNL’s National Ignition Facility. “One of the events we host is Soaring Eagles. This event promotes STEM activities and brings Native American students, scientists and engineers together through engaging hands-on experiments that inspire the students’ imaginations. It also educates students about the scientific and technological innovation happening at the Laboratory while highlighting American Indian employees who play important roles in moving the world forward through STEM.”

ERGs at the Laboratory are vital in creating an inclusive workplace culture. The Laboratory has 12 active ERGs that are voluntary, employee-led organizations connected by common interests, bonds and backgrounds. ERGs offer professional development, recruitment, networking, mentoring, internships and scholarships, as well as Laboratory committee and leadership opportunities and community outreach activities.

“Scientific learning, environmental stewardship and knowledge-sharing with younger generations are deeply embedded in native culture and values. The AIAG does such important work across the Laboratory and throughout the surrounding communities to bring STEM and STEM career pathways to Native American students,” said Principal Associate Director for Global Security and AIAG Senior Management Champion Huban A. Gowadia. “AISES’s recognition of the Lab as a top workplace for indigenous STEM professionals is a testament to AIAG’s efforts as well as the Native scientists, engineers and staff who make LLNL such a great place to work.”

As one of LLNL’s ERGs supported by the Laboratory’s IDEA Office, AIAG shares American Indian cultural values throughout the Laboratory and surrounding community to aid in pipelining, recruiting and guiding career pathways for native peoples.

More information on IDEA at LLNL can be found here.

For more information, see the Spring 2024 issue of AISES Winds of Change magazine.