Students from Indigenous cultures unite to build rockets and compete in NASA's First Nations Launch — while celebrating their culture and traditional native values.

AISES UW team after successfully recovering the launched rocket in Wisconsin on the day of the 2024 competition.

The UW Chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES UW) does more than encourage and support Indigenous students from across campus in their higher education journey. It provides a space for them to learn about and build rockets and ultimately participate in NASA’s First Nations Launch competition.

“As a team, we create meaningful friendships and bonds as we prepare to compete in the First Nations Launch,” says Brad Berbells, a senior in mechanical engineering. “Together, we learn about Indigenous cultures that we may not be familiar with and that is a unique opportunity.”  

With 15 members, the club is open to undergraduate and graduate students from Indigenous cultures, including First Nations, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Indigenous peoples in STEM fields. The club's mission is to increase representation of these cultures within STEM fields while promoting traditional native values.

The club’s work is centered around preparing for NASA’s First Nations Launch competition, for which they design, develop and fly a rocket. The club participates in one of three rocketry challenges, the Mars Engineering Challenge, with competition requirements that change yearly. This last year, it entailed designing and fabricating a rocket that deployed a drone at 2,500 feet and returning the rocket safely to the ground under control.

Each year, the students learn a wide variety of technical skills in preparation for the First Nations Launch. These include computer simulations, coding, composite manufacturing, machining, aerodynamics and rocketry principles. “It is incredibly valuable to see team members enhancing their project management and leadership skills,” says Colin Marquis, a third-year Ph.D. student in materials science and engineering (MSE).

During winter and spring quarters, as the competition approaches, the time commitment often increases for rocket manufacturing. In April, the team travels to Wisconsin to present their work in front of professionals and more than 25 schools from Canada and the United States.

In 2023, AISES UW secured first place in the Mars challenge and this year, in 2024, they won the Team Spirit award, Team Safety award and third place in the Mars challenge. Grace Pardini, a senior in aeronautics and astronautics, received the Best Team Leader award.

“Seeing months of work take flight feels amazing,” says Marquis. “It’s also fun to travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin for the competition with such a passionate group of engineers.”