Karletta Chief, PhD, (Diné) is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona, and also the Director of the Indigenous Resilience Center. Chief is a hydrologist whose research focuses on climate change impacts on water resources and Indigenous people. She was a lead investigator for the University of Arizona Superfund Research Program on the 2015 gold King Mine spill, collaborating with Diné leaders to develop strategies for dealing with the impact. Chief grew up without electricity and running water, and as a first-generation graduate, works to increase the participation of Native Americans in STEM.
