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Portrait of Katrina Claw, PhD, courtesy of David Cournoyer, AISES.org.
Katrina Claw, PhD, associate professor of biomedical informatics at the University of Colorado Anschutz (CU Anschutz), has been named the 2026 Professional of the Year by the Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Society (AISES).
The award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and technical achievement, honors Claw’s work advancing genomic research while centering Indigenous sovereignty, trust and culturally appropriate data stewardship. Claw’s work spans precision medicine, pharmacogenomics and efforts to build more ethical and inclusive approaches to genetics research with Indigenous communities.
AISES specifically cited the breadth of Claw's work. “She is a key architect of frameworks for ethical genomic research with Indigenous communities, including widely cited models that emphasize sovereignty, trust-building, and culturally appropriate data stewardship,” said AISES on the award page. “With various partners, she has done significant work in defining Diné cultural dimensions of health research–including creating a Diné glossary of 200+ genetics and genomics terms.”
We sat down with Claw to learn more about the AISES award and the projects defining her recognition:
What is AISES, and what do they do?
AISES is a national nonprofit organization focused on substantially increasing the representation of Indigenous peoples of North America and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and careers.
In the Native sphere, AISES is well known, and the conference is often one of the only spaces where Native scientists and professionals can gather and network with other Native folks, which is so important for recruitment, retention, and long-term wellness in the sciences. They connect at all levels—from middle school/high school to faculty stages.
What is this award, and what does it mean to you?
The AISES Professional of the Year award was created to recognize achievements in science, technology, engineering, and math. The awardees are perpetual learners and visionaries, empower their organizations and communities, and are trailblazers producing innovation and inspiration. I am truly grateful for this recognition. This reflects the hard work of everyone who helped along the way—my research team, my own community and the communities I work with and my family.
Can you elaborate on the glossary of the Diné glossary? What was the motivator, and how did you support this project?
The creation of the Glossary of Genomic Terminology in the Navajo Language (Dahináanii Be’iiná Bitł’ool Yee Hadít’éhígíí T’áá Át’é Dinéjí Saad Ałkéé’ Noodah) was a long-term project led by myself and my colleague, Nanibaa’ Garrison, PhD at UCLA, that arose because of community needs.
The Diné community wanted more resources for learning about genetics and genomics, and because of this need, we wrote a NARCH (Native American Research Centers for Health) pilot grant (a part of the larger NARCH grant awarded to Diné College, a tribal college on the Navajo Nation) that funded various educational products tailored for the Diné community.
Many members of the Diné tribe speak our Native language and it is our hope that this work will honor and revitalize our language. As the project lead, my role was to put together an amazing team to create the work and to ensure the final product was published and distributed to Navajo people and educational institutions. We have sent out over 500 copies of the final book to libraries, schools, and colleges across the Navajo Nation, and given out many copies to the Navajo community at conferences and community events. Other educational works include digital stories that explain genetic research from Diné perspectives and a soon-to-be published Navajo cultural framework on genomic research.
Can you share about your participation in the AISES Lighting the Pathway initiative?
I was in one of the original cohorts of the AISES Lighting the Pathway to Faculty Careers for Natives in STEM program, and was a postdoc at the time. The program aimed to create an intergenerational community of undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior and senior faculty members. This full circle of support helped guide students to successful degree completion and advancement to the next stage on the academic career path. My mentor for the 2-years of the program was Timberley Roane, PhD at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver). I absolutely credit her with putting the University of Colorado on my radar, and connecting me with the amazing folks at CU Anschutz (including my former Chair). Without her support and guidance, I don’t know where I’d be right now.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the organization or projects you are working on that relate to this award?
AISES has always been such a powerful source of inspiration and community for Native scholars. I'm so grateful for the connections I've made here and genuinely thrilled to keep being a part of this amazing family.
