United tribes technical college project title: comprehensive research in engineering to advance technical and energy security (creates) project objectives: • objective 1: beginning in year one,…

The Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration awarded United Tribes Technical College $5 million on June 1, 2026, under the NNSA Minority Serving Institutions Program (CFDA 81.123) to execute the Comprehensive Research in Engineering to Advance Technical and Energy Security (CREATES) project through May 31, 2031.

CREATES will conduct six outreach activities annually to attract pre-college students to engineering, advance engineering student technical knowledge through on-site research projects, partner industry days, and off-site internships, and improve technical capacity across tribal college partners. By the end of year three, the project will enhance support for students transferring to ABET-accredited engineering programs by sharing information on national laboratory internship opportunities and funding local research activities mentored by national laboratory subject-matter experts. The project will also strengthen engineering curricula through mentorship and strategic partnerships with ABET institutions, with course additions designed to persist beyond the funding period.

Work is performed in Bismarck, North Dakota. The project is structured as a consortium operating across tribal college partners, though the source does not identify specific sub-recipients or itemize their funding allocations. The assistance type is a Project Grant with a five-year period of performance and reimbursable funding structure.

United tribes technical college project title: comprehensive research in engineering to advance technical and energy security (creates) project objectives: • objective 1: beginning in year one, creates consortium will participate in six outreach activities per year to attract pre-college students to the engineering field and to their respective engineering program. • objective 2: by the end of year two, creates will advance the technical knowledge of engineering students through (2.1) on-site research projects, (2.2) partner industry days, and (2.3) off-site student internships as evidenced by the number and type of activities and the number of students participating. • objective 3: by the end of year three, creates will improve the technical capacity at each tribal college as evidenced by records of completion and participation. • objective 4: by the end of year three, creates will enhance the support for tribal college students who transfer to an accreditation board for engineering and technology (abet) accredited engineering program by sharing (4.1) information on national labs opportunities for summer internships for students who transfer to an abet accredited engineering program will be provided and will be evidenced by participation in internships at the national labs and (4.2) by funding local research activities mentored by national lab smes at their current institution. • objective 5: by the end of year three, creates will enhance the engineering curriculum at both colleges through mentorship and strategic partnerships with abet-institutions. This will be evidenced by sustainable course additions that persist beyond this funding opportunity.