Fort Lewis College to Host Indigenous-Focused Community Energy Symposium in 2027

Fort Lewis College plans to convene Indigenous leaders, energy professionals, and community stakeholders in spring 2027 for a Community Energy Symposium examining environmental justice, resource sovereignty, and community-led approaches to energy development in the Four Corners region.

The Durango institution secured a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to fund the work, which focuses on community responses to the surging global demand for critical minerals tied to the energy transition. The three-year project also received support from the FLC Provost Office and is co-led by three Fort Lewis faculty members: Michelle Larkins, an assistant professor of environment and sustainability; Kathy Hilimire, the department's chair and associate professor; and Carma Claw.

Hilimire described a research agenda that spans both technical and social terrain. "The multidisciplinary team is studying topics ranging from critical mineral recovery, acid mine drainage and waste rock to community engagement with critical mineral projects, and innovative ways of teaching about complex and controversial topics," she said.

The project is grounded in a long and complicated history. Energy and mining development has intersected with Tribal Nations for generations, at times causing environmental and health harms, and in other cases supporting economic development and self-determination. As demand for lithium, cobalt, and other minerals accelerates to support battery storage and renewable power, Indigenous communities are increasingly navigating those decisions as sovereign governments with their own histories and priorities.

Larkins tied the symposium directly to the college's internal commitments. "Hosting what we hope will be the first of many conversations on this topic at Fort Lewis College underscores the importance of intentional energy transitions to the Four Corners region, and a shared commitment to ensuring that our energy futures do not repeat the mistakes of our energy past," she said. "For our campus, this also reflects how we are connecting our research, curriculum, and engagement to the Reconciliation efforts of our 2030 Strategic Plan."

FLC Provost Mario Martinez framed the symposium as scholarship the college is singularly prepared to advance. "This symposium reflects the kind of scholarship Fort Lewis College is uniquely positioned to lead," Martinez said. "By bringing Indigenous leadership, business expertise, and environmental research into the same conversation, we are advancing rigorous academic inquiry while honoring our responsibility to engage these issues in ways that are grounded in community and history."

Specific dates, confirmed speakers, and registration details for the spring 2027 event have not yet been announced.