CITC’s fab lab recycles plastic, teaches STEM to Alaska Native youth

At the Cook Inlet Tribal Council’s Denełchin Lab in Anchorage, youth are turning recycled plastic into colorful creations while learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program, which has served over 1,000 students in a year, emphasizes hands-on learning through cultural connections, safety training and creative fabrication, according to Alaska Business.

Students sort plastic by color using Dena’ina words and shape the material into fish keychains, earrings, and even stools using lab equipment like 3D printers and plastic presses. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the STEM program aims to launch similar recycling labs in five rural Alaskan communities.