CROWNPOINT, N.M. (April 23, 2026) – Navajo Technical University (NTU), Sandia National Laboratories, and Los Alamos National Laboratory are expanding a long-standing partnership that is transforming high-tech education and workforce development in the Navajo Nation.
What began more than a decade ago with a solar-powered wireless internet tower for NTU’s rural Crownpoint campus has grown into collaboration in engineering, advanced manufacturing, microelectronics, cybersecurity, and environmental physics.
“For a long time, it felt like we were always at the back of the train when new resources and technologies came out,” said Navajo Technical University President Elmer J. Guy. “By partnering with Sandia and Los Alamos, we’ve moved Navajo Technical University – and our students – up to the front. Our students are working on the same advanced equipment and research as peers at major universities, and they’re bringing that expertise back to serve the Navajo Nation.”
With support from Sandia, NTU has developed and achieved ABET accreditation for engineering bachelor’s degrees, allowing students to qualify for competitive internships and jobs at national laboratories and major employers. Each year, NTU students intern at Sandia and Los Alamos, working on projects in microelectronics, materials science, and national security, and many go on to find employment in these sectors.
NTU also offers a bachelor’s degree in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technology, master’s degrees in Electrical and Industrial Engineering, a PhD Degree in Electrical Engineering, and operates an advanced manufacturing and metrology lab that supports research partnerships with universities and industry. The university has launched a tribally owned enterprise to manufacture metal powder for 3D printing, responding to a growing national demand, and provides extensive hands-on equipment experience that attracts students from larger universities seeking lab access.
Current joint projects include development of a microelectronics training program aligned with national CHIPS and Science Act priorities; research into renewable batteries for electric vehicles that charge faster, last longer, and weigh less; cybersecurity and AI applications in manufacturing; and radon and uranium testing in partnership with Los Alamos to address environmental and public health concerns in Navajo communities.
“These collaborations show what’s possible when Tribal Colleges and Universities are full partners in our nation’s innovation economy,” said Ahniwake Rose, President and CEO of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. “Navajo Technical University is building a pathway from rural communities on the Navajo Nation straight into the heart of America’s microelectronics, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy sectors. That’s not just good for Native students – it’s good for the entire country.”
AIHEC and NTU continue to work with federal agencies, national laboratories, and industry partners to expand these efforts and to replicate successful models across Tribal Colleges and Universities nationwide
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