IEI IS AN ALL-INDIGENOUS GOVERNING INSTITUTION. OUR PROJECTS FOR NASA HEAT FOCUS ON ADVANCING NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS IN UNDER-REPRESENTED AND UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS OF NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS IN FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION. AT THE SAME TIME IEI S COLLABORATIVE PROCESS FOCUSES ON RELEVANT NATIVE AMERICAN SCIENCES INCLUDING NATIVE ASTRONOMY AND PERSPECTIVES REGARDING THE SUN.