About HPAIRI

High Plains American Indian Research Institute (HPAIRI)

The mission of the High Plains American Indian Research Institute at the University of Wyoming is to empower Tribal Nations by facilitating and providing access to cutting-edge research opportunities with the University of Wyoming. Given this mandate, HPAIRI's work is both interdisciplinary in nature and broad in scope.

Far from focusing on one specific discipline or area, HPAIRI aims to facilitate partnerships between Tribal Nations in the High Plains region and the world-class researchers at UW across a number of disciplines, departments, and academic programs.

In accomplishing this mission, HPAIRI’s work is generally divided into five core themes:

1. Strengthen and facilitate relationships between UW and Native American Tribal Nations;

2. Empower Tribal citizens through direct participation in the research enterprise;

3. Educate and inform students, faculty and stafff at the University of Wyoming, and people throughout public and private sectors of the State of Wyoming about opportunities to develop positive, constructive relationships with Indigenous peoples throughout the state and high plains region;

4. Develop, maintain and grow a repository for American Indian research; and

5. Maintain and thrive as a clearinghouse for establishing and maintaining research partnerships.