New Jersey’s Next STEM Frontier: Learning from the Land’s First Scientists
Picture this: Thick smoke chokes the air as flames blaze closer toward homes, businesses, and forests. Firefighters battle the blaze, but it spreads too fast. In New Jersey’s Pine Barrens—one of the most fire-prone regions in the state—this is a growing concern.
Yet, just miles away, a different scene unfolds: An Indigenous land steward walks through the woods, setting controlled fires that clear dry brush, preventing catastrophe. These techniques, passed down for generations, have kept forests healthy and wildfires in check for centuries.
As wildfires rage worldwide, scientists are finally recognizing what Indigenous communities have long known: nature thrives when we work with it, not against it. In New Jersey, where forests cover nearly 40 percent of the land, controlled burns—practiced by the Lenape people long before European settlers arrived—are being reintroduced. Yet for too long, Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) have been dismissed in favor of Western methods that often do more harm than good. If these ancient methods address today’s biggest environmental and medical challenges, why has it taken so long to listen?
IKS is the deeply rooted scientific understanding developed over thousands of years. Unlike Western science, which relies on controlled experiments, IKS is based on long-term observation, oral tradition, and hands-on experience. It spans agriculture, medicine, climate, and conservation. The Three Sisters planting method—growing corn, beans, and squash together—naturally enriches soil and deters pests. More than 40 percent of modern medicines, including aspirin and malaria treatments, originate from Indigenous plant-based remedies. In California, scientists now embrace controlled burns, a practice Indigenous groups have used for millennia to prevent wildfires.
The Lenape understood New Jersey’s land better than anyone. They used fire to maintain open habitats, improve hunting grounds, and encourage the growth of berries and nuts. But for centuries, their expertise was ignored in favor of Western fire suppression—leading to an overgrowth of dry vegetation that fuels more destructive fires. Today, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is incorporating prescribed burns across more than 20,000 acres annually, helping to reduce fire risks and restore biodiversity. These efforts align with Indigenous land management techniques that have been used for centuries. Growing up, I heard stories about my parents' childhood in India, where local farmers used traditional knowledge to cultivate sustainable crops, conserve water, and protect biodiversity. My focus for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is rooted in this understanding: science isn’t just about innovation–it's about preservation.
The urgency to integrate IKS has never been greater. In January and February of this year, New Jersey experienced 215 wildfires, burning a total of 514 acres–compared to just 69 fires and 21 acres in the same period as last year. Nationwide, the stakes are even higher. In early 2025 alone, wildfire damage in California exceeded $250 billion, threatening homes, businesses, and lives. Climate change is worsening these disasters, yet we continue to ignore solutions that have existed for centuries. Despite its success, Indigenous knowledge is still overlooked or dismissed as folklore. Critics argue IKS lacks Western scientific rigor, but many Indigenous practices have already been validated. Indigenous-controlled burns are the most effective tools to prevent wildfires. Indigenous land stewardship protects 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity—a far stronger track record than many Western conservation efforts.
The issue isn’t just ignorance—it’s exclusion. Indigenous communities face land dispossession, lack of legal protections for their knowledge, and limited access to scientific institutions that often extract their knowledge without credit. While progress has been made, systemic change is needed.
New Jersey has an opportunity to lead. During NJ STEM Month, we should commit to expanding the definition of science to include IKS. State officials must collaborate with Indigenous leaders to expand controlled burn into conservation policies. Schools and universities should teach Indigenous science as part of STEM education, not just as history. Research institutions must ensure Indigenous experts receive recognition and protection, not appropriation. A truly forward-thinking STEM strategy means valuing all forms of scientific knowledge—especially those that have withstood the test of time.
We don’t need to choose between modern technology and Indigenous science—we need both. The crises we face today won’t be solved solely with technology alone. Sometimes, the most advanced solution is one that has been here all along.
Krishi Shah is a second-year student at the Honors College of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a 2025 Governor’s STEM Scholar. She aspires to enter the field of software and technology and, in the future, create a product and innovation that can change the shape of future STEM leaders.