Mariah Gladstone to Speak at Flagstaff Science Festival

This year, the Flagstaff Science Festival is excited to feature Mariah Gladstone, a prominent Indigenous food educator, scientist, and entrepreneur, as its keynote speaker. Her talk will kick off a ten-day STEM celebration in northern Arizona, focusing on the connections between ecology, culture, land management, and culinary science, all viewed through the lens of food.

Gladstone is well-known as the founder of Indigikitchen, a platform that blends Indigenous food, storytelling, and education. This initiative has gained national recognition and aims to inspire both Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences alike. With a solid background as an engineer and environmental scientist, she combines her academic knowledge with traditional ecological practices. Frankly, it’s a refreshing approach to science that uses cooking as a means to engage and educate.

Her core message? Food isn’t merely about nutrition; it serves as a vital link to people’s relationships with the land and their communities. It’s interesting how something so fundamental can also connect us to broader scientific concepts.