Alex Brunson
Payne Institute Native American Mining and Energy Sovereignty (NAMES) Research Associate

Alex DakotaTomi Brunson is a geophysicist and research assistant with the Native American Mining and Energy Sovereignty (NAMES) Initiative at the Payne Institute for Public Policy at Colorado School of Mines. Rooted in her Mvskoke (Creek) identity, her work integrates geoscience, Indigenous knowledge systems, and community-led research to advance energy justice and Tribal self-determination. She holds an M.S. in Humanitarian Engineering and Science and a B.S. in Geophysical Engineering from Mines, with an honors minor in Public Policy.