The Norm Evans Lecture Series
Supported by the Dr. Norm Evans Endowment, this annual lecture brings distinguished individuals to CSU to speak on water management, education, and policy.
2026 Norm Evans Lecture & Film Screening
Join the Colorado Water Center and our partners for a special lecture and documentary film screening event at the Lory Student Center Theater on Thursday, November 12, 2026 beginning at 4:30 p.m.
RSVP at the following link to secure your spot!
November 12, 2026
Ernest House Jr. & Two Short Documentaries
The 2026 Norm Evans Lecture Series welcomes keynote speaker Ernest House, Jr., an enrolled member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and a leader in Native American affairs. He is the senior policy director and director for the Center for Tribal and Indigenous Engagement at the Keystone Policy Center, as well as co-director of the Water & Tribes Initiative.
The keynote lecture will be followed by two, short documentary film screenings: Rooted: A Story of Rematriation and River as Teacher. The screenings will be held in partnership with the Navajo Nation, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, the Montezuma Land Conservancy, Trees, Water & People, the National Park Service, USGS, and Western University.
The films feature Indigenous relationships with land and water: River as Teacher, on Navajo river monitoring and teachings in the Grand Canyon, and Rooted: A Story of Rematriation, which follows the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s journey toward land access and watershed restoration through the Traditional Harvest Project.
Both films will be screened simultaneously at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, and will feature post-screening Q&A panel discussions to foster a deeper connection between the audience and the films’ topics.
Ernest House, Jr.
Senior Policy Director and Director for the Center for Tribal and Indigenous Engagement at the Keystone Policy Center
Ernest House Jr. is an enrolled member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Towaoc, Colorado, and a leader in Native American affairs. He served as Executive Director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs (CCIA) for 12 years, fostering communication between Colorado’s tribal nations and state agencies, while maintaining government-to-government relations under Governors Owens, Ritter, and Hickenlooper. Currently, as Senior Policy Director and Director for the Center for Tribal and Indigenous Engagement at the Keystone Policy Center, he focuses on tribal consultation, energy, conservation, healthcare, natural resources, and cultural resource management. He also serves as co-director of the Water & Tribes Initiative.
Ernest is a Gates Family Foundation and German Marshall Memorial Fellow, and serves on various boards, including The Gates Family Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, National Western Center Authority, and the Telluride Institute. He is the son of the late Ernest House, Sr., a long-time tribal leader, and great-grandson of Chief Jack House, the last hereditary chief of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
Learn more about Ernest House Jr.’s work at Keystone Policy Center
About the Dr. Norm Evans Endowment
The Dr. Norm Evans Endowment, established by Ken and Ruth Wright of Wright Water Engineers, honors Norm Evans, director of the Colorado Water Center from 1967 to 1988. This annual lecture brings distinguished individuals to CSU to speak on water management, education, and policy.
Evans, a graduate of civil engineering at CSU, was the longest running director of the institute over its 50 year history. Ken Wright notes that Evans was loyal and dedicated to the institute: “He was certainly a champion for water research planning and programming,” says Wright. “He related well to other water use organizations and also to local, state, and federal government. He was well thought of at the state legislature, where he represented CSU with dignity.”
After the Federal Water Quality Act of 1965, Evans was a founding member of Colorado’s commission to establish and apply water quality standards. He is also known for his commitment to public service and historical preservation; he was involved with the Poudre Landmarks Foundation and took part in the preservation of the Avery House and the 1883 City Water Works in Fort Collins.
