The National Tropical Botanical Garden and the University of Hawai’i have joined forces to improve the quality of scientific research, education and conservation of tropical plants in the United States. The two parties signed an agreement yesterday that would allow
The National Tropical Botanical Garden and the University of Hawai’i have joined forces to improve the quality of scientific research, education and conservation of tropical plants in the United States.
The two parties signed an agreement yesterday that would allow both to collaborate in these areas and more: joint research and curriculum development projects, use of resources, faculty exchange and awarding of academic credit through the university.
The agreement would ensure NTBG will remain a world-class research facility, according to Dr. Paul Alan Cox, Ph.D., director of NTBG.
“We will have a world class scientific operation here. Scientists will come from all over the world to be trained in tropical botany,” Cox said.
NTBG was chartered by Congress in 1964 to be a resource for tropical botany in the United States.
UH and NTBG plan to have a scanning electronmicroscope facility located at a NTBG facility that would allow college students and possibly high school students study plants and other organisms, Cox said.
The equipment, which would have magnification that is superior to that of other microscopes for the study of plants, would be the only one of its kind on Kaua’i, Cox said.
The agreement also will facilitate NTBG’s training of teachers from kindergarten to the 12th grade and help students develop new approaches in studying botany, Cox said.
Cox cited other benefits:
– The NTBG faculty of science, education and conservation can be granted faculty status at the university and UH faculty will receive reciprocal status at NTBG.
– UH and NTBG can share the use of libraries, laboratories, collections and equipment to facilitate teaching, lessons and research.
– UH AND NTBG can sponsor conferences, staff training and research expeditions.
– UH students can serve as horticultural interns or as graduate research assistants to NTBG faculty and staff, working on joint enthnobotanical, taxonomic, horticultural and conservation projects.3
– The NTBG and UH can pursue working relationships with other academic institutions.
Dr. Namulauulu Tavana, director of education at NTBG, was credited with playing a big role in bringing about the agreement, which has been under serious consideration for the past two to three months.
Tavana said he began talks with the Kaua’i Community College, part of the UH system, about the collaboration two years ago to help enhance NTBG’s operations and upgrade teaching and research capabilities at NTBG.
The agreement will remain in effect for five years, but could be amended if approved by NTBG and the university.
NTBG operates two tropical gardens in Lawa’i, a garden at Limahuli on the North Shore, a garden on Maui and another garden in Florida.
