FSML: Laboratory Equipment Upgrade for Centre ValBio Rainforest Field Madagascar, Madagascar

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Centre ValBio is the only modern field station in all of Madagascar. Increasing research capacity and training through upgrades to technology and research equipment will in turn dramatically increase the amount and types of research, the number of researchers, and improve the efficiency, quality, and integration of research projects. The micro CT scanner alone will enable a path breaking method of looking at morphology of small vertebrates in three dimensions and enhancing capabilities to exchange data via high speed internet and directly connect to the international community through audiovisual updates will also increase the scientific impact. This acquisition of modern laboratory equipment and GIS capabilities will greatly add to Centre ValBio's ability to increase the quantity and quality of research conducted at the center and allows sharing the biodiversity, ecological, and mapping data with other scientists which broadens both scope and influence. The long term monitoring possible will have a substantial impact on our understanding of changes in Madagascar's tropical rainforest ecosystem over time.Centre ValBio engages people from a variety of backgrounds and experience including international researchers, professors and students. The equipment improvements will allow more researchers to work on more varied topics pertaining to biology and conservation, such as training programs being able to incorporate laboratory processing to their field protocols so that students can get a complete training of the application and integration of research projects. Bridging field and laboratory based research in the same location will be attractive for both students and researchers from a diversity of subdisciplines thus increasing and integrating research will ultimately produce higher quality projects. For example, undergraduates participating in Stony Brook University's Study Abroad in Madagascar program will be able to conduct research in the field, understand the process of going from raw field data, to laboratory data, to analysis, to publication, and be inspired to undertake and accomplish scientific research. Malagasy graduate students are also integral participants in Centre ValBio research and training and 27 years of capacity building has inspired many Malagasy to follow biodiversity careers, and these facility improvements will increase the number of Malagasy involved in modern research and assure their contribution to the international scientific community.For more information about Centre ValBio Field Station please visit: http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/centre-valbio/