Skukuza Science Leadership Initiative: partnering research and science education

杜克大学和热带研究组织（OTS）获得了一笔赠款，用于在南非克鲁格国家公园的OTS校园内建造一个科学中心。OTS校园占地3英亩，位于公园总部和位于公园中心附近的Skukuza行政村。科学中心是OTS校园的重要组成部分，将由干湿实验室、计算机实验室和图书馆组成。学生和研究人员将使用急需的干湿实验室来研究克鲁格的现场样品，并将提供充足，清洁和温度/湿度控制的环境。长凳空间将提供给个人研究生、研究人员、IRES学生，以及用于课堂作业的小组长凳。此外，作为拨款的一部分，OTS将购买急需的设备，使学生能够从事植物生理学的关键基础知识。热带研究组织（OTS）是一个由近60所大学、学院和研究机构组成的非营利联盟，包括南非的威特沃特斯兰德大学和开普敦大学，它位于杜克大学。OTS成立于1963年，在热带地区的教育、研究和负责任的自然资源利用方面发挥领导作用。OTS科学中心将为参加OTS学期课程和暑期课程的美国本科生、参加NSF IRES项目的美国学生、在园区进行研究的美国研究生、本科生和研究人员提供服务。为期一个学期的课程，非洲生态与保护，是一个基于实地的项目，为学生提供进行独立研究的技能和经验。OTS还提供两个为期四周的全球健康暑期项目，并且通过NSF IRES项目，每年为美国学生提供与南非科学家一起指导研究的经验。新的实验室和图书馆将提高学生监测和分析植物和昆虫以及进行原始土壤分析的能力。学生还将从事长期、持续的大象对植物和动物多样性影响的研究；热带草原树木的授粉和传播，树-草的相互作用。此外，OTS还与一系列国际合作伙伴保持联系（卡内基研究所、佛罗里达大学、北卡罗来纳州立大学等）。鉴于Skukuza缺乏实验室设施，这些合作将继续进行。作为其更广泛影响的一部分，海外教育服务中心为当地院校开办了一系列专业培训课程。从本质上讲，OTS正在与当地生物多样性机构合作培训南非学生，包括南非国家生物多样性研究所（SANBI）、南非环境观测网（SAEON）。在美国人口中，OTS在培养来自科学领域代表性不足群体的本科生方面有着良好的记录。在过去的五年中，少数民族学生占所有OTS项目本科生的24%。科学中心不仅将大大扩展这些少数民族学生的研究经验，而且通过与当地社区成员的互动，大大扩展他们的国际经验。更多信息请访问以下网站：http://ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=321&Itemid=447

Duke University and the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) have been awarded a grant to construct a science center on the OTS campus in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The OTS campus is a three-acre site at the park headquarters and administrative village of Skukuza located near the center of the Park. The science center is a key part of the OTS campus and will consist of wet and dry laboratories, a computer laboratory, and a library. The much needed wet and dry laboratories will be used by students and researchers alike to work on field samples in Kruger and will provide adequate, clean, and temperature/humidity-controlled environment. Bench-space will be provided for individual graduate students, researchers, IRES students, as well as group benches for class work. Also, as part of the grant, OTS will purchase much-needed equipment to enable students to engage in the critical basics of plant physiology.The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is a non-profit consortium of nearly sixty universities, colleges, and research institutions, including South Africa's University of Witswatersrand and the University of Cape Town, and is located at Duke University. OTS was founded in 1963 to provide leadership in education, research, and the responsible use of natural resources in the tropics. The OTS science center will serve three constituencies: U.S. undergraduate students participating in OTS semester program and summer courses, U.S. students participating in an NSF IRES Program, and U.S. graduate students, undergraduates, and researchers conducting research in the Park. The semester-long program, African Ecology and Conservation, is a field-based program to provide students with the skills and experience to conduct independent research. OTS also offers two four-week summer-programs in Global Health, and through the NSF IRES Program, U.S. students each year are provided with mentored research experiences with South African scientists. The new laboratory and library will enhance the students' ability to monitor and analyze plants and insects and conduct crude soils analysis. Students also engage in OTS long-term, ongoing research on the effect of elephants on floral and faunal diversity; pollination and dispersal of savanna trees, tree-grass interactions. In addition, OTS maintains engagement with a range of international partners (Carnegie Institute, University of Florida, North Carolina State University to name a few). Given the paucity of laboratory facilities in Skukuza, these collaborations will continue. As part of its broader impact, OTS has run a range of specialist training courses for local institutions. In essence, OTS is partnering local biodiversity institutions in training South African students, including the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON).Within US populations, OTS has a strong record of training undergraduates from groups underrepresented in the sciences. Over the last five years, minority students have represented 24% of all undergraduates in OTS programs. The science center will not only greatly expand the research experience of these minority students, but greatly expand their international experience through interaction with members of local communities. For more information please visit the following website: http://ots.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=321&Itemid=447