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Donald C. Katt, president of SUNY Ulster, announced a new affiliation with two SUNY colleges and an educational foundation in Brazil.
"Since 2007, SUNY Ulster has worked to establish a permanent biological research station in the State of Amazonas in Brazil. I am pleased to announce that goal has been attained," he said.
Acting upon SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher's Six Big Ideas and notions of shared services and systemness, Ulster County Community College's Biology Department and SUNY Oswego's Global Laboratory have joined forces. In January of 2013, Richard Cattabiani and Dr. Cleane Mederios, faculty members from SUNY Ulster and SUNY Oswego respectively, traveled to Novo Airão to be installed on the board of directors of Fundação Almerinda Malaquias. This foundation has built and maintains several permanent field stations in the State of Amazonas.
"The new alliance forged by SUNY Ulster and SUNY Oswego will enable students and faculty from all SUNY colleges and universities to benefit from a permanent facility for scientific expeditions to the Amazon Rain Forest," Deborah F. Stanley, president at SUNY Oswego said.
SUNY Ulster and SUNY Oswego have already discussed opportunities with faculty from SUNY Albany, Cortland, Plattsburgh and Genesee Community College.
"As our students and faculty pursue environmental research with colleagues in Brazil, they will make discoveries and build international ties that hold great promise for the future," Stanley added.
Novo Airão is a UNESCO World Heritage site so designated for its natural significance. During their January visit, the SUNY faculty members also met with the Mayor of the City of Novo Airão to promote a system to sustain efforts already begun by Fundação Almerinda Malaquias to support ecological education in the city's public schools.
SUNY Ulster will be offering its 16th "BIO106: Tropical Field Ecology" course in Brazil this summer from June 3-15. SUNY Oswego and SUNY Ulster are planning a combined course in Brazil in 2014.
