Pan American Advanced Studies Institute: Advanced Training in Amphibian Population Decline Research; Costa Rica, January 2004

Natureserve, Arlington VA

Investigators

Abstract

0322375 Young This Pan-American Advanced Institutes (PASI) award on the topic of amphibian population decline, jointly supported by the NSF and the Department of Energy (DOE), will take place in La Selva, Costa Rica, in early January 2004. Organized by Dr. Bruce Young of NatureServe, the institute will involve approximately 30 students from the U.S. and Latin America and 15 well-known researchers as lecturers and mentors. The main goal is to increase understanding of current advances in research on amphibian population decline as well as identify needs for future research. The course will: 1) provide an up to date summary of current advances; 2) provide hands-on training in techniques necessary for studying the causes of amphibian declines; and 3) foster an environment of open communication among a cohort of students and senior researchers conducive to future collaboration. Results of the scientific program will be disseminated electronically on http://rana.biologia.ucr.ac.cr. By bringing together graduate/post-doc researchers with different cultural and biological backgrounds to focus on amphibian declines, the institute will help to satisfy a growing demand for training opportunities and, in the process, help to develop international collaborations in an important global concern.