Chancellor Rose Tseng

Chamber Connection

November 2007

Island to host prestigious science conferences

During the month of November, hundreds of scientists, researchers and administrators are coming to our island to attend two impressive conferences.

The 20th annual Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) conference will be held in Waikoloa Nov. 6-9. EPSCoR is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program to develop a state’s academic science and technology resources in a way that supports the creation of wealth and enhances the life of the state’s citizens.

I’m proud that UH Hilo took the lead in 2001 and headed the drive to have Hawai‘i declared an EPSCoR state. I served first as chair and now as co-chair of the Hawai‘i EPSCoR State Committee that oversees and provides direction for the statewide program.

The program has brought over $40 million to the state for research in evolutionary genetics, ecosystem studies and cyber infrastructure. EPSCoR has greatly enhanced the research programs at UH Hilo, notably our graduate program in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Sciences. Other University of Hawai‘i academic and research programs throughout our state are also benefiting. The program also funds K-12 outreach programs to increase underrepresented populations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Many states competed to hold the national conference in their respective states but Hawai‘i won this year with the success of our program. As the principal investigator for the grant, I felt it very important to hold the annual conference here on our island so that its resources as a natural living laboratory and potential partnerships with community stakeholders could be highlighted.

The conference is a great opportunity for members of the Chamber to come and talk to top people about grant funding and policy making. Keynote speakers and panels include science policy and funding experts from the NSF, National Academy of the Sciences, Smithsonian, and others. One of the panels made up of philanthropists and venture capitalists will discuss venture philanthropy and private sector partnerships for science education and research.

UH President David McClain will be joining us and the opening keynote speaker is Edgy Lee, CEO and founder of FilmWorks Pacific. Maurice Kaya, chief technical officer at the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism will be on a panel discussing science policy at the state level.

Don’t miss this opportunity! For more information about EPSCoR, please call Terri Chong at 933-3325 or email admepscr@hawaii.edu. For conference details on the web, go to www.epscor07.com.

Another prestigious gathering on our island this month is the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems’ first annual conference Nov. 7-10 in Hilo. PISCES, with base offices at UH Hilo, is an education and research center developing technology for humans to inhabit the Moon and beyond!

PISCES is a partnership between UH Hilo, the State of Hawai‘i, industry, academia and the governments of space-faring nations, and will use our island’s remarkable volcanic setting for research, testing and astronaut training. The PISCES conference will be an excellent opportunity for space exploration researchers, educators and others to learn about the center, take part in the discussions and help steer its development.

For information about registration for EPSCoR and PISCES conferences, please call UH Hilo Conference Center at 974-7555.

These conferences will add much prestige to Hawai‘i’s scientific profile and enhance our efforts to develop a strong, viable research infrastructure in the state. When we all work together, great things can happen!

Aloha,

Rose Tseng