STRI participates in futuristic museum David L. Evans STRI news Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panam? www.stri.org September 20, 2002 STRI scientists Annette Aiello, Eldredge Bermingham, Richard Cooke, Mireya Correa, Luis D'Croz, Stanley Heckadon, Ira Rubinoff and Cristi?n Samper, with researchers from the University of Panama, George Angher, SI, Gwen Keller, Oris Sanjur, STRI, Beth King, Argelis Ruiz and Jorge Ventocilla from the Office of Education, and Anna Lisa Porras, Fundaci?n Smithsonian de Panam?, are participating in the brainstorming sessions to define the preliminary content of the exhibits to be displayed at the Panama Museum of Tropical Biodiversity. This museum is being designed by architect Frank Gehry, and will be constructed on the Pacific coast of Panama City, in the Amador area. The Panamanian government recently established a $40 million line of credit for the Amador Foundation, created to carry out the project. STRI is exploring the terms of a long-term relationship with Fundaci?n Amador, that will allow us to participate in the museum's educational programs as well as provide a window for international museum visitors to STRI's research. Los cient?ficos de STRI Annette Aiello, Eldredge Bermingham, Richard Cooke, Mireya Correa, Luis D'Croz, Stanley Heckadon, Ira Rubinoff y Cristi?n Samper, junto con investigadores de la Universidad de Panam?, George Angher, SI, Gwen Keller, Oris Sanjur, STRI, Beth King, Argelis Ruiz y Jorge Ventocilla de la Oficina de Educaci?n y Anna Lisa Porras, de la Fundaci?n Smithsonian de Panam?, est?n participando en las sesiones de lluvia de ideas para definir el contenido preliminar de las exhibiciones que se presentar?n en el Museo de Biodiversidad Tropical de Panam?. El arquitecto Frank Gehry est? dise?ando este museo, que ser? construido en la costa del Pac?fico de la ciudad de Panam?, en el ?rea de Amador. El gobierno paname?o estableci? reciementemente una l?nea de cr?dito por $40 millones para la Fundaci?n Amador, la cual fue creada para llevar a cabo el proyecto. STRI est? explorando los t?rminos de una relaci?n a largo plazo con la Fundaci?n Amador, que nos permita participar en los programas educativos del museo, y que logre que los visitantes internacionales del museo tengan una ventana a las investigaciones de STRI Upcoming special visitors This month, STRI is hosting a number of VIP officials. This week-end, Richard Rortvedt, US Department of Agriculture liason with the Internamerican Development Bank is visiting BCI and the research site of STRI's Native Species Reforestation Project (PRORENA) in the Panama Canal Watershed. Deputy director Cristi?n Samper and Emilio Mariscal, PRORENA coordinator will serve as STRI hosts during this visit. Also visiting BCI this week-end are charg? d?affaires a.i. Christopher McMullen and Mrs. McMullen, and chief of mission a.i. Don Terpstra, from the US Embassy in Panama. They will be hosted by Samper, and will meet with researchers and students on the island. Later this month, we are expecting the visit of David L. Evans, new SI under-secretary for Science and senior consultants from the National Academy of Public Adaministration, who will visit the facilities and meet with scientists and administrators. For more information please contact Gloria Jovan?, at the Director's Office. Tupper seminar Tue, Sep 24, noon seminar speaker will be Eldredge Bermingham, STRI The evolutionary and biogeographic assembly of two Neotropical faunal communities: birds of the Lesser Antilles and freshwater fish of Central America Bambi seminar Thu, Sep 26, Bambi seminar speaker will be Allen Hurlbert, University of New Mexico Experimental community ecology using Panamanian Drosophila: searching for general principles Arrivals STRI staff scientist William Wcislo, returns to Panama on Sep 23, after spending a sabbatical year in the US. David Reznick, University of California at Riverside, Sep 23 - Oct 31, to study the evolution of placentas in the fish family Poeciliidae, at Naos and Darien. Nicholas Isaac, Institute of Zoology, UK, Sep 23 - Dec 24, to study the abundance of tropical butterflies, in Gamboa. Lloyd Godson, Elektra-Noreste fellow from the University of Queensland, Australia, Sep 23 - Oct 13, to study long term re- covery of mangrove forests fol- lowing two large oil spills at Bahia Las Minas, at Galeta. Franz Kuemmeth, Germany, Sep 24 - Dec 24, to work with Martin Wikelski, at STRI?s auto- mated telemetry project, on BCI Norman Duke, former STRI staff scientist now at the Uni- versity of Queensland, Sep 26- Oct 6, to continue long-term assesment of mangrove after the 1986 oil spill, at Galeta. STRI in the news ?Los tesoros de Galeta? by Eva Aguilar. La Prensa, September 15: 1B. ?Del Caribe al laboratorio? by Eva Aguilar. La Prensa, September 15: 1B. ?El inquieto azulejo? by Jorge Ventocilla. La Prensa, September 15: 8A For sale Filtro para monitor de computa- doras, 14", 3M. $30. Favor comunicarse con Amalia Herrera. Water-wheeler 3+seat paddle boat (space for battery or cooler), great for long-standing hours in the water (like new). Interested e- mail: calderom@tivoli.si.edu (New: $1400. Will consider best offer). Este mes, STRI est? recibiendo un n?mero plural de visitantes ?VIP?. Este fin de semana, Richard Rortvedt enlace entre el Departmento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo visita BCI y el sitio de estudios del Proyecto de Reforestaci?n con Especies Nativas (PRORENA) de STRI, en la Cuenca del Canal de Panam?. El subdirector Cristi?n Samper y Emilio Mariscal, coordinador de PRORENA, los acompa?ar?n durante el recorrido. Tambi?n nos visitar? el encargado de negocios a.i. de la Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Panam? Christopher McMullen y Sra., y el jefe de misi?n de dicha embajada, Don Terpstra. A finales de mes estamos esperando la visita de David L. Evans, nuevo sub-secretario de Ciencias del Smithsonian, y consultores de la Academia Nacional de Administraci?n P?blica de los Estados Unidos, que visitar?n nuestras instalaciones y se reunir?n con cient?ficos y administrativos. Para m?s informaci?n favor comunicarse con Gloria Jovan?, en la Oficina del Director de STRI. Call for papers STRI, its Native Species Reforestation Project (PRORENA), Yale University, and Ecoforest (Panam?) S.A. are calling for papers to be presented at the Second Annual Meeting of Native Species Reforesters, to be held on Friday, November 15, at the Tupper Center. The objective of the meeting is to exchange and disseminate information related to the management and social, economic, and environmental impacts of native species reforestation efforts in Panama and Central America, and to explore opportunities for new collaborations to address critical research needs. Interested please send a 300-word abstract to Emilio Mariscal at mariscale@tivoli.si.edu, tel 212-8235, before October 10. More information at www.prorena.org. STRI, su Proyecto de Reforestaci?n con Especies Nativas (PRORENA), la Universidad de Yale, y Ecoforest S.A. (Panam?) invitan a la comunidad de STRI a participar con presentaciones, en el Segundo Encuetro Anual de Reforestadores con Especies Nativas, que se llevar? a cabo en el Centro de Conferencias Earl S. Tupper, el viernes 15 de noviembre de 2002. El objetivo de este encuentro es fortalecer, compartir y diseminar el conocimiento sobre temas cr?ticos de desarrollo e investigaci?n forestal, mediante el intercambio de informaci?n y colaboraci?n profesional. Los interesados en presentar expositicones o afiches deben enviar un resumen de 300 palabras aproximadamente a Emilio Mariscal at mariscale@tivoli.si.edu tel. 212-8235) antes del 10 de octubre. Para mayor informaci?n visite www.prorena.org More arrivals Michaela Hau and Katherine Beebe, Princeton University, Sep 27 - Oct 10, to study the reproduction, territoriality and hormones in a rainforest bird model system, in Gamboa. Susanne Lockhart, short- term fellow from the University of California at Santa Cruz, Sep 28 - Dec 22, to study the mitochondrial DNA divergences in relation to death in sea urchins on either side of the Isthmus of Panama, at Naos. Departures H?ctor Guzm?n, Sep 21 - Oct 5, to Costa Rica, to continue research on coral reefs. Egbert G. Leigh, Jr., Sep 21 - Oct 26, to Washington DC, to consult with colleagues at SI and to other cities to present seminars. Cristi?n Samper, Sep 23-29, to Ft. Pierce, FL, to visit the SI Marine Laboratory and attend discussions on the Marine Sciences Network. Then to Washington DC, to attend meetings of the Global Environmental Facility, UNEP. Olga F. Linares, Sep 24 - Oct 13, to New Delhi, India, to attend a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the International Plant Genetics Resources Institute (IPGRI), then to Rajasthan to visit IPGRI sites. William F. Laurance, Sep 24- 27, to Princeton, at the invitation of Princeton University, to present seminars. More departures Penny Barnes, Sep 27 - Oct 7, to Toronto, to attend meetings of the Executive Committee of the Society for Intergrative and Comprative Biology, then to Victoria, Canada, to work at the Institute of Ocean Sciences. New publications Cahaparro, O.R., Charpentier, J.L., and Collin, Rachel. 2002. "Embryonic velar structure and function of two sibling apecies of Crepidula with different modes of development." Biological Bulletin 203: 80-86. Collin, Rachel. 2002. "Another last word on Crepidula convexa with a description of C. ustulatulina n. sp. (Gastropoda: Calyptraeidae) from the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Florida." Bulletin of Marine Science 70(1): 177-184. Dominici Arosemena, Arturo, Molina-Ure?a, Helena, Cort?s N??ez, Jorge, and Brugnoli-Olivera, Ernesto. 2001. "Population structure of the Cortez Rainboy wrasse (Thalassoma lucasanum) in an exploited area in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Abstracts of the Second International Conference on Marine Ornamentals: 161- 162. Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Laurance, William F. 2002. "Good and bad news on green timber." Trends in Ecology and Evolution 17(10): 455. Ventocilla, Jorge. 2002. "El 'pescadito de plata'. La Prensa (September 8): 8A.