Tupper seminar
No seminar scheduled for
Tuesday, January 3.
Bambi seminar
Thursday, January 6, Bambis
seminar speaker will be Egbert
Giles Leigh, Jr., STRI
Madagascar
Arrivals
Davin Lopez, University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Jan 2 -
Feb 6, to study meta popula-
tions in a fragmented tropical
forest, in Gamboa.
Twenty six students from
McGill University, to partici-
pate in the Field Study Semes-
ter, Jan 2 - Apr 30.
Twenty seven students and
instructor David Wilcove,
Princeton University, Jan 3 -
Apr 20, to participated in
Tropical Ecology Field Course
Eeb521.
Wayne Sousa and assistants
Christopher Hayden, Rebecca
Michelle Lutzy, Brody Sandel,
and Catherine Searle, Univer-
sity of California at Berkeley,
Jan 3-15, to study patterns and
mechanisms of canopy tree
regeneration in a Caribbean
mangrove forest, at Galeta.
Randy Moore, Oregon State
University, Jan 3 - 25, to at-
tend Avian Ecology Field
Course, on BCI.
Jason Daul, University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Jan 3-27,
to study the life history strate-
gies of a highly specialized
tropical lizard, in Gamboa.
Scott Mangan, Indiana Uni-
versity, Jan 3 - Jul 15, to carry
out the project ?Do neotropi-
cal rodents influence forest
regeneration by dispersing
spores or arbuscular
 STRI news
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panam?        www.stri.org    December 31, 2004
Year in review
At STRI we inaugurated
2004 with a major event that
promoted, and still is
promoting STRI research on
the Isthmus of Panama to a
highly impressionable audience:
young students from the 4th to
9th grades. Nearly two million
students in the US, Panama,
and the World explored tropical
forests guided by scientists in a
transmission via Internet with
Jason XV: Rainforests at the
Crossroads, from January 26
through February 6. To launch
the Jason XV expedition,
oceanographer Bob Ballard,
Titanic discoverer and founder
of the Jason Foundation for
Education, came to Panama.
Also, among this year's 800
visiting scientists were J. Craig
Venter, first sequencer of the
human genome, Jeremy
Sabloff, director of the
Museum of Archaeology and
Anthropology at the University
of Pennsylvania, John Day,
director of the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority,
and many other distinguished
scholars. STRI hosted a
number of congresses and
symposia in Panama, and co-
hosted others in Taiwan and
Brazil. We received
philanthropists Kenneth E.
Behring, Glenn Tupper and
family; and Panama's first lady
Vivian de Torrijos, tourism
minister Ruben Blades,
National Assembly deputies,
members of the diplomatic
corps, a group of 44
international science reporters
on BCI, and many more. To
facilitate these visits STRI
appointed Tupper Center
administrator Audrey M. Smith,
an experienced planer and
manager, to the position of
Special Events coordinator.
Resident and visiting
scientists' and students?
research at our facilities in
various marine and terrestrial
ecosystems, resulted this year in
325 publications, many of
which were further publicized
by Science Now, News@Nature,
SCB Services, Reuters, CBC News,
BBC, and The Economist, The New
York Times, Washington Post, Los
Angeles Times and many more.
One example is the recent
article by Jos? Iriarte et al  in
Nature  that has generated
reviews in English, Spanish,
German, Italian, Portuguese,
Polish, Czeck, French, and
Chinese! On the other hand, the
lay audiences are attracted to
our public programs on Culebra
(50,737 visitors), BCI (4,323),
Galeta (6,887) and Bocas del
Toro, highlighted in our new
402-page web site launched in
July by webmaster Harold
Maduro, who worked hand in
hand with staff scientists and
STRI communicators.
In order to strengthen our
research baseline, we recruited
soil biologist Benjamin Turner,
Glenn Tupper and family           Bob Ballard                                  J. Craig Venter
More arrivals
Gregory Adler, University of
Wisconsin, Jan 3-18, to study
the diversity and abundance of
rodents, in Gamboa.
Larissa Albrecht, volunteer
from the University of Ulm,
Germany, Jan 3 - Apr 3, to
work with Elisabeth Kalko, on
BCI.
Christopher Mullins, CTFS fel-
low from the University of
Aberdeen, Scotland, Jan 3-31, to
develop a protocol to character-
ize soil drought stress for use in
within-and among-site compari-
sons of the CTFS forest dynam-
ics plots, on BCI.
Charlotte Jander, Upsala Uni-
versity, Sweden, Jan 4 - Aug 31,
to study plant sanctions and
wasp pollination behavior in fig-
fig wasp mutualisms, on BCI.
Sohinee Mazumbar, NEO fel-
low from McGill University, Jan
4 - Sep 4, to work on remote
sensing for sustainable agricul-
ture, at Tupper.
Rebekah Rogers, volunteer
from the University of Georgia,
Jan 5 - May 10, to work with
Patricia Gotoway, in Gamboa.
Oscar Puebla, NEO doctoral
fellow from McGill University,
Jan 5 - Aug 31, to study molecu-
lar ecology and evolution in the
genus Hypoplectrus, at Tupper.
Ghislain Rompre, Universite
Laval, Canada, Jan 5 - Apr 1, to
work on a project to predict
change in distribution of avian
diversity across an endangered
tropical landscape, the Panama
Canal corridor, at Tupper and
BCNM.
Mats Gustafsson, University of
Aarhus, Denmark, Jan 5 - 25, to
collaborate with Klaus Winter,
at Tupper.
Herbert Sedelmier                      Dolores Piperno                       Richard Cookle and
                                                                                                                       Jeremy Sabloff
and conducted an
international search for a
paleobiologist. STRI granted
137 research fellowships this
year, and received gifts and
grants for almost $5 million,
and an additional $11.5
million in pledge
commitments, to further our
research projects.
Director Ira Rubinoff and
staff scientist Mary Jane
West-Eberhard were invited
as speakers at the Ernst Mayr
centennial celebration at
Harvard University. Staff
scientists Haris Lessios,
Dolores Piperno and William
F. Laurance were elected
fellows of the American
Association for the
Advancement of Science
(AAAS), and botanist Mireya
Correa was recognized as one
of Panama's most meritorious
women, by the University of
Panama.
Fernando Pascal, former
assistant director of STRI?s
Office of Facilities Engineering
and Operations (OFEO)
became associate director for
Facilities, while Herbert 
Sedelmier, previously with the
private sector, was appointed
new manager for Design and
Construction. Rodrigo Ramirez
was recruited as legal counselor
to replace Natacha Chandler.
We also lost BCI's
administrator Daniel Mill?n to
cancer this month.
We saw countless individual
achievements this year among
researchers and other members
of the staff. However, as
director Rubinoff highlighted
during his Holidays'message,
?the clue to our success is team
work, and dedication in the
pursue of scientific curiosity.
The STRI family can be very
proud for their
accomplishments.?
En STRI inauguramos el 2004
con un evento de grandes
proporciones que promovi? y
sigue promoviendo las
investigaciones de STRI en el
Istmo de Panam? ante una
audience altamente
impresionable: j?venes
estudiantes de cuarto a noveno
grados. Cerca de dos millones
de estudiantes en los EU,
Panam? y el mundo exploraron
bosques tropicales guiados por
cient?ficos en una transmissi?n
via internet con Jason XV:
Bosques tropicales en la encrucijada,
del 26 hasta el 6 de febrero. El
ocean?grafo Bob Ballard, quien
descubri? el Titanic y cre? la
Fundaci?n Jason para la
Educaci?n vino a Panam? para
inaugurar Jason XV.  Entre los
800 cient?ficos visitantes de este
a?o tambi?n est?n J. Craig
Venter, quien decifr? la
primera secuencia del genoma
humano, Jeremy Sabloff,
director del Museo de
Arqueolog?a y Antropolog?a de
la Universidad de Pennsylvania,
John Day, director de la
Autoridad del Parque Marino
de la Gran Barrera de Arrecifes,
y muchos otros acad?micos
distinguidos. STRI patrocin?
varios congresos y simposios
en Panam?, y co-patrocin?
otros en Taiwan y Brazil.
Recibimos a los fil?ntropos
Kenneth E. Behring y Glenn
Tupper y familia; a la primera
dama de Panam? Vivian de
Torrijos, al ministro de
Turismo Rub?n Blades,
diputados de la Asamblea
Nacional, miembros del cuerpo
diplom?tico, un grupo de 44
periodistas cient?ficos
internacionales en BCI, y
muchos m?s. Para facilitar
estas visitas, STRI asign? a la
administradora de Tupper
Audrey M. Smith,
experimentada planeadora y
organizadora, en la posici?n
de coordinadora de Eventos
Especiales.
Las investigaciones que
llevan a cabo investigadores
permanentes de STRI,
cient?ficos visitantes y
estudiantes en nuestras
instalaciones? situadas en
diversos ecosistemas
terrestres y marinos?dieron
como resultado 325
publicaciones este a?o,
muchas de las cuales
recibieron publicidad
posterior por Science Now,
News@Nature, SCB Services,
Reuters, CBC News, BBC, y 
More arrivals
Ilka Ferrer, Karen McKee, Anne
Chamberlain, Christian Mckeon,
SI's Environmental Research
Center (SERC), Jan 5-19, to
study the patterns of nutrient
limitation in mangrove ecosys-
tems in the Caribbean at three
field stations in SI's Marine Sci-
ence Network, on Bocas. The
project will be joined by Rachel
Borgatti and Judith O?Neil,
from Jan 6-25.
David Combosch, University of
Duisburg-Essen, Germany, Jan
5 - Jul 17, for an evaluation of
genetic and ecological differ-
ences between morph types of
Pocillopora sp. Of the Panama-
nian Pacific coast, at Naos.
Kerstin Poltz, University of
Wuerzburg, Jan 6 - May 6, to
conduct the project ?Is there a
typical epiphyte assemblage in
secondary habitats?? on BCI.
Dennis Whigham and Melissa
McCormick, SERC, Jan 6-9, to
gather preliminary data on
epiphytic orchids, in Gamboa.
Samantha Joye and Wildred Ro-
driguez, volunteers from the
University of Georgia, to work
with Ilka Feller, on Bocas.
Jacalyn Giacalone and Greg
Willis, Montclair University, Jan
6 ? Feb 10, to study mammalian
population fluctuations in rela-
tion to fruit crop, on BCI.
Gerhard Zotz, University of
Basel, Switzerland, Jan 6-16, to
continue research on the ecol-
ogy of tropical epiphytes and
study demographic changes
along an environmental gradient
in a tank bromeliad, on BCI.
Brenda Larison and assistants
Pablo Martinez, Caroline Collins
and Erica Larison, University of
California at Los Angeles, Jan 7
- Apr 30, to study the factors
influencing habitat selection and
tactics in a tropical damselfly in
Gamboa.
January b'days
Krysta R?os 2
Fernando Pascal 4
Rafael Batista 5
V?ctor Quintana 6
Carlos Guevara 7
Seberino Vald?s 8
Julia Areas 8
Roris De Gracia 9
William F. Laurance 12
Jos? Gonz?lez 15
Alexis Hern?ndez 17
Omar Hern?ndez 17
S. Joseph Wright 17
Jos? S?nchez 18
Enrique Marciaga 19
Karel Mu?oz 19
Mirza Murillo 19
Christopher Ros 19
Sebasti?n Bernal 20
Alicia Ramos 21
Alfredo De Le?n 23
Jos? Monteza 26
Carlos A. Vergara 27
Sixto Ballesteros 28
Miriam Medina 28
Roxana Dur?n 28
Agapito Gonz?lez 29
Noris Salazar 30
Eyda G?mez 31
Miscellaneous
Two rooms for rent in house
in Ancon, 10-min. walk from
Tupper. Big house, furnished,
very quiet, spacious veranda,
24h security, cleaning service.
All inclusive $250/room per
month. Interested please call
Renate Sponer at 232-8729 or
510-9177.
Albrook apartment for rent,
two bedrooms, one bath,
furnished. Quiet
neighborhood. Available
immediately $600. Interested
please call Chimene at 276-
6621 or cel. 674-6621
Security number
212-82211
The Economist, The New York
Times, Washington Post, Los
Angeles Times  y muchos otros.
Un ejemplo es el reciente
art?culo de Jos? Iriarte et al, en
Nature, que ha generado
noticias en ingl?s, espa?ol,
alem?n, italiano, portugu?s,
polaco, checo, franc?s y
chino. Por otro lado, las
audiencias no cient?ficas son
atraidas por los programas
p?blicos de STRI en Culebra
(50,737 visitantes), BCI
(4,323), Galeta (6,887) y Bocas
del Toro, que fueron muy
destacados por el nuevo sitio
de web de STRI de 402
p?ginas, lanzado en julio por
el webmaster Harold Maduro,
quien trabaj? en coordinaci?n
con cient?ficos y
comunicadores de STRI.
Con el objetivo de
reforzar la plataforma de
investigaciones, reclutamos al
bi?logo de suelos Benjam?n
Turner, y se llev? a cabo una
b?squeda internacional para
emplear un paleobi?logo.
STRI otorg? 137 becas este
a?o, y recibimos donaciones
por cerca de $5 millones y el
compromiso de otros $11.5
millones, para adelantar los
proyectos de investigaci?n.
El director Ira Rubinoff y
la cient?fica Mary Jane West-
Eberhard fueron invitados
como conferencistas en el
centenario de Ernst Mayr en
la Universidad de Harvard.
Los cient?ficos Haris Lessios,
Dolores Piperno y William F.
Laurance fueron elegidos
miembros de la Asociaci?n de
los Estados Unidos para el
Avance de la Ciencia (AAAS)
y la bot?nica Mireya Correa
fue reconocida como una de
las mujeres m?s meritorias de
Panam?, por la Universidad
de Panam?.
Fernando Pascal, ex-
director adjunto de la Oficina
de Ingenier?a y Operaciones
(OFEO) fue promovido a
director Associado de
Instalaciones, mientras que
Herbert Sedelmier, del sector
privado, fue seleccionado
como nuevo gerente de
OFEO. Roberto Ram?rez fue
contratado como nuevo
asesor legal en reemplazo de
Natacha Chandler, y perdimos
al administrador de BCI,
Daniel Mill?n, quien muri? de
c?ncer este mes.
Hemos sido testigos de
incontables logros
individuales este a?o entre
investigadores y otros
miembros del personal. Sin
embargo, como destac? el
director Ira Rubinoff en su
mensaje de las fiestas de fin
de a?o, ?la clave de nuestro
?xito es el trabajo de equipo, y
la dedicaci?n en la b?squeda
motivada por la curiosidad
cient?fica. La familia de STRI
debe sentirse orgullosa por
sus logros.?
STRI celebrated its Holidays' party on Friday, December 17,
at the Tupper Center?Happy New Year to all!
STRI celebr? las festividades de fin de a?o el viernes, 17 de
diciembre, en el Centro Tupper??Feliz A?o Nuevo a todos!