Pacific Science Association

We are very pleased to announce that the 11th Pacific Science Inter-Congress will be held in Tahiti, French Polynesia from 2 - 6 March 2009. We congratulate and thank our colleagues in French Polynesia for a very compelling presentation to the PSA Council, which voted to accept their offer to host the 11th Pacific Science Inter-Congress.

Click here to visit the official PSI-11 website.

PSA INVOLVED IN STUDY ON IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MARINE CONSERVATION IN MELANESIA

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded Bishop Museum with a $290,000 grant over eighteen months to study climate change planning and mitigation to help stem the threats of global warming. Bishop Museum is one of eight institutions worldwide to receive part of the Foundation’s $5 million investment in studying how species and habitats are impacted as a result of climate change and ocean acidification, both the result of rising global carbon dioxide levels. Click here for the project statement or here for the official announcement.

Allen Allison, Ph.D, Vice President of Science at Bishop Museum, said the grant will be used to fund an assessment report on the vulnerability of biodiversity and island ecosystems in Melanesia to climate change. All data gathered during the survey will be organized in an environmental information system for climate change in Melanesia and made available via the Internet for access by conservation groups worldwide. This work will be carried out in coordination with the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP) based in Apia, Samoa; and the Pacific Science Association (PSA) and Indo-Pacific Conservation Alliance (IPCA), both based in Honolulu.

“The tropics offer some of the most biologically diverse environments in the world and are also among the most vulnerable to climate changes.” said Dr. Allison. He notes that, “Our work in Melanesia will help identify the level of threat and support steps needed to adapt to the impact of climate change in the region.”

“The planet is already committed to some level of global warming as a result of man-made carbon dioxide and coral reefs in particular are likely to be stressed hard as a result,” said John Burke Burnett, Executive Director of PSA and IPCA. He notes that warming is likely to contribute to more frequent coral bleaching events, leading to increased mortality of reef ecosystems and species. In addition, sea level rise and other factors will make it harder for reefs to adapt to other changes.

Burnett pointed to another looming potential problem, known as ocean acidification. “The natural absorption of man-made carbon dioxide by the world’s oceans is causing the pH of surface waters to drop. From pre-industrial times to 2004, surface ocean pH has dropped by about 8.25 to 8.14, and this is expected to drop another 0.3 pH units. This is going to be an additional stress on marine species and ecosystems.”

With Melanesia’s preeminent position as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity, the socio-economic and health implications of climate change on Melanesia ’s ecosystems are potentially grave. The impact of change on regional marine ecosystems is a particular concern as scientists have already noted a strong correlation between most mass coral mortality events and global temperature rise.

Climate change is also likely to alter terrestrial habitats, re-distributing biodiversity in Melanesia and significantly impacting the population who is largely poor and dependent on agriculture, fisheries, and other natural resources.

“Conservation organizations in the Pacific need to know how to design and manage field projects that account for and adjust to the changes that are coming, but exactly what those changes are going to look like, we just don’t have a good enough grasp on yet.” Burnett said. “This study will assemble the experts and make available the best knowledge on how conservation efforts will need to adjust for these changes.”

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grant making institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. With assets of more that $6 billion, the Foundation makes approximately $225 million in grants annually. More information about the Foundation may be found at www.macfound.org.

For more information about the Melanesian biodiversity study, call (808) 847-3511 or (808) 848-4124.

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR "THE BIODIVERSITY OF BORNEO" FIELD BIOLOGY COURSE FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDENTS, JULY 23 TO AUGUST 26

In association with the Harvard University Summer School, the Center for Tropical Forest Science and the Arnold Arboretum (CTFS-AA) will offer a field biology course to be held in Sarawak and Sabah (East Malaysia) from 23 July to 26 August 2007. Southeast Asian participants will join Harvard University student to study terrestrial and marine biodiversity, ecology, and conservation, with instructors from Harvard Universtiy and other institutions including Sabah Parks, Sabah Forest Research Center, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, University of Malaysia Sabah, and Yayasan Sabah. For more information, a flyer is available by clicking here or visiting the offical website. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2007.

CALL FOR FUTURE PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS AND INTER-CONGRESSES

PSA invites expressions of interest for the hosting of the 11th Pacific Science Inter-Congress in 2009, and the 22nd Pacific Science Congress in 2011. The PSA Executive Board will coordinate the selection process.

Pacific Science Congresses and Inter-Congresses provides the opportunity for the dissemination of knowledge on all aspects of science and technology in the Pacific and Pacific Rim region. Please click here for more information on these events, or here for submission guidelines for submitting Letters of Interest.

Announcement of the successful offer for the 2009 Inter-Congress will be made at the Closing Ceremony of the 21st Pacific Science Congress in Okinawa in June 2007.

Expressions of Interest for the 2009 Inter-Congress should be sent to the PSA Secretariat before 1 March 2007.

DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 21st PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS EXTENDED TO 28 FEBRUARY 2007

For those who wish to present a paper at the 21st Pacific Science Congress (PSC-21), the deadline for abstract submissions has been extended to 28 February 2007. Abstacts should be submitted electronically to the PSC-21 Abstract Submission Office and sent in parallel to the co-organizers of the session you propose to join. Electronic submission should be completed using the abstract submission form and using the abstract template form available on the PSC-21 website (please refer to the buttons at bottom of the page).

PSA PResident Kurokawa named special science advisor to prime minister of japan shinzo abe

PSA congratulates Prof. Kiyoshi Kurokawa, current PSA President, on his new appointment as Special Advisor to Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The 19 October 2006 issue of Nature notes that "Kurokawa is the first such adviser with a science background -- his four predecessors were economic or legal experts". Kurokawa is expected to work closely with P.M. Abe for dramatic reforms in Japan's scientific education, funding, and decision-making, in order to boost scientific and technology innovation to meet the needs of society in the 21st Century. Kurokawa will help create Innovation 25, a plan to anticipate society's needs in the year 2025, and to evaluate and recommend what research is needed -- particularly in the areas of medical, information technology, and environmental sciences -- which may pave the way for increased funding and reform of the research grant system, while promoting increased flexibility and reform in the education and research system.

PSA warmly congratulates Prof. Kurokawa on his appointment, and wishes him great success in this endeavor.

CALL FOR PAPERS: SESSION ON PROTECTED AREAS AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT THE 21ST PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS

Biodiversity loss resulting from such factors as habitat modification, deforestation, climate change, invasive species, and overfishing continues to pose a major challenge for the Asia-Pacific region. Inappropriate or unsustainable use of terrestrial and marine resources poses risks for the human societies and economies who depend on the ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. A session at the 21st Pacific Science Congress will examine these topics and representative case studies in order to illustrate problems associated with conservation planning and management of natural resources, as well as to identify lessons learned that can help illuminate best practices to protect biodiversity. Paper topics may include, but are not limited to, issues such as:

Problems and issues in protected areas management projects
Developing more effective conservation planning
Establishing successful models of community-driven conservation projects
Approaches to managing invasive species risks
Incorporating future climate changes into natural resource management
Biodiversity inventories and protected areas management
Issues unique to coral reef and mangrove conservation
Socio-economic valuation of biodiversity
Social and cultural approaches to sustainable natural resource management

We are particularly interested in particular case studies on conservation and natural resource management in the Pacific and Asian regions. We also encourage a range of topics, including both terrestrial and marine natural resource management areas. The geographic scope in the session includes all countries in the Pacific Rim, but focusing particularly on the Pacific Islands (Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia), Indonesia, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Russia, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

The deadline for submitting paper proposals is 28 February 2007. Interested researchers are encouraged to send an indication of interest before 1 December 2006. Please send proposals to:

John Burke Burnett
Executive Director, Indo-Pacific Conservation Alliance [and]
Executive Secretary, Pacific Science Association
burnett@indopacific.org or burnett@bishopmuseum.org

CALL FOR PAPERS: Proposed Session for the 21st Pacific Science Congress: Globalization and Human Dynamics

Theme 1: Livelihood and Cultural Preservation
Theme 2: Human Challenges and Survival Strategies

The Pacific Science Association was created in 1920 at the First Pan-Pacific Scientific Conference, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Objectives of the Pacific Science Association include …“to initiate and promote cooperation in the study of scientific problems relating to the Pacific region, more particularly those affecting the prosperity and well-being of Pacific peoples”. In light of contemporary geographical, economic, social, and cultural challenges, and the like, for successful living within the contemporary Pacific Region, our Session seeks to address and engage meaningful issues concerning the physical and social world that Pacific/Asia peoples inhabit. Paper topics may be proposed within either of the two themes below, and may include, but are not limited to, issues such as:

Geographical/Social/Cultural Impact(s) of the Tsunami of December 26, 2004
Intensification of Changes Linked to the New Global Economies/Scarcity/Poverty
Information Technology (IT) in the Age of Globalization/Development
Migration/Diaspora/Transnationalism/Refugees
Impact(s) of Tourism
Altered Philosophical and Religious Perspectives, Including Fundamentalism
Paradigm Shifts Within Indigenous Languages and Cultures of Pacific/Asia
Identity/Ethnicity/Indigeneity
Diversity/Multiculturalism
Nationalities/Imagined Communities
Ethnocentrism/Cultural Relativism/Human Rights
Gender Variation
Art/Society/Cultural Exchange

Please send Paper Proposals to:

Lan-Hung Nora Chiang, Ph.D.                       Rebecca A. Stephenson, Ph.D.
Professor of Geography                                Professor of Anthropology
National Taiwan University                          University of Guam
Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.                                 Mangilao, Guam 96923
nora@ccms.ntu.edu.tw                               stephera@uog9.uog.edu

POINT D’ÉTAPE SYMPOSIUM ON FRENCH RESEARCH IN THE PACIFIC

PSA Executive Secretary Burke Burnett represented the Pacific Science Association at the Point d’étape Symposium on French Research in the Pacific, held in Tahiti from 9 – 12 October 2006. This symposium was a follow-on meeting to update the progress in French research since the Symposium on French Research in the Pacific that took place in Noumea in 2004. The symposium was sponsored by the French Government, and the governments of French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna, and organized under the uspices of the Minister of Higher Education and Research, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Overseas Territories, with the support of the Permanent Secretary for the Pacific Region.

The objectives of the symposium were to: assess the current status and progress of French research since the Noumea meeting; strengthen collaboration between the three French Pacific territories and the small island countries of the region, Australia, Chile, and Japan; identify common research issues in the region; and plan the development of French research in response to the needs of the Pacific region. Presentations were in French, but simultaneous translation via headset was graciously provided for English speakers.

Both plenary sessions were open to registered participants. Fabrice Colin, Director of the Research Institute for Development (IRD) in Noumea, provided an overview of French Research in the Pacific. The first symposium was focused on the topic of “Natural Hazards and Climate Change”, and began with a lecture by Jean-François Royer (CNRM) on “Climate change simulations and their impacts in the Pacific”, followed by a presentation by Bernard Pelletier (IRD-Noumea) on “Seismic, volcanic and tsunami hazards in Vanuatu, Futuna, and New Caledonia: current knowledge and studies in progress”. Papers presented included: Christian Picard ( University of New Caledonia): “Risk of volcanic eruptions in the Southwest Pacific”. Dominique Reymond (Geophysics Laboratory, CEA): “Geophysics observatory in Polynesia”. Victoire Laurent (Météo France): “Conditions for the formation of Polynesian cyclones: SST analysis”. Christophe Maes (IRD-Noumea): “Programme of SPICE research: Ocean currents in the South Pacific”. Anne Leroy (Météo France): “The use of seasonal forecasting in New Caledonia”. Philippe Couraud (Urbanization Agency, French Polynesia): “Natural risks in French Polynesia and their impact on land-use planning”. Hélène Hebert (Department for Environmental Reconnaissance and Analysis): “Evaluation of the tsunami risk in French Polynesia”. Jean-Christophe Audru (BRGM-Mayotte): “Geomechanical characterization of surface formations and instabilities in French Polynesia”. Pierre Maurizot (BGRM- New Caledonia): “Natural risk and the impact of soil erosion on land-use planning in New Caledonia”. Michel Allenbach ( University of New Caledonia): “Global warming in the Pacific: risks and socio-economic consequences”. Elodie Martinez ( International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii, Manoa): “The impact of El Niño in Polynesia”.

The theme of the second symposium was “Societies, Resources, and Environments”, and was opened with an introductory lecture by Serge Tsherkezoff, Director of the Centre de Recherche et de Documentation sur l'Océanie (CREDO). The first presentation by Jean-Christophe Galipaud (IRD-Noumea) and Christophe Sand (Government of New Caledonia) was on “Human-environment interaction in the Southwest Pacific: a long-term perspective”. Eric Conte from the University of French Polynesia gave a lecture on “A millennium of human environmental transformation in the Gambier Archipelago” which illuminated his fieldwork, conducted with Patrick Kirsch from UC-Berkeley. Other papers presented included: Elvina Inghels ( University of New Caledonia): “The Pacific of the past: the anthropogenic impact of the second wave of human migration and how environments shaped traditional societies”. Pierre Ottino (IRD-Tahiti): “Island environments and valleys in Fenua Enata, Marquesas islands”. Jean-Michel Charpentier (CNRS – University of French Polynesia): “Linguistic atlas of French Polynesia”. Patrice Godin (CREDO): “Changes in agricultural calendars in Oceania”. Sébastien Larrue (IRIDIP, University of French Polynesia): “Plant cover, trees and corresponding representations in French Polynesia: landscape remnants and current dynamics”. Tamatoa Bambridge (IRIDIP, University of French Polynesia): “The appropriation of the littoral in time and space in Tahiti and Nuku Hiva”. René Galzin (Director of the Laboratory for Tropical Ichthyology at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes at the University of Perpignan): “Biological databases: historical knowledge for long-term development”. Isabelle Jollit-Boniface ( University of New Caledonia): “Anthropogenic exploitation of resources and spatial recomposition in Oceania”. Jean-Michel Sourisseau ( University of New Caledonia): “The consequences of local development for the Pacific world”. Cédric Lo (Pearliculture Agency, French Polynesia): “Towards a sustainable development of pearl oyster culture in French Polynesia”.

Jean-Pierre Bonnefoy (Director, Paris Institute of Global Physics) gave a presentation on “Overseas Island Environments”, and introduced a series of students pursuing doctoral degrees in the subjects covered by the symposium. These students presented summaries of their dissertation research, followed by question and answer sessions for each.

Pacific Science Association Executive Secretary John Burke Burnett gave a presentation on PSA and the upcoming 21 st Pacific Science Congress. Eric Clua, Program Director of the Coral Reef Initiative in the South Pacific (CRISP), gave a presentation on CRISP’s work in the region. Agnès Benet gave a presentation on the work of the French Initiative on Coral Reefs (IFRECOR). Following a presentation by Alain Bonneville recapping the symposium and framing it in terms of the research challenges in French Polynesia, the meeting was concluded.

All the addresses were very well received, and it was notable that there were many students in the audience.

The Point d’étape Symposium on French Research in the Pacific provided the opportunity to generate additional interest in the 21 st Pacific Science Congress, as well as to discuss potential new partnerships for PSA’s work in facilitating research on issues of prime interest in the French Pacific territories (ex. Climate change, biodiversity, ocean acidification, energy issues, water resources).

NEW ICSU REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

The International Council for Science (ICSU) opened a Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific on 19 September 2006. The inaugural ceremony was hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak. The ICSU Executive Board appointed Professor Mohd Nordin Hasan as Director of the ICSU Regional Office. The new ICSU office aims to promote the development of science throughout Asia and the Pacific and help strengthen the voice of developing countries in this region.

The official inauguration was accompanied by the 2nd Meeting of the ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific and the Regional Conference on Natural and Human-Induced Environmental Hazards and Disasters, and the 3rd meeting of the ICSU Policy Committee on Developing Countries.

THE 21st PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS

The 21st Pacific Science Congress will be held 12-18 June, 2007 at the Okinawa Convention Center in Naha, Okinawa, Japan. The Congress will be hosted by the University of the Ryukyus and co-sponsored by the Science Council of Japan. The PSA Secretariat is currently soliciting input from PSA Task Forces and committees on session themes and speakers. The first circulars announcing the 2007 Congress will be sent in mid-2005. A link to the Congress website can be found at: http://www.psc21.net/ and on the PSA website at http://www.pacificscience.org/congress2007.html.

The Organizing Committee for the 21st Pacific Science Congress is making an open call for symposia and sessions. Individual scientists and scientific societies are encouraged to contact the Local Organizing Committee and/or the PSA Secretariat if they are interested in doing so (c ontact: Makoto Tsuchiya at tsuchiya@sci.u-ryukyu.ac.jp or Burke Burnett at burnett@bishopmuseum.org ).

The overall theme of the Congress is “Diversity and Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Managing Natural and Social Systems in the Asia-Pacific”. Currently planned sub-themes and associated symposia include:

Islands in Development (including sessions on Globalization; Health and Development; Agriculture; Tourism; and Building Sustainable Communities)
Maintaining Nature’s Diversity (with both terrestrial and marine components in sessions on Biodiversity; Natural Resource Management and Protection; Ecosystem Services; Invasive Species; and Fisheries)
Science and Society (sessions on Science Education; Enhancing Institutional Capacity; Media and Science; Science, Society, and Policy; and the Public Funding of Science)
Technology and Sustainable Society (sessions on Energy; Biotechnology; Hazardous Waste)
Sustaining Human Diversity (Indigenous Knowledge; Gender and Science; and Origins and Heritage of Pacific Peoples)
Challenges and Opportunities in Change (Global Warming; Marine Acidification; Newly Emerging Infectious Diseases; Assessing Risk and Vulnerability in Natural Hazards; and Water Resource Management)

These symposia are still under development and the PSA Secretariat is currently soliciting input from PSA Task Forces and committees on sessions and speakers.

NEW SECURE SERVER PROCESSING FOR PSA MEMBERSHIP

As of February 2006, PSA now offers membership payment via secure server credit card processing. This will make it easier for most of our members, particularly those for whom the previous system of personal checks and faxes were prohibitive. You may still make payment through personal check, although we encourage use of the new system. The transaction will be processed by PayPal (although this takes place off-screen) and so you may be assure that it is safe and secure.

We had planned for the secure server to be online last year, but unavoidable technical issues delayed the rollout. We appreciate your patience and understanding, but hope you will share our enthusiasm for the new transaction system. Click here to join PSA.

28TH ICSU GENERAL ASSEMBLY

PSA Executive Secretary Burke Burnett represented the Pacific Science Association at the International Council for Science (ICSU) 28 th General Assembly held in Shanghai and Suzhou, China from 17–22 October 2005. The General Assembly (GA) was graciously hosted by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology (CAST). PSA President Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa (President of the Science Council of Japan) and PSA Executive Board members Dr. Congbin Fu (Vice President of the China Committee for ICSU, CAST) and Dr. Prof. Chang-Hung Chou (President, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan) also attended in the capacity of their respective institutions.

The General Assembly consisted of both plenary sessions and sessions for National Members and Scientific Union Members. The first day of the GA was held in conjunction with CAST in Shanghai. After opening remarks by Dr. Sun Honglie (ICSU-China), the first session topic was “Science and Human Well-Being”, chaired by Prof. Yiming Shao of China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The keynote presentation by Dr. Hal Mooney conveyed the results of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, followed by brief presentations and a panel discussion by Prof. Marian Addy ( University of Ghana), Prof. Zengyi Chang ( Beijing University), Prof. Pierre Richie ( University of Ottawa), and Prof. Lan Xue ( Tsinghua University). The second session on “Science for Sustainable Development” was chaired by Prof. Peter Tyson, Vice President of ICSU. Prof. Congbin Fu gave the keynote lecture, followed by brief presentations and a panel discussion including Prof. Qiheng Hu (V.P., CAST), Prof. Yonglong Lu (Chinese Academy of Science), Dr. Jane Lubchenco (President, ICSU), and Dr. Graham Pearman (GP Consulting). All lectures and presentations were very well-received.

The second day of the GA involved no plenary sessions but convened forums for National Members and Scientific Union Members. These meetings were held to discuss the status of ICSU’s programmes and obtain input from members. Among the items discussed were a proposed dues increase for ICSU, a planned reduction in ICSU’s Grants Programme, and a wide variety of topics of concern to various Scientific Unions and Interdisciplinary Bodies. There were also several presentations providing reports on various ICSU initiatives such as “The Environment and its Relation to Sustainable Development”, “Science and the Policy Context”, and “The Universality of Science”.

The final three days of the GA involved plenary sessions. Dr. Jane Lubchenco presided over all the presentations and resulting discussions. The third day began with various briefings on the current status of ICSU, including the Secretary-General’s Report (Ana Maria Cetto), a presentation of the new ICSU Strategic Plan for 2006–2011 (Thomas Rosswall), a Union Member Forum Report (Michel Denis), and a National Member Forum Report (Hernan Chaimovich). Each presentation was followed with time for various attendees to comment and provide input. Presentations were also given on several ICSU initiatives: by Dr. Ian Allison on the new International Polar Year (2007–2008), a joint initiative of ICSU and World Meteorological Organization; by Dr. Gordon McBean on the ICSU initiative on “Natural and Human-Induced Hazards”; by Dr. Brian Walker on “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development”. Dr. Hal Mooney gave a second presentation on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, focusing on the structure and processes behind the writing of the MEA reports.

The next day of the GA saw presentations on ISCU’s programme on “Challenges in Implementing the Universality of Science” (Dr. Peter Warren), a “Priority Area Assessment on Scientific Data and Information” (Dr. Roberta Balstad), “Capacity-Building in Science” (Dr. Ranjan Ramasamy), a report from the ICSU Policy Committee on Developing Countries (Dr. Marian Addy), and an ICSU Financial Report (Dr. Roger Elliott). Ample time for input and comments from the various members was solicited, and votes were taken to ratify modifications to various proposed elements in the ICSU strategy.

Elections were held to determine the new ICSU Executive Board. The new incoming officers are: Dr. Catherine Brechignac ( France) – President-Elect, Dr. Khosto Mokhele ( South Africa) – Vice President for Scientific Planning and Review, and Hernan Chaimovich ( Brazil) – Vice President for External Relations. Dr. Ana Maria Cetto ( Mexico) and Dr. Roger Elliott (UK) ran unopposed and will continue as Secretary-General and Treasurer, respectively.

The final day of the GA included reports on the new ICSU Regional Office for Africa (Dr. Gabriel Ogunmola) which opened in Pretoria, South Africa in 2005, the new ICSU Regional Office for Asia (Dr. Anupam Varma) which will open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2006, and the ICSU Ad Hoc Committee on Membership Issues (Dr. Lucie Lapointe). Dr. Goverdhan Mehta, incoming President of ICSU, gave an Address to the GA on the future of ICSU, which was very warmly received.

One important outcome of the GA was the formal approval of the new ICSU Strategic Plan (2006–2011), which provides a strong mandate and direction for the organization in their mission to provide a greater role for science in public policy decisions worldwide, and to strengthen international science for the benefit of society.

ICSU also announced several new initiatives and resolutions, including:

The ICSU Natural Hazards Initiative, which will establish an international collaborative research and communications programme. This initiative, spanning a decade or more, is aimed at providing interdisciplinary scientific input to manage and reduce the risks associated with natural and human-induced environmental hazards.
A call for new approaches to data management and access in the legal, regulatory, and technical arenas, in order to facilitate continued scientific progress and more equitable access to information for scientists in the developing world.
A reaffirmation of ICSU’s commitment to the “Universality of Science”, at a time when many scientists face growing restrictions on freedoms to associate, collaborate, and publish. Visa restrictions, politically motivated boycotts against countries or institutions, censorship or self-censorship, and other circumstances threaten the freedom that is fundamental to the scientific endeavor. ICSU remains committed to protecting the rights of scientists and promoting the responsible exercise of research.
The ICSU / World Meteorological Organization-led International Polar Year (IPY), which is an ambitious global programme for polar research that will assemble, coordinate, and facilitate a burst of internationally coordinated research from March 2007 to March 2009. IPY will focus on dramatic and disturbing changes occurring in the polar regions and analyze their broader environmental and economic importance for the planet. For more information, visit http://www.ipy.org/.

For more information on these initiatives and announcements, please visit http://www.icsu.org/3_mediacentre/GA.html. As for the GA as a whole, there was widespread agreement that ICSU and the Chinese hosts at CAST did a magnificent job at organizing the meeting and making participants feel welcome.

he ICSU GA meeting provided the opportunity for Kurokawa, Fu, Chou, and Burnett to discuss PSA business. In addition, there were numerous fruitful discussions to discuss potential collaborations and the upcoming Pacific Science Congress in 2007. These involved Dr. Montri Chulavatnatol, Vice-President of the National Research Council of Thailand and Secretary General of the 20 th Pacific Science Congress, other representatives from PSA Adhering organizations, including the Science Council of Japan, the Malaysian Academy of Sciences, the Singapore National Academy of Sciences, CAST, National Academies Forum (Australia), National Research Council of Thailand, as well as officials from ICSU, The Academy of Science for the Developing World (TWAS), and many others.

PSA BIODIVERSITY TASK FORCE UPDATE (OCTOBER 2005)

During the third quarter of 2005, the Biodiversity Task Force addressed regional bioinformatics issues through the development of the Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum (PBIF) that is focused on the development of a website that includes information and photographic images of animals, plants and various Pacific Islands. In addition, PBIF completed a survey of regional taxonomic capacity. This will be published next year. PBIF is working to provide informatics support to the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation and with National Biodiversity Strategic Action Coordinators. Finally PBIF is organizing a workshop, planned for February 2006 in New Zealand, to review the taxonomic status of major groups of plants and animals in the tropical Pacific region. This will result in the publication of taxonomic checklists, literature databases and analysis of regional patterns of species richness and endemicity.

PSA WEBSITE UPDATE

The Pacific Science Association has continued to revise and improve the PSA website with the goal of becoming the primary information portal for information concerning science, technology, and sustainable development in and of the Asia and Pacific region. The second version of the PSA website was completed in August 2005. Unfortunately, technical issues delayed the implementation of the secure-server for individual membership (originally scheduled for mid-2005), but should be completed November 2005.

We hope to make the new PSA website as useful for researchers and other stakeholders as possible, and welcome your comments and suggestions. In particular, we invite submissions for “Upcoming Meetings and Conferences in the Asia-Pacific” ( http://www.pacificscience.org/meetings.html) which is the only site to combine information on any and all meetings either in, or concerning, science and sustainable development in the region. Please email any notifications to Burke Burnett at mailto:burnett@bishopmuseum.org.

new psa-related book on globalization

A new book titled The Challenges of Globalization: Cultures in Transition in the Pacific-Asia Region, produced by leaders of the PSA Task Force on Globalization and Human Dynamics, and growing directly out of a Task Force Session at the 10th Pacific Science Inter-Congress in Guam in 2001, is now available. The book is edited by Lan-Hung Nora Chiang, John Lidstone, and Rebecca Stephenson, and published by the University Press of America. The back cover describes the book:

The Challenges of Globalization defines globalization as "supra-national ideas and processes that cross national borders with impunity." Such "ideas and processes" may appear to possess a will of their own, fostering closer links between cultures, societies, and economies. But, do they? How do individuals, communities, and nation-states actually respond to the forces of globalization? This book explores globalization within the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and education. Although the products of globalization are far from new, globalization as a process in the Pacific-Asian region is both dynamic and problematic. Pacific-Asia globalization outcomes at present include: intensification of changes linked to the influences of capitalism; information technology and innovative technological systems; migration, transnationalism, and refugees; tourism for those with newly apparent disposable incomes; altered philosophical and religious perspectives, including the new fundamentalism; paradigm shifts within indigenous languages and cultures; lifestyles that embrace and/or disengage from all of the globalizing factors listed above; and others.

PSA Extraordinary Executive Board meeting

Because a PSA Inter-Congress could not be held in 2005, PSA held an Extraordinary Executive Board Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam on 11-13 May. The purpose of the PSA meeting, which was held in conjunction with the Science Council of Asia (SCA) Annual Conference, was to: (1) discuss and plan for the upcoming 21st PSA Congress to be held in Okinawa, Japan in June 2007; (2) seek the Board's input on revamped Scientific Task Forces, new and planned PSA projects, as well as a revised Strategic Plan for PSA; and (3) to provide an update on PSA activities since the Bangkok Congress. Attending the meeting were Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa (PSA President), Dr. Nancy Lewis (PSA Secretary General and Treasurer), Dr. Chang-Hung Chou (Board Member), Sung-Chick Hong (Board Member), PSA Executive Secretary John Burke Burnett, and invited guests Dr. Keiichi Omoto (PSA Council Representative, Japan), Valentin Sergienko (PSA Council Representative, Russia), Oleg Shcheka (Russian Academy of Sciences – Far Eastern Branch), and Makoto Tsuchiya (University of the Ryukyus, and Lead Organizer of the 2007 Pacific Science Congress).

2007 pacific science Congress: status of Planning

In early January 2005, PSA Secretary General Dr. Nancy Lewis, PSA Executive Secretary Burke Burnett, and former PSA Executive Secretary Dr. Lu Eldredge met with Dr. Makoto Tsuchiya from University of the Ryukyus to discuss plans for the upcoming 2007 Pacific Science Congress to be held in Okinawa. Pursuant to the PSA Board Meeting in Hanoi in May 2005, PSA President Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa and Dr. Lewis attended a 2007 Pacific Science Congress planning meeting in Tokyo on February 25, 2005.

George B. Elyakov, 1929-2005

Academician Professor George B. Elyakov passed away on 2 May 2005 in Moscow, Russia after a long illness. Dr. Elyakov was born on 13 September, 1929, in Kostroma, Russia . A corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Science since 1970 and an active member since 1987, he was an expert in organic chemistry of natural compounds. He became Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1991, and was also Chairman of the RAS’s Far Eastern Branch in Vladivostok and Director of the Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry. Dr. Elyakov was an active member of the Pacific Science Association for many years, and a Board Member of PSA since 1999. The PSA extends our sympathies to his family and colleagues.

South Asian Tsunami Tragedy

The Pacific Science Association extends our sincere and deepest condolences to all those in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere who suffered in the tsunami tragedy of 26 December 2004.

We must all strive to work more diligently to understand the geological, oceanographic and ecological factors behind such catastrophic events. PSA intends to catalyze interest among local and international scientists to examine these factors, in the hope that such an understanding may help mitigate the human impact of such events in the future.

PSA calls attention to the statement from ICSU regarding the South Asian tsunami tragedy. Please click here for their statement.

Living Archipelagos

The Living Archipelagos Program has launched a new website. The site will include detailed profiles on specific sites identified in two workshops held in Honolulu and Apia , Samoa in 2004.

The Living Archipelago Program is organized by the Bishop Museum, Pacific Science Association, and Indo-Pacific Conservation Alliance (IPCA) in cooperation with the Marine Programs Division of Conservation International (CI), the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The Living Archipelago Program is a new initiative to identify a small number of islands and coral reef ecosystems warranting some level of action and to move quickly forward to secure their future. The geographic areas covered by this program are the islands/atolls of Micronesia , Polynesia , and Fiji , collectively one of CI’s Hotspots.

New Pabitra Publication

The PABITRA manual, “Biodiversity Assessment In Tropical Island Ecosystems”, part of their Interactive Ecology and Management Initiative, has been published and is now available for download on the PABITRA website. PABITRA is a collaborative program involving a network of over 70 conservation scientists and professionals for investigating the function of biodiversity and the health of ecosystems in the tropical Pacific Islands . It is constituted as part of the Pacific Science Association’s Division for Ecosystem Conservation in the PSA Task Force on Biodiversity. Currently, there are over 70 conservation professionals on the mailing list. PABITRA contributes to DIVERSITAS, the global program of biodiversity science, coordinated by IUBS (International Union of Biological Sciences) and the regional network of DIVERSITAS in Western Pacific and Asia , which is coordinated by the Center for Ecological Research at Kyoto University.

Pacific Biodiversity Information Forum Update

The Pacific Biodiversity Forum (PBIF), established under the auspices of the PSA to provide a forum for sharing biodiversity information in the Asia-Pacific region, was formally accepted as an Associate Participant Organization to the Global Biodiversity Information Forum in September 2004. PBIF also held a leadership meeting from 8-9 October, 2004 in Wellington , New Zealand , in conjunction with the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) meeting. This was the fourth in a series of workshops, and was convened in order to gain approval for formulation of the node under the framework and procedures developed by the interim organizing committee at the previous PBIF meeting in Oaxaca .

Among the steps taken at the meeting were to establish an interim organizing committee to guide PBIF during the formal formulation process. The interim organizing committee will eventually be replaced by an elected organizing committee as PBIF becomes more formalized. A gateway node was established to serve at the primary organizational and public interface for PBIF and to coordinate collaborations with partners from the region. Representatives at the Wellington workshop expressed strong interest in joining PBIF, and while membership is open to legitimate regional scientific organizations, members wishing to function as nodes must be able to support their activities through internal or external funding sources.

The meeting also was geared to identify specific taxonomic and other projects that PBIF might facilitate. Representatives offered a list of potential projects and themes for consideration. The main themes that were identified as priorities are taxonomic and technical capacity-building, education and outreach, identification of knowledge gaps and development of projects to fill them, and forging links between Western science and traditional knowledge. Results of the workshop discussions were to recommend two specific projects to the GTI: “Inventory, Evaluation and Monitoring of Agricultural Diversity in the East and Southeast Asian Region: Regional Capacity and Institution-Building Network”, and “Building National and Regional Taxonomic and Biodiversity Informatics Capacity for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the Pacific Islands ”. At the request of the GTI, all projects identified at the PBIF meeting were submitted to the GTI for consideration.

The date and venue for the next PBIF meeting has yet to be set, but a target date of summer 2005 is being considered. For more information about PBIF please visit the website or contact Mark Fornwall at Mark_Fornwall@usgs.gov.

ifs RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM FOR LDC SCIENTISTS

The International Foundation for Science, based in Stockholm, Sweden, has a grants program for projects from developing country scientists who conduct research on the sustainable management of biological resources. An IFS Research Grant has a maximum value of USD 12,000. IFS is specifically targeting scientists in countries with developing science and technology infrastructures. Focus is set on the Least Developed Countries (LDC), Low Income Countries (LIC) and Lower Middle Income Countries (LMIC). Grants are awarded to an individual researcher, for a specific research project, presented by the Applicant in the Application form. The IFS Research Grant is intended for the purchase of the basic tools needed to conduct the proposed research project - equipment, expendable supplies, and literature - and to arrange fieldwork activities related to the proposed project. The grant cannot be used to pay for the aspiring Grantee's own salary or for honoraria, or to cover tuition fees or living expenses. It is expected that the IFS Grantees already receive a salary and are employed by or otherwise attached to a developing country research institution. The timeframe of a research project should normally be 1-3 years. Project proposals are welcome at the IFS Secretariat throughout the year. However, there are two administrative deadlines per year: June 30th and December 31st. Application forms and more information can be found on the IFS website.

NEW Executive Secretary FOR PSA: John Burke Burnett

In March 2004, John Burke Burnett took over the running of the Pacific Science Association. Burke, as he likes to be called, has a focus on the interface between conservation policy, biological science, and traditional communities. He has an academic background in policy, economics and anthropology, and has worked closely with scientists, NGOs, corporate and governmental organizations, and local communities in the Asia-Pacific for the last 15 years. His field experience is primarily in East Asia and the Pacific with particular emphasis in eastern Indonesia and New Guinea. He co-founded the Indo-Pacific Conservation Alliance (IPCA), and will remain its Executive Director. From 1995-98 he was Special Projects Coordinator [and] Japan Coordinator at Conservation International's Asia-Pacific Program. He lived in both Japan and Indonesia for two years each, and in Washington DC for 15 years. He has strong conversational and reading knowledge of Indonesian/Malaysian and Japanese languages. Degrees: M.A., (International Economics), Johns Hopkins University - School f or Advanced International Studies (SAIS); 1991. B.S., Southern Methodist University, 1987.

The former Executive Secretary, L.G. Eldredge, is pursuing his interests in marine introduced species and Pacific regional information at the Bishop Museum.

NEW PSA WEBSITE

In August 2004, the Pacific Science Association launched a new and revised website ( http://www.pacificscience.org/). The new site is a major improvement over the previous version, and even more features will be added in the coming months. Among the enhanced features of the website:

More extensive information on PSA, its activities, and those of our partners.
An expanded links section containing short summaries of external sites of interest to researchers and other stakeholders involved in science and sustainable development in the Pacific. These links are organized and cross-referenced by keyword and geographic area, which greatly facilitates searches.
A calendar of upcoming meetings in or concerning science in the Asia-Pacific region.
Adobe PDF versions of many past PSA publications previously available only in hardcopy (coming soon).
A secure server system for individual membership sign-up (coming soon).

We hope the new PSA website will be useful for researchers involved in science of the Pacific, and welcome your comments and suggestions.

SYMPOSIUM ON FRENCH RESEARCH IN THE PACIFIC

Pacific Science Association Secretary General Nancy Lewis was invited to represent the PSA at the Symposium on French Research in the Pacific (Assises de la Recherche Française dans Le Pacifique) which was held at the Tjibaou Cultural Center in Noumea , New Caledonia on August 24-27, 2004 . The meeting was called by President Jacques Chirac. The Chair of the Scientific Committee was Fabrice Colin, Director of Institut de Rescherche pour le Développement, Noumea . Members of the Committee were from both French Polynesia and New Caledonia , including representatives of the l'Université de la Polynésie Français and Université de la Nouvelle Calédonie.

The symposium had five thematic areas, all of which are relevant for the Pacific Science Association: 1. Marine Ecosystems: Biodiversity and resource development; 2. Terrestrial Ecosystems: Biodiversity and resource development; 3. Natural Hazards and Climate Variability: regional impacts and prevention; 4. Culture, Identity, Heritage, Land and Development; and 5. Health and Environment. The Symposium, which consisted of plenary and thematic sessions and poster displays, gave a comprehensive overview of French research in the Pacific. Discussion in each of the thematic sessions led to a series of recommendations for future research and action agendas in the region.

A report of the Sympoisum including recommendations and a list of participants will be available at the Symposium website: www.assises-recherche-pacificque.org. The website is intended to become a forum for further communication and the discussion of collaborative research activities. It will provide a mechanism for greater communication between Anglophone and Francophone researchers in the region and in doing so may be valuable for furthering PSA research and initiatives.

10th INTERNATIONAL CORAL REEF SYMPOSIUM

PSA was a collaborating organization to the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium held from 28 June to 2 July 2004 in Okinawa , Japan . The topic of the Symposium was “Stability and Degradation of Coral Reef Ecosystems”. The meeting was hosted by The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), The Japanese Coral Reef Society (JCRS) International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS), and supported by The Okinawa General Bureau, Japanese Ministry of the Environment, Fisheries Agency (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Okinawa Prefecture, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.

The official declaration of the 10 th ICRS meeting noted that coral reefs and associated ecosystems are now under serious threat of collapse because of over-fishing; coastal development; terrestrial run-off; increasing sea surface temperatures and decreasing carbonate levels (ocean acidification), and sea-level rise caused by increasing anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere, which all act synergistically to stress coral reefs, leading to severe bleaching and extensive coral mortality. The participants made a strong declaration that additional destruction of coral reefs must be avoided, calling for stronger national and international-level efforts, and for enhanced scientific research and rigorous monitoring, management-tool development, and appropriate measures for conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs. A twin strategy must be taken over the longer term to reduce human induced climate change by reducing greenhouse gases, but at the same time a reduction in CO2 must be matched by action to reduce immediate threats of declining water quality because of land-use changes and pollution, and mass exploitation of fish biomass. To achieve these goals, the participants recommend four key strategies: 1) achieve sustainable fishery on coral reefs, 2) increase effective marine protected areas on coral reefs, 3) ameliorate land-use change impacts, and 4) develop technology for coral reef restoration. The 10 th ICRS website ( http://www.plando.co.jp/icrs2004/) has a full list of participants, abstracts, and poster presentations.

The PSA’s association with the 10th ICRS is part of our mission to promote science within the region and also reflects PSA’s long history of involvement in coral reef studies.