Student Focus Decades Later
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University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States Berkeley • Davis • Irvine • Los Angeles • Merced • Riverside • Santa Barbara • Santa Cruz • San Diego • San Francisco UC MEXUS NEWS Number 41 l Spring 2004 CONTENTS BOOKS . 30 EDITORIAL . 3 ILLUSTRATIONS . 32 LATINOS II CONFERENCE . 24 NEW DIIRECTOR ARRIVES . 2 REVIEWS CISNEROS . 27 ELLSTRAND . 29 TRANSGENIC MAIZE . .17 ZAVELLA . 25 Environmental Fallout by Beverly Ellstrand UC MEXUS This painting of seedlings struggling to thrive amid a proliferation of compet- awards and grants ing elements made a perfect illustration for a 2003 book by the artist’s son, for 2003 UC Riverside Professor of Genetics Norm Ellstrand. An article on pages 17-23 can be accessed looks at transgenic crops, their promise and their perils, especially in relation on the Website at: to Mexican maize. A review of Ellstrand’s book, Dangerous Liaisons: When WWW.UCMEXUS.UCR.EDU Crops Mate with their Wild Relatives, appears on page 29. FUTURE INVESTMENT octoral students face their Almost a quarter century ago, two greatest challenges at when UC President David Saxon Dthe beginning and the end launched the UC MEXUS consor- Student focus of their studies – just the times when tium to help set funding parameters there is the least support available. for research on Mexico, Mexican Providing support at those most Americans and bilateral concerns, pays dividends vulnerable times has became an the Institute focused primarily on integral part of the UC MEXUS faculty research grants. The first mandate. decades later But it didn't start out that way. Please see STUDENTS, Page 4 NEW UC MEXUS DIRECTOR Education holds key to binational future he new UC MEXUS director Latino population now has enormous ences, comes from UC Santa Cruz has been keeping up a hectic political power – enough to sway an where he was an associate professor of Tschedule since he took over election at the local, state or federal environmental studies. The Institute’s leadership of the Institute in October. level. third director since it came to Riverside Roberto Sánchez-Rodríguez, an To support a better understanding in 1984, Sánchez-Rodriguez takes over international scholar with academic of such interconnectedness, Sánchez- from anthropologist Juan-Vicente experience at University of California Rodríguez brought his first months on Palerm, who served as UC MEXUS and in Mexico, has set about bolstering the job to a close by reviewing and re- director for eight years. The Institute’s programs already in place and opening energizing the Institute’s cooperative first director Arturo Gómez-Pompa, a the door to new ideas and ventures. agreement with CONACYT, which tropical ecologist and UC Riverside “Fiscal limitations not withstand- funds graduate, postdoctoral and fac- professor of botany and plant sciences, ing, we will continue to explore new ulty research, exchanges and sabbati- holds a universitywide appointment as areas of cooperation and research cals. And he renewed a three-year a distinguished professor of botany. between Mexico and California,” he agreement with Universidad Nacional Sánchez-Rodríguez brings a multi- told UC MEXUS staff on his arrival. Autónoma de México (UNAM). national and multicultural perspective Education is a key to myriad issues The new director plans to keep up to bear on the development and and the answer to many problems, he with his research into the human enhancement of research and academic says. Educating students today – dimensions of global environmental collaborations between Mexico and UC. whether UC students learning about change. His multidisciplinary back- After earning a bachelor of arts Mexico or Mexican students learning ground spans both environmental and degree in architecture from UNAM and about California – informs the leaders urban studies. His research also undertaking additional studies in of tomorrow. encompasses environmental issues in France, he earned a doctorate in “These young people are the deci- urban areas, sustainable develop- regional and urban planning at the sion-makers of the future,” he said. ment, environmental issues at the University of Dortmund, West Germany. And he sees UC MEXUS as per- U.S.-Mexican border, and linkages He has held several positions in fectly placed to perform that work. between trade and environment. Mexican government and in academia. “The Institute provides fantastic For the last four years, Mexico He was Department of Urban and opportunities to link Mexico and has outspent all European countries Environmental Studies Director at California – not only academically but and Japan in trade with California. the Colegio de la Frontera Norte also to broaden understanding between Mexican purchases alone support or (COLEF) in Tijuana, Baja California, the two areas.” contribute to almost a quarter-million when passage of the North American Mexico is California’s major trade California jobs. In addition to eco- Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partner and the two entities are tied nomic interdependence, the two enti- paved the way for a two-year posi- culturally, socially, politically and geo- ties share water, air, population and tion in Montreal. After serving as graphically. When two areas have such resources. Research, especially joint program manager for transboundary strong personal and economic linkages, research, is vital for the mutual issues at the North American political, environmental, economic and progress and development of two such Commission for Environmental social links are a given, he says. In the interdependent neighbors. Cooperation (NACEC) created under case of Mexico and its former posses- Sánchez-Rodríguez, who also NAFTA, he came to California, join- sion, California, the two share tremen- takes on a UC Riverside faculty posi- ing UC Santa Cruz faculty dous history and culture. Moreover, the tion as professor of environmental sci- before coming to UC MEXUS. 2 UC MEXUS NEWS l Spring 2004 EDITORIAL Research networks proving invaluable UC system and Mexican universi- and the treatment of infectious dis- ties. They foster greater under- eases, which do not recognize polit- UC MEXUS standing between California and ical borders. We also will extend Director Mexico and enable both societies our collaborations, and network Roberto to develop more productively. with scholars and institutions on Sánchez- The time is now propitious not both sides of the border that focus Rodríguez only to maintain the programs that on these critical issues. have proven to be so beneficial but In addition, UC MEXUS plans alifornia and Mexico share also to focus on areas of vital bina- to expand its in-house research. In many mutual challenges in tional concern, and to employ those the immediate future, we will focus Cthe areas of education and resources to enrich current scholar- on water resource and other envi- research. For almost a quarter century, ship and our up-and-coming schol- ronmental issues along California’s the University of California Institute ars. Given the current economic cli- border with Baja California. This for Mexico and the United States mate in California, however, I topic has enormous implications has been a key player in helping believe that we must seek out new for economic growth and social address those challenges. One of the opportunities so that UC MEXUS well-being in California and Institute's most effective strategies can expand its academic activities. Mexico, and their study requires has been to nurture projects, relation- As a first step in this direction, multidisciplinary approaches. Our ships and collaborations – an UC MEXUS is creating a seminar goal is to provide an integrated approach that now promises to series on UC campuses. Such a pro- perspective on the social, econom- bear fruit in unanticipated ways. gram will provide a forum for the ic, political and environmental UC MEXUS can point to myriad research and academic activities that dimensions of these topics. fledgling projects that have flour- the Institute supports and enhance We believe that the power of new ished, attracting funding from insti- their visibility within the UC system. ideas and passion for discovery we tutions in both the U.S. and Mexico. The series also will provide Mexican encounter so often among grant recipi- In so doing, such projects, along graduate students at UC campuses ents can trump the funding difficulties with other UC MEXUS programs, with an opportunity to expand their so prevalent in these tough economic have created an invaluable network expertise and academic contacts. times. The wealth of resources that the of scholars who have fostered coop- We continue to explore options to Institute has seeded and developed eration and exchange among depart- expand commissioned research. UC places us in the ideal position to bring ments, divisions and labs in both MEXUS will maintain its support for together cutting edge researchers to countries' universities and campuses. educational and health issues relevant jointly address the challenges faced I believe the benefits of these to the well-being of our two societies by Mexico and California and con- relationships radiate far beyond the – topics such as science-education, tribute to their resolution. UC MEXUS NEWS l Spring 2004 3 ANDREA MIKOLON, 1999 DISSERTATION GRANT Student focus Brucellosis study led to Mongolia Continued from Page 1 director, Arturo Gómez-Pompa, ormer UC Davis graduate student Andrea Mikolon found herself soon moved to include graduate on camera and in print as she coordinated aid for poultry and cattle students and, when anthropologist farmers during the disastrous 2003 Southern California fires. A F Juan-Vicente Palerm took over the California Department of Food and Agriculture emergency response vet- directorship in 1995, he brought erinary medical officer and Mexico liaison, she laughs at questions about with him a firm commitment to the connection between her 1996 dissertation work and her current work. fostering student education and "It's all because of my work in Mexico," she said. Brucellosis (aka Malta fever) hit Baja California goatherds and goat vastly expanded graduate student farmers with unexpected force in the early 1990s.