The Iwokrama International Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Guyana (UG) to support a PhD scholarship at that institution under a science programme funded by oil major ExxonMobil.
Arianne Harris has been identified as the student awardee.
In a statement dated December 9th, Iwokrama said Harris will work with the Centre under its science programme’s biodiversity project, while completing work in fulfillment of the requirements for a PhD degree in biodiversity from the UG. Her research involves understanding how bird and bat species respond to forestry practices, and what role these animals play in helping the forest to regenerate following commercial activities.
Iwokrama added that to date its Science Committee has done some of the most pioneering work in this area, and Harris’ research will continue to build on this. It further noted that she will be supervised by a UG team as well as scientists from the United Kingdom and United States who are members of Iwokrama’s Science Committee.
Since 20017, Iwokrama said, ExxonMobil has been a significant supporter of its Iwokrama Science Programme, into which it has so far channeled some US$600,000. Additionally, Iwokrama has had a long standing relationship with UG, with which it has collaborated on many areas, including capacity building and scientific research.
Meanwhile, the statement said that in addition to the biodiversity project, the Centre is also implementing a hydrology programme at Iwokrama and in the Rupununi Savannahs, while other outputs from the science programme include outreach activities, capacity building and awareness programmes for the local communities, the production of a “legal field guide for natural resource practitioners” – Guyana’s first – and the development of Guyana’s first 3D map of community lands (Fairview village).
The Centre recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the offer of the Iwokrama Forest for research into climate change and sustainable development by the Government of Guyana to the international community at the 1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malaysia.
