Support the BioREPS programme
BioREPS stands for Biodiversity Research and Education Program Suriname.
With your support, we plan to hold the first instalment of a joint field course in Suriname next year, with contributions from Prof. Hans Slabbekoorn (IBL) and Prof. Tinde van Andel (Naturalis/IBL) from Leiden. With a positive outlook on the future, the BioREPS team has come together to develop and secure funding for a long-term programme. The ultimate goal is Surinamese-Dutch student, PhD candidate and staff exchanges that will allow us to learn from and inspire each other while also contributing to scientific research and protecting Surinamese biodiversity.
Sign up for the Suriname Symposium
For more information about BioREPS or the symposium, please contact: Hans Slabbekoorn, h.w.slabbekoorn@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Suriname symposium: focusing on diversity and biodiversity
On 5 December, we will host a public symposium in the Telders room at the Academy Building on Rapenburg in Leiden. This will draw attention to Suriname’s beautiful biodiversity and conservation challenges in a time of climate change, timber harvesting and oil, gold and bauxite mining. But we will also focus on opportunities for research and teaching collaboration, in the areas of nature and culture. The symposium is in Dutch.
Sign up for the Suriname Symposium
10.00 Welcome: Suriname, Collaboration and Synergy – Hans Slabbekoorn (UL)
10.10 Suriname in Leiden: From Flu to Now – (UL)
10.30 Diversity and biodiversity: Priorities of research policy – Shiraz Boedhoe (AdeKUS)
10.50 Medicinal plants and traditional agriculture – Tinde van Andel (Naturalis, UL)
11.20 Coffee break
12.00 Researching biodiversity in Suriname – Iwan Molgo (AdeKUS)
12.30 Reflexive governance for coastal protection in Suriname – Usha Satnarain (AdeKUS)
13.00 Lunch break
14.00 Marine megafauna in Suriname: The need for research – Marijke de Boer (WMR)
14.30 Tropical ecology from electric eels to mangrove forests – Devika Narain (HvHL)
14.50 Research and protection of snakes in Suriname – Roel Wouters (Charles University Prague)
15.30 ‘Surinamese drinks’
The symposium is in Dutch and open to anyone with an interest in Suriname, tropical biodiversity, conservation or an internship abroad, or to those wishing to make an academic or financial contribution to the goals of the Biodiversity Research and Education Program Suriname (BioREPS). The day starts at 10.00 on 5 December and ends at 15.30 with ‘Surinamese drinks’. Places are limited and reservation is required.
Memorandum of Understanding
Leiden University and the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdeKUS) will increase their collaboration. They have signed a Memorandum of Understanding stating that they are open to research and teaching projects. In addition to collaboration at the Leiden Institute for History (Faculty of Humanities), plans are well underway at the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) (Faculty of Science).
The symposium will conclude a multi-day meeting between Leiden researchers and administrators and a delegation from the AdeKUS consisting of: Shiraz Boedhoe, secretary of the Executive Board; Dr Iwan Molgo, Coordinator of Biology (BSc) at the Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences; and Usha Satnarain, Coordinator of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (MSc) at the Faculty of Technological Sciences. The goal of the meeting is to build a firm foundation for a long-term biodiversity research and teaching programme.
