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Consortium
with African universities moves forward |
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Photo
by Andrew Shurtleff
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| Peter
Omara-Ojunga, University of Venda (standing), makes remarks
at last month’s conference to plan a consortium with African
universities. Other participants are (from left): Hank Shugart,
U.Va.; Francisco Vieira, University of Eduardo Mondlane; Sisai
Mpuchane, University of Botswana; Luis Nongxa, University of
the Witwatersrand; and Jeffrey Plank, U.Va. |
By Fariss Samarrai
W
hen environmental scientist Mike Garstang began studying the atmosphere
over southern Africa more than 30 years ago, he knew he was dealing
with a complex and dynamic system with global implications. He had
no idea that his work would lead, over the next quarter century,
to a new climate of cooperation, with several U.Va. faculty members
conducting numerous research and education projects with colleagues
at four African universities.
Late
last month, U.Va. officials held a three-day meeting and workshop
with faculty and administrators from the University of Eduardo Mondlane
in Mozambique, the University of Botswana and the universities of
Venda and the Witwatersrand in South Africa. The five universities
are forming a consortium to address environmental, health and education
concerns throughout southern Africa.
“Built
initially on personal relationships, we are developing new and innovative
education projects in southern Africa,” said Hank Shugart,
W.W. Corcoran Professor of Environmental Sciences and director of
U.Va.’s Global Environmental Change Program. “We are coordinating
our work at a new level and hope this is a first step in intensive
African interaction in education, research and training.”
Peter
Omara-Ojunga, dean of the School of Environmental Sciences at the
University of Venda, said, “This consortium is an opportunity
to consolidate the environmental research activities of universities
in Africa with U.Va.”
He
and officials from the other African universities joined representatives
from the U.S. Department of State, the World Wildlife Fund, the
National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the
National Research Council, the United Nations and other federal
agencies and international conservation organizations at Pavilion
VII May 29 to discuss the consortium. Full
story.
U.Va. offers to share
traffic costs
By Matt Kelly
The
University has offered to share the costs of synchronizing traffic
lights at seven intersections and extend an existing traffic lane
on Ivy Road as part of its proposed Emmet Street parking garage
project.
In
two separate letters sent June 14 to Charlottesville Mayor J. Blake
Caravati, Leonard Sandridge, U.Va.’s executive vice president
and chief operating officer, suggested synchronizing traffic signals
at seven intersections. Sandridge offered to pay for signals at
four of the intersections, at $25,000 each, plus install a $25,000
transponder to connect them. This would leave the city to install
signals at three intersections, at a cost of $75,000.
The
intersections Sandridge suggested synchronizing are Ivy Road/Emmet
Street, Ivy Road/Copeley Road/Alderman Road, Ivy Road at St. Anne’s-Belfield
and Old Ivy Road, Rugby Road/McCormick Road/University Avenue, Emmet
Street/Massie Road, Emmet Street/Arlington Boulevard and Emmet Street/entrance
to Barracks Road Shopping Center.
A recent
traffic study of the area indicated that synchronized traffic lights
would reduce delays at the Ivy-Emmet intersection, which are a major
concern for garage critics living in the adjacent Lewis Mountain
neighborhood. They fear that delays there would increase traffic
on their residential streets. Full
story.
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