News

Upcoming Event: October 16 - Students of Consequence will be shown in the Moving Images Film Festival at the Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, Ca.

Upcoming Event: August 16-17 - Students of Consequence (full length) to be shown at the Annual Meeting of the Pacific Division of AAAS to be held at the new California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco.
"Monitoring African Bushmeat in the Classroom: Global Conservation Education" by Megan Morikawa and Dr. Vavra, earned Megan a first place student award in the Education Division at the meeting.

June 27-July 15 - The African Bushmeat Expedition team returned to northern Tanzania to demonstrate the molecular techniques of DNA identification to an audience of scientists, conservationists, and wildlife officials at the Mweka College of African Wildlife Management. The Bushmeat Identification Workshop was very successful and the team can't wait to return to Tanzania. To read about the trip, go to africanbushmeat.org/blog.

 

April 29 - The Expedition team recieved their award for their efforts in conservation from the Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Competition. During the conference in Florida, the team was awarded their Excellence award sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. The team also had the opportunity meet other youth across America doing work in conservation.

March 18 -"Students of Consequence" to be shown at the Environmental Film Festival (showing at American University). Outstanding student films to be shown include a new film from American University's Center for Environmental Filmmaking, 2008 winners from National Geographic Channel's "Preserve Our Planet" College Film and PSA Contest and 2008 winners from the National Council for Science and the Environment Youth Video Contest.

February 10 - African Bushmeat Expedition to receive Environmental Excellence Award from SeaWorld/Busch Gardens! The ROP Biotechnology Program at High Tech High has just earned its second Environmental Excellence Award. Since 1993, the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks have annually recognized eight projects from across the US that involve the outstanding efforts of K-12 students and teachers who are working at the grassroots level to protect and preserve the environment. Award winners receive $10,000 to support their efforts -- World Wildlife Fund will be the sponsoring partner for the HTH African Bushmeat Expedition.

January 5 - Article in AudubonMagazine.org titled "DNA Barcoding: Cracking Down on Bushmeat" on illegal wildlife trade features work of the High Tech High African Bushmeat Expedition. The story features the work of CRES in the Cameroon and work in East Africa by the African Bushmeat Expedition. Several photos are also published in the article.

December 15 - The African Bushmeat Expedition featured by George Lucas' educational foundation Edutopia.  See the program "The DNA of Learning: Teens Tackle Animal Poaching Through Genetics."

December 11 -  The latest issue of the academic journal "Unboxed" is released with a cover story on the African Bushmeat Expedition.  Order a free copy from the journal web site.


December 8 - Dr. Jay Vavra and Megan Morikawa, now at Duke University, presented their poster "The African Bushmeat Expedition: Inquiry-based conservation education and the bushmeat crisis" at the 9th meeting of the National Conference for Science and the Environment in Washington, DC.

Zac Sheffer and Megan Morikawa received the Best Overall Video award for the film "Students of Consequence" which was presented by Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity of the U.N. The film was shown on two large screens at the
conference.


The project took on additional meaning after hearing in the news that luggage was discovered the day before, at nearby Dulles International Airport with charred monkey meat inside.

Poster

December 6 - Conservation Forensics class of the African Bushmeat Expedition featured in "The DNA of learning: Students tackle animal poaching by genetics" produced by Edutopia - George Lucas' education foundation. View here: http://www.edutopia.org/high-tech-high-biotech-video

December 1 - African Bushmeat Documentary "Students of Consequence" recognized as the best overall video for the upcoming  meeting held by the National Conference for Science and the Environment - Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World, December 8-10, 2008 in Washington, DC. Their entry, "Students of Consequence" received BEST OVERALL VIDEO.
You can see the video here: https://africanbushmeat.org/expedition.html

This is their highest award!
http://www.ncseonline.org/Conference/Biodiversity/cms.cfm?id=2820

The video will be shown during an evening event at the conference and
will also be showcased during the DC Environmental Film Festival March
18, 2009 at American University.

November 22 - Dr. Vavra spoke to a diverse set of people at the San Diego Natural History Museum working on projects in Africa.  The program was organized by Water for Africa.

October 29 -  Dr. Vavra was invited to give a talk on conservation education in the Palomar College Campus Exploration Series, The Environment and Sustainable Living: Global Crises and Solutions.  His talk was titled "Conservation science education with an impact: African Bushmeat Expedition and Urban Ecology."

September 29- As part of an educational presentation for a large coalition of premier architects concerning High Tech High?s approach to learning, Steve Pye, photographer and member of the African Bushmeat Expedition presented the projects mission and accomplishments.  Mr. Pye gave a talk about DNA sequencing, followed by a brief explanation of how the technology is to be implemented and the resulting changes, which may soon be reality. Each student presentation was required to explain how their project related to the school, whether visually, structurally, or ideally.  The African Bushmeat Expedition supports and falls under both the visual and idealistic aspects of the school.

Regarding the visual aspect of his work, Mr. Pye stated, ?we can directly inform and educate people about what is happening in Tanzania. Photographs are an excellent medium because people are able to emotionally connect with the issue.?To date, photographs and even short video clips have provided many with information or education concerning what Dr. Vavra and his former students have accomplished and what his current students are working so diligently to achieve.  Idealistically, the Bushmeat Project is a prominent example of what High Tech High Students are capable of undertaking. What has been done within the expedition is nothing less than what many professionals throughout the biotechnical and educational fields hope to accomplish.  The presentation given by Mr. Pye was another step in raising public awareness and provided more foundation for building a program in East Africa that will preserve biodiversity and set a standard for what others may achieve in conservation education.

September 23- From the minute Dr. Bethan Morgan began her lecture to our High Tech High Conservation Forensics class, her dedication to wildlife preservation was abundantly clear.  For the past six years, Dr. Morgan has worked in the forests of Cameroon, studying the devastating impacts the African bushmeat trade has had upon endangered species. 

The term bushmeat refers to wild animals killed for personal sustenance or commercial profit.  In Cameroon and other economically-weak African nations, hunters track and kill wildlife such as elephants, monkeys and birds of prey to generate personal income.  Comparable in cost to fish per kilogram, bushmeat is considered a delicacy in certain African societies, and an entire drill monkey can sell for upwards of two hundred dollars- a fortune for hunters.  The practice, however advantageous for hunters? wallets, ravages populations of endangered species.  In addition to threatening the continuation of populations, the bushmeat trade limits bio-diversity in ecosystems which once teemed with life. 

In Dr. Morgan?s quest to preserve endangered species, she aided in the establishment of a field station in the Ebo forest of Cameroon.  There she takes surveys of wildlife populations and attempts to stop hunters from gaining profit off the death of endangered animals.  On good days, Dr. Morgan convinces a hunter to not sell a prized kill.  On bad days, she finds bodies of monkeys, awaiting pick-up from a poacher.  On the worst days, she receives threats on her life.  None of this deters the steadfast researcher from CRES, though. 

It is clear in her demeanor that Dr. Morgan will stop at nothing to see a dramatic reduction in bushmeat sales.  CRES has worked to launch educational forums in schools and communities of Cameroon in hopes of stopping the problem at its source.  Morgan and her fellow researchers have found that by simply discussing the issue with tribal leaders helps build relationships on which CRES researchers can gain insight into hunter?s actions.  This technique has also proved beneficial in the classroom.  By educating children at an early age, researchers from CRES generate interest and concern in their minds, and hopefully prevent the development of future hunters.   Perhaps most ground-breaking is CRES?s outreach program to hunters themselves.  When poachers are invited to visit conservation centers, CRES has the unique opportunity to exhibit animals in a different light; as living beings rather than a paycheck. 

When asked what gives Dr. Morgan hope in such a large scale issue, one seemingly impossible to tackle, she mentions the small victories.  When a poacher relinquishes a live monkey to her; when she releases an animal caught in a snare; when she hires a young man to do research who once considered making a living in the bushmeat trade.  It is instances like these and people like Dr. Morgan which keep the hope for animals, the hope for Africa, and essentially, the hope for life, alive and well. 

By Natalie Holt

August 18 - In a TED style presentation Dr. Vavra kicked off High Tech High's new 3-OL series with his talk "Conservation, Commitment, and Collaboration."  This presentation was given for the faculty and staff
of the High Tech High schools and affiliates during the beginning of summer professional development.

July 10 - Article on African Bushmeat Expedition team from the manager of PLos One -  "Using DNA barcoding to identify illegal bushmeat jerky trade."

June 22- July 8, 2008- The long awaited African Bushmeat Expedition has come and gone and we are all home safe in San Diego. Visit the blog to read a day by day account of our expedition. We hope to bring together the video footage and photographs we took on our expedition soon. So keep checking and supporting the students at High Tech High. We are excited to take our expedition and our findings to the next level and share our experiences with the world.

June 16-June19, 2008 - BIO 2008 conference and African Bushmeat Expedition unite in San Diego. Zac Sheffer, Megan Morikawa, and Dr. Vavra presented on Monday their ?Best Practices Workshop? on DNA barcoding applications to African Bushmeat and San Diego Bay Studies. The presentation was given to a standing-room-only group of science teachers from around the country.

Additionally, Dr. Vavra had been nominated for the Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator of the Year Award. Monday night, in an American Idol like awards ceremony he was announced the winner and was able to give a speech after the Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, gave her talk.

Then on the first two days of the convention, students presented, as planned, in the Invitrogen booth, talking about the expedition they would be leaving for at the end of the week. Students demonstrated to BIO attendees how to load and separate DNA with Invitrogen Safe e-Gels. They also were able to present with the long-awaited flash demonstration of the DNA process. Dr. Vavra was also gave an acceptance speech at the Plenary luncheon before Craig Venter and Governor Schwarzenegger.


June 4 ? Report on the African Bushmeat Expedition from a science blog at the Rockefeller University on the use of DNA for identification and discovery.  "High school students help demonstrate practicality, utility of DNA barcoding."


May 15, 2008 - Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of the non-profit Ugandan organization, Conservation Through Public Heath (CPTH), spoke at High Tech High about her organization, which strives to "promote conservation and public health by improving primary health care to people and animals in and around protected areas in Africa". Later that evening, Dr. Kalema-Zikusoka was awarded the 2008 Conservation-In-Action Award at the Zoological Society of San Diego's 2008 Conservation Medals Awards dinner. Beth, Elise, Megan, Dr. Vavra and his wife attended the dinner.


 

April 28, 2008 - HTH African Bushmeat Expedition profiled in anarticle by Roots & Shoots. Click here for the article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 28 - Upcoming expedition of High Tech High Roots & Shoots Conservation Forensics team featured in Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots newsletter.

April 19-25 -  African Bushmeat Expedition member Sean Curtice was one of 100 Roots & Shoots youth environmental leaders from around the world to be invited to participate in the 2008 Roots & Shoots Global Youth Summit in Florida.

April 16, 2008 - Megan Morikawa introduced Dr. Jane Goodall prior to her talk at the University of San Diego Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. See Megan's transcript here.

 

 

April 2, 2008 - Dr. Jane Goodall visited San Diego as a part of her North American speaking tour. An audience of more than 500 heard her lecture, 'A Message of Hope', at the Foothills United Methodist Church in East County. A video created by HTH African Bushmeat members especially for the event was debuted and received warmly by Dr. Goodall and the audience. Others attending the event included Deus Cosmos and Joan Embery. Before the lecture, members of the African Bushmeat Expedition were able to meet and share ther projects with Dr. Goodall.
March 5, 2008 "For many years, illegal weapons and illegal drugs have been the commodities of choice to some of the globe's most brazen underworld figures, even spawning the term "narco-terrorism. Yet the illegal wildlife trade, which has received considerably less public attention, is an increasing concern and may be on the rise. As a result, illegal wildlife trafficking poses a risk, not just to the survival of God's creatures but also to the safety and stability of our world and the American people. "
-U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, II - Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources
Oversight hearing on "Poaching American Security: Impacts of Illegal Wildlife Trade" 
Click for article.



February 2008
- Beth Jacobs (left of Leno) assisted her internship mentor Joan Embery with exotic animals on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

 

 

 

 

Interview with Deus Cosmos - Before heading to Tanzania we had the good fortune of having Tanzania come to us in the form of Deus Cosmos, regional coordinator for the Roots & Shoots Program in the Mara Region, Tanzania.  After presenting his work on the conservation of baboons in Tanzania to several classes at High Tech High, Deus shared some more of his story with us.  Read the interview with him here.




 

Check out HTH in an article by ZOONOOZ and the Peninsula Beacon .

 

Dr. Vavra described the High Tech High African bushmeat research to
the Secretary of Commerce, Carlos M. Gutierrez, and his chief of staff who visited theBiotech Lab.

 

 

 

Megan Morikawa at the 2007 BioGENEius Competition.
Her project, dealing with an alternative means of DNA preservation via dry storage on qualitative filter paper, looked at the applications of barcoding in service of the African bushmeat crisis. She was the only representative from California and the winner of the SouthWest Regional Competition. She also recieved the California Association of Professional Scientists Young Scientist of the Year award for her work on DNA preservation.



Khoa Tran at the 2006 BioGENEius Competition.
His project looked at using the DNA "barcode" in service of identifying species of the African Bushmeat Trade. Using highly processed Jerkey samples, Khoa tested to find the highest yielding DNA extraction method to identify trace samples. He was the only representative from California and competed in the 2006 BioGENEius competition.

 


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