The new generation with the community are committed to the challenges of conservation
Monty Halls
This last year has shown the importance and power of community. Through funds raised during GiveUNC 2020, UNC Center for Galapagos Studies partnered with Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) as well as the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) to create REACCT (Re-Activating the Economy through Science, Community and Work).
One of the fundamental pillars of the Galapagos Science Center (GSC) is the engagement with the community of San Cristobal and Galapagos in general. The problem is focused on that, traditionally, investigation in Galapagos has been done in a way where the community is separated from the research process; and in most cases, serving only as administrative support or for logistics. The intention of the GSC is to involve the local people through a process of participative research; at the same time prioritizing the training techniques and the process of investigation to students and public employees. Additionally, one of the missions of the GSC is to support the local institutions through applied investigation.