PNG UNRE News

Papua New Guinea’s rich natural biodiversity needs more focus and attention in terms of research in order to preserve and protect it. Four scientists from Edge Hill University in United Kingdom who are currently at PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment for their research, discovered that there are so many things in the local environment to be studied and identified. Their visit is purposely to find out what is in the environment so that they have a target research area in their next visit. The team comprises of Dr Sven Batke, Senior Lecturer in Plant; Dr Lorena Fernadez-Martinez, Senior Lecturer in Micro Biology; Tom Dallimore, a Researcher; and lab technician Emma Dumbill who is assisting the team with samples collected. They visited Mandres yesterday. In total they have visited six sites in the province since their arrival a week ago. Dr Batke is studying different species of ferns in the province, Dr Fernandez-Martinez is looking at soil and the bacte

Late Mary Lulu. PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment is mourning the loss of one of its longest serving staff members. Late Mary Lulu, served the University in the Library for 31 years until her untimely death on Monday afternoon after a short illness. She was 55 years old. Her life at the University through her work and her church involvement touched many people especially students, young people and married couples. She and her husband, late Ezekiel Lulu, lived a simple life and played a huge role in mentoring young people. Their lives were a testimony and an example to many who described them as their role models and advisors. UNRE Technical Instructor Inia Bunsa who has known late Mrs Lulu since he came to UNRE as a student in 2004, described her as someone special to his spiritual and mental development. He said she was a mentor in the church. Mr Bunsa said she had supported her late husband in mentoring young people in the church, who are now in lead

Professor Warren (second left) with the visitors. From left to right they are: Sven Batke, Thom Dallimore, Lorena Fernadez-Martinez, Emma Dumbill (Edge Hill University); Professor Rolf Mueller (Virginia Tech) and Jin-Ping Han (IBM TJ Watson Research Centre) PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment on Monday welcomed academics and researchers from Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom and Virginia Tech University in the United States of America. The visitors will spend about two weeks at the university liaising with staff and students to find collaborative links that will be of mutual benefit to their institutions and UNRE. These include possible staff and student exchange programs in future. University Vice Chancellor Professor John Warren when welcoming the team said compared to other universities, UNRE is unique for a number of reasons. Firstly, because its natural resources focus gives it an advantage that none of other universities have; and secondly,

PNG UNRE students visited Organization for Industrial Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) International - Rabaul  last Thursday. The 16 students, who are presently on Semester break, took time from their holidays to learn about sustainable farming, specifically how farmers can adapt to Climate Change. The visit, which was initiated by male student warden Scott Akena, was aimed at helping them understand and learn more about Climate Change and its effects on farming and how different agricultural institutions have come up with research techniques to address the issue. Mr Daniel Joseph talks to students. OISCA’s Farm Manager Daniel Joseph and Vegetable Instructor Derick Gare were very helpful to students, who found out that OISCA is very effective in organic farming. The crops grown looked very healthy without much attack from pests and diseases. Mr Joseph told students that it took them 30 years to create a sustainable farm. “The secret to sustainable farming is t