Internationalizing the Coastal Ecosystems Curriculum, FIPSE United ...

Internationalizing the Coastal Ecosystems
Curriculum, FIPSE United States-Brazil Student
Exchange Programs at the Ana G. Méndez
University System
Puerto Rico
Dr. Carlos Padín, Dr. Juan C. Musa, Prof. Zaida Vega, Universidad
Metropolitana (UMET); Dr. Wilfredo Colón, Universidad del Este (UNE);
Dr. Angel Rivera, Universidad del Turabo (UT)
Brazil
Dr. Thierry R. Gasnier, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus;
Dr. Carlos Eduardo de Rezende, Universidade Estatual Norte do
Fluminense (UENF) Campos, Rio de Janeiro; Dr. Manuel Antonio de
Andrade Furtado Neto, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC),
Fortaleza, Ceará

US Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary
Education (FIPSE): U.S.-Brazil Higher Education Consortia Program
The program is jointly administered by the U.S. Department of
Education and the Brazilian Ministry of Education.
Provides grants for up to four years to consortia of at least two
academic institutions each from Brazil and the United States.
Fosters the exchange of students and faculty within the context of
bilateral curricular development.
Promotes student-centered cooperation between the United States
and Brazil to increase cross-national education and training
opportunities in a wide range of academic and professional
disciplines.
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fipsebrazil/index.html

US Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary
Education (FIPSE): U.S.-Brazil Higher Education Consortia Program

INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE AGMUS
Non-Profit private university system established in
1949. Licensed by the Puerto Rico Council of Higher
Education (CESPR) and fully accredited by the Middle
States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
Third largest university system in PR and the fastest
growing during the past decade; over 42,000 students
Multi-institutional system: Four higher education
institutions and a public television station:
- Universidad del Turabo (UT)
- Universidad del Este (UNE)
- Universidad Metropolitana (UMET)
- Ana G. Mendez Virtual University

INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE AGMUS
Description 2009
Student Profile (Freshmen)
% Public Schools 78.5
% Private Schools 20.3
% Female 59.8
% Male 40.3
%

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS
UMET
Main Campus
San Juan, PR
UNE
Main Campus
Carolina, PR
UT
Main Campus
Gurabo, PR
MOUC
SFLUC
1- UNE Utuado
2- UNE Cabo Rojo
3- UNE Yauco
4- UNE Barceloneta
5- UNE Santa Isabel
6- UT Cayey
7- UT Yabucoa
8- UT Naguabo
9- UT Isabela
10- UT Ponce
11- UMET Aguadilla
12- UMET Jayuya
13- UMET Bayamón

VISION 2015
By the year 2015 , AGMUS will be recognized
for its excellence in learning, in research, and in
service, for its social responsibility and
pertinence, and its growing global projection.

INTRODUCTION
Two Grants:
Environmental Affairs and
Globalization: Internationalizing
the Environmental Studies
Curriculum (UMET and UT)
Internationalizing the Coastal
Ecosystem Curriculum (UMET and
UNE)

Environmental Affairs and Globalization: Internationalizing the
Environmental Studies Curriculum
CORE
PARTNERS
Universidade
Estadual
Norte do
Fluminense
Universidade
Federal do
Amazonas
Universidad
del Turabo
Universidad
Metropolitana
1. The partners developed a proposal and submitted it as a
planning grant to NSF. The proposal was approved.
2. Five (5) courses were revised to incorporate the international
component. Three (3) of them were developed on-line.
3. The Office of the Vice Chancellor of International, Federal and
Corporate Affairs was created at UT and UMET.

Environmental Affairs and Globalization: Internationalizing the
Environmental Studies Curriculum
From To # Students # Credits
UMET UFAM 5 30
UMET UENF 6 36
UFAM UMET 11 100
UENF UMET 4 52
UT UFAM 6 36
UT UENF 3 18
UFAM UT 0 0
UENF UT 5 55
Main accomplishments:
40 327
1. Implemented an international cultural and educational exchange
program between the US (PR) and Brazil.
2. Offered mutual credit recognition and portability focused on
coastal systems research.

Internationalizing the Coastal Ecosystem Curriculum
(UMET and UNE)
CORE
PARTNERS
Universidade
Estadual
Norte do
Fluminense
Universidade
Federal do
Ceará
Universidad
del Este
Universidad
Metropolitana
1. Ten undergraduate students are carrying out research projects.
2. A basic Portuguese course is now offered each semester at
UNE. Prepared by a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence from Brazil.
3. Participating universities have strengthen their international
student services.
4. Establishment of collaborative efforts in other fields.

Internationalizing the Coastal Ecosystem Curriculum
(UMET and UNE)
Consortia Agreement for the
Educational Exchange of
Undergraduate and Graduate
Students and Faculty Between
Universidad Metropolitana and
Universidad del Este in The United
States of America and Universidade
Estadual Do Norte Fluminense and
Universidade Federal Do Ceará in
Fortaleza, Brasil

STUDENT AND FACULTY EXCHANGE
2010 – Brazilian Students in Puerto Rico.
2009 – Puerto Rican Students in Brazil. 2009 – Annual Director’s Meeting.

DISSEMINATION
2008 – TV Interview of Dr. Thierry R. Gasnier, Universidade
Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus
2011 – Internet Streaming Interview of
Brazilian Students in Puerto Rico.
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/12150307

FACULTY EXCHANGE AT UMET
• UFAM
– Dr. Thierry Gasnier (2006)
– Dr. Andrea Waichman (2005)
• UFC
– Dr. Manuel Furtado (2009)
• UENF
– Dr. Carlos Ruiz, Visiting Professor (7/2007 – 7/2008)
– Dr. Adriana Grativol, Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (07-08)
– Dr. Carlos Rezende (2007, 2009)
– Dr. Marina Suzuki (2009)
– Dr. Marcos Pedlowski (2006)

FACULTY EXCHANGE – NSF PLANNING GRANT
Presentations UNEF:
1.Estrutura das florestas de mangue do Norte Fluminense. Dr.
Elaine Bernini (UENF)
2.Biodiversidade e Funcionalidade de Ecossistemas - uma
abordagem multidisciplinar de comunidades microbianas. Dr.
Adriana Grativol (UENF)
3.Courses of Biological Sciences (Undergraduate) and Ecology and
Natural Resources (Graduate) Programs. Dr. Carlos Eduardo de
Rezende. (UENF)
4.Influência dos manguezais na biogeoquímica aquática de
estuários. Dr. Marcos Sarmet Moreira de Barros Salomão (UENF)

FACULTY EXCHANGE – NSF PLANNING GRANT
Presentations UMET and UNE:
1.Cucharillas Marsh: Research, Education and Community
Participation. Dr. Carlos Padin (UMET)
2.The use of Nitrogen index approach to assess Nitrogen loses to
the environment. Dr. Wilfredo Colón (UNE)
3.Nutrients use efficiency in mangrove ecosystem at Joyuda
Lagoon, Puerto Rico. Dr. Juan C. Musa (UMET)
4.Molecular toxicology at Chemical, Environmental and Molecular
Toxicology Laboratory. Dr. Beatriz Zayas (UMET)
5.Particulates in Cataño Air Basin and benefits from proximity of
Cucharillas Marsh. Prof. María C. Ortiz (UMET)
6.Antibiotics resistance in genetic diversity of Enterococci isolated
from sea water. Dr. Nidia Rodríguez Bonano (UNE)

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS - UMET
Three students presented at the XX Undergraduate
Research Symposium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May
2008. The poster titles are:
Impact of the Iguana iguana in a wetland
restoration project.
Impact of herbaria in a wetland restoration
project Wetland productivity in Cucharillas
Marsh.

STUDENT PRESENTATIONS - UNE
BIOCHEMICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY OF THE INTERACTION
PROCESS OF RHODNIUS PROLIXUS WITH TRYPANOSOMA RANGELI
1,4
Batista, K.K.S., 1 Monteiro, N.O., 1 Douétts-Peres, J.C., 1 Araújo, G.S.M., 1 Loureiro,
G.G., 2 Gonzales, M., 3 Azambuja, P., 3 Garcia, E.S. 3 , 1 DaMatta, R.A., 1 Sant´Anna, N.F.
1
Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense,
Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; 2 Departamento de Biologia General, Universidade Federal
Fluminense; 3 Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Fundação Oswaldo
Cruz, Rio de Janeiro. Brasil; 4 FIPSE-US-Brazil International Exchange Student,
Universidad del Este, Carolina, Puerto Rico
WASTEWATER TREATMENT FROM A SHRIMP OPERATION AND GENERATION
OF BIOMASS TO FEED PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP LITOPENEUS VANNAMEI
1 1 1 1 1,2 1
Santaella, S.T., Leitão, R.C., Nunes, A.J.P., Neto, H.S., and Lima, H.N. Instituto
de Ciências do Mar, LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará,
2
Brazil, FIPSE-US-Brazil International Exchange Student, Universidad del Este,
Carolina, Puerto Rico
46 th Junior Technical Meeting
March 12, 2011
San Juan, Puerto Rico

STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS - UMET
1. Metals (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe and Pb) in the seagrass Halodule writii in
the San Juan Bay Estuary Ecosystem
2. Heavy Metals (Pb, Mn, Cr, Zn) in sands at the San Juan Bay
Estuary Ecosystem
3. Distribution of Heavy Metals in Bottom Sediments in the San
Juan Bay Estuary Ecosystem
4. Forest Structure and Biomass in a Red Mangrove Stand at the
San Juan Bay Estuary Ecosystem

STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS - UNE
Assessment of Enterococcus spp. distribution, genetic
diversity and antibiotic susceptibility/resistance patterns
in Puerto Rico’s coastal waters. Mentor Dr. Nydia
Rodriguez

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Strengthening of the Offices of the Vice Chancellors
for International, Federal and Corporate Affairs at
each institution.
48 students from PR to Brazil.
47 students from Brazil to PR.
100% language proficiency.
Portuguese instruction
8 graduate courses has been actualized with an
international dimension.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Integration of other funding opportunities (NSF,
Fulbright).
A long-term core research agenda on wetland
ecosystems for the university consortia.
A project web site (http://wetlandnetwork.wetpaint.com).
The web site includes project information, the
partners, the professors and research areas, the
publications and the wetlands located in each place.
Student Exchange Manual & Procedures
http://www.suagm.edu/umet/con_vicerrectoria_asuntos_internacionale
s_corporativos_mision_vision.asp

QUESTIONS?