9353549 Gonzalez University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez Campus proposes to continue its Center of Excellence in Tropical and Caribbean Research. The Center was established (1) to develop areas of research that will contribute to solve the pipeline problem of minority access to careers in science, and (2) to exploit and study the unique tropical advantages available within Puerto Rico. The objectives of the Center are: (1) to develop a research infrastructure to promote collaboration between the strongest research groups on the island, (2) to compete for funding from major funding sources, (3) to strengthen the instrumentation base, (4) to promote collaborations with other research entities on a national and international level, (5) to provide collaborative research opportunities for researchers at 4-year institutions, (6) to provide educational improvement activities for faculty and graduate, undergraduate and precollege students, and (7) to contribute to the strengthening of a competitive research environment in Puerto Rico. The Center of Excellence for Tropical and Caribbean Research was established in 1988 with funding from the National Science Foundation under the Minority Research Centers of Excellence (MRCE) Program. The Center of Excellence meets the goals of the MRCE Program especially (1) to increase the minority presence in science and engineering by making substantial resources available to upgrade the research capabilities of strong and productive minority institutions, (2) to allow the institution to continue use of research as a tool to increase the effectiveness of related science and engineering activities for minority groups in its region, (3) to provide opportunities for minority faculty and students at the University of Puerto Rico, and (4) to engage in meritorious research that leads to publications in refereed journals. ***
