WASHINGTON, DC.- The Smithsonian Institution has
joined Arizona State University in an innovative education and science
partnership aimed at sustaining a biodiverse planet. On Feb. 12,
Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough and ASU President Michael M. Crow launched a
global classroom—with one foot in Arizona’s Sonoran desert and the other in the
tropical landscapes of Panama. The partnership will create opportunities
for ASU undergraduates, graduate students and faculty to participate in
fieldwork at Smithsonian facilities in Panama, as well as for the development of
virtual global classrooms that center on current research in tropical
ecosystems. Smithsonian scientists will also participate in ASU degree programs.