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Working Toward a Better Community
Modern scientific research and education systems owe their structure (hierarchy) and basic methodology to Greek society/philosophers via development through the Classical Roman government and then after the 4th Century, also organized Christian churches (largely led by Roman ideas). These systems are ineffective for meeting the needs of either modern research or education. Much of the problem rests in their insistence upon a rigid hierarchy with ranks that are not always achievable by those who work and think hard. Rather continued success within the system requires influence and other irrational elements not logically part of the system, but intrinsic to it. Flat, community-oriented systems have been shown to be far more efficient (productive) and have even been used as the basis for advancement of many famous projects (consider think-tanks, special project teams, and groups who focus on a task for a set period of time). Yochai Benkler (2006, The Wealth of Networks) has referred to the strength of this strategy as "open-source economics." Open-source economics is the strength of the global Internet(s) and examples such as wikipedia. It should also be the model for scientific research and educational systems in the near future.
In order to work toward a better scientific research and educational community, all aspects of the existing community must be questioned and not assumed to be reasonable.
What would a better education system look like? Would it have administrators and staff? Would it need buildings or could almost everything be done using community facilities, coffee shops, etc.? Do instructors need physical offices? Do courses and their content need to be delivered in the same structure and time frame? What would a better education system look like?
What would a better research system look like? Does it need administrative overhead funding? What kinds of facilities are REALLY needed for specific projects? Where should researchers be based? How should researchers be organized to achieve maximal scientific success? What would a better research system look like?
Working Toward a Better World
Botanical Research Institute of Texas
International Society of Ethnobiology
Projects
Examples of Current Projects
Cider Apple Diversity and Biogeography
Conservation Ethnobiology Field School
Ethnobotany: Segues to Science
Traditional Fermentation Technologies
Examples of Past Projects
Systematics and Ethnobotany of Metroxylon (Sago)
Ethnobotany of Lauru (Solomon Islands)
Ethnobotany of Rongelap (Marshall Islands)
Research Collaborators
Kim Bridges (Ecological Informatics, Inc.)
Alain Touwaide and Emanuela Appetiti (Institute for Preservation of Medical Traditions)
Teaching
I am not currently teaching standard courses through University of Hawai`i.
During the Spring of 2013 I am assisting Dr. Tony Burgess of Texas Christian University with the course: Environmental Stewardship (ENSC 40193).
During 2013 I am co-teaching science in the BRIT Field School that is supporting the Morningside Children's Partnership. Additionally, we continue to develop curriculum for the interdisciplinary, multi-institutional Ethnobiology Field School that provides practical training opportunities for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
Although I am now working for the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, I still have Graduate Students working through the University of Hawai`i. Examples of Past Student Projects may be of interest for people considering graduate school.
I am still involved in botany and ethnobiology curriculum development and maintain web pages for courses I have taught in the past.
University of Hawaii, Ethnobotany Program
Selected training modules from the field school and above courses are posted here.
If you are a young person interested in ethnobiology there may be answers to some commonly asked questions in this page
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