|
Anderson
to head Oceanic Institute
Bruce
Anderson,
former
state
health
director
under
Gov.
Ben
Cayetano,
has
been
chosen
to
head
the
Oceanic
Institute,
a private,
nonprofit
aquaculture
research
institute
at
Makapu'u
Point.
Anderson was selected by the institute's board
Friday and will replace interim president Gary
D. Pruder, who served on a temporary basis after
the departure of Thomas E. Farewell.
Since his departure from the
Health Department in 2002 after the election
of Gov. Linda Lingle, Anderson has served
as Environmental Health Program director
at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at
the University of Hawai'i.
Anderson, 52, who takes over
his new post Aug. 2, will oversee an institute
with a budget of more than $20 million — primarily
federal research dollars — and more
than 100 scientists conducting cutting-edge
aquaculture research that is used extensively
in Hawai'i and could play an increasingly
important role globally.
"The real challenge is
to develop the technologies to support aquaculture
around the world," Anderson said. "Thirty
percent of the world's seafood is grown in
aquaculture facilities and that percentage
is growing at a rate of 1 percent a year.
It's a huge growth industry and will continue.
"At the same time, restoring
damaged fisheries and protecting fish habitats
is key to maintaining our quality of life,
and perhaps, our survival. OI can play an
important role in both."
Anderson's selection was scheduled
to be announced this morning by Chatt G.
Wright, chairman of the OI board of trustees
and president of Hawa'i Pacific University,
which formed an affiliation with OI last
summer to offer an ocean-based marine educational
experience to the college's more than 8,000
students. In turn HPU provides $1 million
annually in support of the institute's programs.
Wright called Anderson the "ideal" person
for the position, given his expertise in
marine and aquaculture sciences and environmental
health, in addition to his managerial abilities.
"He has the skills and
leadership we need to help put the Oceanic
Institute on the map as a world leader in
aquaculture development," Wright said.
Anderson said his major focus
will be expanding and diversifying the research,
building the base of federal grants, providing
an enriching experience for students, both
undergraduates and graduates as part of ongoing
research projects, and expanding the technologies
developed at OI internationally.
One of Anderson's first challenges
will be to resolve an issue in which the
Oceanic Institute overbilled the federal
government by $1.05 million in grant reimbursements
between 2000 and 2002. OI brought the discrepancy
to the attention of granting agencies and
has been working with them to find a resolution.
"I'm confident we can
continue to work out a settlement agreement
that will be favorable to OI and HPU," Anderson
said. Wright has said HPU will stand behind
anything owed back to the federal government
by OI.
"My understanding is that
the issue is largely resolved," Anderson
said, "and everyone is looking forward
to a continued good relationship. When I
was director of the state Health Department
we were successful in applying for over $200
million in grants and we never had to pay
back a dime. One of the strengths I bring
to the institute is having some experience
in grants management oversight and my intent
is to be very thorough in how we monitor
our performance under those grants."
Anderson said he will continue
to finalize an issue with the state Health
Department over wastewater disposal. He said
Oceanic Institute has completed and is testing
injection wells that have been built as an
intermediary system before water goes back
into the ocean.
"They allow for natural
filtration of seawater as it's returned to
the ocean," he said. "It's an approved
management measure."
He said OI has submitted a
final report to the Health Department, which
he hopes will issue a permit once the report
is accepted. "We're close to being in
compliance," he said.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com
or 525-8013.
Seafood.com News <http://www.seafood.com
|
