Jan 21, 2015 06:39 PM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Georgia Southern University has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation (MCF) on Wednesday to establish the Human-Environment Research Station (HERS) in Milpe, Ecuador, school officials announced.

"It's always a good day to see the Eagle Nation spread a little wider," Georgia Southern President Brooks A. Keel said in a statement. "This historic event ... truly does allow us to forge a partnership to establish our first permanent research station in Latin America. Students and faculty will be able to experience South American culture and heritage while gaining valuable research experience."

The MCF is an Ecuadorian nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of bird habitat in the Ecuadorian Andes. It also seeks to promote bird tourism and reforestation. The partnership will provide an opportunity in South America for University faculty, undergraduates and graduates to conduct innovative and groundbreaking research on sustainable livelihoods and development, transnational connections, reforestation, climate change and more.

"This is such an exciting new partnership," Rob Yarbrough, a professor at Georgia Southern University, said in a statement. "This is a tremendous new opportunity for our faculty and students to engage in human-environment research."

MCF President Brian Krohnke and Technical Director Leila Tania Lopez De la Cruz will join University professors to discuss the organization and research opportunities. The Department of Geology and Geography seminar will be held Thursday, Jan. 22, at 4 p.m. in Herty room 2112. The event is open to the public.

"This project is exactly the thing we want to do at Georgia Southern in order to live up to our promise to be student-centered," Keel added. " I challenge you not to let this be the last project, rather I sincerely hope that today marks the first of what I hope will be many such agreements that expand the educational horizons of our students and faculty."

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