Mote scientist joins Pacific Congress of Marine Science and Technology (PACON) Board of Directors
Ken Leber, Associate Vice President for Research is the newest member of PACON Board of Directors
Mote Marine Laboratory scientist, Dr. Kenneth Leber, has been nominated and unanimously approved as the newest member of Pacific Congress of Marine Science and Technology (PACON) Board of Directors. PACON is an international organization comprised of marine scientists, engineers, industrialists, and policy-makers dedicated to sharing state-of-the-art marine science and technology and the appropriate applications of this technology from countries around the Pacific Rim and beyond.
PACON’s principle goal is to provide information to all participating nations to promote the environmentally sound utilization of ocean resources and to advance knowledge in the various disciplines. The organization provides an international forum for nations and islands of the Pacific to exchange information, ideas and technology. Leber first became involved with PACON in 1990 while living in Hawaii. In 2012 and 2014, Leber and other Mote scientists Drs. Michael P.Crosby, Kevan Main, Emily Hall and Erinn Muller organized special sessions at PACON conferences in Hawaii and China. Dr. Crosby, Mote’s President and CEO has participated in PACON for nearly 20 years including time spent as the organization’s president, and remains a member of the Board.
“I am honored to be nominated and accepted as a board member of PACON,” said Leber. “Being a part of this group has been a tremendous tool for meeting potential collaborators. During our conferences, members get the chance to share ideas and findings which often results in significant international partnerships.”
PACON is just one example of Mote’s engagement in initiatives for international marine science diplomacy. Mote’s scientific research has a long-standing history of international reach and impact. In the late 1950’s Mote co-founder Dr. Genie Clark received a prestigious collaborative grant to bring the shark research methods she developed at Mote to the Middle East, which was just the beginning of Mote’s global vision to be an international center for marine science diplomacy.
The core of Mote’s 2020 Vision and Strategic Plan is to significantly expand the institutions world-class marine science research and deliver responsible public service to local, regional, national and international communities. As an internationally recognized, independent organization, and trusted leader in marine science, Mote is able to bring key stakeholders together for the purpose of developing innovative solutions to the most pressing environmental issues, while easing tensions on the international world stage through cooperative marine science programs.