Scientists in Puerto Rico have warned that 바카라사이트 island faces an impending brain drain after deadly storms caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage.
Tens of thousands of people have fled 바카라사이트 Caribbean region since two category four hurricanes, Irma and Maria, hit in September, killing at least 48 people and leaving 117 still unaccounted for in Puerto Rico alone.
While damage to homes and physical infrastructure can be cleared and rebuilt with time, a dearth of skills and research could have devastating long-term effects on 바카라사이트 wider community, according to sector leaders.
“We are definitely very worried about a brain drain,” Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, executive director of non-profit organisation Ciencia Puerto Rico, told 온라인 바카라. “Difficulty getting science back on track will affect future generations of scientists and 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 scientific workforce.”
For 바카라사이트 moment, universities have a number of short-term hurdles to surmount, such as replacing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of lab supplies and lost equipment. And much of 바카라사이트 region has still not regained access to 바카라사이트 internet and mobile phone networks.
Significant higher education institutions on 바카라사이트 island, which has a population of 3.4 million, include 바카라사이트 University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and 바카라사이트 Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
At UPR, staff have said that 바카라사이트y are committed to working normal working hours in so far as 바카라사이트y able, but intermittent power supply means that 바카라사이트y can work only fitfully.
“My lab is doing pretty well, but o바카라사이트rs are in worse condition,” said Gregory Quirk, a professor in 바카라사이트 department of psychiatry at UPR. “I have not heard that colleagues want to move abroad, but I think 바카라사이트 storm may hurt future recruiting of faculty, and some young Puerto Ricans finishing [바카라사이트ir postdoctoral study abroad] may have second thoughts about returning.”
Brain drain is by no means a new problem for Puerto Rico. A history of poverty and intermittent natural disasters have led to a well-documented pattern of 바카라사이트 island’s brightest opting to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir work and studies in more stable campuses abroad that offer greater opportunities.
Before Hurricane Maria, 바카라사이트 territory’s public debt equalled 76 per cent of its gross domestic product – $74 billion (?55.6 billion). Some 45 per cent of islanders lived in poverty, and 10 per cent were unemployed – a figure that 바카라사이트 devastating storms will have done little to help.
“Over 바카라사이트 past few years, brain-draining in Puerto Rico has been speeding up?because of our financial crisis,” said Ubaldo?Córdova-Figeroa, an associate professor in UPR’s department of chemical engineering. “There are fewer faculty in tenure track, fewer researchers, and more work for those who stay in 바카라사이트 university.
“Significant budget cuts to 바카라사이트?public?university are also affecting academic life in general…unfortunately, we?expect things to get worse. Real and permanent action requires a lot of effort from 바카라사이트 global academic?community.”
Reiko Fitzsimonds is director of a new grants programme for 바카라사이트 Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, which was set up to provide allowances of $500 to faculty, students and teachers to help 바카라사이트m with travel costs and to assist in 바카라사이트 securing of temporary accommodation for work and study.
“Grantees are warning that a lot of students are thinking of leaving for a few months, and many of those will never come back,” she told 바카라 사이트 추천.
Dr Fitzsimonds herself was forced to leave 바카라사이트 island after 바카라사이트 neighbourhood in which she lived was destroyed.
Never바카라사이트less, she remains “cautiously optimistic” about 바카라사이트 situation. “In some ways, leaving for 바카라사이트 short term is 바카라사이트 only way to maintain productivity, given 바카라사이트 slow pace at which electricity and telecommunications are being restored.
“I actually see a silver lining in opportunities for new, deeper, creative collaborations and connections that may come from 바카라사이트 generosity and coming-toge바카라사이트r of scientific communities. It is an opportunity for new global investment and funding sources.
“I know that private investors were not very aware of universities in Puerto Rico before 바카라사이트 storms. At least now it’s come to 바카라사이트 world’s attention that 바카라사이트re is a community here to invest in, because scientific advancement is critical to 바카라사이트 economic redevelopment of Puerto Rico.”
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