Scientific news

The Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus acquired funds through NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) to participate in a 7-year interdisciplinary cooperative programme of Indonesian and Dutch scientific institutions aiming at research in Irian Jaya, Cenderawasih province (the Bird’s Head; ISIR: Irian Jay Studies – a programme for Interdisciplinary Research). Participating disciplines are: Linguistics, Anthropology, Development Administration, Demography, Archaeology, Geology and Botany. Several Dutch Universities and Institutions are to participate; the Dutch part of the project is coordinated by Leiden University. Nine PhD students, four postgraduates, and six Senior staff members will carry out subprogrammes that may last 2-7 years with field work in the area. Activities of the various subprojects will be coordinated in order to profit from each other’s expertise. The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) cooperates in the programme. The Botany subprogramme, coordinated by Dr. E.F DE VOGEL, is centred in the West Aifat (Ayawasi area). It involves ethnobotanical studies by a PhD student, and the investigation of botanical diversity by a postgraduate and senior staff of the Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus. The subprogramme is in the selection of candidates stage