UH engineering center
researcher reassures panel

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

Those involved in the University of Hawaii's Marine Bioproducts Engineering Center assured state lawmakers that the five-year, $12.4 million federally funded biotechnology program is thriving.

That's despite recent complaints by its former director that UH is not living up to its promises.

Alan H. Teramura, UH senior vice president for research, told a joint House-Senate panel yesterday there should be no concern about the future of the engineering center, known as MarBEC.

"Assertions that MarBEC is going to be located in substandard facilities and limited by available space are simply incorrect," Teramura said.

Former MarBEC director Oskar Zaborksy last month said broken promises led him to quit the center a month after he received the $12.4 million federal grant last November from the National Science Foundation to develop what he envisioned as a world-class center in marine biotechnology at UH.

Zaborksy complained that UH didn't follow through on its commitments, including funding five new faculty members, providing $3.3 million in cost-sharing the first year and $1.5 million for improvements to the Pacific Ocean and Science Technology building.

But Teramura, flanked by MarBEC officials at the information briefing, said none of the 20 center faculty have left and none, to his knowledge, are planning to leave. As part of the federal funding, UH is obligated to provide five tenure-track positions valued at $570,000 annually, he said.

He said the university will provide start-up equipment of $1 million, as well as an additional $1.5 million in specialized renovations for office and laboratory space in the Pacific Ocean and Science Technology building.

Teramura said space has been provided for the center at the new Pauley Marine Laboratory at Coconut Island and in other labs on the Manoa campus.

"Much has been also said in recent days about the university's commitment to this program in terms of its allocation of research space and the quality of this space," Teramura said.

"The faculty and staff of MarBEC will be provided with facilities in which to work with under a plan which was developed last year."

Finally, Teramura said MarBEC recently passed its first managerial review by the National Science Foundation with flying colors.

Dr. Alex Malahoff, MarBEC director, said the UH expects the center to be funded for the maximum term of 10 years.