Following up on my prior post … I am happy to report that our delegation had a very productive visit to Samoa. Despite having had an exceptionally long day in Kiribati, Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell, Admiral Patrick Walsh, USAID Assistant Administrator Nisha Biswal, Brigadier General Richard Simcock, and the rest of the team hit the ground running upon arrival in Apia.

Launching the visit with a toast at dinner with the Deputy Prime Minister and other Samoan leaders.

I met the team at Faleolo Airport when their plane touched down at 6:30 pm, and we drove directly to Tanoa Tusitala Hotel for cocktails and dinner. The distinguished guests in attendance included the Deputy Prime Minister Honorable Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo Meredith, Minister of Environment Honorable Faamoetauloa Faale Tumaalii, other Members of Parliament, Ministry and agency CEOs, civil society leaders, and a few of our Aussie and Kiwi friends.

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My regular readers already know that I have a passion for all things scientific. I like laboratories. I like experiments. I like scientific method and logic. I enjoy science fiction and science fact. I like smart people who think up new ideas, invent new things, and solve problems with their brains rather than with cudgels or megaphones.

Jolivette Menime Ete was working as a research scientist at SROS when she was selected to be Miss Samoa by a panel of judges that I had the honor of chairing.

So, today was a special day because I was able to spend a couple of hours at the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS). The visit started with a dynamic discussion with incoming Chief Executive Officer David Hunter, Acting Chief Executive Officer Mere Aisake-Asi, the heads of SROS’s various divisions, and several of the other research scientists.

Established by the Government of Samoa in 2006, SROS is intended to conduct research relevant to Samoan society, develop technologies and products that benefit the Samoan economy, and partner with public and private entities to address a variety of development, public health, environmental, and other challenges.

SROS is funded in part by the Government and in part by grants from outside entities. It is organized into four major divisions — Plant & Food Technology (PFT), Environmental & Renewable Energy (ERE), Industrial Research, and Administration & Finance.

Over morning tea the division heads and senior scientists briefed me at length about the exciting work being done in each division.

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