[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 43 (Friday, March 14, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING RUSSELL A. MITTERMEIER, CARL SAFINA, AND PATRICIA C. WRIGHT

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 14, 2014

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I 
rise to congratulate Stony Brook University and its faculty for an 
unprecedented achievement. Three of the six finalists for the 
prestigious Indianapolis Prize, the world's leading award for animal 
conservation, are members of Stony Brook's faculty.
  This is the first time that one university has had three finalists 
for the award given by the Indianapolis Zoo for ``extraordinary 
contributions to conservation efforts.'' All three professors, Russell 
A. Mittermeier, Carl Safina, and Patricia C. Wright, hold Ph.D.s and 
have made major contributions to science. Their selection as finalists 
for this coveted award reflects the excellence and dedication of Stony 
Brook's faculty and brings honor to all of Long Island.
  Dr. Mittermeier is president of Conservation International and has 
worked to preserve primates and turtles in South America, Madagascar 
and other places. He has used the concept of biodiversity ``hotspots'' 
to focus conservation efforts and raise $1 billion for endangered 
habitats. He has an adjunct research appointment in the Department of 
Anatomical Sciences.
  Dr. Safina co-founded Blue Ocean Institute to raise awareness of 
threats to the world's oceans and inspire solutions to these dangers. 
He is a research professor in Stony Brook's School of Marine and 
Atmospheric Sciences. Episodes of his show ``Saving the Ocean with Carl 
Safina'' aired nationwide on PBS in 2012.
  Dr. Wright discovered a new species of lemur, the golden bamboo 
lemur, while working in Madagascar in 1986. She also rediscovered 
another species which had been considered extinct. Her efforts helped 
establish the Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar which she believes 
has saved three species of lemur from extinction. She is a professor of 
anthropology at Stony Brook.
  It is not surprising that these three eminent conservation pioneers 
have been tapped for international recognition. Their ongoing efforts 
have helped save our planet and its species from degradation. They are 
committed and passionate about their research. It is through the 
efforts of people like these who are able to inspire others to see the 
importance of conservation that our oceans, our endangered species and 
biodiversity of our plant will be preserved.
  Indeed, these three professors and their tremendous achievements are 
most worthy of our recognition and of the Indianapolis Prize. They are 
representative of the pursuit of excellence and world-class research 
capabilities that define Stony Brook's reputation as a global leader in 
innovation and scientific breakthroughs. With this achievement, the 
professors take their place with Stony Brook University as the pride of 
Long Island and an example for aspiring scientists to follow.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of New York's first congressional district, I 
would like to thank Professors Mittermeier, Safina, and Wright for the 
vital work they are doing. The fact that they are all members of Stony 
Brook faculty is yet another measure of the quality of this fine 
university.

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