A high level University of California academic mission to China begins August 24. Dean to post his Blog of China trip

The trip is part of the 10+10 Program, an effort for the University of Californias 10 campuses to partner with 10 prominent Chinese research universities. The goal is to increase research, education and faculty and student exchanges.

The visit was organized by the UC Office of the President. UC President Robert Dynes, UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry Yang, UC Merced Provost Keith Alley, UC Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, UC Merced Professor Ruth Mostern, and trip blogger Samuel Traina, the acting dean of graduate studies, vice chancellor for research and director of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute are among the delegates.

A group of leading educators from the University of California are on a mission to China. The China trip is part of the 10+10 Program, an effort for the University of Californias 10 campuses to partner with 10 prominent Chinese research universities. The goal is to increase research, education and faculty and student exchanges.

Organized by the UC Office of the President, trip delegates include UC President Robert Dynes, UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry Yang, and members of the UC system's newest campus in Merced including its Provost Keith Alley, UC Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, UC Merced Professor Ruth Mostern, and Samuel Traina, the acting dean of graduate studies, vice chancellor for research and director of the Sierra Nevada Research Institute.

The 10+10 Program helps further our goals of global interaction and learning, Tomlinson-Keasey said. There are endless partnership possibilities involved with Sichuan University, whether it is working on hydrological issues, solar energy or historical irrigation systems. We are beginning to cement those directions with faculty interactions on specific research projects, and we now have graduate students who can work easily in either culture, helping facilitate that cooperation.

Participants will also celebrate Sichuan Universitys 110th anniversary, which will include a visit from the Chinese Minister of Education, and an educational conference. Other universities involved with the conference include University of Paris X, University of Glasgow, Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Beijing University and Arizona State, which is co-sponsoring the conference with Sichuan University.

UC Merced educators Traina, Alley, Conklin and Yosemite National Park Superintendent Mike Tollefson will branch off after the conference to visit Jiuzhaigou. The Chinese are interested in how Yosemite is managed, from tourism to conservation. Jiuzhaigou only began receiving visitors in 1984, yet now sees almost 2 million tourists a year.

The two parks share some traits, including terrain, hydrology and being home to or having been home to indigenous people. Traina said this visit will help strengthen a four-way partnership between UC Merced, its faculty, Yosemite and Jiuzhaigou to further examine environmental and resource issues.

There are a lot of areas where we all can learn from interaction, Traina said. Were two different cultures facing the same issues. Theres a real value in comparative studies, because they help us understand each park better.

People can learn more about the trip by following Trainas postings, which will be linked off the UC Merced Web site www.ucmerced.edu. He will take pictures and write about his two weeks in China, and his postings will update as often as possible.