Wednesday 7 November 2018 4:42pm
Associate Professor Mark Lokman of Zoology with the 21 microscopes he organised to be gifted to the University of Yangon in Myanmar.
The University of Otago has shipped 21 microscopes to Myanmar’s University of Yangon to help address a shortage of scientific equipment.
Associate Professor Mark Lokman of Zoology has led the initiative, after seeing empty new lab space on several visits to the university.
“During my visits, I have felt we are so privileged and we, and maybe especially our students, take this for granted,” he says.
“The thought occurred that it would be great if we [Otago] could contribute something to help science training in Myanmar along - there's plenty of scope to help advance human and physical resources here,” he says. “Microscopes were just a thought that came to mind, and my enquiries were met with a supportive 'yes'.”
"The thought occurred that it would be great if we [Otago] could contribute something to help science training in Myanmar along - there's plenty of scope to help advance human and physical resources here. Microscopes were just a thought that came to mind, and my enquiries were met with a supportive 'yes'."
The donated microscopes will be used in a new aquaculture programme, and are an essential part of teaching.
Associate Professor Lokman is in Myanmar for the next five weeks helping with curriculum development and staff training at Yangon University.
He says the response from the staff to the donation has been one of huge excitement.
The delivery of the microscopes ends a long process, which began with Associate Professor Lokman’s idea and its approval.
“I collected one of the microscopes soon after the okay came through, and measured and weighed it, only to find out the microscopes weighed in at about 6kg,” he says. “That was a problem, because the entire consignment suddenly came out well over 120kg.”
Not knowing what to do, he says he rested “the microscope issue” for a while, and more recently returned to it.
“I went online to find out which company to approach for sponsorship and I found out that DHL have an outreach programme called Goteach. I contacted DHL in New Zealand to make a case, and to my absolute delight, received a message of confirmation from Mr Ian Kininmonth, DHL Global Forwarding, that they would take care of the freight free of charge.
“With the freight and content sorted, I set out to get sponsorship for the packaging, for which Bunnings gifted nine crates, and Zoology and University Mail Room gifted bubble wrap.”
The microscopes are now awaiting Customs clearance. All going to plan, the formalities should be completed just in time for the start of the new programme, in the first week of December.