Academic, scientific and cultural collaborations are the centerpiece of a new cooperative agreement between the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Universidad de Sonora in Mexico (La Unison).

Under the three-year agreement, UNLV will develop joint academic and research programs with La Unison to promote scholarship in areas of interest to both institutions. Activities outlined in the agreement include exchanges of academic personnel for the purpose of study and research as well as the exchange of scholarly information between students and faculty.

Ron Yasbin, dean of the UNLV College of Sciences, says the partnership will not only foster cross-cultural collaboration but will help leverage the research strength of each institution, particularly in the area of the life sciences.

"Our universities share many similar characteristics, with each located in a growing urban setting and surrounded by arid lands," said Yasbin. "I'm excited to embark on this collaborative teaching and research effort that will serve to improve the work of students, faculty, and staff at both universities."

This summer, two students from La Unison will participate at UNLV in a four week research project, during which they will study under professor Dale Devitt, director of UNLV's Center for Urban Horticulture and Water Conservation (CUHWC), and professor Eduardo Robleto, a microbiologist who specializes in environmental microbiology and molecular biology.

For additional information on the UNLV College of Sciences, please visit http://sciences.unlv.edu/. Additional information on the Universidad de Sonora (in Spanish) is available at http://www.uson.mx/.