1/19/2001

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Laurie K. Medina, assistant professor of anthropology, has been awarded a $74,940 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Program on Global Security and Sustainability. She will use the grant to study ecotourism in the Central American country of Belize.

Ecotourism is a type of adventure travel that emphasizes the social responsibility of the tourist, the sustainable development of the country visited and respect for the environment. It is one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry.

"In embracing ecotourism, the country of Belize has become involved in environmentalist and development agendas that are global in scope," Medina said.

"In villages that have implemented ecotourism programs, the meanings of 'environment' and 'development' are being contested by villagers, government officials, developers, tourists and nongovernmental organizations. My research explores this interaction in three Maya villages."

Medina's grant is one of 31 awarded to this year's recipients, who come from across the United States and from nine other countries and work in many different academic disciplines and professions.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grant-making institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. The Foundation pursues this mission by supporting research, policy analysis, dissemination, education and training, and practice. Its grant-making totals almost $180 million annually.