Developing Scientific Institutions in Mexico: The Non-Profit Organization Feasibility Report

The goal of this Semester-In-Residence Project was to continue the business plan presented by Mahva Naghipor and Robert Iddings. Market research was to be conducted by surveying the San Diego life science community to determine the availability of donations. Market research was also to be conducted by surveying research institution and university labs in Mexico to determine the need. Partnerships were to be fostered in San Diego and Mexico, and finally donations were to be procured from a donor partner in San Diego and shipped to the partner lab in Mexico. A survey was prepared and an outreach plan was developed and implemented. However, the project ran into issues from the initial stages no one from San Diego or Mexico responded. Through interviews with CSUSM Business faculty and administrators including Dr. Glen Brodowsky, Dr. Samuel Clarke, Jocelyn Wyndham, and Virginia Berman, a new market research strategy was developed. It was decided that the new objective was to determine what happens to old lab equipment. Interviews were to be conducted in phase I to better understand what happens to old lab equipment, elucidate trends and metrics to be measured in phase II, and allow for an opportunity to start partnerships. The quantitative phase II would validate assumptions and track trends and metrics elucidated in phase I. Facilities and EH&S Departments were to be targeted for interviews and personal and professional networks were analyzed, to find personnel to interview. The new outreach strategy has resulted in the interviews of two research institutions and one biotechnology companies which were willing to be interviewed. This project established a methodology for determining the availability and use of old lab equipment in biotechnology companies, research institutions, hospitals, and universities. An approach was put forth for starting partnerships with the life science community. The biotechnology industry is growing along with the e-waste problem, and there is a need to promote research in developing countries with resource restrictions like Mexico. It is worthwhile to determine how much old lab equipment is available in San Diego and whether this availability meets a need for lab equipment in Mexico.