Dennis McKenna

The herbarium is closing. There's no money to keep it going. So what we're trying to do is find enough money to keep it going and document what Juan knows, you know, before he dies, because he's not young. I mean, he's like me. He's a couple years younger than I am, which is unfortunately not young. But so through this, we want, and we want to create a

The herbarium is closing. There's no money to keep it going. So what we're trying to do is find enough money to keep it going and document what Juan knows, you know, before he dies, because he's not young. I mean, he's like me. He's a couple years younger than I am, which is unfortunately not young. But so through this, we want, and we want to create a

The herbarium is closing. There's no money to keep it going. So what we're trying to do is find enough money to keep it going and document what Juan knows, you know, before he dies, because he's not young. I mean, he's like me. He's a couple years younger than I am, which is unfortunately not young. But so through this, we want, and we want to create a

interactive interface to these collections so that rather than going to the website and just looking at a bunch of specimens, which is fine. If you're a botanist, that's what you want. You want to just be able to get to them. But we want to make an AI and VR-driven interface for these things.

interactive interface to these collections so that rather than going to the website and just looking at a bunch of specimens, which is fine. If you're a botanist, that's what you want. You want to just be able to get to them. But we want to make an AI and VR-driven interface for these things.

interactive interface to these collections so that rather than going to the website and just looking at a bunch of specimens, which is fine. If you're a botanist, that's what you want. You want to just be able to get to them. But we want to make an AI and VR-driven interface for these things.

We want to create a virtual reality interface so that instead of just looking at a bunch of specimens, you're actually looking at a virtual representation of the rainforest.

We want to create a virtual reality interface so that instead of just looking at a bunch of specimens, you're actually looking at a virtual representation of the rainforest.

We want to create a virtual reality interface so that instead of just looking at a bunch of specimens, you're actually looking at a virtual representation of the rainforest.

And you can... fly through the rainforest and in this VR, there will be little nodes and every node is keyed to an herbarium specimen, right? So you click on the node and you can bring up the specimen. And that will tell you what it is and where it is and who collected it and so on. But then that could also link to all sorts of other databases that are out there. Oh, that's incredible.

And you can... fly through the rainforest and in this VR, there will be little nodes and every node is keyed to an herbarium specimen, right? So you click on the node and you can bring up the specimen. And that will tell you what it is and where it is and who collected it and so on. But then that could also link to all sorts of other databases that are out there. Oh, that's incredible.

And you can... fly through the rainforest and in this VR, there will be little nodes and every node is keyed to an herbarium specimen, right? So you click on the node and you can bring up the specimen. And that will tell you what it is and where it is and who collected it and so on. But then that could also link to all sorts of other databases that are out there. Oh, that's incredible.

Genomic databases, phytochemical, ethnobotanical databases, and so on. So this is a big project. This is – And right now, Juan is retired. He's been forced to retire because the herbarium cannot – they just can't keep paying him, you know, even though he makes very little money. But, you know, as a – As a faculty member there, he makes, I don't know, probably less than $1,000 a month.

Genomic databases, phytochemical, ethnobotanical databases, and so on. So this is a big project. This is – And right now, Juan is retired. He's been forced to retire because the herbarium cannot – they just can't keep paying him, you know, even though he makes very little money. But, you know, as a – As a faculty member there, he makes, I don't know, probably less than $1,000 a month.

Genomic databases, phytochemical, ethnobotanical databases, and so on. So this is a big project. This is – And right now, Juan is retired. He's been forced to retire because the herbarium cannot – they just can't keep paying him, you know, even though he makes very little money. But, you know, as a – As a faculty member there, he makes, I don't know, probably less than $1,000 a month.

But they can't afford it, and they've closed the herbarium. So this... This spring, after we get done with this COCA conference, we're planning to take some of these films and go on the road and do film festivals in different places. We have the person that made the Bionosis film has a studio in New Brunswick. Hemings House is the name of the company, so we're going to start there.

But they can't afford it, and they've closed the herbarium. So this... This spring, after we get done with this COCA conference, we're planning to take some of these films and go on the road and do film festivals in different places. We have the person that made the Bionosis film has a studio in New Brunswick. Hemings House is the name of the company, so we're going to start there.

But they can't afford it, and they've closed the herbarium. So this... This spring, after we get done with this COCA conference, we're planning to take some of these films and go on the road and do film festivals in different places. We have the person that made the Bionosis film has a studio in New Brunswick. Hemings House is the name of the company, so we're going to start there.

He's got a venue identified where we can do it, and then we're going to Halifax, and then probably New York, and we have a chance to present at Princeton as well. So, we're trying to raise money to do the herbarium, and a big part of it is we're trying to raise money so that we can pay Juan a stipend so that he can continue to live in dignity. I mean, right now, he's in really tough shape.

He's got a venue identified where we can do it, and then we're going to Halifax, and then probably New York, and we have a chance to present at Princeton as well. So, we're trying to raise money to do the herbarium, and a big part of it is we're trying to raise money so that we can pay Juan a stipend so that he can continue to live in dignity. I mean, right now, he's in really tough shape.