according to its president and vice-president and its trustees.

Christopher DuPont Roosevelt and Edward Trippe recently gave an interview to the Bermuda Biological Station for Research newsletter Currents .

In it they point to a future where the the Bio Station leads the world in some research areas and is the base for international conferences.

Mr. Roosevelt was recently elected as president of the Bio Station's board of trustees, replacing Dr. James Galloway.

A New York lawyer, he founded the Oceanic Society, a group dedicated to maintaining environmental resources, and helped set up a reserve in Canada.

In the newsletter interview, he was asked about the Bio Station's role in protecting the ocean's environment.

"By continuing and enhancing the Station's capabilities in research, particularly in climate and natural phenomenon predictions, molecular biology and coral reef ecology, coupled with education of future scientists,'' he said.

About the next ten years, Mr. Roosevelt said he wanted to see a "strong, innovative, highly capable, highly efficient research and education institution''.

He said it would focus on marine sciences and education "probably leading the world in several focused areas of research and education''.

Mr. Trippe, vice-president of the board, is president of Bermuda Properties Ltd. and chairman of Aegis Systems Inc.

He told the newsletter that he was introduced to the Bio Station and its director Dr. Tony Knap because of a "shared vision to create an international conference centre for environmental sciences''.

"At the time, we thought the Club Med Hotel could be redeveloped for this purpose and conferences promoting science and eco-tourism could be a new tourism product for Bermuda,'' he told the newsletter.

As vice-president, he said he hoped to be able to promote awareness of the Station and generate financial support from the international community.

On the future, Mr. Trippe said: "Most scientific institutions of a comparable size are retrenching and downsizing because of increased competition for scientific funding.

"Because of the Station's unique position as a US institute operating in an off-shore, international environment, its future has great potential.

"Dr. Knap, because he is a first-rate scientist and a visionary entrepreneur, has the ability to maximise that potential.'' He added: "I share Dr. Knap's vision for the Station to grow in science and education through new partnerships with business and industry.

"I also believe there is an opportunity for the Station to become an international conference centre for life sciences.''