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Seventh Biennial Meetings: Seventh Biennial International Conference of the Borneo Research Council: hosted by Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Article Excerpt
The Borneo Research Council Seventh Biennial International Conference was held at Universiti Malaysia Sabah in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, from 15 to 18 July 2002. The conference was hosted by the university's School of Social Sciences, and held at the new university Library.

This is the second time that the Borneo Research Council has held its biennial international conference in Kota Kinabalu. In 1992, Kota Kinabalu was host to the BRC Second Biennial International Conference, which was jointly organized by the Centre for Borneo Studies (Sabah Foundation), the Department of the Sabah Museum and other bodies. According to Dr. George Appell, the School of social sciences at UMS was selected to host the 2002 Conference because the university is renowned as a research institution in the region and the Council recognizes the importance of Social Science research in understanding mankind and the environment in Borneo.

The Conference attracted 266 registered participants from throughout Malaysia and across the world, not including undergraduate UMS students who attended. Over 180 papers were presented in addition to special panel reports.

The Opening Ceremony on 15 July was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister Y.B. Datuk Tham Nyip Shen, on behalf of the Chief Minister Y.A.B. Datuk Chong Kah Kiat. This was followed by the Keynote Address by the Council's President Dr. George Appell entitled Current Status of Social Medical and Biological Research: Future Needs and Policy Implications. The welcoming dinner for conference delegates was hosted by Tourism Malaysia at the Kimanis Ballroom of Hyatt Kinabalu, with Encik Edzuar Zar Ayob Azar, Regional Director of Tourism Malaysia, as Guest of Honor. The Closing Speech on 18 July was given by Dr. George N. Appell.

Due to the large number of papers to be presented, the Conference was organized into five concurrent sessions, consisting of presentations of individual research papers, as well as one special session and four panel sessions devoted to special research. The special session entitled Maps of the Human World, Geographies of the Unseen: Ritual Responses to the Reconfigurement of Local Landscapes, was headed by Professor Dr. Clifford...