Primate center celebrates 50 years

Former employees of the Tulane National Primate Research Center joined the 300-some current faculty and staff members at the center for a 50th anniversary picnic on Friday (June 20). They shared memories while eating pulled pork and BBQ chicken, and playing games on the center"s lawns.

“These "alumni" have a combined service of about 300 years,” says Mark Alise, COO at the primate center.

Over the past two months, several current and former employees have met with the primate center"s Media Lab personnel for interviews about their experiences over the years at the primate center.

“We plan on mingling highlights of the footage with historic footage of the center from WYES-TV to form a lasting historical movie,” Alise says.

In mid-October, the primate center plans to throw a party with a "60s theme, since the center opened in 1964. The center will have a ceremony to dedicate a “memorial garden,” Alise says, “ to honor our animals that have helped us complete our mission to improve animal and human health through basic and applied research.”

In the fall, there will be a 50th Anniversary Presidential Symposium that will involve the primate center, the School of Medicine, and the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Alise is proud of the ongoing community outreach projects the employees undertake.

“In April, we received an excess of donations of red beans and rice — almost 200 pounds — to go to Second Harvest Food Bank,” Alise says. “In May, we collected a huge amount of pet supplies that were graciously accepted by our local Humane Society. We are continuing to collect special items for care packages to send to our troops overseas. For the past six months, we have been collecting Community Coffee labels to collect enough to donate to local schools for supplies.”