Additional Context: Wonders of the Mekong was a USAID-funded project entering its ninth year of implementation before it was abruptly terminated in early 2025. With plans to continue through 2029, this $29.7 million project conducted applied research, built capacity, and implemented outreach and communication strategies to highlight the natural, economic, and cultural capital of the Lower Mekong River.

This quote is attributed to Sudeep Chandra, research professor of biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, and co-director of the Wonders of the Mekong. The project was implemented by the University of Nevada's Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability. According to project leaders, its termination affected seven U.S. educational institutions, including universities in states participating in the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), which supports scientific research in states that have historically received less federal funding. A representative told The Aid Report that planned initiatives—including a semester-long exchange between students from Lake Tahoe and the Mekong region—were canceled, reducing research collaboration and training opportunities for students and researchers in both the United States and Southeast Asia.

Source: Wonders of the Mekong