Communication among research and administrative personnel will be the primary mechanism to achieve the critical mass necessary to execute the research agenda. This will be facilitated in several ways. (1) The Consortium will support travel costs for research planning and update meetings among collaborating scientists. These meetings will enhance research linkages, plan research, and initiate the drafting of publications and grant proposals. (2) Each year, all participating scientists in the four Consortium institutions plus those interested in stored product entomology, including the Advisory Board members, will be invited to participate in a symposium Industry representatives will be invited to participate and to suggest research directions that might have industrial significance, and therefore attract private sector support. Our aim is that within 5 years the annual regional symposium will be an internationally recognized forum for discussions on stored product entomology; (3) The coordinating committee will have an active role in the evaluation of the consortium’s performance by being apprised via annual reports, project proposals, and symposia. A computer listserver will be set up for the participants to "post" their findings and queries to solicit input from each other.

    KSU will maintain and update a World Wide Web site that will present the research agenda of the Consortium and post significant progress and milestones. Website visitors will be able to reach scientists at the participating institutions via hot links. Frequent communications via electronic mail, site visits, telephone, and other media will be strongly encouraged and supported. Video conferencing and teleconferencing will be used where appropriate, building on existing expertise. This will grow into