"Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG) is a private, not-for-profit University which considers itself to be a pioneer in the fields of science, humanities, teaching, research and technology. In an effort to support its mission and goals, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala has the most active research institute in the country. The Research Institute is composed of ten research centers focused on Education, Environment and Biodiversity, Agriculture, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Computer Sciences, Industrial Processes, Archaeology and Anthropology, Food Science and Technology, and Health Studies. The Center for Environmental Studies and Biodiversity center aims to find solutions for the environmental and development problems of Guatemala using a holistic and interdisciplinary approach. They focus on the study of ecological dynamics in different biomes of Guatemala combining both social and natural sciences to fully understand the environmental problems and their human dimension to provide viable solutions for the proper management and use of their natural resources. Every year, hundreds of students use the Research Institute laboratories as part of their courses, and dozens work directly in the Institute's research projects. The Research Institute employs highly qualified professionals, including forty permanent researchers and over one hundred researchers employed through projects. The staff includes five winners of the National Medal for Science and Technology. The Institute's researchers work on an average of eighty research projects per year, obtaining over seven million dollars per year in external funding. This represents over 50% of the reported Science and Technology expenditure for Guatemala in 2012."