Themed A New Day, the report reflects on the opportunities and challenges faced by the campus during the COVID-19 pandemic and shows the progress made in various areas, including academics, digitalisation of key processes, entrepreneurship and innovation.
ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22
Contents
2 4 8 9
Message from the Chair
Principal’s Review
Executive Management Faculty Highlights Statistical Highlights Campus Highlights Research Highlights Strategic Highlights
12 20 32 46 46 54 63 72 76 82 84 91
ACCESS
ALIGNMENT
AGILITY
Infrastructure
Finances
Looking Ahead
Comparative Statistics (ONLINE)
Public & Professional Service (ONLINE)
About this Report After two years of COVID-19 lockdowns, life slowly began to return to the St. Augustine Campus in the 2021/2022 academic year. The period also marked the final year of the last Strategic Plan, and preparations for the transition from one Campus Principal to the next— not quite a re-birth but certainly there was the feeling of starting afresh. In this report, the Campus celebrates the joyous return of our students and staff. We share the hope and anticipation of some of our alumni who are embarking on new entrepreneurial ventures on their own or through the exciting UrpreneurPlus Accelerator programme which is a partnership involving UWI Ventures and the Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) of Trinidad & Tobago. We also feature one Faculty project that is teaching entrepreneurial skills to disadvantaged persons in need of a second chance, and a sweet commercial project that could be the future of the Campus. We also bring you the story of one student who, like the Campus, is focused on overcoming all challenges to seize the possibilities of this new day.
A Publication of The Marketing & Communications Office The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
COVER PHOTO: SHEREEN ALI
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MESSAGE FROM THE Chair
ASeasonof REBIRTH
T he University of the West Indies celebrates its 75 th anniversary, the diamond anniversary, in 2023. And, as we look back on the period being reviewed in this report— the 2021/2022 academic year—it is hard to feel anything but a sense of joy when we reflect that we have made it through the worst of the pandemic period, even as we remember those whom we have lost.
new landscape, and start afresh with new strategic imperatives, a new leader, and a new approach to fulfilling its mandate to Caribbean society. No one expects only still waters and smooth sailing. We know that there are significant financial challenges to be quickly met head on, their prospects reassessed in light of national and global changes. However, the contents of this report do bring me hope and instil a measure of confidence that this campus is making the necessary adjustments. Finally, I take this opportunity to thank Professor Brian Copeland—whose final year as Campus Principal is detailed in this report—for his stewardship during the previous six years, and I welcome his successor, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine.
So, to all who read this and were adversely affected by COVID-19, I wish you strength, comfort, and healing.
Yet one of the great things about being associated with this university and this campus is that we are always surrounded by hopeful young people. They continue to follow their dreams and count on us to help them achieve their highest potential as individuals and as contributors to our society. Indeed, from Open Days to Matriculation and Graduation, their hope for the future is both infectious and inspiring. On the surface, it may seem that this report chronicles a gloomy period of falling enrolment, lower income and, after two years of disuse, failing infrastructure. But it also marks a season of rebirth. This campus and its community have come through the storm. We can stand, assess the foundations, take stock of the
Now, as this new day dawns, I offer my sincere best wishes to all staff, students, and supporters of the St Augustine Campus.
Sharon Christopher Chair of the Campus Council St Augustine Campus The University of the West Indies
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...one of the great things about being associated with this university and this campus, is that we are always surrounded by hopeful young people.
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Principal’s REVIEW
The Progressive PRINCIPLE
A s Principal of The University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine Campus, it is my great pleasure to present this annual report for the fiscal year 2021/2022 although my tenure began at the start of the following academic year. The period under review was the second full year in which the campus operated under the restrictions imposed to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and the final year of the University’s 2017– 2022 Strategic Plan. During the review period, as you will see in this report, we celebrated 100 years of agricultural research at the Campus, dating back to its first life as the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture, while our Guild of Students observed its 60 th anniversary. More than 21 members of staff and alumni received national awards spanning the period 2020 to 2022, and, of the two new professorial appointments on the campus, one is the first ever at our university in the field of astronomy. The COVID-19 pandemic inspired new research projects in almost every Faculty and spurred changes to some programmes which are now offered in a blended format. Similarly, some of the support services available to students will continue to be offered virtually to provide the widest possible access. The
Campus also made significant progress toward the digitalisation of key processes and furthering the institutional and policy structures to support entrepreneurship and innovation. I thank my predecessor, Professor Brian Copeland, for his six years of service at the helm, steering our campus through some of the roughest waters it has ever experienced. Despite the challenges, he was able to continue the admirable growth of a culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus—something that began as many as two decades ago with previous administrations and takes years to build. I have grasped the baton firmly and will ensure that we continue channelling our intellectual capital into commercial enterprises, while holding fast to our core values of excellent, principled scholarship. This Campus has wholeheartedly embraced self-sustainability and revenue generation. In fact, I have already concretised several initiatives and obtained funding for the much-anticipated UWI Fine Cocoa Products Limited. We will continue to operationalise companies and commercialise our research-driven innovative products and to enhance efforts to incentivise and provide mentorship to entrepreneurs and start-ups from among staff and students.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22
I thank my predecessor, Professor Brian Copeland, for his six years of service at the helm, steering our campus through some of the roughest waters it has ever experienced. Despite the challenges, he was able to continue the admirable growth of a culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on the campus
We will deepen the symbiotic relationship between academia and private sector endeavour; and seek investment partners while more actively supporting the developmental agenda and priorities of our own government and regional governments. In that regard, we are exploring opportunities with Guyana to deepen ties and support that country’s tertiary educational thrust—an engagement that could result in considerable revenue generation to the University. A key item on the regional agenda is food security. The St Augustine Campus is the only campus that has a Faculty of Food & Agriculture and deserves special attention. This Faculty, which traces its roots to the early 20 th century, is bursting with knowledge, expertise, and experience. Accordingly, we have much to offer to ensure that our region achieves food sustainability. I bring to the table my own belief that our scholarship must fuel advocacy and development and advance humanity. Intangibles such as positive values, fairness, character, intellect, integrity, service, courage, and what we today call Social Justice, must be at the centre of what we do at the St. Augustine Campus, and as we continue to develop as an entrepreneurial campus, we must include social entrepreneurship. Daily we experience the negative effects of our failure to secure equity, decent work, or to protect the vulnerable and marginalised. In one way or another, this impacts our productivity, our safety, our families, our national economies; the inability to adequately address natural disasters, and generally, our quality of life. After every horror splashed across the front pages, we throw up our collective hands and call for change—and just as quickly, we lower them and return to our old habits set for decades if not centuries.
New Campus Principal, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine sharing a light moment at the 2022 graduation with her predecessor, Emeritus Professor Brian Copeland. Professor Antoine’s appointment began on 1 August 2022.
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Principal’s REVIEW
We have made tremendous progress as an institution, a nation, and a region over the last seven decades. My challenge to my colleagues, our students and alumni, and to our partner organisations, is to focus not only on making progress , but on ensuring outcomes that are socially progressive . The UWI has a vital role to play in shaping this process for change—fuelled by our research, our hands-on expertise and broad understanding of the issues, and our ability to work with various stakeholders in partnership for development. We must be recognised for our collective, humanistic, intellectual force so that all stakeholders look to The UWI to do the important developmental work of the region. Just as we are intent on taking our knowledge and ideas to the marketplace, so too must we reach out through government agencies, non-governmental organisations and other social partners to embed our university in communities across the country and to make our presence felt.
One area where we can make a change almost immediately is regarding our admissions criteria which, if we are to provide a more progressive approach to access, our admissions criteria can no longer be based solely on CAPE results, although that remains a critical criterion. This broader approach to access means considering other desirable attributes that we wish to inculcate in our graduates and is in line with international scholarships that emphasise leadership, social activism and alternative attributes. As a globally engaged university, we have committed to providing solutions for climate action and sustainability. It is therefore an imperative that we lead by example, becoming more environmentally conscious as staff and students and doing all that we can to green the St Augustine campus—including in terms of procurement practices. We are committed to advancing sustainable development practices, which support communities—especially those that are most vulnerable and My challenge to my colleagues, our students and alumni, and to our partner organisations, is to focus not only on making progress, but on ensuring outcomes that are socially progressive.
Matriculation 2022: Ms Solange Joseph signs the Matriculation Register with UWI St Augustine Campus Registrar Dr Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill (left) and Assistant Registrar Ms Simone Roberts looking on. PHOTO: ANEEL KARIM
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disadvantaged. To that end, we will deepen community engagement and take an activist approach to issues of the day. In all things, we must nurture staff and students to be the champions of change. Meeting the needs of students and preparing them for this more complex world are top priorities. At the same time, and if this campus is to survive, we must have sustainable tuition fees which are not prohibitive for the majority of our students. This means speaking more directly with banks, private sector donors, increasing bursaries, and promoting innovative bond arrangements in exchange for financial assistance and loan schemes. In tandem with the above, there will need to be internships, and a curriculum that is international in focus and more relevant to today’s challenges—in other words, proactive, and geared toward problem- solving and making our curricula more attractive to students looking outwards. This progressive principle must apply as well to our UWI staff. Putting people first means being open, understanding, and promoting a more inclusive governance system. I started my tenure with two Principal Listening Sessions and continued with Open Day Wednesdays for staff and established several new staff-led committees. The intention is to implement workable suggestions that come out of these sessions. As we enter the 75 th Anniversary year of the UWI, I am confident that UWI, St Augustine, will continue to thrive. We will have to work very hard, show great resilience, and harness our creative dynamism—our Caribbean élan—if we are to become the change we seek to make.
Meeting the needs of students and preparing them for this more complex world are top priorities.
It will not be easy, but do it we can, and must.
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal St Augustine Campus The University of the West Indies
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Executive MANAGEMENT
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal
Professor Indar Ramnarine Deputy Principal
Dr Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill Campus Registrar
Mrs Andrea Taylor-Hanna Campus Bursar
Mr Frank Soodeen Campus Librarian Executive MANAGEMENT
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Faculty HIGHLIGHTS
Below are a few highlights from each of the eight Faculties at the St Augustine Campus. Full reports are available in the accompanying 2021/2022 Faculty Report which is available online.
Faculty of Engineering (FEng) https://sta.uwi.edu/eng
With the change to the admission policy of the Pre-Engineering programme—to admit students who achieve high grades in CSEC Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, and other relevant subjects—the number of students enrolled in the programme quadrupled. The Engineering Institute, which is the outreach arm of the Faculty of Engineering, gained membership within the Trinidad & Tobago Energy Chamber. Professor Ekwue is the Chair of Deans.
Professor Edwin Ekwue Dean
Faculty of Food & Agriculture (FFA) https://sta.uwi.edu/ffa
The Faculty of Food & Agriculture (FFA) celebrated its centennial year in 2021/2022 with a virtual international conference and a programme to plant 100 trees across the St Augustine Campus. New programmes were approved in Climate Resilient Agricultural Extension and Community Development, Disaster Risk Resilience for Agriculture and the Environment, Food Security, and Pesticide Technology and Management.
Professor Mark Wuddivira Dean
Faculty of Humanities & Education (FHE) https://sta.uwi.edu/fhe
The Faculty of Humanities & Education (FHE) focused on two key outreach programmes. The first is a Social Innovation Lab created in partnership with Finland’s 4Learning Ltd. to fight poverty in collaboration with national NGOs and government agencies. The other is an ongoing partnership with Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OUAS), also in Finland, with the possible development of a joint master’s course/programme in Educational Entrepreneurship among other things.
Professor Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw Dean
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Faculty HIGHLIGHTS
Faculty of Law (FoL) https://sta.uwi.edu/law
The Faculty presented new courses in Investment Law, Sports Law, Intellectual Property, Energy and Law of the Sea, and introduced internship opportunities to provide undergraduate students with real-world practical experience promoting the development of critical skills while building their networks.
Dr Timothy Affonso Dean (Ag.)
Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) https://sta.uwi.edu/fms
While the world continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19 on public health, the FMS continues its support to the nation and the region through its laboratory testing services and clinical services in the public healthcare sector. The Dean, FMS, was appointed Chair to a five-member Prime Ministerial committee to look at COVID-19 clinical outcomes in Trinidad & Tobago. Over the review period the Faculty published 206 papers in peer reviewed journals particularly on COVID 19, and has attracted grant funding and donations of approximately US$507,250, €817,000 and TT$17,299,025.
Professor Terence Seemungal Dean
Faculty of Science & Technology (FST) https://sta.uwi.edu/fst
The Faculty developed partnerships with industry stakeholders to design online training in various fields. Meanwhile, standalone postgraduate courses were introduced for working professionals in the medical and renewable energy sectors. The FST supported the Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Health (MoH) through the Caribbean Actuarial Association (CAA) by providing statistical help to the Ministry’s COVID-19 Team.
Dr Brian Cockburn Dean
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Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) https://sta.uwi.edu/fss
Despite the global challenges and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 100 conference presentations, seminars, workshops and seminars were delivered to national, regional and international audiences on virtual and/or physical platforms, and the Faculty generated more than 60 publications in this review period. Conference topics ranged from “The Role of Digital Marketing and Traditional Communications”to“Creating a Domestic Violence Safety Plan for Individuals in the Caribbean.”. Partnerships were forged between the FSS and the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, as well as the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service.
Dr Acolla Lewis-Cameron Dean
Faculty of Sport (FoS) https://uwi.edu/sport/
The St Augustine Academy of Sport welcomed its third cohort of students and saw a slight uptick in its overall enrolment. The Faculty continued cross-campus teaching between the Mona and St Augustine campuses using the Moodle platform. Sporting activities at the Academy were severely limited by the restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Signature events, like the UWI Half Marathon and T20 cricket tournaments, could not be held, and some facilities experienced maintenance issues.
Dr Anand Rampersad Head, St Augustine Academy of Sport Faculty of Sport
Dr Akshai Mansingh Dean
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Statistical HIGHLIGHTS
Student Enrolment Down 5% General enrolment continued to slide a further 5% compared with the previous year, to stand at 15,130 students. The number of undergraduate students dropped by 4%, slipping below 11,000, and postgraduate enrolment declined by 8%.
At the undergraduate level, Engineering, Law, Medical Sciences, and Sport saw positive growth of 5%, 8%, 2% and 15%, respectively. Humanities & Education experienced the sharpest decline of 18% and the Faculties of Social Sciences and Science & Technology also recorded uncharacteristic dips of 7% and 4%, respectively. The postgraduate figures show that the Faculty of Law had the most significant decline – 31%. The Faculties of Humanities & Education and Medical Sciences experienced the lowest drops of 5% and 4%, respectively. Broken down by degree type, undergraduate diplomas showed the sharpest decrease – 38%, followed by postgraduate certificate courses where enrolment fell by 26.5%.
• • •
Postgraduate Total–4,283 Undergraduate Total–10,847
Enrolment Total–15,130
Five Year Trend - Total Enrolment by Faculty
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Return to Physical Graduation Ceremonies After two years of virtual graduation ceremonies, physical celebrations returned with the ceremonies for the Class of 2022. The six ceremonies were held at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya in October 2022. The total number eligible to graduate in October 2022 slipped by 6% to 3,688. The number of students graduating with an undergraduate certification increased slightly by 2%, but at the postgraduate level, there was an overall decline of 23%, with the Faulty of Humanities & Education experiencing the greatest drop of 68%. In spite of this, the six ceremonies attracted a record attendance with 82% of undergraduates enthusiastically opting to “cross the stage” in their regalia. • Postgraduate Total–932 • Undergraduate Total–2,756 • Graduation Total–3,688
PHOTO: KEYON MITCHELL
Trends in Graduation Output by Level 2017/2018 - 2021/2022
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Statistical HIGHLIGHTS
Honorary Graduates 2022
Dr Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted of Trinidad & Tobago for contributions to Agricultural Science and Nutrition – Doctor of Science (DSc)
Ms Ingrid L-A Lashley of Trinidad & Tobago for her work in Corporate Banking/Finance – Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Mrs Rosalind Gabriel of Trinidad & Tobago for her work as a Carnival Band Leader/Entertainer – Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
Dr Wayne A. I. Frederick of Trinidad & Tobago for contributions to Surgical Science – Doctor of Science (DSc)
Mr Robert Nelson (Lord Nelson) of Trinidad & Tobago for contributions to Culture and Calypso – Doctor of Letters (DLitt)
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Valedictorians 2022
Ms Ashleigh Lai for the Faculties of Science & Technology and Food & Agriculture
Mr Reyshard Deokiesingh for the Faculties of Engineering and Law
Ms Portia Gopaul for the Faculty of Social Sciences
Mr Kobe Sandy for the Faculty of Social Sciences
Ms Kiana Gajadhar for the Faculty of Medical Sciences
Ms Patti-Anne Ali for the Faculties of Humanities & Education and Sport
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Statistical HIGHLIGHTS
Staff Numbers Down 11% Staff on the campus are categorised as Academic (Teaching), Academic Support, ATS (Administrative) ATS (Service), ATS (Technical), Daily Paid, Professional, Security, Senior Administrative and others, the latter including retirees. When compared with the previous review period, in 2021/2022 the total number of staff at the Campus dropped by 11% to 3,289. The number of Professional and Senior Administrative staff grew by 6% but still they accounted for just 5% of the entire staff complement. Academic teaching staff continue to make up more than 30% of the total (1,006) although the number of full-time teaching staff declined by 22% compared to the last reporting period to 450 persons. The number of part-time teaching staff was higher at 556, but this too was 14% lower than the previous year.
Admissions staff gave pointers on the application process at the 2022 Open Day events.
Five Year Trend - Academic Staff
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Bursary staff were on hand to advise students at the Open Day events.
Staff came out in their numbers to welcome prospects to the Open Day events.
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UNDAUNTED—An Alumni Entrepreneurship Story
Chrissy-Ann Thomas wears many hats — pharmacist, entrepreneur, wife — but there is one word that probably describes her best - resilient. Thomas is a 2022 alumna of the Medical Sciences Faculty who obtained a BSc in Pharmacy. She was admitted to the programme after an inauspicious academic journey which included failing and repeating CSEC subjects and having to apply to The UWI three times before she was finally admitted to her desired programme. Once she got into UWI, things started to change. Thomas was the top student in the Pre-Science programme, earning all As at graduation and having earned a BSc in Pharmacy in 2022, she now operates a successful over-the-counter pharmacy in her home community of Beetham Gardens. According to Thomas, one of the reasons for her success at The UWI was her lecturers. “The lecturers believed in me from the first day. They really encouraged me as a mature student,” said Thomas. Thomas started at The UWI in her 30s and was apprehensive about matriculating with younger students. “God’s timing is so perfect. If I had started UWI before, I might not have been ready for the workload, so everything happened at the right time,” added Thomas. While lecturers and professors encouraged her at school, Thomas was not short of inspiration at home. All of Thomas’ siblings are alumni of The UWI and in their home, her mother’s
“wall of fame” for graduation photos inspired her to aspire, as did her father’s example as he tried to run and grow a small business in the community. “I always wanted to give back to my community, especially after watching my dad do it. Growing up, they used to call me Dr Chrissy and now people know how long I studied and they know that I stood through it all. Seeing the smiles of customers and being able to help people right within my neighbourhood brings me joy. Even if it’s something as simple as a headache, helping to alleviate that problem brings joy to me,” she said. As someone who remains heavily involved in community outreach through her church and by mentoring and tutoring youth, Thomas has a message for all students who may not succeed on the first try. “My personal mission statement is that a failure is only a failure when you fail to try again. I live by that statement. I failed so many times before, but I would tell myself, ‘Chrissy, a failure is only when you fail to get up’ and then I’d go again. People would ask me why didn’t I just change careers, but I knew God wanted me to be in the pharmaceutical field.” The St. Augustine Campus provides many avenues for entry into life-changing degree programmes, including pre-university and certificate programmes that require just five CSEC passes for entry. See the digital brochure for Pre-University and Certificate programmes for more.
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“My personal mission statement is that a failure is only a failure when you fail to try again. I live by that statement. I failed so many times before, but I would tell myself, ‘Chrissy, a failure is only when you fail to get up’and then I’d go again. People would ask me why didn’t I just change careers, but I knew God wanted me to be in the pharmaceutical field.”
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Campus HIGHLIGHTS
Achievements and Awards National Awards for 22
Chaconia Medal (Silver) •
Professor Gordon Rohlehr, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Humanities & Education (Literatures in English) for his contributions in the spheres of Literature, Culture, History and Education;
After a two year delay in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the national awards for 2020 and 2021 were announced and presented by the Office of the President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in March 2022. Eleven current and former staff, and alumni were among those recipients. In September 2022, they were joined by another 11 when the 2022 awards were announced. The Campus again honours all of those listed below for their sterling achievements and contributions to Caribbean society. 2022 Awardees: The Order of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago (ORTT) • Dr Sterling Frost, Professor of Practice, Faculty of Social Sciences and President of The UWI Development and Endowment Fund for Distinguished and Outstanding Service, in the spheres of Banking, Education and Community Service; • Dr Roshan Parasram, Honorary Graduate and Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health, for his Distinguished and Outstanding Service, in the sphere of Public Health.
• Ms Hazel Franco, Dance Coordinator, Department of Creative and Festival Arts for her contribution to the Performing Arts.
Chaconia Medal (Bronze) •
Professor Edgar Julian Duncan, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Science & Technology, for his contributions to Education and Research.
Hummingbird Medal (Gold) •
Dr Primnath Gooptar, Lecturer in Indian Cinema, the UWI Film Programme, for his singular contribution to national culture;
• Professor Kit Fai Pun, Professor of Industrial Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering for Education and Research;
• Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities & Education for Education and Volunteerism.
Hummingbird Medal (Silver) •
Chaconia Medal (Gold) •
Ms Marina Salandy-Brown, Honorary Graduate and President, Bocas Lit Fest, for her contributions to the Arts and Literacy. Medal for the Development of Women (Gold) • Dr Gabrielle Hosein, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Gender and Development Studies for her work in the sphere of Public Education and Advocacy.
Professor Christine Carrington, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology in the Faculty of Medical Sciences for leadership in Molecular Genetics and Virology.
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2021 Awardees: Chaconia Medal (Gold) •
of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago since 1987. Awarded for his contributions to Law and Business.
Ms Sharon Christopher —Appointed Chair of the St Augustine Campus Council for the five-year period, November 16, 2018 to July 31, 2023 for her contribution to Business, Banking and Finance. • Emeritus Professor Winston Mellowes —Led the Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine during a career that spanned over 30 years for his contribution in the sphere of Education. Ms Gillian Macintyre —An alumna of The UWI, St Augustine (PG Dip HR Management), Ms Macintyre was at the time a Member of the Elections & Boundaries Commission, and a former Permanent Secretary and Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Education, Sport, Public Administration and Information, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Attorney General. Public Service Medal of Merit (Gold) • Emeritus Professor Stephan Gift —Retired Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the St Augustine Campus from 2015 to 2018 and Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC), Graduate Studies & Research, from 2018 to 2021. Awarded for his contribution to Engineering and Engineering Science. • Judge Rolston Nelson (Former) —Appointed Visitor of The UWI in 2019, a position previously held by the Queen of England. Associate Tutor of the Hugh Wooding Law School since 1978 and editor of The Lawyer , the journal 2020 Awardees: Chaconia Medal (Gold) •
• Dr Lakshmi Seeterram-Persaud —2013 Honorary Graduate of The UWI, an award-winning novelist (five novels), writer and teacher. Awarded for her work in Education and Culture.
Hummingbird Medal (Gold) •
Professor Kari Levitt —Visiting Professor at the Institute of International Relations from 1974 to 1975. Awarded for loyal and devoted service to Trinidad & Tobago in the spheres of Economics and Education. • Mr Ainsley Mark —Lecturer in Accounting from 1971 to 1982, Head of Department of Management from 1975 to 1976, Vice- Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 1977 to 1979 and Senior Lecturer in Accounting from 1987. Awarded for his dedication to Community. • Dr Lester Goetz —Senior Lecturer, Urology, Faculty of Medical Sciences. Previous Programme Director of Urology at The UWI, St Augustine Campus who introduced the Urology Programme to the University. Awarded for his influence in Medicine.
Hummingbird Medal (Silver) •
Dr Indrawatee Haraksingh —Former Lecturer in Physics, Faculty of Science & Technology, The UWI, St Augustine Campus. Awarded for her contribution in the field of Education Service.
Hummingbird Medal (Bronze) •
Dr Verleen Bobb-Lewis —Part-time Facilitator/Tobago Coordinator for UWI’s School of Education Programmes. Awarded for her contribution in the field of Education .
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Campus HIGHLIGHTS
Seven in the Top 2% for Citations Seven UWI, St Augustine researchers were among the top 2% of the authors in their respective research disciplines globally in a database published in PLOS Biology journal authored by academics from Stanford University. This list represents the names of the scientists within the top 2% of their main sub-field discipline across those who have published at least five papers. The scientists were Professor Terence Seemungal (Medical Sciences), Professor Hazi Azamathulla (Engineering), Dr Sephra Rampersad (Science & Technology), Professor Christopher Oura (Veterinary Science), Dr Mandreker Bahall and, Dr Rajiv Dahiya (Medical Sciences) and the late Professor Dave Chadee (Science & Technology). The list ranks more than 180,000 researchers within 22 scientific disciplines and 176 subfields, in an objective and transparent process.
Volcano Surveillance Award for Seismic Research Centre
The UWI Seismic Research Centre received the 2022 Award for Volcano Surveillance and Crisis Management by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI). The award was in recognition of its management, monitoring, and response to the 2020/2021 eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in St Vincent, and for the SRC’s more than 65 years of service to the Eastern Caribbean. In November 2021, the SRC declared the end of the eruptive phase at La Soufrière after eight months without an explosion at the volcano. The Soufrière Monitoring Unit (SMU) at the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) assumed responsibility for the operations of the Belmont Observatory with day-to-day monitoring supported by the UWI-SRC remotely from its base in Trinidad. However, despite their award-winning work, and the potentially life-saving role they play in the region, the SRC reports that years of inconsistent funding from contributing territories in the Eastern Caribbean has had the effect of five to twelve years of budget cuts ranging between 10 to 20 percent. Income received between 2010 and 2022 ranged between TT$5.5M and TT$11.6M annually, and has been sufficient only for routine monitoring and operation of a minimal seismic network. All other work, including most research, major developments in the network and outreach, has been undertaken mainly through external grant funding or from the SRC Departmental Consultancy Fund (DCF) which includes all proceeds earned through consultancies. Funding from the DCF now accounts for 20% of the SRC’s total annual expenditure leading to staff vacancies being frozen and reduced support for postgraduate research.
First Robotic Surgeries Performed in the English-speaking Caribbean
It was an historic moment locally when three keyhole surgeries were performed on 20 September 2021 by a six-member surgical team from the Faculty of Medical Sciences with the assistance of a surgical robot in an operating theatre at the Port- of-Spain General Hospital. Local medical equipment distributor, A. A. Laquis provided access to the Freehand Panorama CoBOT that was used for the surgery. UK-based medical technology firms Imperial Medical Solutions and Freehand, as well as the UK Department of International Trade, also partnered to facilitate the procedure. The initiative also included involvement from surgeons at the Mona Campus.
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L to R are President of the IAVCEI, Dr. Patrick Allard, Director of the UWI SRC, Dr. Erouscilla Joseph, UWI SRC-Montserrat Volcano Observatory Volcanologist, Dr. Karen Pascal, U.S. Geological Survey and Award Nomination Panellist, Dr. Jacob Lowernstern and Professor of Volcanology from University of East Anglia and Award Nomination Panellist, Jenni Barclay during the presentation of the 2022 Volcanic Surveillance and Crisis Management Award from the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior on Thursday 16 June 2022 in Heraklion, Greece.
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Campus HIGHLIGHTS
Film Unit staff member and alumnus, Mr Shea Best , won Best Director for his film Vulnerable at the New Wave Short Film Festival 2021, an international film festival based in Munich, Germany. The short film, shot and produced in Trinidad & Tobago, also won Best Psychological Drama Short in the Hollywood in the Tiber Film Festival in Rome. UWI Arts Steel performed to sold out audiences at the 51st Festival of Culture of Fort-de-France, Martinique in July 2022. Their participation in the Festival included a commissioned concert of classical works, calypso/soca, and French music in July 2022. Mr Jessel Murray was Co-Music Director/Conductor. Law Thirty-four pioneering Caribbean women jurists were honoured by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in March 2022. Among them were the Chair of the St. Augustine Campus Council, Ms Sharon Christopher , and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine. Medical Sciences Professor Christine Carrington was named the 2022 Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Excellence Laureate for Science and Technology. The ANSA McAL Foundation hailed Professor Carrington as perhaps the foremost regional authority on virus evolution and molecular epidemiology, respected in the scientific community regionally and globally, with an impressive record of publication and international collaboration. Dr Arlene Williams-Persad, Lecturer in Pharmacology, received the 2022 award of Distinguished Woman in Immunology from the Latin American & Caribbean Congress for her work on the treatment and management strategies of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD).
Other Achievements Engineering
Professor Michelle Mycoo was appointed as Deputy Executive Director of The UWI Global Institute for Climate Smart and Resilient Development. The University of the West Indies Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Student Chapter won the 2021 Presidential Award for Outstanding Student Chapter. Students’participation in the SPE PetroBowl competition, paper contest and Imperial Barrel Award. This is the second time that the UWI SPE has won this award. Humanities & Education Mr Andreas Antonopoulos won the best new media award at the 2021 Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival with his experimental documentary, Rhythms of Trinidad . The film was made entirely from archival material in collaboration with the National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago (NATT). It explored the idea that rhythm and movement can act as communication tools between filmmakers and audiences and was featured in the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. Dr Oscar Bazán won the literary contest called by the journal Windumanoth , regarded as the best science fiction and fantasy journal in Europe. Professor Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw ’ s biography of Aimé Césaire (UWI Press) was named a finalist in the Regional (Non- Fiction) category for the 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22
Dr Rajiv Dahiya received the 2021 Caribbean Distinguished Pharmacy Researcher Award from the Caribbean Association of Pharmacists (CAP) for his contribution toward Caribbean Pharmacy research and practice, quality research output in peptide field. Dr Oscar Ocho was recognised by the Trinidad & Tobago Registered Nurses Association for his outstanding contribution to Nursing Education at the Association’s 2022 International Nurses Day award ceremony, and he received the Medal of Merit (Gold) for outstanding contribution to community service and nursing from the Eric Williams Memorial Celebration Awards Committee in June 2022. Science & Technology Dr Yomica Powder-George was awarded the Audrey S. Bingel Fellowship for Female Scientists valued at US$25,000 by the American Society of Pharmacognosy. Dr Amy Deacon of the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, received the 2022 FSBI medal presented to an early career scientist who has made an exceptional contribution to fish biology or fisheries science. The FSBI is an international society based in the United Kingdom that supports scientific activity in fish biology and fisheries science. Appointments Two New Professors The following professorial appointments were announced in July 2022: • Professor Shirin Haque , the first at the University in the field of Astronomy • Professor Krishpersad Manohar in the field of Mechanical Engineering
Two Receive Emeritus Titles The University conferred the title of Emeritus upon Professor Stephan Gift in March 2022. Emeritus Professor Gift retired in August 2021 after 33 years of service to the University, most recently as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the St Augustine Campus from 2015 to 2018 and Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC), Graduate Studies & Research, from 2018 to 2021. As PVC, he was also responsible for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship across The UWI. He was instrumental in the establishment of the bmobile/UWI Innovation Laboratory powered by Huawei in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. He holds the distinction of being the youngest PhD graduate in the history of the Faculty of Engineering.
25
Campus HIGHLIGHTS
A month later, in April, a similar honour was bestowed on Professor Chandrabhan Sharma. Professor Sharma retired as Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering from The UWI in September 2021 after 35 years of sterling contributions. He was Head of the Centre for Energy Studies, Engineering Institute, a position he held since 1994.
of the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board. He succeeded Mr Kervin Jean who served as the Head (Ag.) of the Academy of Sport, The UWI, St Augustine from 2021.
Dr Sue Ann Barratt was appointed Head of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St Augustine Campus, succeeding Dr Gabrielle Hosein with effect from 1 August 2021. Her
New Deputy Registrar Dr Camille
Samuel
was
appointed Campus Registrar of The UWI St Augustine Campus with effect from 1 August 2021. Dr Samuel is recognised for her work in the areas of entrepreneurial Deputy
areas of specialisation comprise communication conflict and gender-based violence, interpersonal interaction, mass media and computer mediated communication, social media and user-generated content, gender and ethnic identities, person perception, feminist studies and carnival studies.
support and excellence; corporate turnaround and crisis management; educational leadership and gendered leadership; IT governance, and leadership and student development and support, as aided by artificial intelligence and technology.
Dr LeRoy Hill became the new Director of its Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) with effect from 1 September 2021. Dr Hill’s research interests include Socio-Cultural Activity Theory, Distance & Online Education,
New Heads—Sports, Gender, Teaching & Learning
Dr Anand Rampersad was appointed Head of the St Augustine (STA) Academy of Sport, effective August 2022. The STA Academy of Sport
Learning Designs and Teacher Education. He is also host of the podcast - “Let’s Talk eLearning” which is available on a number of popular platforms.
falls under the University’s Faculty of Sport. Dr Rampersad is a management member of the Trinidad & Tobago Women’s Cricket Association (TTWCA) and a Special General Member
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ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22
Anniversaries A Century of Agricultural Research
New Public Orator and New Dean
Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw , Professor of French Literature and Creative Writing in the Faculty of Humanities & Education was appointed the new Public Orator at The UWI St
The West Indies Agricultural College was founded on 30 August 1921 and was renamed the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA), the precursor to the Faculty of Agriculture (later the Faculty of Food &
Agriculture or FFA), in 1924. In 1960, ICTA became known as the University College of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus. To celebrate this
Augustine Campus. Her appointment, effective 1 August 2021 is for a period of three years. She succeeds Professor Christine Carrington who served as Public Orator from 2017 to 2020. At The UWI, the Public Orator at each campus researches and writes the citations for the Honorary Graduands and presents them to University Chancellor, Mr Robert Bermudez at the St Augustine graduation ceremonies. Professor Walcott-Hackshaw has written and co-edited eight books, several scholarly essays and articles, as well as creative works. She was also appointed Dean of the Faculty of Humanities & Education in April 2022, replacing Dr Heather Cateau with effect from August of that year. Bocas Lit Festival Awards Emeritus Professor Funso Aiyejina and Dr Merle Hodge were both awarded the Bocas Henry Swanzy Award for Distinguished Service to Caribbean Letters. According to Bocas organisers, both “have played an unmistakable role in shaping the region’s literary landscape” with bodies of work that span borders and decades. Emeritus Professor Aijyejina was instrumental in the establishment of the creative writing MFA (Master of Fine Arts) programme at the St Augustine Campus — the first degree- granting programme in Creative Writing in the English-official Caribbean. Dr Merle Hodge is author of the 1970 classic Crick Crack, Monkey , among other novels, and is a retired lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities & Education, St Augustine Campus.
hundred-year-old legacy of teaching, learning, research and innovation, the FFA held a virtual panel discussion and a virtual two-day conference (in keeping with COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time). Three hundred people as well as organisations from the Caribbean, North America, South America and Europe registered for the conference. The Faculty also produced a special issue of the Journal of Tropical Agriculture , and chronicled the Campus’s contribution to local and regional agriculture in a newspaper supplement. Five tree- planting ceremonies were held where sponsors, donors and other participants planted a total of 139 trees representing 28 species. Thirty-nine trees were planted at The UWI, St Augustine Main Campus and 100 trees at the University Field Station.
27
Campus HIGHLIGHTS
Student Guild Celebrates 60 The Guild of Students celebrated its Diamond Jubilee with a gala event at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on 29 May 2022. Six individuals were awarded the title of Honorary Life Member—veteran journalist Dominic Kalipersad , clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist, Dr Katija Khan , calypsonians Austin “SuperBlue” Lyons and David Rudder , singer Ella Andall , and activist Am í lcar Sanatan . Special awards were presented as follows: • The Terri-Ann Joseph Award, to the Guild Councillor who provided stellar leadership within the Guild of Students and beyond: Jeneice Scoty ;
• The Makandal Daaga Award, for Advocacy and Activism: Makesi Peters ;
•
The Kenton K. John Award, for the student who exemplified the spirit of the University: Kimmi Potts ;
• The Presidential Award of Honour: Deputy Principal, Professor Indar Ramnarine .
The Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD) received an award for its contribution to student development, while the management of the facilities at the Student Activities Centre (SAC) was recognised for their Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Guild of Students. This year, due to the pandemic, the Guild’s usual schedule of community engagement had to be diverted to student welfare. In January 2022, the Guild collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land & Fisheries to facilitate a community food and hamper drive to reach over 150 UWI students across Trinidad & Tobago.
The FFA celebrated one of its alumni, Dr Shakuntala Haracksingh Thilsted, by inviting her to plant a Chaconia tree on the grounds behind the Faculty. Dr Haracksingh Thirsted was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Campus at the 2022 Graduation ceremonies. Assisting her is the Faculty Dean, Professor Mark Wuddivira. PHOTO: MAKANZWA PITA
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ANNUAL REPORT 2021/22
Events Premium Open Lecture Reaches New Global Audience
For the first time in its 20+ year history, the UWI/Guardian Group Premium Open Lecture was delivered online. Organised by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), the revised format for the biennial event attracted attendance beyond the Caribbean region from as far as Saudi Arabia, turning it into an international event reaching educational stakeholders globally, and at a reduced cost. Held on 30 September 2021, the theme was “Navigating the Realm of the e-Classroom: Creating Effective Culture for Innovation and Change”. The feature speaker was Dr Nancy Gleason , Director, Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning, and Associate Professor of Practice, Political Science, New York University, Abu Dhabi. The 2021 UWI/Guardian Group Premium Conversations event was held on the day before the lecture. The lecture is available on The UWI, St Augustine YouTube channel. Building Climate Change Resilience From 14 to 16 December 2021, CETL, with the Marketing & Communications Office and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), held an event for climate change professionals to enhance climate resilience in CARIFORUM countries. In addition, the UWI PAHO Climate Change and Health (CCH) Leaders Fellowship 2021 worked with CETL, to facilitate monitoring and evaluation for the first year of the project. The fellowship kicked off on 7 June 2021 and consisted of four teaching blocks, and an introductory and a summative workshop. In Memoriam The St Augustine Campus acknowledges the following former colleagues who departed this earth during the review period: • Dr Alma Jordan, former Campus Librarian—January 2022 • Dr Jeanette Morris, former Head of The School of Education—March 2022 • Emeritus Professor Selwyn Ryan, political researcher, historian and pollster—March 2022
Dr Alma Jordan
Emeritus Professor Selwyn Ryan
29
THE HOPEFUL GARDENER — A Urpreneur Story
participating in the programme also helped with creating a concise business presentation for potential investors. In 2022, Hughes-Pantin received a National Youth Award as a Youthful Resilience champion. This award is presented to young people who have faced exceptional challenges yet continue to make important contributions to society. Hughes-Pantin has herself experienced accident-induced trauma while continuing her studies and balancing her work and entrepreneurship. Hughes-Pantin, who began her academic career in medicine, has worked in marketing, agri-business and even freelanced as a makeup artist, but this most recent endeavour is very close to her heart. “I believe in social entrepreneurship and giving back to my community and there are a lot of people with disabilities in society who are not able to access certain services. I want to be able to impact people’s wellness with plants and gardening skills and decrease the stigma around therapy by using something from the environment that they’re familiar with,” said Hughes-Pantin.
In 2020, during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, Akilah Hughes-Pantin began gardening as a hobby. Hughes- Pantin shared her gardening journey through social media, even entering and winning some amateur competitions. This hobby soon became the basis for her business—a social enterprise focused on gardening, wellness, and horticultural therapy. The business has two main parts: a retail business, and a community outreach healing garden supported through the retail profits. Although Hughes-Pantin’s business is operational, she decided to participate in the UrpreneurPlus Accelerator Programme to further her study and practice of entrepreneurship. As a recent graduate of The UWI, St. Augustine, with an MA in Creative Design & Entrepreneurship, she was able to make a profit selling wellness products which she in turn invested into the social outreach aspect of her business. However, participating in the programme has helped Hughes-Pantin with logistics, access to resources, refining the costing, pricing, market research and developing a business-model canvas. She indicated that
The UrpreneurPlus Accelerator Programme is funded by the Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) of Trinidad & Tobago in partnership with UWI Ventures.
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