Further, in the Faculty of Science and Technology, the Earthquake Unit recorded a total of 407 seismic events between August 2022 and July 2023. This included 164 local earthquakes, 91 near-region events, 80 regional events, 48 distant events, and 24 blasts. And the year witnessed ongoing planning efforts toward the establishment of the Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience (CCRiB). This Centre will result from the merger of the Natural Products Institute (NPI), the Mona Institute of Applied Sciences (MIAS), the Biotechnology Centre, and the Pesticide Research Lab, and is set to be formally institutionalized in October 2023. At the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) the academic year saw the continuation of projects aligned with Jamaica’s Vision 2030 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Specifically, the national IAEA project, JAM5014 – Establishing a Self-Contained Gamma Irradiation Facility for the Introduction of Sterile Insect Technique and Experimental Mutagenesis and Diagnostic Technologies , addresses Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)#3, Good Health and Well-Being , targeting 3.3.3 and 3.3.5 which, according to the
WHO’s Keeping the Vector Out document includes vector-borne diseases such as Chagas disease, leishmaniosis, dengue, Zika and chikungunya. The crop mutagenesis component of the project addresses SDG #2 Zero Hunger , thereby targeting 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 as well as 2.a. The work of the Paint and Surface Coatings Technical Committee of ICENS also continued to address the mitigation of lead hazard during the review year. This aligns with National Goals 1 and 4 of Vision 2030 . This is also the case with Jamaica’s representation at the Minamata Convention on Mercury where ICENS participated at The Group of Technical Experts on Mercury Thresholds meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. ICENS’s research into the feasibility of nuclear power in Jamaica, specifically as it relates to Small Modular Reactors ( SMR ), aligns with Vision 2030 goal #3 and with national outcome 10: Energy Security and Efficiency . The ICENS generates income through grant funding from several projects either entirely administered by the Centre or where the institute is the lead or participating organization representing the member state. These projects include:
Signing off on the delivery of the Gamma Irradiator. Standing from L–R: Dr Charah Watson and Dr Ryan Francis of the Scientific Research Council, Mrs Sherine Huntley-Jones of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mr Saul Perez, Section Head, Division of Technical Cooperation for Latin American and the Caribbean (IAEA), Mr Dineth Dissanayake, Procurement Officer, Department of Management (IAEA). Seated, Ms Eunice Bepura, Acting Director, Procurement Services (IAEA), and Professor Charles Grant, Director General, ICENS.
Head of the Nuclear Analytical Laboratory at the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS), Johann Antoine (centre) , explains the features of the nuclear reactor at the facility. Listening (from left) are Principal Director, Science Portfolio, Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr Natwaine Gardner; Director General, ICENS and Professor of Applied Nuclear Sciences, Professor Charles Grant; Chairman of ICENS, Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee Jr; and ICENS Reactor Engineer, Assistant Research Scientist, Haile Dennis. The occasion was an Open Day and Media Tour of ICENS.
21 UWI MONA ANNUAL REPORT 2022/2023
20 UWI MONA ANNUAL REPORT 2022/2023
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