CHILL 28_ March_2024

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

Ayanna Young Marshall Coordinator, Student Entrepreneurial Empowerment Development (SEED) The UWI, Cave Hill Campus

Dr. Kirk Douglas Director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies The UWI, Cave Hill Campus

Professor Troy Lorde Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences The UWI, Cave Hill Campus

Professor Winston Moore , Deputy Principal and Head of the Office of Research, Innovation and Community at Cave Hill, welcomed the development of this device, emphasising the institution’s thrust to provide an innovative solution to meet the needs of its community. “The REST product, developed as a pivotal element of the UWI Triple-A Strategy Phase 2, aligns with the university’s commitment to the commercialisation of our research. With The UWI and its Cave Hill Campus recently celebrating their

solar-powered device is designed to last up to 24 hours on a full charge in an outdoor setting, contributing to a cleaner, healthier environment and reducing harmful climate impact. Douglas , Director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies, emphasised the importance of REST in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases. However, he cautioned that this device should be viewed as another tool in the arsenal to fight and not to exclusively replace all other means of reducing the mosquito and sandfly populations and their related dangers. “This device is meant to coincide with the other strategies currently available in the fight, especially in terms of keeping your surroundings tidy or even trying to reduce the number of breeding sites near and around the home or property.

75 th and 60 th anniversaries respectively, this innovative anti-mosquito product underscores the institution’s ongoing role in contributing to the region’s sustainable development.” Flying, biting insects, particularly prevalent in tropical climates, pose a significant threat, with tourists often falling victim to their blood-feeding exploits. The Caribbean, drawing over 25 million international tourists annually, faces the risk of infectious diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, malaria, yellow fever, West Nile, and leishmaniasis. With over one million deaths and 340 million infections annually, and at least four billion people at risk, the need for effective mosquito and sandfly control is paramount. u

Professor Winston Moore Deputy Principal The UWI, Cave Hill Campus

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