Trinidadian marine scientist collects Anthony N Sabga Award for Excellence

Trinidadian-born deep-sea marine biologist Dr Diva Amon has become the joint recipient of an Anthony N Sabga Award, receiving $250,000.

The Caribbean Excellence Awards gala was held at the Hilton, Barbados, on May 25. Amon spoke after winning the award with Dr Morris Scantlebury, a paediatric neurologist who was born in Canada and raised and educated in Barbados.

Amon, who has worked with actor Will Smith on the National Geographic series Welcome to Earth and is an advocate for more effective stewardship of the world's oceans, began her acceptance speech by expressing her humility and honour in sharing the award with Scantlebury.

“Thank you so much to the awards' founders and the team who created and executed this unique recognition for exceptional Caribbean leaders. There's something truly special about this initiative, which is built by Caribbean people for the Caribbean,” Amon said.

She called the award the highest recognition for science in the Caribbean and believes the field is “chronically undervalued,” especially marine science. She called the ocean "our greatest asset."

“It is our greatest lifeline and small island developing states like Barbados, Jamaica and others are already feeling the pressure of the climate and biodiversity crisis.”

Amon said deep-sea pollution may be out of sight, but it is not out of reach. She believes humanity is just beginning to explore and find new species. But she said as scientists explore, they are finding trash.

“It’s not just pollution and climate change, but also the potential opening up of absolutely devastatingly destructive industries like deep-sea mining in the future.”

Amon said without fully understanding the underwater world, parts of the planet could be lost before they are appreciated and valued, and believes there is much more work to do in the Caribbean's “watery backyard.”

Amon thanked the awards committee for what she called uplifting and valuing science and those who have chosen the “challenging road.”

She also thanked her mother and reminisced on memories they shared on the beaches of Barbados, which she credits for her love of marine biology. She spoke about discovering a dead manatee when she was three years old.

“I felt wonder and sadness seeing this incredibly strange, fascinating and helpless animal on the beach.”

Amon said she shed literal blood, sweat and tears along with her team to advance marine science education and advocacy in Trinidad and Tobago and stressed that funding is still needed for Caribbean people forging unconventional paths to create change and find solutions.

Despite the challenges, she is hopeful and believes the tides are changing.

“This award will help make the light that we shine on the deep ocean so much brighter, and it will be used to especially uplift students and help us answer critical questions and co-create ocean solutions.”

She ended with a call to action to ensure the deep ocean and its “incredibly fragile and important ecosystems” are preserved so many more people can experience them in the future.