UTT inducts 4 new professors

The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) has conferred professorships on four career academics in the areas of agriculture, process engineering, utilities engineering and the performing arts, according to a media release.

The four are professors Puran Bridgemohan, Rean Mahara, Adel Elgamma and pannist Leon “Smooth” Edwards.

Bridgemohan is a crop scientist at the Biosciences, Agriculture and Food Technology Unit at UTT. He is known for his outreach activities and research skills, specifically the outstanding contributions to the Caribbean and Latin America in agriculture – notably rice and sugar cane research, production and weed management – the university said.

His work and publications in renewable energy and medicinal plants have been acknowledged internationally and he has also written over 60 refereed publications, including two books and ten book chapters.

Maharaj is a faculty member at the Process Engineering Unit at UTT, having joined the university after a successful career in industry. He has an active research agenda focusing on the recovery of materials from waste, including used tyres and plastic, and repurposing them for use in a sustainable manner.

The UTT said he is also actively involved in outreach projects on greening the operations of the energy sector in TT.

Maharaj is currently leading a team of researchers in carbon emissions from the port and other industries for TT to conform to its commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Maharaj has over 55 international journal and conference publications, and has written four book chapters.

Elgammal, faculty member of the Utilities and Sustainable Engineering Unit, specialises in electrical power engineering, electric drives and machines engineering. His main research emphasis is in the areas of application of green energy in various sectors. He has authored and co-authored over 47 scholarly technical journals, and over 77 refereed conference publications and three engineering book chapters. He received his undergraduate and postgraduate education in Egypt.

Edwards is a professor-in-practice in music at UTT’s Academy for the Performing Arts (APA) and is a qualified and experienced music arranger, player, teacher and motivator in steelpan music. He has performed at several international steelpan festivals and his awards include: induction in the Sunshine Awards Hall of Fame Induction, Anthony Williams Award for Best Arranger for the 1980s; Music Excellence 1978-1988, Music Excellence 1998-2007, Clive Bradley Award 2011 and Pan Trinbago’s 50th Anniversary of Panorama 1963-2013. Notably, as an arranger, Edwards has been successful in leading steelbands to victory, copping the Panorama title nine times, the release said.