UWI honours top scientists, researchers

AFTER a decade-long hiatus, UWI's St Augustine campus hosted the Principal’s Research Awards which celebrated the outstanding achievements of UWI scientists and researchers for their contributions during 2018-2023.

The event formed part of the commemorative events for the 75th anniversary and was themed 75 Years of Relevance, Responsiveness, and Research Innovation for a Better Life, Environment and Sustainability, a media release said.

Prof Christine Carrington, a molecular genetics and virology expert, stood out among the winners by receiving the Best Researcher Award for her pioneering work in virology. As the top researcher, Carrington’s leadership drove the covid19 IMPACT project, which established local SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequencing capacity and did genomic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 variants across 17 Caribbean countries, until regional public health bodies established their own capabilities a year later.

With over 30 years of infectious disease research experience, Carrington focuses on understanding factors driving the emergence, behaviour, and persistence of viruses, especially vector-borne and zoonotic RNA viruses, the release said.

The team led by Carrington included Dr Nikita Sahadeo, Dr Arianne Brown-Jordan, lab technicians Vernie Ramkissoon and Nicholas Mohamed, and research assistants Anushka Ramjag and Soren Nicholls.

The return of the awards on November 22, the release said, is the realisation of a long-standing goal to spotlight the intelligence and dedication of the academic/scientific community and marks a renewed focus on research as a dynamic force.

In her address Campus principal Prof Rose-Marie Belle Antoine said: “Research must be a living organism, not stuck on a shelf, but driving development and solving daily problems.”

Belle Antoine reminded the audience of the many years UWI researchers have spent trying to find solutions to the many problems that plague society. She named the research done “in combatting climate change for over 40 years, recognised by the UN when it designated The UWI as the lead university in climate change studies. Our research in health, where ground-breaking work has been achieved in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases, antibiotic resistance, detection of the covid19 virus and variants and development of biopesticides, are also both fascinating and transformational.”

The research, spanning over 20 years, that led to development of innovative products, asphalt sealants, asphalt coatings, and grease lubricants, by Nizamudeen Mohammed and Dr Lebert Grierson received the Principal’s Special Innovation Award.

The Principal’s Research Awards showcased a range of research from climate-change studies and healthcare innovations to sustainable solutions for societal challenges. Belle Antoine also launched the Research Digest, a compilation of concise and condensed key findings, insights and significant information from various research studies, academic papers and reports and a valuable resource for the latest developments and discoveries, the release said.

In hailing the achievements of the researchers, UNDP resident representative Ugo Blanco said, “In our pursuit of sustainable development, research stands as the beacon illuminating our path, it's the compass directing policy decisions, the key unlocking innovation and the silent force propelling us towards a more sustainable future.

"As we acknowledge outstanding contributions let's honour the profound impact of research, the engine driving positive change, the foundation upon which sustainable progress is built.”

Addressing the gathering on behalf of the Minister of Youth Development and National Service, acting permanent secretary Narine Charran congratulated the UWI awardees. He said, “I salute you for your hard work and commitment, but more importantly, for navigating the realms of cutting-edge research and imparting your knowledge towards the advancement of our nation.”

The event was attended by ministers, ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps and UWI staff.

It was immediately followed by the opening of the campus Research Festival at the JFK Quadrangle which featured various exhibits, poster presentations and oral sessions, screening of documentary films, theatrical displays, a panel discussion and a workshop on university-industry-government and civil society organisation, offering a glimpse into the extensive research endeavours undertaken at UWI, St Augustine.

Belle Antoine extended an invitation to stakeholders, urging collaboration in creating an environment conducive to purposeful research that addresses societal needs. The commitment to a stronger academia-government-industry relationship for national development underscored the university's vision.

Principal’s Award for Best Researcher

Prof Christine Carrington – Faculty of Medical Sciences

Most Outstanding Faculty Researcher

Faculty of Engineering – Prof Kit Fai Pun

Faculty of Food and Agriculture – Prof Mark Wuddivira

Faculty of Humanities and Education – Dr Freddy James

Faculty of Law – Dr Emma Perot

Faculty of Medical Sciences – Prof Chris Oura

Faculty of Science and Technology – Dr Sreedhara Rao Gunakala

Faculty of Social Sciences – Dr Talia Esnard

Most Outstanding Researcher of the Centre/Institute/Unit

Institute of International Relations – Professor Michelle Scobie

Most Outstanding Graduate Researcher Award & Mentorship Award

Graduate Researcher – Dr Stephanie Mohammed

Mentors – D. Nikolay Zyuzikov and Dr Venkatesan Sundaram

Best Team Research

Prof Christine Carrington and team for the teamwork on: Covid19: Infectious disease Molecular epidemiology for Pathogen Control & Tracking (Covid19 IMPACT)

Most Outstanding Regional/International Research Project

Prof Christine Carrington and team for the teamwork on: Covid19: Infectious disease Molecular epidemiology for Pathogen Control & Tracking (Covid19 IMPACT)

Team: Drs Nikita Sahadeo and Arianne Brown-Jordan; lab technicians Vernie Ramkissoon and Nicholas Mohamed; and research assistants Anushka Ramjag and Soren Nicholls.

Most Productive Research Department

Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering – head of the department – Dr Jacqueline Bridge

Most Productive Research Institute, Centre or Unit

Cocoa Research Centre – Director –Prof Pathmanathan Umaharan

Team: Dr Lambert Motilal, geneticist and Dr Naailah Ali, food technologist

Principal’s Award for Most Impactful Community Research

Dr Angelique Nixon – Institute for Gender and Development Studies, lead researcher for the project: A Sexual Culture of Justice: Strengthening LGBTQI and GBV Partnerships, Capacity and Efficacy to Promote and Protect Rights in TT

Receiving the award with her were team: Jeremy Stephan Edwards, executive director, the Silver Lining Foundation, and Rae Alibey, director, Transgender Coalition.

Principal’s Special Innovation Award

Nizamudeen Mohammed and Dr Lebert Grierson for the development of asphalt-based sealants, coatings and lubricants