Back (l-r): Awardees Prof. Brian Copeland, Dr. Sanjiv Seereeram, Dr. David Prevatt, Prof. Aftab Khan, Prof. Clement Sankat, Prof. John Agard and Prof. Indar Ramnarine.
Front (l-r): Dr. Patrick Hosein, Ms. Jo-Anne Sewlal, President of NIHERST Mrs. Maureen Manchouck, Prof. Samuel Ramsewak, Ag Chair of NIHERST Prof. Prakash Persad and Prof. Vijay Naraynsingh.

Trinidad & Tobago's Scientists Honoured by NIHERST

Trinidad and Tobago has produced, over the last 100 years, research scientists, engineers and innovators of world-class standing in almost every scientific and technology field. Most of these men and women remain largely unknown to and unacclaimed by our people.

This was the view expressed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Angela Sinaswee-Gervais, representing her minister, the Hon. Dr. Rupert Griffith, at the NIHERST 2012 Awards for Excellence in Science and Technology, which was held at the Hilton Trinidad.

Seventeen scientists were honoured at the gala ceremony, hosted in collaboration with the ministry and the Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS). Guests were filled with pride to learn of the outstanding achievements of the awardees.

Mrs. Sinawsee-Gervais spoke of the importance of the awards in giving much deserved recognition to our scientists and raising public awareness and appreciation of who they are and their important contribution to science, both here and abroad. She said that this was imperative to preserving our scientific heritage and inspiring the next generation of students and scientists towards great accomplishments themselves.

In his welcome remarks, Ag. Chair of NIHERST, Prof. Prakash Persad, stressed that our own scientists were best suited to finding solutions to the development issues and problems facing Trinidad and Tobago.

The top five awardees were:

The Rudranath Capildeo Award for Applied Science & Technology
  • Prof. Neela Badri: Microbiology (Specialising in Food Science and Technology)
  • Prof. Anil Kokram: Electrical and Computer Engineering (Specialising in Signal Processing)
The Julian Kenny Award for Natural Sciences
  • Prof. John Agard: Environmental Management and Sustainability
The Emmanuel Ciprian Amoroso Award for Medical Sciences
  • Prof. Vijay Naraynsingh: Medicine (Specialising in Surgery)
The Fenrick De Four Award for Engineering
  • Prof.Clement Sankat: Mechanical Engineering (Specialising in Agricultural Engineering).

Also honoured for their outstanding contribution were:
  • Prof. Stephon Alexander - Theoretical Physics
  • Dr. Stephen Blizzard - Aviation Medicine
  • Prof. Brian Copeland - Electrical Engineering/Innovation
  • Dr. Wayne Frederick – Medicine (Oncology)
  • Dr. Indra Haraksingh– Physics and Renewable Energy
  • Dr. Patrick Hosein - Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Professor Aftab Khan – Geophysics
  • Dr. David Prevatt- Civil Engineering
  • Prof. Indar Ramnarine – Applied Ichthyology/Aquaculture
  • Prof. Samuel Ramsewak - Medicine (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)
  • Dr. Sanjeev Seereeram - Computer and Systems Engineering
  • Ms. Jo-Anne Sewlal – Zoology (The Frank Rampersad Award for Junior Scientist)

 

Posted: 4 October 2012