Engaging and interactive presentations, hands-on workshops, eye-opening field trips and one-on-one interaction with leading scientists, as well as experts from business and industry, proved to be a rich and impactful learning experience for students engaged in the NIHERST Caribbean Youth Science Forum (CYSF) 2017. Eighty-six lower sixth form students from Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago participated in the eight-day residential forum from 6th – 13th August 2017.

Engaging and interactive presentations, hands-on workshops, eye-opening field trips and one-on-one interaction with leading scientists, as well as experts from business and industry, proved to be a rich and impactful learning experience for students engaged in the NIHERST Caribbean Youth Science Forum (CYSF) 2017. Eighty-six lower sixth form students from Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago participated in the eight-day residential forum from 6th – 13th August 2017.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Naila Murray, Senior Scientist & Manager of the Computer Vision Group at Naver Labs Europe. A native of Arima, Dr. Murray shared her professional journey and encouraged the accessibility of computer technology in the Caribbean, describing it as “an investment that has the potential to yield powerful returns in the years to come; in the form of tech savvy, resourceful and community-oriented STEM practitioners”.

On behalf of The Honourable Anthony Garcia, Minister of Education, Dr. The Honourable Lovell Francis, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, delivered the feature address at the Forum’s opening ceremony, reminding participants that exposure to science would equip them to be recognized internationally as positive contributing individuals such as Dr. Murray. He continued, sharing his views, that science “is not just a subject; it is not just mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology. It is a methodology that you can use throughout your life; it is a way of thinking, and it is a way of being Trinidadian.”

CYSF 2017 saw students widening their horizons educationally, personally and socially. Core topics this year included: artificial intelligence and computer vision, metabolic surgery, art psychotherapy, forensic pathology, chemical engineering, deep sea exploration, food and agricultural technology and the oil and gas industry.

Meet our sponsors

Massy Foundation
About the Massy Foundation

The Massy Foundation is the Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropic arm of the Massy Group. It was established in Trinidad and Tobago in 1979, and funded by the contributions of the local subsidiaries.

The Massy Foundation is committed to social and national development through poverty alleviation, youth development, and skills training, as well as the advancement of education, religion, arts and culture, the environment, and other key areas. Applications for funding are therefore measured against these criteria. In addition to disbursing one-off payments as well as annual subventions to a cadre of NGOs and charitable organizations at the start of each financial year, the Foundation also offers undergraduate scholarships to the children of Massy employees. Throughout the year, the Foundation contributes to special social projects, and has funded the Boys to Men: Rites of Passage Programme for the past 12 years.

The Foundation’s Board members are: Gaston Aguilera (Chairman), Angela Hamel-Smith, David O’Brien, Gregory Sloane-Seale, Hugh Henderson, Sandra Welch-Farrell, Keith De Freitas, Phillip Hamel-Smith and Earl Boodasingh, all of whom are ably supported by the Foundation’s Secretary, Gem Rowe, and Manager, Adele Rose.

The Foundation could not have experienced the longevity and success that it enjoys today without the continued support of the Group, its strength and versatility, its patriotic roots, its employee diversity and its empowered leadership. In 2015, the Massy Foundation was also officially established in Barbados.

Atlantic LNG
About Atlantic LNG

Atlantic is one of the world’s largest producers of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The company is based in the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago and operates and manages a natural gas liquefaction facility located at Point Fortin in South Trinidad. Atlantic loads over 250 cargoes of LNG per annum, which is shipped by its customers to over 20 destinations around the world including Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, India, Korea and Japan. Atlantic also produces natural gas liquids (NGLs) which are sold locally. Trinidad and Tobago is the sixth largest LNG exporter in the world. In April 2015, Royal Dutch Shell announced its acquisition of the BG Group. This deal includes BG’s LNG assets/shareholdings in Atlantic. Shell has become the largest stakeholder in Atlantic.