E-Learning is the catalyst that is changing the model of learning in this century and hopalonglearning. com - the first of its kind in T&T - is a free of charge, locally designed and developed website that allows children, parents and teachers to:

• Navigate the web safely
• Use the internet to learn
• Go to school online

The website covers:

• General concepts in mathematics and language arts
• An entire reading programme
• Creative writing
• Educational advice for parents
• Education research and resource books for teachers
• Clipart and video clips
• Social studies and science project plans

So hop along to our booth to learn more about what our e-learning website has to offer.

The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) participated in Sci-TechKnoFest from Thursday 10th October to Wednesday 16th October 2013. Primary and secondary school students delved into marine conservation with interactive games on topics like oceans and continents, marine habitats, food chains and food webs, ecosystems, as well as coastal and marine biodiversity. Patrons learnt about current issues such as ocean acidification and climate change in a creative way, with special prizes to be given away. Visitors encountered an exciting learning experience about the many precious, underwater wonders of the world!

Patrons learnt about the interesting and cutting-edge technologies NGC uses every day in the maintenance and operation of our extensive pipeline network. Ever wonder how NGC transports such large volumes of natural gas safely and which tools, equipment, expertise and innovations help to make it all possible? All of those burning questions and more were answered at the NGC booth.

Powertrin Ltd. is the exclusive dealer in Trinidad for Trunz Water Systems of Switzerland, a company that develops and manufactures sustainable and cost effective solutions for water purification and desalination, as well as solarpowered centres. The company offers sustainable solutions for decentralised potable water and electricity supply in remote areas. The units are exceptionally energy efficient, independent, compact and environmentally friendly. Visitors saw how Trunz innovative and eco-friendly technologies produced clean drinking water from polluted and/or salt water with solar and wind energy. All were amazed by their ultra-filtration membrane and reverse osmosis system that removes all viruses, bacteria and salts without the use of toxic chemical treatment.

Have you ever wondered where the delicious fish fillet on your plate came from? Did you ever think as far back to where some of your favourite local foods are grown? Did you ever consider what journey they undergo to reach from farm to fork? If you are curious, you can explore the production systems of the Sugarcane Feeds Centre. Our integrated farming system shows how we can conserve resources and achieve sustainable food production nationally...an agricultural synergy! The animal units demonstrate livestock production from fish, pigs, and poultry to cows, buffalos, sheep and goats, and even rabbits. So come check out our booth where you will find loads of fascinating facts about local agricultural practices and livestock rearing.

Electricity is the single most important form of energy used to power our world as it transforms the quality of our lives daily. Electricity is not an invention. Rather, it is a discovery that possesses limitless potential in the way that it is harnessed and used across the globe. Countless inventions supported by electricity have literally changed our way of life since its discovery. T&TEC's booth had shown how electricity has increased our ability to do work more efficiently. Visitors of all ages learnt about the wonders of electricity through a number of interesting and interactive games, and challenged themselves with topics such as electrical safety, environmental management, disaster preparedness and the history of electricity in Trinidad and Tobago.

The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) presented an indigenous online game, Crab Catcher, created by students of the 2013 graduating class of the Diploma in Animation Studies programme. The game utilised stopmotion animation and follows local vendors who navigate a swamp while on crab-catching expeditions.

These expeditions sometimes require the vendors to exercise survival techniques as they are placed in very threatening, but fun, situations! Crab Catcher is just one avenue for UTT's Animation students to show their unique offerings at Sci-TechKnoFest 2013. The student-animators will also engaged in 2D drawings, with the aid of light boxes, and 'live' demonstrations and caricatures. Animation shorts from 2010 to 2012 will also be shown. These students clearly reflect the ingenuity of our people.

This exhibition showcased two projects - the Virtual East Indian Museum and Amerindian Village - which were created by students Shezell Oliver and Kimmie Wharton respectively. The aim of this work was to make history accessible to all by providing virtual access via the Internet or Kiosk. The Hapic Glove was used with cricketers to distinguish a good spin bowl. This work was aimed at improving the bowling technique of our cricketers. This project was conducted by Denzel Joseph. They both were supervised by Dr. Andrea Kanneh.

Rainwater Harvesting: A Practical Water Solution It's no secret that many rural communities throughout the Caribbean are forced to live without a pipe-borne supply of water. Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) in collaboration with NIHERST decided to do something about this by introducing safe rainwater harvesting practices to the region as a viable solution to water scarcity.

By developing a modern rainwater harvesting (RWH) model, the GWP-C was able to creatively demonstrate how rainwater can be safely collected and used. Various communities in Trinidad and Tobago have adopted the RWH practices promoted by GWP-C. NIHERST has also assisted in the installation of systems in 15 water scarce school throughout the country. The GWP-C rainwater harvesting model was a "must see" at Sci-TechKnoFest 2013!

The Environmental Management Authority is committed to protecting and conserving the natural environment to enhance quality of life, by developing and enforcing environmental legislation and promoting environmentally responsible behaviour. At our booth at Sci-TechKnoFest we tested your knowledge while examining the environmental side of some inventions being featured. We also delved into the history of the environmental movement and the EMA.

The sustainable management of Trinidad and Tobago's natural resources, and in particular its water resources, is one of the great challenges facing our country. With growing threats such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation, natural hazards, water scarcity and rapid urbanisation, there is an urgent need for policy makers to develop a programme of actions and strategies that will help to mitigate these challenges.

On July 5th, 2013 WASA launched the Adopt A River (AAR) Programme (www.adoptarivertt.com), which takes a step in this direction by bringing together corporate entities, state institutions and civil society under one umbrella to work towards reducing many of the challenges negatively impacting the country's watersheds and water resources.

Angostura is one of the Caribbean's leading rum producers, with a celebrated collection of rum brands, and is the world's market leader for bitters. Brands include: Angostura 1824, Angostura 1919, Angostura Single Barrel Reserve, White Oak, Forres Park Puncheon, Black Label, Royal Oak, Angostura Reserva, Angostura 5 year old, Angostura 7 year old rum, as well as, Angostura aromatic bitters and a signature beverage Angostura Lemon Lime and Bitters. Angostura aromatic bitters is now celebrating 189 years since the first bottle was introduced to the world.

Many of our brands have been around for generations in Trinidad and Tobago, our core rum market. Angostura's international rums have won gold medals at many international competitions in the past decade and have been named 'the world's most awarded rum range' by the Rum Masters.

The Forestry Division has the mandate to manage the state's forests, wildlife and national park resources. The Division is in charge of 192,000 hectares of forest, distributed within 35 forest reserves, 11 game sanctuaries and other state lands. Forest management is guided by a National Forest Policy with legal mandate drawn from the Forests, Sawmill and Conservation of Wildlife Acts. The role of the Division is to sustainably manage the forest estate so as to optimize the use of the resources, to encourage and monitor the development of forest industries, to conserve important and fragile ecosystems, to preserve biodiversity and to educate the public on the wise use of the country's natural heritage.

The Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs (MEEA) launched its National Energy Communication Campaign in 2012 to raise awareness about the local energy sector and promote energy efficient practices. The campaign uses an interactive mass media and digital campaign, revolving around the website www.myenergytt.com and a Facebook and Twitter presence, while the educational outreach campaign is presented to primary school children throughout the country.

The Light Bulb Exchange Initiative, a core component of the Energy Efficiency campaign, invites householders to trade two incandescent light bulbs for two energy-efficient, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) free of charge when the caravan visits communities throughout the country.

The Metal Industries Company Ltd (MIC) Institute of Technology, a leading provider of Technical Vocational Education and Training, provides a wealth of training opportunities under its various training programmes, namely: HYPE, MuST, ICP and NSDP. At Sci-TechKnoFest, the MIC Institute of Technology was proud to exhibit its revolutionary VRTEX 360 Virtual Welding Machine, currently being used by MIC to revolutionize the delivery of welding training and certification throughout Trinidad and Tobago. This technology allows the trainee to participate in welding in a fun, exciting and, most importantly, safe manner. Most of the youth today are technologically savvy from a very young age and the VRTEX 360 will allow them to interact in a learning environment that is very familiar, as well as interactive.

Established by Cabinet in January 2005, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) is the national disaster office of Trinidad and Tobago, while the Tobago Emergency Management Authority (TEMA) has authority through the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for disaster management in Tobago. We are responsible for leading and coordinating the national effort in protecting public health and safety; restoring essential government services; and providing emergency relief to those affected severely by hazards. Disaster management is not limited to response and recovery but, in fact, encompasses all the phases of the comprehensive disaster management cycle: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

At our NIHERST Sci-TechKnoFest 2013 exhibition, the ODPM showcased some of its state-of-the-art equipment that can be used in the event of a disaster/emergency, such as our amphibious vehicle and our water purification system. Also on display were some examples of simple ways in which persons can mitigate against various hazardous impacts/disasters.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields play a direct role in promoting economic growth and contributing to challenges that face society today. Visit the STEM booth and learn about the wide variety of industries that rely on people with these invaluable skills. Do you want to be a sound engineer in the music industry? Would you like to invent physiotherapy exercises for athletes or design a new computer-aided fashion line? Do you dream of inventing a new hightech life saving machine or researching new medical treatments? Imagine if you could invent a new technology to reduce carbon emissions and develop a renewable energy source!! The possibilities are endless.

STEM careers have an extensive range including architecture and building design; civil engineering; developing new plant species; aerospace and transport industry; software designs and managing communications networks; finance and accountancy; and working with advanced technology such as satellites, global positioning systems and military surveillance. You can have a future in a STEM field...take this opportunity to discuss your options with reputable organisations such as UWI, NESC, UTT, Kenson School of Technology, Bordercom International, Briko Air Services, Arthur Lok Jack and COSTAATT.

"Knowledge Is Energy" The Kenson School of Production Technology was established in 1995 to meet in-house needs of the Kenson Group of Companies for job-specific training relative to upstream operations. The school is a post-secondary technical school that was registered with the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago in 2009 and re-registered in 2012. The school has affiliations with the following:

• City and Guilds of London
• The Society for Petroleum Engineers
• Energy Institute of the United Kingdom
• The Institute of Leadership and Management
• The International Association of Drilling Contractors

The Trinidad and Tobago National Commission for UNESCO is a government body established in 1970. The purpose of the National Commission throughout the years has been to promote and facilitate activity in Trinidad and Tobago as they relate to UNESCO's programmes in Education, Social and Human Sciences, Natural Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information.

Merging both science and education, the exhibit highlighted the results of two innovative projects that had their beginnings facilitated by the National Commission, and which have gone on to positively impact the teaching and use of science, both on the national and international stage.

The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) is a regional organisation established in 1975 with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago and offices in 11 other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member countries. CARDI's Research for Development (R4D) Programme facilitated several innovations in agriculture, which had a significant impact on Trinidad and Tobago.

CARDI's booth at Sci-TechKnoFest 2013 was a "must-see" with featuring:

• CARDI's research in cassava, sweet potato, fruits, vegetables, protected agriculture and climate change;
• Hot pepper landraces of Trinidad and Tobago, including "Scorpion", the world's hottest pepper; and
• Improved forages for small ruminant production.

REVOLUTIONISING DESIGN

The Monoprint-Batik collection is produced via the Monoprint-Batik process which refines the existing Monoprint process. This innovative process integrates batik designs into the monoprint process, which allows the batik pattern to be featured on untraditional materials such as ceramics, canvas, water coloured paper, screen dividers and tabletops. The Monoprint-Batik process thus adds unique value and improves on the traditional processes of Monoprint and batik.

Furthermore, the designs created by Artistic Revolution for this process are emotive, impressive and of superior quality. The collection includes designed clothing, paintings, decorative items and various accessories.

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) was established in July 2004 by the enactment of the Telecommunications Act Chapter 47:31, as the independent regulatory body responsible for the transformation of this country's telecommunications and broadcasting sectors. TATT's regulatory role includes managing spectrum and number resources, establishing equipment and service quality standards to facilitate the availability of affordable telecommunications and broadcasting services by all.

Sci-TechKnoFest 2013, visitors to TATT's booth had an opportunity to participate in interactive activities, as well as receive literature and memorabilia, all of which provided an appreciation of this organization's varied role.