Dr. Charmaine O' Brien-Delpesh
Lecturer, Programme Coordinator
The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (Coastal Engineering and Management)
St. Augustine
Trinidad and Tobago
Telephone:
868-662-2002
Ext: 83428
Dr. Charmaine O’Brien-Delpesh has a Masters degree in sedimentology from University of Waterloo, Canada where she did her thesis on Nearshore Processes and Sedimentation at Queen’s and Richmond Bays, Tobago. She was the Officer-in-Charge of the Environmental Research Programme at the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) and was responsible for the Coastal Conservation Project which involves monitoring wetlands, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems, reviewing laws relating to coastal erosion and accretion and assessing the stability of the coastlines of Trinidad and Tobago. She has over twenty years experience in a number of areas including; sedimentology, coastal processes, beach dynamics, environmental impact assessment and climate change. Her present research is focused on beach morphodynamics of headland bay beaches in Trinidad and Tobago and in the Caribbean and the development of a coastal classification scheme for these systems.
She has authored several papers, reports and made presentations at international conferences in the Netherlands, Canada, United States and the Caribbean, on coastal erosion, sand mining, climate change and sediment transport. She has coordinated a number of environmental impact assessment studies in Trinidad and Tobago as well as the wider Caribbean on the laying of gas pipelines and telephone cables in the marine and coastal environment, seawall and jetty construction, sedimentation of ports and beach restoration. Mrs. O’Brien-Delpesh also provides advice to Government agencies on issues such as coastal erosion, setback distance, reclamation and beach sand mining.
Qualification
- UWI, St Augustine - PhD, Civil Engineering (Development of a Tool for the Rapid Assessment of Morphodynamics of Headland Bay Beaches in the Caribbean) (January 2010 - Present)
- CHESS Limited, San Fernando. - NEBOSH Certificate Course in Occupational Safety and Health (December 2002)
- Cipriani Labour College, Valsayn - Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health (June 2002)
- University of Waterloo, Canada - Master of Science, Sedimentology (1986)
- Concordia University, Canada - Bachelor of Science, Geology (1983)
Professional Experience
- University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine - Lecturer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Programme (Aug. 2009 – Present)
- Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas - Officer-In-Charge, Environmental Research Programme Member of IMA’s Management Consultative Committee. (Mar. 2001 – Aug.2009)
- Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas - Manager (Ag.), Technical Advisory Services (Jan. 2000 – Mar. 2001)
- Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas - Officer-In-Charge, Environmental Research Programme (Nov. 1998 – Dec. 1999)
- Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas - Research Officer/Sedimentologist, Environmental Research Programme (Feb.1990 –Nov.1998)
- St. Martin Girls Secondary School, Port of Spain - Geography Teacher (Jan. 1985 – Dec. 1986)
- University of Waterloo, Canada - Geology Teaching Assistant (Geology Teaching Assistant)(Jan. 1985 – Dec. 1986)
- Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas - Geologist (Jun. 1984 – Jan. 1985)
- Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas - Geology Field Assistant (Summers 1981 & 1982)
- Bank of Commerce, Trinidad & Tobago Ltd., Trinidad. - Foreign Exchange Clerk and Teller(Apr. 1978 – Aug. 1979)
Honours and Awards
- Nortek Student Equipment Grants Competition 2013 – Awarded a Nortek AWAC (Acoustic Wave and Current Profiler) to be used in PhD research project for 3 months.
- IMA Chairman’s Award for the best research paper in IMA’s Annual Symposium, 2004.
- University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship, to pursue graduate study in sedimentology.
Appointments
- Faculty Representative on Campus Committee for Undergraduate Awards for the Academic Year 2016/2017
- Joint Co-ordinator for the Department’s Public Relations and Website
- Coastal Engineering Laboratory Supervisor
- Responsible for reporting on the Department’s use of VLE for Accreditation
- Joint Co-ordinator for the Department’s Public Relations and Website
- Coastal Engineering Laboratory Superviso
Public Service
- Chair-person for on “Climate Change Vulnerabilities facing Tobago” at the Climate Change Adaptation and Coastal Zone Management Workshop hosted by the Institute of Marine Affairs in Tobago, May 2016
- Chair-person for on “Climate Change Vulnerabilities facing Tobago” at the Climate Change Adaptation and Coastal Zone Management Workshop hosted by the Institute of Marine Affairs in Tobago, May 2016
- Delivered presentation on “Climate Change Vulnerabilities facing Tobago” at the Climate Change Adaptation and Coastal Zone Management Workshop hosted by the Institute of Marine Affairs in Tobago, May 2015
- Assisted the Coastal Protection Unit, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure with the “Coastal Condition Assessment Survey” of the coastal areas and the Manzanilla-Mayaro Road impacted by inland flooding which occurred in November 2014.
- Member of the Panel of Academics from Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department UWI, which assessed and provided solutions and recommendations to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure
- Delivered presentation on “Coastal Defence and the Implications on Marine Turtle” at the 2nd National Sea Turtle Symposium, hosted by the EMA and Turtle Village Trust, October 2014
- Member of the Panel of Academics from UWI and UTT selected by His Excellency, President Anthony Carmona, ORTT, SC to provide insights into the causes, nature, extent and impact of the oil spills of December 2013 in south west Trinidad.
- Guest Lecture on “Shoreline Change” to GSTT ( August 2003)
- Lecture and assist students undertaking Geography CXC CSEC and Cape Examinations. St Francois Girls College and Queen’s Royal College - Ongoing
- Provided technical training to the staff of Natural Resources and the Environment, THA
Professional Memberships
- Member of the Coastal Education and Research Foundation
- Member of the Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago.
