Research, Innovation & more
About AR 2024/2025
Why “Beyond”?
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Here are some of the ways the St Augustine Campus embraced the challenge of going beyond in 2024/2025. For a fuller list of accomplishments, check out the full report.
UWI Makes Waves at TIC
The Campus created a lot of buzz at the National Trade and Investment Convention from 11 to 13 July 2025, showcasing a growing range of entrepreneurial projects. For the second year, UWI Made products took centre stage, including SEAL-It sealants, the natural pesticide Biophyt 1.0, Spirit premium dark chocolates and media services from HumanKind Studios.
The display drew steady interest and generated five solid leads from government and private sector partners who expressed clear interest in our commercial work. The Marketing & Communications team working with the Office of the Campus Principal has been developing these leads with the goal of securing sales and opening new business opportunities.
Seal-It
During the reporting period, the SEAL‑It spin‑off company scaled up its operations to supply new clients, including the completion of roof repairs for fifty government houses in Antigua and a pro-bono roof repair at Eastern Primary School in Port-of-Spain in July and August 2024, via the Ministry of Education.
Operationally, there are plans to expand production, open a larger factory space at Mount Hope, acquire new manufacturing equipment and recruit a Business Manager to support the next phase of growth. Technical oversight remained grounded in the original research, with the inventors guiding production to ensure quality control and alignment with the scientific principles behind the products.
The University Field Station
A loan of TT$1.8 million was approved via the Campus’s Shark Tank programme to refurbish the Faculty of Food & Agriculture’s Field Station. The Field Station is a high-potential revenue earner for the Campus through its high-quality milk and produce, so it is envisaged that the refurbishments will enhance these efforts.
The UWI Optical Centre
This initiative, under the Faculty of Medical Sciences, received approval from the CIC for a loan of TT$550,000 to support the creation of a commercial Optical Centre in Couva. It will provide eye exam services as well as corrective lenses, at the mid to affordable range, targeting low-income earners and underserved rural sectors of the national population. It also enables practical application and business learning for UWI optometry students.
Research Funding
Campus Research & Publications Grants
Staff Grants: 26 projects at TT$747,114.18
Student Grants: 50 projects at TT$514,148.21
External Grant
Funding
Researchers were awarded US$9,549,121.00 in external grant funding from several regional and international agencies.
Partners & Funding
Agencies
More than a dozen major donors from around the world, including the OAS, PAHO, WHO, IADB, the European Commission, Irish Aid, Welcome Trust, CARPHA, CARIRI and the JB Fernandes Memorial Trust.
New AI Centre
The Campus is taking a strong multidisciplinary approach towards the development of Artificial Intelligence. The Campus Principal gathered AI specialists from across all Faculties to promote the work they have been conducting inside and outside the University.
A key achievement this year was the transition of the AI Unit in the Faculty of Engineering into a full AI Campus Centre, led by Dr Craig Ramlal and the Dean, Professor Bheshem Ramlal. The Centre will use the strong AI skills on the Campus to develop programming designed for the needs of the Caribbean and other developing regions.
New Patent & Pioneers
In April 2025, The University of the West Indies received a US patent for new research on bis indolylmethane derivatives. Created by scientists in the Faculty of Science & Technology, these compounds help existing antibiotics work better against drug resistant bacteria such as MRSA. This innovation could improve treatment outcomes and support new ways to fight antibiotic resistance.
Meanwhile, researchers from the Department of Geomatics Engineering & Land Management are the first ever to measure pressure inside an active pressurised mud reservoir. Early readings at the mud volcano in Piparo point to an increasing eruption risk and the need for ongoing monitoring. Their work is informing an early warning system and hazard maps for the area, but there are 32 mud volcanoes across Trinidad, so while expanding this research will protect thousands of persons, it will require major funding.
Textbook of Surgery for Medical Students
Published in August 2024 by Royards Publishing Company, the Textbook of Surgery for Medical Students by Dr Ravi Maharaj is the first undergraduate surgery textbook from the Caribbean. With contributions from 107 regional and international experts, it focuses on common diseases in the region and practical management based on available resources and in keeping with international standards. At its February 2025 launch, Dr Maharaj distributed 167 free copies and released a free e‑book version.
Exhibit-Love for Lovelace
In July 2025, the Faculty of Humanities & Education and the Alma Jordan Library presented a special multisensory exhibition of art, books, and memorabilia, in celebration of the 90th birthday of Earl Lovelace—acclaimed Trinidadian novelist, playwright, and short story writer. Curated by Dr Marsha Pearce, the exhibit Looking Across: A Visual Tribute to Earl Lovelace featured four new large-scale paintings by alumni of The UWI Department of Creative & Festival Arts (DCFA), each interpreting one of Lovelace’s first four novels through visual art.
Getting the EDGe on Virus Research
Professor Christine Carrington was instrumental in securing US$10 million from the Pandemic Fund to create TT ONE LAB+, a national One Health laboratory system. Roughly a third of that will be used to establish the UWI Emerging Diseases and Genomics Centre (EDGe) under the direction of Professor Carrington. The Centre will provide technical support, research and training for disease surveillance and outbreak investigation.
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