News Releases

Dr. Ronald Roopnarine Assumes Key Role on International Science Council Committee

For Release Upon Receipt - April 8, 2024

St. Augustine


 

The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus announces the appointment of Dr. Ronald Roopnarine, Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, to the Scientific Committee of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme. Dr. Roopnarine's tenure spans three years, from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2027, marking his second appointment to an international scientific committee.

As a Lecturer in Agri-Environmental Disaster Risk Management at the Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA), Dr. Roopnarine has a thorough background in Disaster Risk Resilience and Sustainable Land and Water Resource Management and has amassed significant experience in Integrated Water Resources Management and Climate Change Adaptations, with a specific focus on Caribbean Small Island Developing States.  In his new capacity, Dr. Roopnarine will collaborate with a cadre of distinguished scientists worldwide to advance the objectives of the International Science Council (ISC), focusing on the critical mission of disaster risk reduction and resilience-building.

The IRDR programme, a pioneering international initiative, unites various disciplines to address the complexity of disaster risk. Established with the mandate to mobilize scientific expertise, IRDR seeks to mitigate all forms of disaster risk, integrate risk science with climate change adaptation and mitigation, and align its efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By fostering a deeper understanding of disaster risk and leveraging scientific insights in decision-making processes, IRDR aspires to foster inclusivity, safety, and sustainability on a global scale.

Since its inception in 2010, IRDR has been jointly sponsored by the ISC and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), recognizing disaster risk management as an indispensable component of the UN's 2030 Agreements and national development strategies. The governance of the programme falls under the purview of the IRDR Scientific Committee, appointed by the ISC in collaboration with UNDRR. Tasked with advancing interdisciplinary science in disaster risk reduction, promoting the effective utilization of DRR knowledge in decision-making, and steering the programme's implementation, the committee plays a significant role in shaping global resilience strategies.

The IRDR Scientific Committee operates in tandem with the International Programme Office for IRDR, headquartered at the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China.

Furthermore, Dr. Roopnarine’s progressive thinking was the genesis for the development of the new Major in Disaster Risk Resilience in Agriculture and the Environment which he coordinates and which will continue to be offered by the FFA in September 2024.

The UWI, St. Augustine Campus, extends warm congratulations to Dr. Roopnarine on his appointment, recognizing his invaluable contributions to the field of disaster risk reduction and his commitment to global scientific collaboration.

About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the center of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for over 75 years.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and the wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). Since The UWI’s 2018 debut in THE’s rankings, it has performed well in multiple schemes—among them including World University Rankings, Golden Age University Rankings (between 50 and 80 years old), Latin America Rankings, and the Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu    

 

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