News Releases

The UWI Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development Names New Executive Directors

For Release Upon Receipt - September 8, 2026

St. Augustine


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Tuesday, September 8, 2026—The UWI Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development (GICSRD) is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Professor Preeya Mohan, and Deputy Director, Dr. Ronald Roopnarine, which took effect from August 1, 2026.

Since its launch in October 2021, The UWI Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development (GICSRD) has leveraged a unique virtual, region-wide model to coordinate expertise, advocate for climate-smart and resilient human development, and support the Caribbean's progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Institute draws on expertise from across The UWI's campuses, institutes and global networks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and deliver region-wide impact.

New Director, Professor Preeya S. Mohan is a Professor of Environment and Development Economics, Fellow and MPhil/PhD Programme Coordinator at the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), The UWI St Augustine Campus. One of the youngest professors appointed at The UWI, she is a development economist whose research focuses on the economic impacts of climate and other external shocks on Small Island Developing States, with particular emphasis on the Caribbean.

An internationally recognised scholar, Professor Mohan has published more than 60 refereed journal articles and 13 book chapters, with research appearing in leading publications including Nature Climate Change, Energy Policy, Food Policy, WIREs Climate Change, and the Journal of Environmental Management. Her work employs advanced quantitative methods to inform climate resilience, sustainable development and economic policy.

Professor Mohan has secured major international research funding and currently serves as a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report chapter on Adaptation Finance. She is also a member of the International Finance Expert Working Group for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Her contributions have been recognised through several prestigious awards, including the Saleemul Huq Memorial Scholarship for Loss and Damage Research (2024), The UWI Principal's Research Award for Most Outstanding Researcher of a Centre/Institute/Unit (2024), and the Inter-American Development Bank's Young Economist Award (2014).

New Deputy Director, Dr Ronald Roopnarine, Deputy Dean for Outreach and Internationalization and Senior Lecturer in Disaster Risk Resilience in the Faculty of Food and Agriculture at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, brings extensive expertise in disaster risk resilience, climate adaptation and sustainable resource management. He also serves as Network Manager of Caribbean WaterNet/Cap-Net UNDP and holds several national and international leadership appointments.

His work focuses on disaster risk resilience, sustainable land and water resource management, climate change adaptation, nature-based solutions and geospatial risk assessment, with particular emphasis on Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Over the course of his career, Dr Roopnarine has led and supported national and regional initiatives addressing community flood early warning systems, flood and landslide risk assessment, wastewater reuse, water safety planning, land degradation and climate-resilient agriculture. His contributions have also supported monitoring and reporting efforts for Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and aspects of Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land) related to land degradation.

Dr Roopnarine's national, regional and international service includes membership on the Scientific Committee of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk Programme, the International Scientific Committee for the IWRA Islands Water Congress, and the Board of Directors of the Asa Wright Nature Centre. He has worked extensively with governments, regional institutions and international development partners to translate research into policy, planning and practical resilience-building initiatives across the Caribbean.

GICSRD extends its deepest gratitude to former Director Dr John Charlery and former Deputy Director Dr Evangeline Inniss-Springer for their outstanding leadership, commitment and dedicated service to the Institute.

More information about GICSRD and the Management Committee Members can be found on the GICSRD’s website: www.uwi.edu/gicsrd

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About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has played a crucial role in Caribbean development for over 75 years, consistently contributing to the improvement of the well-being of people across the region.

Established in 1948 as a university college of London in Jamaica, with just 33 medical students, UWI has grown into an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students. Today, it boasts 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, along with international centres in partnership with universities across 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 leading university in the Caribbean, it is home to the largest pool of intellect and expertise in the region, dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing both the Caribbean and the wider world.

Validated by its inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) annual rankings since 2018, The UWI has affirmed its position as one of the top universities globally. It stands out as the only English-speaking institution in the Caribbean featured in four of THE's prestigious ranking lists. The World University Rankings evaluate over 2,000 research-focused universities worldwide, while the Golden Age University Rankings highlight institutions established between 50 and 80 years ago. The Latin America Rankings focus specifically on universities within Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This recognition has also springboarded the establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice (ISDJ), a global online graduate business school aimed at preparing future leaders for sustainable development.

The UWI is an SDG-engaged university consistently recognised among the best in the world. Discover more at www.uwi.edu.

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