ORTT, Chaconia Gold and more for the university community
From leading a new cocoa revolution that has put Trinidad and Tobago once more on the map as the home of fine cocoa, to playing a pivotal role in the evolution of the national instrument, to being one of the most respected climate scientists in the region, three professors from the St Augustine campus been awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ORTT).
Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan, Director of the Cocoa Research Centre; Professor Clement Imbert, Emeritus Professor of Materials and Manufacturing Engineering; and Professor John Agard, Emeritus Professor of Tropical Island Ecology, all received the highest national award alongside other members of the university community recognised for their invaluable contributions to society. They received their awards on September 24 at the Republic Day celebrations hosted by the Office of the President of Trinidad and Tobago.
“We are incredibly proud of all our awardees from The UWI; we are certainly leading the way,” stated UWI St Augustine Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine. “The nation’s highest awards were all given to UWI professors, and this speaks to the value of education at the institution. Such a significant achievement must be lauded as The UWI is not only well represented in all the ORTT awardees, but also, at all levels. Our faculty, staff, and honorary graduates are all to be commended for making the nation’s honourable list.”
Speaking on the achievement, Professor Agard, ORTT for environment/climate change and biodiversity protection, said he was “delighted to receive the ORTT because it is a recognition of the work I have done around the world”. His research is acclaimed both regionally and internationally, spanning realms such as natural resource management, water quality, and marine and terrestrial ecology, and extending to the profound impacts of climate change on both natural ecosystems and human systems.
He was the co-chair of a group of distinguished scientists, appointed by the UN Secretary-General, to draft the second quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report in 2023. He was a lead author and editor on several UN Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change Assessments, and the Coordinating Lead Author on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
“This award,” he said, “recognises that The UWI operates globally, not only in Trinidad and Tobago. UWI has a global campus.”
Professor Umaharan (ORTT for science/agricultural development), who as Director of the CRC orchestrated the transformative elevation of the Cocoa Research Unit to a fully realised, standalone campus centre , said he felt “elated, honoured and humbled at the same time receiving the highest national award of Trinidad and Tobago”.
He added, “In many ways, it motivates me to do even more to support the cocoa industry that has become so dear to my heart.”
Professor Umaharan’s endeavours have not only charted new frontiers in cocoa research but also earned The UWI the prestigious accolade of the world’s leading cocoa research institution, a recognition bestowed by the European Union. The CRC has not only become an asset to cocoa farmers, researchers, manufacturers, and sellers, they also produce and sell their own cocoa products. This year, they broke ground on a new cocoa factory.
In his career, Professor Imbert (ORTT for innovation, steelpan technology, education and culture and the arts) played a crucial role in obtaining accreditation for the local engineering fraternity as well as significant contributions to the evolution of the steelpan. He is a co-founder of The UWI Steelpan Development Centre and was an integral member of the team that developed the revolutionary G-Pan. He has been pivotal in propelling innovations within the realm of musical engineering.
The other members of The UWI community that received national awards include:
“The UWI,” a statement from the university said, “is proud to note that among the National Award recipients are several current and former members of staff.”
Professor Antoine stated, “The stellar achievements of our scientists are a testament to our commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and scientific understanding, and reaffirms that our quest for impactful research has never wavered.”
Their work, she said, “acts as an inspiration to present and future generations of scholars, researchers, and leaders at The UWI who play a pivotal role in advancing our nation’s progress, enriching our society, and fortifying the foundations of our nation.”
