SUNDAY 2 JUNE 2019 – UWI TODAY
11
SCIENCE & SOCIETY
Marie Curie once said
“nothing in life is to be feared, it
is only to be understood”. She was the only person to have
been twice awarded a Nobel Prize; one in Chemistry and
another in Physics. Almost 100 years after her death, her
work manipulating chemical compounds and investigating
carcinogens is being carried on, fearlessly, by two young
students at The University of the West Indies: Reco Phillips
and Dahryn Augustine.
FromMay 22 to 24, UWI´s Department of Chemistry
hosted its first Biennial Regional Conference and Expo
on Chemical Science, Technology and Industry. The
theme “Chemistry and Chemical Technology for a
Sustainable Development of the Caribbean” highlighted
the use of chemical sciences as catalysts for innovation and
technological development in the region. Phillips, 28 and
Augustine, 25 have both authored groundbreaking work
in Materials Chemistry and Food Chemistry respectively
which were presented during the conference.
Phillips, a Materials Chemist from Jamaica, believes
that “economic development is never independent of
scientific advancement”. He researches the optimisation
of liquid crystals to improve its application in portable
displays and gadgets such as phones, monitors and laptops.
His fearlessness is clearly demonstrated in his work; when
faced with inadequate funding and analytical instruments
to complete his research, he searched for grants to address
that shortfall.
Not long after, he was mounting samples for an X-ray
powder diffraction experiment at a Brookhaven National
Laboratory in New York. These multi-billion dollar labs
offer limited-time access so Phillips and his team worked
through the night to maximise their opportunity there.
Liquid crystals are what tech giants like Apple and Samsung
build their fortunes on. The liquid crystalline properties
help create devices with crisp images and long battery life.
With the heavy dependence on displays and screens across
industries, the demand for liquid crystalline application is
expected to soar dramatically over the next few years.
Phillips´ career prospects will surely rise with them; he
is expecting to complete his PhD and graduate by 2020. He
gives due credit to his supervisor, Dr RichardTaylor, Lecturer
in Inorganic Chemistry at the Chemistry Department and
a well-published chemist, for his tutelage and mentorship
in both his academic and personal development. Liquid
crystals were first studied locally by Dr Wilson Sue Chee
Ming, who focused on copper concentrates of liquid
crystalline compounds in low temperatures. Phillips´ work
expands on that research by changing themetals used to that
of nickel and palladium to examine the resulting structural
properties. His conclusions could have a major impact on
the quality of display screens being used in the future and
position the Caribbean as a key contributor to scientific
technology and innovation.
25-year-old Augustine, an aspiring food scientist from
Dominica, is also on track to complete a PhD by 2020 with
her research in nutrition and food toxicology. She studies
the high presence of a chemical compound, acrylamide
(a food toxin), and the effect of sulfur-based additives
which may help limit its carcinogenic effects. Acrylamide
is highly concentrated in processed foods such as breads,
Avah Atherton is a short story writer and aspiring cultural archivist based in Trinidad and Tobago.
Dahryn Augustine is an aspiring food scientist from Dominica.
cereals, potato chips, baked good and even our local fried
bake. When ingested, this toxin can metabolise and result
in genetic mutations.
Augustine´s work on the application of sulfur-based
additives for the reduction of the risks associated with
such food toxins has huge implications for the Caribbean
region. With a diet high in processed foods and low in
raw, organic fruits and vegetables, we are susceptible to the
harmful effects of acrylamide both from local and imported
products. With little to no pre-existing data regarding our
dietary habits and the possible presence of food toxins
locally, Augustine hopes that “through this research, the
right knowledge and methods of food production can be
implemented both regionally and globally”.
Contributing to the economic advancement of the
Caribbean region is an underlying goal of both these
young researchers. Augustine expects to improve the data
surrounding food security and toxicity in the Caribbean
while Phillips is determined to make significant strides in
technological advancement via chemical substances such
as liquid crystals. These millennials are inspired rather
than overwhelmed by the challenges facing our countries,
adamant rather than apathetic. In the face of all the global
issues buffeting the Caribbean, here are two scientists
who epitomise Marie Curie´s words, “now is the time to
understand more, so that we may fear less.”
Reco Phillips explains liquid crystals to his junior, Luke Benjamin.
PHOTOS: AVAH ATHERTON
Bravery and breakthroughs
Two young Caribbean chemists show resilience and very promising research
B Y A V A H A T H E R T O N
