Caribbean Women in Science and Their Careers
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CARIBBEAN WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND THEIR CAREERS Author: NIHERST Publisher: NIHERST Editors: Christiane Francois, Joycelyn Lee Young and Trinity Belgrave Researchers/Writers: Stacey-Ann Sarjusingh, Sasha James, Keironne Banfield-Nathaniel and Alana Xavier Design/Layout: Justin Joseph and Phoenix Productions Ltd Print: Scrip J Some of the photographs and material used in this publication were obtained from the Internet, other published documents, featured scientists and their institutions. This publication is NOT FOR SALE. Copyright August 2011 by NIHERST All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system without prior written permission of NIHERST. For further information contact: NIHERST 43-45 Woodford Street, Newtown, Port-of-Spain E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.niherst.gov.tt Telephone: 868-622-7880 Fax: 868-622-1589 ISBN 978-976-95273-6-2 Funding: Ministry of Science, Technology & Tertiary Education, Trinidad and Tobago Foreword Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Camille Wardrop Alleyne Aerospace Engineer 6 Zulaika Ali Neonatologist 48 Frances Chandler Agronomist 8 Nita Barrow Nurse 50 Hilary Ann Robotham Westmeier Analytical Chemist 10 Susan Walker Nutritionist 52 Camille Selvon Abrahams Animator 12 Anesa Ahamad Oncologist 54 Shirin Haque Astronomer 14 Celia Christie-Samuels Paediatrician 56 Dolly Nicholas Chemist 16 Kathleen Coard Pathologist 58 Patricia Carrillo Construction Manager 18 Merle Henry Pharmacist 60 Rosalie Ann Warpeha Dentist 20 Maxine Gossell-Williams Pharmacologist 62 Kim Mallalieu Electrical and Computer Engineer 22 Charmaine Henry Physiologist 64 Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe Endocrinologist 24 Wendy Yawching Pilot 66 Gail Baccus-Taylor Food Technologist 26 Grace Sirju-Charran Plant Biochemist 68 Yolanda Thompson Forensic Scientist 28 Gillian Marcelle Policy Specialist (STI) 70 Hilda Bynoe General Practitioner 30 Rosalind Ambrose Radiologist 72 Patricia Martin-De Leon Geneticist 32 Paula Dawson Rehabilitation Physician 74 Sally Radford Geologist 34 Audia Barnett Research Administrator 76 Marilyn Crichlow Hydrologist 36 Maureen Manchouck Science Administrator 78 Michele Monteil Immunologist 38 Beverly Taylor Science Educator 80 Diane Claridge Marine Mammalogist 40 Michelle Mycoo Urban Planner 82 Jean Springer Mathematics Professor 42 Esther De Gourville Virologist 84 June Roach Microbiologist 44 Donna-Mae Graffam Zookeeper 86 Christine Carrington Molecular Virologist 46 Glossary CARIBBEAN WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND THEIR CAREERS FOREWORD Caribbean people have taken pride in recording and promoting the achievements of outstanding nationals, particularly in sports, culture and the arts. Relatively little, however, has been done to recognise the work of persons of similar standing in the scientific and technological arena, and particularly the accomplishments of our women scientists and innovators. In 2003, NIHERST and CCST launched an initiative to address the archiving of our region’s scientific heritage, through a series of publications on icons in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). This fifth volume in the series, entitled Caribbean Women in Science and their Careers, is a reference book that documents and promotes public awareness of the contribution, and often pioneering efforts, of Caribbean women in various science-based and technological disciplines and professions, including medicine, engineering, and the natural sciences. The issuing of this publication in 2011 is especially timely, since this year marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, with the theme: “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.” Collectively, these profiles show women engaged in pure or applied research, innovation and invention, education, policy making, planning and management, in both public and private spheres and at the highest levels. Each profile also includes for the guidance of student readers what aptitudes and training are required to enter the profession being highlighted. The women selected for this publication are just a sampling of the many Caribbean women in science and technology (S&T) who have also broken important ground in their respective fields. Since NIHERST wanted to present career options from the letters A to Z, as was feasible for one volume, only one woman for each profession has been featured. Reading these success stories, it is easy to forget that over the last 100 years, women around the world have had to fight for the basic rights enjoyed by men, including the right to educational opportunities, employment and equal pay. In the Caribbean, women have certainly fared better in this quest for equality than women in some developing regions, and the academic performance of girls today is on par with, if not exceeding that of boys. But despite the tremendous progress that has been made over the decades globally, women’s representation in most scientific and technological fields – particularly at leadership levels - is still well below that of men. According to Women for Science, a report prepared in 2006 by the Inter Academy Council, the number of women in scientific research and teaching is relatively low; women’s presence in S&T in industry is even lower; and female industrial leaders are rare. Today, all countries, and developing ones in particular, need a much larger scientific and technological workforce to ensure sustainable socio-economic development. Given that women represent half the world’s reservoir of talent, skills and energy, capacity building in STI will depend on the full presence and engagement of women in science and engineering. We hope that this publication will play a part in inspiring more girls as well as boys to consider advanced studies and careers in the scientific and technological fields that are fundamental for assuring the welfare and continued improvement in the quality of life of peoples of the Caribbean and around the world. Jwala RAMBarraN Chair NIHERST Board of Governors ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS NIHERST wishes to thank all persons and institutions that assisted in bringing the Caribbean Women in Science project to fruition through this important publication. We are grateful to the featured women, their families, friends and peers, and all other persons who assisted us directly and indirectly by providing documents, photographs and other reference materials. We acknowledge in particular the support of: Julie Larsen Maher, photographer at Bronx Zoo, Angela Pidduck, Mrs Dawn Marie DeFour-Gill, Johann Bennett, Virginia Balance, Judith Fagan Brown, Beverly Taylor, Anne Spivey, Merlyn Assam Raymond, Audrey Nicholls, Dr Victor Eastmond, Rita Warpeha, and Dr Erica Gordon-Veitch who gave of their time to help publicise the achievements of the women featured in this volume. We acknowledge the assistance of the various academic, professional, governmental and scientific bodies, especially the Caribbean Council of Science and Technology (CCST), who gave support for the project throughout its various phases. NIHERST also thanks the hard-working team that brought the project to completion, namely, Stacey- Ann Sarjusingh, Sasha James, Keironne Banfield-Nathaniel, and Alana Xavier, and other members of the International Projects Unit who researched and authored the profiles; and editors Christiane Francois, Joycelyn Lee Young, and Trinity Belgrave. Finally, NIHERST expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education for its generous support for the undertaking of this research project on Caribbean Women in Science and their Careers and for the publication of this valuable educational resource. CaribbeanCARIBBEAN WOMEN IN SCIENCE ANDIn Science THEIR and theirCAREERS Careers™ LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome CCST Caribbean Council for Science and ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Technology ASP Net Associated Schools Project Network CIRIA Construction Industry Research and Information Association BA Bachelor of Arts CMC Christian Medical Commission BASTME The Bahamas Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators CMIC Caribbean Medical Imaging Centre BEEP The Bahamas Environment Education COSTAATT College of Science, Technology and Applied Programme Arts of Trinidad and Tobago BSc Bachelor of Sciences CSEC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate BWIA British West Indian Airlines CXC Caribbean Examination Council CAE Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis DCH Diploma of Child Health CAPE Caribbean Advanced Proficiency DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery Examination DM Doctor of Medicine CAPNET Capacity Building for Integrated Water DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid Resource Management EC English Catholic CARDI Caribbean Agricultural Research and ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America Development Institute and the Caribbean CAREC Caribbean Epidemiology Centre ELISA Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay CARICOM Caribbean Community EMA Environmental Management Agency CARIRI Caribbean Industrial Research Institute EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences CASTME Caribbean Association of Science, Research Council Technology and Mathematics Educators CATHALAC Centro del Agua del Trópico Húmedo para América Latina y El Caribe (Water Centre for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean) 174 FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation PhD Doctor of Philosophy GWP Global Water Partnership PDVSA Petroleos de Venezuela (Petroleum of HIV Human Immunodeficiency