News
Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE)
The Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE) is an intensive four-week enrichment residential summer program for gifted Caribbean high-school students (more than age 15 but less than age 17 on August 1, 2012) who are interested in studying and exploring careers in science and engineering. The goal is to help address the low numbers of Caribbean students pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering. This program is one of CSF's initiatives with the long-term goal of helping to diversity the economies of the Region by stimulating more technology-based entrepreneurship within the Region.
Program Dates: August 6 - September 1, 2012 - Application postmark deadline (e-mail or post): June 1, 2012
More details can be found in the summary below:
CSF-Student Program for Innovation Science and Engineering (SPISE)
Students applying to the program will need to:
- Fill out the application form below and provide all the materials requested within it. Both a pdf file and a WORD file(for typing) are provided for your convenience.
- Provide the three requests for recommendations below to their: (a) School Principal or Guidance Counselor, (b) a current Math Teacher, and (c) a current Science Teacher.
SPISE 2012 Application Form.pdf
SPISE 2012 Application Form.doc
SPISE Request for Recommendation - Guidance Counselor-Principal
SPISE Request for Recommendation - Math Teacher
SPISE Request for Recommendation - Science Teacher
FAQ About SPISE
Applications for SPISE Instructors and Teaching Assistants (TAs) are provided in both RTF and PDF formats and can be found below:
SPISE Instructor Application-2012.pdf
SPISE Instructor Application-2012.rtf
SPISE Teaching Assistant Application-2012.pdf
SPISE Teaching Assistant Application-2012.rtf
CSF and CADSTI Report at AAAS 2012
At the February 2012 Vancouver meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Prof. Cardinal Warde presented a history and status of CADSTI and CSF in a session titled "Coordinating, Learning and Sharing Best Practices Among Scientific Diaspora Networks". Other Scientific Diasporas represented included The Society for the Advancement of Science and Technology in the Arab World, and The Wild Geese Network of Irish Scientists.
You can read the full AAAS meeting report at: Scientific Diasporas
CSF-Sagicor Sustainable Caribbean Communities Project - (coming soon)
The Caribbean Science Foundation has initiated the CSF-Sagicor Sustainable Caribbean Communities Project. This educational project will build Sustainable Caribbean Communities (SCC) through innovation from science and technology that integrates across all levels of formal and informal education sectors in the Caribbean with meaningful linkages to local communities, private enterprise and international networks.
A regional online competition will be used to push the campaign and solicit 2-minute video applications from students that will be openly judged for their alignment with the SCC goals. First round winners will be paired with CSF mentors and will be asked to develop a written proposal of their community based project.
These proposals will be used to select the students who will advance to the CSF summer training program which will be designed to immerse them in science, technology and entrepreneurship classes/projects initially at a Caribbean based institution and then at an international research site where members of the CSF diaspora will play an integral role in program facilitation. Upon return to their homelands the students will implement their project, continue to work with CSF mentors on pursuing S&T careers, and serve as young mentors to the next cohort of applicants.
Open Position: Associate Executive Director, Caribbean Science Foundation
With the establishment of the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) in September 2010 (see http://caribbeanscience.org) and the subsequent expansion of its new initiatives in education reform and entrepreneurship, the CSF now seeks an Associate Executive Director.
To view the ad for the Associate Executive Director position, click on the link below:
Ad for Assoc Exec Director
Education Reform Discussions in Barbados
Since the closing of Prof. Cardinal Warde's 36th Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture on "Science Technology and Business Reform in the Caribbean" the government and society of Barbados have been responding to Prof. Cardinal Warde's views on the need for education reform within the island.
- In BGISMedia News in an article titled "Changes In Education System Already On Stream," Minister of Education Ronald Jones welcomed the sentiments of Prof. Warde on the need for change in the island's education system.
- The Barbados Advocate has produced three articles related to Prof. Cardinal Warde's Lecture:
• On December 1, 2011 an article titled "International Partnerships Important" dealt with the issue of business development in Barbados, in particular with respect to science and technology. This was in response to Prof. Warde's statements that international partners are necessary in the development of pharmaceuticals drugs in the Caribbean.
• In the 4th of December 2011 article "Straight to the Point: 11-plus removes class/colour bias" there was some expected push back where the author, Mr. John Blackman, said that "... A significant number of people calling for the abolition of the examination have failed to appreciate how it has leveled the playing field over the past 30 to 40 years."
• On the 5th of December 2011 in the article "Multifocal learning is key", Minister of Education Ronald Jones responds to the question posed by Prof. Cardinal Warde on the need for reform in the island's secondary entrance examination by stating "...the Ministry responsible for education will look towards pushing for a more holistic approach to learning for its students."
- The Nation News also carried articles on the lecture on November 23rd, 2011 titled "11-Plus reform a must" and a November 27th, 2011 titled "Curriculum shift 'a must': Prof sees this as best for Caribbean." According to to first article, Professor Warde stated, "What we need in this region is the will to change it [the 11-Plus]" and in the second article "...the 11-plus places limitations on slow learners, thwarting their desire to realize their true potential,"
Lecture on Education Reform by Professor Cardinal Warde
After an exciting weekend of the first annual conference and workshop of CADSTI-CSF (November 18-19, 2011), on Monday November 21, 2011 at 8.00 pm, Prof. Cardinal Warde delivered the 36th Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture (courtesy of the Central Bank of Barbados) on "Science Technology and Business Education Reform for the Caribbean" at the Frank Collymore Hall, Barbados. Prof. Warde's slide presentation can be accessed by clicking the link below.
36th Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture Slides.pdf
Professor Cardinal Warde Visits St. Christopher Primary School, Barbados
Dr. Cardinal Warde, MIT Professor of Electrical Engineering, visits his Alma mater, St. Christopher Primary, Barbados on November 24, 2011. To view pictures from his visit, please click on the link below.
Photos of Professor Warde and students at St.Christopher Primary
2011 Workshop Press Release
CADSTI and the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) held their first annual Workshop on November 18-20, 2011 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The theme of the Workshop was "Mobilizing the Diaspora for Caribbean Development Through Science, Technology and Innovation". See the press release of the Workshop below:
Press Release of the 2011 CADSTI-CSF Workshop
2011 CADSTI-CSF Workshop: Photos, Agenda, Poster Summaries, and News
The 2011 Workshop was a critical event in that it propelled the Caribbean Science Foundation into operation as the leading body for stimulating science and technology activities in the Region. The Workshop programme is reproduced at the link below:
2011-CADSTI-CSF Workshop-Agenda.pdf
Summaries of the scientific posters presented at the Workshop can be found in the link below:
Poster Abstracts 2011-CADSTI-CSF Workshop.pdf
Also, at the same time, the CSF headquarters in the CARICOM Research Building on the UWI Cave Hill Campus came alive with Ms. Samantha Sobers (Administrative Assistant) joining the management team and now running the day-to-day show. Lots of great ideas were developed at the workshop, and some are already being put into action (see CSF Press Release above). The energy and the passion for the cause was intense, and these are captured in some of the pictures below:
2011 CADSTI-CSF Workshop Photos-web.pdf
Research: News, Analysis, Funding & Data produced an article about the CSF Workshop titled "Science Foundation seeks funds to translate science and technology research" on the 14th of December 2011.
CADSTI-CSF Governing Council Annual General Meeting
The Annual CADSTI-CSF Governing Council General Meeting was held at the Headquarters of Sagicor Financial Corporation, Wildey, St. Michael, Barbados, on the 20th of November 2011. To view pictures of the meeting, click on the link below.
2011-CADSTI-CSF General Meeting Photos-web.pdf
Caribbean Science Newsletters
The first Caribbean Science Foundation Newsletter--Caribbean Science News Issue 01 has been published! Please take a look and circulate.
CADSTI-CSF Conference & Workshop Nov 18-19, 2011
We would like to inform our international delegates to the CADSTI-CSF Workshop (to be held in Barbados on November 18-19, 2011) that as another hotel option, the PomMarine Hotel, Hastings, Christ church, Barbados has 20 single-occupancy rooms available on a first-come-first-served basis. The rate is US$106.28 plus 10% tax for a total of $116.89 per night, and the rate includes a full breakfast. The hotel number is 1-246-228-5389 or 1-246-228-0900. We will also arrange for bus pick up from this hotel to the conference center if any of our delegates end up there. There is no hotel registration form for this hotel. Delegates must call the hotel directly.
The CADSTI-CSF Conference & Workshop 2011 will be held in Bridgetown, Barbados on November 18-19, 2011.
Now accepting Online Registration for the CADSTI-CSF Workshop! The early-bird registration period (discounted registration fee) has been extended until Monday 31 October 2011.
Paper Registration can be accomplished by completing the Registration Form. Check out the CADSTI-CSF Conference & Workshop 2011 Agenda
Recommended Hotel: Accra Beach Hotel, Rockley, Christ Church. Tel. 1-246-435-8920 (US$165/night w/o breakfast) - To get this discounted rate, fill out the hotel reservation form and e-mail or fax it back to the hotel. The hotel does not guarantee this rate after October 27, 2011. The Reservation Code is 215419.
Workshop Hotline: 1-246-250-3377 opens 11/15/11
CALL FOR POSTERS
The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) is keen to ascertain the scope and nature of the S&T research in the Region. For the session "S&T Research in the Caribbean: An Overview" (see agenda - afternoon of Friday November 18, 2011) it has been determined that we now have enough space to accommodate about fifteen to twenty posters showcasing some of the S&T research in the Region.
In order to submit a poster, authors must first submit a one-page summary by Monday October 24, 2011. Summaries and the follow-on posters may cover pure or applied science and technology. Summaries will be evaluated for quality and, if accepted, an invitation to present a poster will be sent to the primary author by October 26, 2011. One of the poster authors will be entitled to a 50% Workshop registration discount.
Instructions for Submitting Summaries
• Summaries (and posters) must adhere to the following content:
(1) Clearly stated objectives of the research• Summaries will be evaluated based on quality as related to the above four criteria.
(2) Approaches and methodologies used in the research
(3) Summary of the main results
(4) Discussion of the short or long-term anticipated societal impact on the Caribbean community
• Summaries, including figures and text, must not be longer than one-page with 1-inch margins, and must fit on 8 1/2" x 11" letter paper.
• The title of the presentation should be bold in 12-pt font and followed by one return.
• Author list and institutions should be in 10-pt font and followed by one return.
• All text in the body must be typed single-spaced with a 10-pt font, preferably the Calibri font.
• Whenever possible, use the symbol font for Greek and scientific symbols.
• Provide any grant acknowledgments for your research (e,g., NIH-CR-12345) at the end of your summary and on your poster.
• Summaries must be submitted online as both PDF and WORD files by e-mail to events.csf@gmail.com.
• Summaries received after October 24, 2011 may not be accepted.
• Notice of summary acceptance and invitations to present a poster will go out on October 26, 2011. The name of the author taking advantage of the 50% registration discount should then be sent to us by return e-mail.
• Accepted one-page summaries will be published as received in a booklet to be handed out to the Workshop attendees.
• Submitting a summary does not constitute or guarantee Workshop registration.
• The primary author may submit only one summary at this meeting.
Poster space is limited. Poster display size is 1 meter by 1 meter (3.3 feet by 3.3 feet) and oversize posters will not be allowed.
In the News
* SciDev Net article covering the CSF launch (pdf)
* Newsday Article covering the CADSTI launch
* Grenada IDC article covering the CADSTI launch
