The One-UWI Graduate Student Conference announces outstanding Oral Presentations: Showcasing Interdisciplinary Excellence in Preparing for the New Global Era

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Wednesday, December 20, 2023—The “One-UWI Postgraduate Student Conference" is thrilled to announce the outstanding Oral Presentations that captivated attendees during the recently concluded three-day online event hosted by the School for Graduate Studies and Research (SGSR).

This notable recognition celebrates the excellence demonstrated by the graduate students across diverse programmes and campuses, and contributed to the success of the conference, held from November 15-17, 2023 under the theme "Preparing for the New Global Era: Voices of Future Leaders."

After its careful consideration and evaluation by an esteemed panel of judges, the following presentations have been recognised as the best in their respective categories:

Session	Name	Faculty/Campus	Abstract Title
Session 1: Climate Resilience in Developing Countries	Danielle Evanson	FST, Cave Hill Campus	Policy and professional perspectives on Barbados’ sustainable transport transition
Session 1: Climate Resilience in Developing Countries	Tracy Marshall	FFA, St. Augustine Campus	An investigation into risk governance processes to encourage behaviour change to reduce disaster risk: A case study of Barbados
Session 2: Food Security for Reduction of Vulnerability	Jenna-Marie Thongs	FST, St. Augustine Campus	Arsenic in Poultry, a contributor to chronic diseases in Trinidad and Tobago.
Session 3: Achieving Good Health for All	Angela Rankine-Mullings	FMS, Mona Campus	Stroke in the young: Understanding the role of arterial stiffness in children with sickle cell anaemia based on Transcranial Doppler velocity defined stroke categories.
Session 3: Achieving Good Health For All	Gervonne Barran	FST, St. Augustine Campus	Nature-inspired therapeutic agents: antimicrobial peptides from frog skin secretions.
Session 4: Nature as a Solution for Sustainable Development	Sian Ramdass	FST, St. Augustine Campus	Unlocking nature’s pharmacy: plant-based treatments for prostate cancer.
Session 5: Digital Transformation for the 21st Century	Candia James	FSS, St. Augustine Campus	Network Diplomacy: A Social Network Analysis of Network Communication in Diplomatic Networks.
Session 6: Governance and Labour Market Issues in Small States	Dena Spence	FSS, Mona Campus	Revisiting the Definition of Unemployment: An Application to Jamaica.
Session 7: Social and Cultural Issues in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)	Marjorie Hylton	FHE, Mona Campus	Hear Our Children's Cries’: Unearthing the Narratives of Jamaican Parents of Autism.
Session 8: Law and Order for Sustainable Development	Alexandra Tillett	FSS, Cave Hill Campus	Do perceptions matter? Corruption Perceptions and Confidence in Government: Evidence from Belize.
Session 9: Contemporary Educational Issues: Diverse Perspectives	Alicia Hospedales	FST, St. Augustine Campus	Exploring the Criminological Construction and Measurement of Child Sexual Abuse: A Mixed Methods Study of School Professionals’ Knowledge, Beliefs and Responses.
Session 10: Transforming Identities: Empowerment, Activism and Representation	Alicia Haynes	IGDS, Cave Hill Campus	Shifting Gender Landscapes: Social Media Platforms, Caribbean Feminism and Women’s Digital Practices in Caribbean Publics.
Session 10: Transforming Identities: Empowerment, Activism and Representation	Alana Smith	FHE, St. Augustine Campus	HIV, the media, and you: A case study of HIV reporting in The Gleaner Company (Media) Limited.

These presentations stood out for their academic rigor, clarity of expression, and their contribution to advancing knowledge in the pivotal focus areas of this student conference. The winners demonstrated an exceptional ability to engage and inspire their audience, fostering valuable discussions and insights.

Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Studies and Research expressed gratitude to all presenters for their valuable contributions, emphasising the high calibre of research and ideas presented at the conference. "The quality of the oral presentations this year reflects the dedication and passion of our conference participants. We are proud to honour these exceptional presentations and acknowledge the impact of their research." She continued, “The success of the conference is a testament to the collective efforts of The UWI’s postgraduate community in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and fostering collaboration.”

The 13 prize-winners of the Postgraduate Student Conference will be awarded electronic gift vouchers. Additionally, three fortunate attendees who won giveaway prizes will also receive electronic gift vouchers.

For more information about the One-UWI Postgraduate Student Conference and the awarded presentations, please visit https://uwi.edu/gsr/pgcon as well as social media pages (Instagram, Facebook and X) @sgsruwi.

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The One-UWI Graduate Student Conference – Shaping the Future through Interdisciplinary Excellence

About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for the past 75 years.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and 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, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The UWI offers over 800 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 Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu.