The NIHERST Awards in Science & Technology (S&T)

The awards are presented to nationals and residents of Trinidad and Tobago who have made an outstanding contribution during their lifetime to the advancement of basic knowledge, teaching, and/or the development, adaptation and transfer of technology.

The awards comprise a plaque/trophy. The awardees will also be profiled on NIHERST’s website and in a forthcoming publication.

The awards scheme seeks to:

• Encourage nationals to pursue excellence in endeavours in Science, Technology and Science Education.

• Encourage students in the pursuit of careers in S&T in order to build more critical mass.

• Promote public awareness of the work of outstanding nationals in the fields of S&T and to encourage support for greater investments in these areas.

The nominations for the 2006 awards have closed and the distribution of awards will be made before the year’s end. Changes are contemplated in the awards scheme and these will be announced shortly. As a result, the invitation for applications for the 2007/2008 awards has been delayed.

For further information, interested persons please contact

Ms. Stacey-Ann Sarjusingh 
NIHERST
43-45 Woodford Street,
Newtown
Trinidad, WI.

Tel: 622-7880/ 628-8523
Fax: 622-1589/ 628-2092
E-mail: ssarjusingh@niherst.gov.tt

2005 Trinidad & Tobago Icons in S&T Awards

On Wednesday 2nd November 2005, thirty-nine men and women were honoured as “Trinidad and Tobago Icons in Science and Technology”.

A gala ceremony was held at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, under the auspices of the Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, to celebrate the outstanding contributions of these individuals in the areas of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Science Education and Pan Innovation.

“Today is a very significant moment in the history and development of science and technology in Trinidad and Tobago” declared Senator, the Honourable Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education. “The launching of an annual awards programme to specifically honour our country’s top scientists, engineers and innovators signals a new level of maturity for our society, and provides an important avenue for increasing public appreciation of science, and the role of scientists in national development.“

Mrs Maureen Manchouck, President of NIHERST indicated that when NIHERST conceptualised this project, it “aimed to ‘join the dots’, so to speak, to connect the building of the future with a sense of continuity with the achievements of the past. We also wanted to show the power and universality of scientific activity, which was beautifully affirmed by American science writer, Isaac Asimov when he said, “There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten everywhere.” This quotation has become almost a slogan for this project. It reminds us that achievements in science reach all of mankind, and can occur from any point around the globe, including Trinidad and Tobago…”

NIHERST congratulates these stellar individuals on their achievements and thanks them for being an inspiration to future generations.

The ceremony also launched a new publication entitled “Trinidad and Tobago Icons in Science and Technology (Volume 1)”, which documents the biographies of these Icons.

2000 Lifetime Achievement Awards in Agriculture

In 2000, the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Awards were focussed on Agriculture, and as such were presented at the 11th NIHERST Conference on Agricultural Research and Development. 

The NIHERST Lifetime Achievement Awards in Agriculture were presented to persons who had made outstanding, sustained and significant contributions to the development of local agriculture. Recipients of the 2000 awards were Professor E. Julian Duncan, Prof. Lawrence Wilson and Mr. Inayat Hosein for their contributions to Agricultural Research and Development; Dr. Steve Bennett for Innovation; Mr. George Bovell for Entrepreneurship; Prof. John Spence for Academia and Public Service; Mr. Foster Bissessar for Public Service and Mr. Lyle Donawa for Service to the Agricultural Community.