Focus on UG - March Edition

Visit of Smithsonian Institution Scientists

A team of visiting Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution met with a team from the University of Guyana on Friday, March 2.

The Smithsonian team comprised of Dr Cristian Samper, Director, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History; Dr Vicki Funk, Director of Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield Programme; Dr Carol Keloff, Assistant Director, Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield Programme; Dr Hans Seuss, Director of Research and Collections and a representative from the American Embassy.

The University of Guyana team comprised of Dr Marlene Cox, Director of Resource, Mobilisation & Planning, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Phillip DaSilva, Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mr Calvin Bernard, Lecturer, with responsibilities for the Bio-Diversity Centre.

Discussions were based on the activities of the Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity (CSBD) and the upgrading and rehabilitation of the Library facility at the CSBD with a view of garnering support for funding for the activity. Discussions were also held with student volunteers who are involved in curation and preparation of materials at the Centre.

The Department of Biology and the Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity in the Faculty of Natural Sciences have enjoyed a good relationship with the Smithsonian Institution. Both the Faculty and the Centre have been recipients of assistance and support for the work at the centre, from the Institution.

The e-Learning potential

On March 14, 2007, Mr Edmundo Vitale, Area Academy Manager, CISCO Networking Academy Programme of Venezuela and Ms Audreyanna Thomas, Managing Director, Global Perspective, met with Vice-Chancellor Dr James G. Rose; Director, Officer of Resource Mobilisation and Planning, Dr Marlene Cox; Dean, Faculty of Technology, Dr William Wilson and Manager, Centre of Information Technology, Mr Rayman Khan; where they discussed matters pertaining to the establishment of a CISCO Networking Academy Programme (a comprehensive e-learning programme) which provides students with the internet technology skills essential in a global economy. The Networking Academy programme delivers web-based content, online assessment, student performance tracking, hands-on-labs, instructor training and support, and preparation for industry standard certifications.

Launched in October 1997 with 64 educational institutions in seven states, the Networking Academy has spread to more than 160 countries. Since its inception, over 1.6 million students have enrolled at more than 10,000 Academies located in high schools, technical schools, colleges, universities, and community-based organisations.

Conference on West Indian Literature

Mr Al Creighton, Senior Lecturer attended the XXVI West Indian Literature Conference in Nassau, Bahamas, March 8-11.

The Conference was hosted by the College of the Bahamas in Nassau. This was the major international meeting in this academic area and attracted participation of the leading academics in the field, from universities and other institutions from the Caribbean, Europe, UK, and North America. It was also a forum for direct interaction with writers invited to read their work.

The Conference theme was Horizons, and it kept participants in touch with the latest development issues in the field as well as the recent publications. In addition, scholars were allowed to test recent and ongoing research and ideas on a very wide range of subjects. There were also sessions on films, a medium that has gained much ground as an academic discipline and a support for literary discourse.

Lecturer included in prestigious directory

Dr Brij Tewari, Lecturer, Faculty of Natural Sciences has been included in the ‘Who’s Who in the World’ twenty-fourth edition 2007, USA.

According to the Marqins Who’s Who Publication Board, inclusion is ‘limited to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their own fields of endeavour and who have, thereby, contributed significantly to the betterment of contemporary society.’

The 2007 edition features over 57,000 leaders from a diverse field – religion and humanitarian figures, political leaders, multinational business executives, scientists and engineers from 215 countries and territories.
The University congratulates Dr Brij Tewari.

Environmental Protection in Spotlight

The first Staff Seminar of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) was held on Thursday, March 15, in the Auditorium of the Learning Resource Centre. The Coordinator was Ms Denise Simmons. Mr Deryck Bernard, Senior Lecturer in the SEES presented a lecture on 'A Critical Review of the Statutory Framework for Environmental Protection in Guyana'. The paper examined the issues in Guyana with an analysis in general terms of the impact of the super imposition of the Environmental Protection Act 1996 (No. 11 of 1996) upon the pre-existing provisions for environmental protection in established state sector agencies. Focus was on the relationship with forestry, tourism and mining, with particular emphasis on the administration of state land.

Conversation on Gender issues

Students during the discussion at the Education Lecture Theatre, Turkeyen Campus

The Women’s Studies Unit of the University of Guyana hosted an open discussion (Conversation) among Senior Secondary School Students in observance of International Women’s Day, on Thursday February 8, in the Education Lecture Theatre.
Students from President’s College, Queen’s College, St Joseph High School, St Stanislaus College discussed the topic: ‘The Influence of the Women’s Movement on Girls’ Education and it Implications for Gender Equality.

The thought-provoking, session was moderated by Ms Magda Pollard, Chairwoman, National Commission on Women; Ms Cecilia McAlmont, Lecturer, UG and Ms Evette Burke-Douglas from the Women Studies Unit, UG.

The young people voiced their views on the ‘Influence of the Women’s Movement on Girls’ Education and its Implications for Gender Equality.’

The general agreement was that girls appeared to be achieving more than boys in schools. The students did not recommend a return to same sex schools but rather boys should be encouraged to strive for higher ideals.

HEADLINERS

Dr Rishee Thakur, Assistant Director, Berbice Campus, attended the 4th Annual Gulf Coast Colonialist Colloquium, February 15-17, at the University of Tulane, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA and presented a paper on ‘Race, History and Difference in Post-Colonial Guyana: Bringing colonialism back in’.

Jennifer Wishart and George Simon, School of Education & Humanities conducted a Tour Guide Training Course – Elements of Amerindian History & Culture/Elements of Archaeology at the Iwokrama Field Station, Essequibo River, February 17-21.

Michelle Kalamandeen, Faculty of Natural Sciences participated in the 27th Annual Marine Turtle Symposium in South Carolina, U.S.A, February 20 to March 2.

Marlon Bristol, Institute of Development Studies participated in the Workshop on ‘Growth Diagnostics & New Export Activities in Guyana’ in Washington D.C., February 25 to March 3.
Dr James G. Rose, Vice-Chancellor, represented the University at the 2007 ACTI Council meeting in Antigua on Friday, March 2. The packed agenda focused on funding the organisation and regional collaboration among member institutions but also included a status report on current ACTI projects:

Ms Audrey Enid Benn, Lecturer, Women’s Studies Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences made a presentation on “Transforming the Women’s Studies Unit into a Gender Sensitive One” at a Gender and Career Development Event during the period March 22-27, at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, UK.

Launching of Research Papers - UGBC

On Monday, February 26, the University of Guyana Berbice Campus launched Research Papers done by Lecturers. Dr Parsram Thakur, Director, gave the welcome and introductory remarks while the official launch was conducted by Ms Donnette Washington, Head (ag) Technical Services, Turkeyen Campus Library.

Seminar Presentations

The School of Education and Humanities conducted a staff seminar on Thursday, February 22, at the Learning Resource Centre. Presenters at the seminar were Ms Jennifer Wishart, Researcher II, Amerindian Research Unit, 'Prehistoric Methods of Conservation: Petroglyphs in the Prehistoric of Northern Amffronia and the Antilles'. Ms Gentian Miller, Lecturer, 'Sexual Politics in David Dabydeen's 'Our Lady of Demerara' and Mr Alim Hosein's 'SORRY' Apologising in Guyana'. While on March 22, three other presentations were made, Mr Alim Hosein, 'SORRY' Apologising in Guyana II', Ms Carmen Samé, 'African Cultural Roots Among African Descendants in the Dominican Republic' and Mr Lloyd Kandasammy, 'Tales from the Estate: Women in their words'.

Three-day Library cataloguing workshop

As a result of the UG-UWI collaboration Agreement signed in 2006, a novel collaborative venture between the University of Guyana Library and the Main Library, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, is currently being finalised. A Library Cataloging Workshop will be held in Guyana from May 21 to 23, 2007. The aim is to train 12-15 librarians from libraries across the country.

UG Library Exhibition – National Cultural Centre

Exhibition in Commemoration of the Bicentenary of Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Trade in Captive Africans at the National Cultural Centre from March 26 to 30, 2007, from 09:00 h to 16:00 h, under the theme ‘The Middle Passage to Nationhood’.

Linden IDCE new premises

The IDCE offices in Linden will be relocated at the Linmine Secretariat as of April 2. Repairs to the building are expected to be completed by the end of March 2007.
The building is very spacious and would accommodate Administrative offices, approximately two classrooms, a computer laboratory, training and conference room. The building would be accessible to residents living on both banks of the Demerara River.