Chrysallis Research Magazine
Issue #2 December 2016
AWAKENING A PASSION:
Transitioning to a research culture
ISSN 2415-0665
Team Members
Andrea Veira Coordinator & Editor
Darlene Field Assistant Coordinator & Assistant Editor
Cherysa Anselm Assistant Editor & Contributor (Alumni Interviews)
Christopher Charles Assistant Editor
Virgil Bideau Assistant Editor
Juliet Cumberbatch Assistant Editor
Michelle Burke Assistant Editor
Jovel Warrican Assistant Editor & PRO Social Media
Tamaisha Eytle PRO Social Media
James Young Assistant Editor
Lynn Beckles Blog Administrator
Nya Greenidge Assistant Editor
Michael Mayers Layout & Design (Graphic Designer)
Adrianna Brathwaite Assistant Editor
Message From The Editor Andrea K. Veira
editorchrysallis@gmail.com
Readers, our second issue is finally here, and we invite you to journey with us along our research paths with a wide range of articles on various issues from the students’ perspectives. Under the same theme as our first issue: “Awakening a passion: transitioning to a research culture” readers can look forward to a glimpse of the research carried out in Film Studies, Cultural Studies and Climate Change. Issue two is particularly special as it brings forth some of the experiences of our students during and after their research programmes. Effective reading techniques are shared and encouraged by one student with another giving step by step guidance on the writing of the thesis. We are also guided by a Master of Science graduate on the job market searches after completion of studies. Additionally, another graduate (PhD.) reminds us that there is a ‘lighter side’ to the postgraduate programmes and humours us by the present use of his hard copy dissertation. We then journey around the world to Istanbul, Turkey as we hear about Human Security issues regionally and internationally. The journey continues to MIT, Boston with our sister campus St. Augustine who led a team of undergraduate students from the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering to share their research findings in a seminar and hospital site visit. We also have two new additions to our magazine. The first is a ‘heart to heart’ interview with Jerelle Joseph who is presently a PhD. candidate at the University of Cambridge. This marks the beginning of our plan to feature at least one alumnus per issue. Our second exciting feature is a research blog titled ‘Life of Caribbean Researchers’, where we provide an avenue for persons to hold discussions and share experiences with each other, hopefully reducing the isolation that many postgraduate students feel at one time or another in their respective programmes. The blog is linked to the article ‘On the lighter side of things…After the Phd’ and can also be found directly at: https://lifeofresearchers.wordpress.com/. We invite you to read our second issue and comment on our blog topics. Please use our social media pages and email address to offer feedback on how we can improve and continue to further develop our magazine as we evolve into our third issue which will be under a special theme. Enjoy!
Published By: Chrysallis Research Magazine Faculty of Science and Technology The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus P.O. Box 64 Bridgetown, Barbados, 8811000
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
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Table of Contents Delving into Cultural Studies at UWI Cave Hill, Is The Bahamas An ‘Other’?...............................1 Effective Reading Strategies for Postgraduate Students Part One......................................................3 Speaking At The Fifth Istanbul Human Security Conference In Turkey..........................................5 The Dreaded Thesis..................................................................................................................................7 On the lighter side of things… After the Ph.D.....................................................................................9 Trade, Maritime Transport & Climate Change: The Case Of Barbados...........................................10 UWI St. Augustine Team Visits MIT.....................................................................................................13 A Research Journey: From UWI to Cambridge ..................................................................................14 The Graduate Experience: International Trade Policy for Climate Change - The Chrysalis for Caribbean Development..........................................................................................................................17 Colour-Blind Casting: Radical, Ridiculous Or Just Wrong?...............................................................20 Part Two: Reading Strategically and Critically Using the SQ4R Method.........................................22 Lose the Stress, Not Your Mind: Tips for Job Searching.....................................................................24 Author Information.................................................................................................................................26
Delving into Cultural Studies at UWI Cave Hill, Is The Bahamas An ‘Other’? Lesvie Archer
lesvie.archer@gmail.com
This article introduces readers to the Cultural Studies programme at UWI Cave Hill, and shares a little about my current research as a graduate student of the programme. If you ever wondered what the Cultural Studies programme at Cave Hill is about, here are some of the main topics I learned about during my coursework period in 2013/2014: • Identity and Representation • Language, knowledge, power • Language & Linguistics • Caribbean Music • Festival Arts • Caribbean Literature • Racism, Orientalism, ‘Other’ • Society and ‘the popular’ • Societal Resistance • Sexuality • Feminisms • Political Economy • History • Third World Government Leadership • Religions and Spirituality • Sports in the Caribbean An important concept I learned while in the programme is the ‘other’. From one perspective, the ‘other’ represents a sense of identity. ‘Otherness’ occurs when one acknowledges a disenfranchising difference between self and the rest, and at the same time feels a sense of belonging within that space of difference.
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For example, the founder of Cultural Studies Stuart Hall noted in his essay Minimal Selves (1987) that he “ha[d] been puzzled by the fact that young black people in London today are marginalized, fragmented, unenfranchized, disadvantaged and dispersed. And yet, they look as if they own the territory. Somehow, they too, in spite of everything, are centered, in place…”. Overall, it is the idea of being ‘othered’ that hovers over my research. My thesis broadly focuses on the historical (non)recognition or ‘othering’ of The Bahamas’ contribution to the systematic formation of global capitalism. Knowledge produced about the systemicity of global capitalism can be roughly grasped via the ‘centre-periphery’ discourse. Large, wealthy, powerful nations are identified as the ‘centre’ (e.g. U.S.A, U.K, much of Western Europe) while the rest of the world is identified as the ‘periphery’ (e.g. Latin America & the Caribbean, Africa, Pacific)1 . Of corollary, the periphery assumes the position of the ‘other’. Indeed, the Caribbean remains largely “marginalized, fragmented, unenfranchized, disadvantaged and dispersed” (Hall, 1987). Nonetheless, writers of Anglophone Caribbean History have brilliantly predicated the region’s function and historicity within the international political economy on its historical role as a supplier of raw goods such as sugar and cotton, to England. To briefly and broadly summarize the systemicity involved, the raw goods sent to England were used by the Kingdom to aid the development of its manufacturing sector, which lead to industrialization. The exporting of manufactured
Delving into Cultural Studies at UWI Cave Hill, Is The Bahamas An ‘Other’? goods is traditionally theorized as a prerequisite for wealth accumulation and (inter)national ascent. Accordingly, the systemic and systematic relationship between the Anglophone Caribbean and England contributed in an important way to the Kingdom maintaining its position as ‘centre’ for a very long time. In this way, even while being ‘othered’ as a periphery, the political-economic history of the Caribbean, “in spite of everything [becomes] centered in place” (Hall, 1987). However, while considered a member of the Caribbean by the international community, The Bahamas struggles to relate to, and connect with the sugar-plantation-slavery narrative. Arguably, since 2500 BC, the predominant economic specialization of The Bahamas has been the servicing and circulation of capital (i.e. finished goods/products), as opposed to producing raw materials. Additionally, The Bahamas, like Bermuda and Cayman, have their politicaleconomies largely predicated upon a seafaring lifestyle as opposed to the traditional plantation-heritage of many islands in the Caribbean. Hence, identifying with the ‘landed bias’ of plantations, and by extension, the ‘producer positionality’ of the Caribbean becomes problematic. In this way, the Bahamas can perhaps be considered an ‘other’ in the Caribbean’s politicaleconomic history. To be sure, The Bahamas struggles to ascertain an effective understanding of its role, function, and historicity within Caribbean history, and by extension, within systematic discourses concerning the formation of the international political economy. My study joins other scholars who have embarked upon an identity search for the people, place and space of The Bahamas. Bahamians are generally aware of our ‘otherness’ and the dis/comforts it brings. However, it is now time, in the midst of these dis/comforts, “in spite of everything, to be[come]
centered, in place” (Hall, 1987). My dissertation is in part, a quest for inclusion and identity. As Stuart Hall (1987) notes, “identity is formed at the unstable point of where the ‘unspeakable’ stories of subjectivity meet the narratives of history, of a culture”. In this way, Hall reminds me that the Cultural Studies programme at UWI Cave Hill is my ideal starting point for this personal, intellectual, and (inter)national pilgrimage. 1
There is a semi-periphery discourse (Wallerstein, 1987),
and also a hinterland discourse (Frank & Gills, 1993) that is not mentioned here but are taken up elsewhere in my thesis.
References Gills, B.K. and Frank, A.G., 1992. World system cycles, crises, and hegemonial shifts, 1700 BC to 1700 AD. Review (Fernand Braudel Center), pp.621-687. Hall, S. 1987. Minimal selves In Identity – the Real Me (ICA Documents 6) Ed. Homi K. Bhabha and Lisa Appignanesi. London Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, pp. 44-46. Wallerstein, I., 2011. The modern world-system I: capitalist agriculture and the origins of the European world-economy in the sixteenth century, with a new prologue (Vol. 1). Univ of California Press.
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Effective Reading Strategies for Postgraduate Students Part One Gail Rolle
gail.rolle@mycavehill.uwi.edu
I bet you thought you did a lot of reading during your time as an undergraduate student! Let me welcome you to Graduate School. As graduate students, we are required to read large volumes of information. Between trying to pass our courses, taking care of our families, spending time with loved ones, getting our much-needed exercise and socializing with the few friends we have left, the thought of having to read can be daunting. Unfortunately, as graduate students, reading is the way we gather new ideas, learn new theories, models, frameworks and programming platforms that inform our research papers and most importantly our theses. To succeed as a postgraduate student, it is paramount to have strong academic reading skills and a genuine “fondness� for reading. From the first day of class, reading becomes part of our daily lives, and we are expected to engage with the information we read to produce jaw-dropping papers, journal articles and well-articulated and upto-date theses. The more you read, the greater your chances are of developing effective reading strategies.
How Does One Read Effectively?
The way in which we read, usually depends on our purpose for reading. The approach we take to reading a novel, newspaper, or blogs may not be an effective method for reading academic material. To get the most out of academic reading and to use your time effectively, you need to take a strategic approach. Know who you are as a reader- As a postgraduate
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student, it is important to know how you learn; the extent of your knowledge; and your skills and limitations as a reader. You also have to be cognizant of your attitude to the material you are about to read. Ask yourself - What is your personal learning style and how can you apply that style to your reading to help you read better? If you are unsure about your learning style, there are free quizzes online to help you determine which it is. Highlighted are a few links that you can use: http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/ questions.php?cookieset=y https://www.how-to-study.com/learning-styleassessment/
How knowledgeable are you on the topic you are researching? Do you have the ability to determine what information you require and the skills to search for it? If you do not have answers to these questions, now is the time to engage in meaningful dialogue with your supervisor(s) and colleagues. They will most definitely point you in the right direction. Be cognizant of your attitude towards reading- a negative attitude may result in repeated reading, and or reading without understanding. As postgraduate students, time is of the essence. Every time we read material, our aim should be to acquire new knowledge and insight that will bring us closer to our goals..
Effective Reading Strategies for Postgraduate Students Part One Ask yourself– Are you motivated to read? Do you always feel like putting off your reading for some other time? Do you feel like it is the least important thing to do on your priority list? More often than not, each one of us loses our zeal to read. At times, I get the feeling that if I have to read one more article or journal my brain will explode. However, if you are reading for a Master of Philosophy or a Doctor of Philosophy or even just writing your thesis for your Master of Science or Education or Arts, you MUST develop strategies that will keep you motivated.
For Part 2, go to page 27
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Speaking At The Fifth Istanbul Human Security Conference In Turkey Louise Armstrong
louise.armstrong@mycavehill.uwi.edu
Last year I had the opportunity to travel to Turkey to participate in a conference directly related to my research, and to network with colleagues who are also engaged in the field of human security. It was a thrilling experience, and one that I am very grateful to the UWI Campus Research Awards Committee for facilitating. I attended the conference not only as a participant, but also as a speaker and panelist. My presentation introduced a new project that I have been developing: on humanitarian aid and human security in Caribbean micro-states and Haiti. The purpose of this research is to look at the relationship between humanitarian aid and human security in these contexts, to better highlight the role of humanitarian aid actors in influencing human security within the region. In a panel discussion, my colleagues and I conversed on the topics of humanitarian aid and human security. One of my colleagues shared Turkey’s role as a peacebuilding actor in Somalia, and the other explored Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and aid in Turkish foreign policy. My own work challenged the assumption that humanitarian aid always has a positive impact on beneficiary communities, as well as highlighted the need for further attention to the measurement of human security. Since the conference, my work has developed to underscore the room for improvement of human security in Caribbean microstates and Haiti, based on a 2015 United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report. Revelations of that report include Barbados having a higher prison population rate, higher male suicide rate, and
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higher percentage of violence of women than Haiti. While Haiti is consistently framed as a problem state, according to this measurement tool it in fact performs better in some areas than other Caribbean states.
Panel discussion at conference The event was a unique chance for me not only to share my research ideas and gain feedback, but also to connect with others and learn about their work. This conference allowed me to access a space filled with other human security specialists, who shared my passion for the area. The conference was held in Istanbul from 20-21 October 2015, weeks after a series of violent and deadly attacks were felt throughout Turkey, from Sirnak province to Istanbul. It was also less than 2 weeks before a general election. This general election was the second for the year, as no party won the majority vote in the June election and coalition talks failed. Politically this was a potentially unstable time to be in the country and on a personal level there were concerns for my safety, but in the end, everything was fine and I enjoyed my time in the country. In fact, I would love to go back! In the limited time I had in Istanbul outside of the conference venue, I found it to be a beautiful city filled with culture
Speaking At The Fifth Istanbul Human Security Conference In Turkey and history. It is clear that Istanbul’s past has been preserved and valued, playing a major role in tourism. Upon reflection, the absence of representation from the Americas at the conference was quite striking as I expected a larger representation from the western countries. I was the only participant and speaker from the Caribbean, joined by a handful of participants from North and South America. I think that the location was a significant factor affecting who attended the conference, as the majority hailed from Europe as well as the Middle East. Yet I also wonder if interest and engagement in the field of human security itself must have played a role in participation. Human security is of vital importance to the Caribbean region. It is an area that we should be actively involved in at all levels. Although we do practice aspects of human security, academically we are less engaged in its pursuit. This is an issue because it means that the research, the case studies and the data being produced do not include our contexts or address our realities. They do not speak as loudly to the Caribbean experiences as they do to others. That means our voices are limited, as well as our ability to contribute towards policies and programmes. In the Caribbean we have unique circumstances, extreme vulnerabilities, and instances of fairly high human security and insecurity. These situations are worth investigation and can teach many lessons that should be shared through conferences and other avenues, such as academic writings and public discussions. I gained a lot from this experience, and in summary I would recommend that all students at the postgraduate level seek out conferences in their area of research interest. They are a valuable experience to gain academic exposure, public speaking experience, to network, and can reaffirm your passion for your chosen field.
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The Dreaded Thesis Shakira Grannum
shakiragrannum@gmail.com
The submission of the thesis is tantamount to the highest scholastic achievement in a graduate student’s life. It signals the end of a journey which can often times be described as one of the most challenging in any academic career. However, in order to fully conquer, it must be written, submitted, accepted, and modified before final publishing takes place. Those of us who had the foresight to question our predecessors have heard it said, “The research is easy, the write-up, not so much” or better yet, “I am stuck. I can’t find information. I am unsure of how to write it down.” And the list goes on. If you’re anything like me you would have thought, “Surely it cannot be that bad” until you’re in the same position. So how do we overcome this? Here are some pointers that I found very useful during my write-up.
other activity unrelated to your research when you think of an idea. When this happens it is best to document it. Never push it to the side, never ignore it.
1) Make notes: throughout our research we are tasked with reading journals and other published works regarding our work. The amount of material to read and delve into is often vast and if we do not appropriately document, and make relevant notes, we will find ourselves redoing it and or never having any initial information. Thus, one of the first steps in the thesis write-up is to review the literature and make copious notes on whom, when and how. It also helps to peruse the results obtained in other studies.
4) There is no such thing as too many drafts. As you make major changes to your thesis, do not override existing copies. This is also pretty handy in the event your supervisor asks you to add something which was previously removed.
3) Never worry about editing during the initial stages. While I was writing, one of my greatest issues was editing. I would begin to write a paragraph or two, and then I began sifting through trying to make it perfect. Is this justified? Does this sentence make sense? Is this even Standard English? Is it punctuated correctly? This may seem like a good thing, because let’s face it if it’s done early you would not have to worry about it later. However, it was actually a hindrance to me because there were many times that I had “an ah ha moment” but was never able to recover because I was too busy editing and correcting what I already wrote.
5) Have frequent brainstorming sessions with supervisor. This is useful in that it helps you to remain connected and he/she can often valuable input on the direction you should
your both offer take.
2) When inspiration hits, go with the flow. Often 6) Do not tackle more than one aspect at a time. This at the most inconvenient time inspiration hits, you contributes to you becoming overwhelmed and not may be in the shower, having a meal or doing some accomplishing much. Instead, decide which area
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The Dreaded Thesis you wish to address and focus on it for a specified amount of time. I found that self-imposed deadlines helped me to appropriately manage my time. 7) Take a break, it is okay. Often we think we need to keep pushing especially if we are experiencing writer’s block. We tend to develop the “gym trainer” mentality and attempt to push through the pain so to speak, when all we really need is to relax and unwind. It can be refreshing and allow excellent writing to follow after the much needed break. For those of you who are at present burning the midnight oil in an effort to submit, I hope these few pointers are of some help. Remember you are not limited to these points and can always choose those which are best suited for you, and also add a few of your own. In the interim, happy writing!
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On the lighter side of things… After the Ph.D. Chaney St. Martin cstmartin@hotmail.com
It is funny the things we notice or do after completing a Ph.D. For example, I just realized that my Ph.D. thesis, which I completed in 2013, now serves as a prop to a laptop on my study desk. Imagine this, after hours of toiling, struggling to write 3 paragraphs per day, the graveyard shifts in labs and reading until literature replaced rice as a staple in my diet, my thesis or the black book as my son refers to it, serves as a prop. So severe was the toiling that at times I was convinced that I would also be graduating with Ph.D. in Human Relations to reflect my expertise in handling institutional and administrative “drama”. Alas, this was not to be. But I relearnt an important lesson, that is, “certification does not always reflect education”. Armed with this lesson, practical intelligence almost dictated that my thesis was well placed; serving a function that many other books and structures could not. Nonetheless, some time between writing this article and watching my thesis, I felt the need for “thesis-pride” to kick-in and make me acknowledge this sacrilege. If only, to indicate that my emotional sensibility was not callused by years of using someone else’s thesis as a prop for my laptop when writing my thesis. “Oh my! How the tables do turn!” I thought. However, I was not the least offended as I often imagined the owner of that thesis would be if he only knew what someone very close to him was doing with his “prized-possession”. I guess this is confession time! But in the interest of confidentiality, much like the blind peer-review process, I shall not list any names or affiliations. I take comfort that the owner of that thesis and I have much in common; in that, we
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published most of our research before submitting our theses for examination. And this I would encourage you to do, for you never know what will prevail after the Ph.D., practical intelligence or emotional sensibility. In any case, at the end of one’s journey, I am convinced that one should at least feel like Frank Sinatra “Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew, When I bit off more than I could chew. But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall; And did it my way” And it is this message that one should use to inform and direct their life After the Ph.D. We invite you to join in this conversation on our blog https://lifeofresearchers.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/ on-the-lighter-side-of-things/
Trade, Maritime Transport & Climate Change: The Case Of Barbados Tianna Blades
tianna.blades@gmail.com
To understand the damage that can be done to Barbados’ imports and exports, the importance of maritime transport and its supporting ports should be put into context. It is important to note that 90% of all international goods traded is done through maritime transport. The service, which the shipping industry provides to international trade, is unmatchable, thus any hindrance to this service can have exponential penalties on markets everywhere. Demographic and economic aspects that facilitate the provision of access to economic resources as well as facilitating integration determine the demand for transport networks (Few, Brown , & Tompkins, 2006 ). For a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) like Barbados, the reliance on this industry is even more severe because of its small size, remote location and heavy dependence on sea transport for food and energy. With a strong tourism sector much of the food and energy is used to supply that market. Transshipment delays can thereby cause infrastructural collapses in other sectors of the country’s economy (UNCTAD, 2014 ). Consequently, because the country’s imports and exports are supported by one port of exit and entry, there is a tremendous need to make sure that the facility is compatible with the changes in climate conditions. There is also the need to ensure that the port and its equipment are properly maintained (CDB, 2014 ). The Port, for the country may therefore be considered to be its gateway to international markets. Barbados and by extension the Caribbean countries; because of their small island states’
characteristics; are exposed to adverse socioeconomic factors that relate to high transport cost, lack of access to global shipping networks and infrequent interisland transport shipping services (UNCTAD, 2014 ). For the region, substantial trade deficits are linked to inadequate export volumes that are seen in the empty containers headed back to their main trading partners – North America and Europe. Further problems exist in the region’s ability to utilize containers’ carrying capacity, as the containers are half full when being exported. With the importance and associated problems of maritime transport for Barbados laid out, adding adverse climatic events can only exacerbate the socioeconomic problems that the country faces. Climate change effects include: an increase in extreme weather events such as hurricanes and conjoining developments in rise in sea level and higher temperatures. Such inclement weather can cause delays and interruptions to shipments as well as direct damage to the actual port facilities and ship infrastructure. Costly equipment such as cranes, storage buildings and navigation equipment can all be affected (Stenek, 2011). Moreover, greater tidal prisms due to rise in sea level can cause erosion of the harbour’s foundation (ECLAC, 2011). Europe and North America historically have been the focal point of Barbados and the Caribbean region’s external trade policy. The unilateral preferential treatment has helped to open up the economies of the region with a merchandise trade to GDP ratio for the commodity based markets averaging more than 100%
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Trade, Maritime Transport & Climate Change: The Case Of Barbados over the last 10 year period. To further comprehend the significance of maritime transport to Barbados’ trade, the country’s economic standing must be outlined. Below are graphical representations of the country’s trade in goods. The representations are an effort to communicate the excessive dependence on goods from external markets; a factor that cannot be easily remedied given the characteristics of a globalized world and the country’s developing nature. In 2013, exports for Barbados reached USD$467.4 million but was out weighed by imports of USD$1.8 billion. Merchandise trade deficit Source: UN COMTRADE: http://comtrade.un.org/pb/ for the period equated to USD$1.3 billion as seen in CountryPagesNew.aspx?y=2013 Graph 1 below.
Source: UN COMTRADE: http://comtrade.un.org/pb/ CountryPagesNew.aspx?y=2013 Source: UN COMTRADE: http://comtrade.un.org/pb/ CountryPagesNew.aspx?y=2013 The depiction of graphs 2 and 3 can also be used to show the salience of climate change and maritime The country had its largest trade balance transport for Barbados as it relates to its major trading with North America (see graph 2). However, the partners. A general acceptance in change of volume diversification of the markets were limited to exports and types of goods traded between the two can occur only, with the top 11 partners accounting for 80% of due to policy changes on North America’s end. More exports and more concentrated imports from 9 partners notably climate change is a global phenomena and accounted for 80% (see graph 3). any climatic event that hinders North America’s trade
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Trade, Maritime Transport & Climate Change: The Case Of Barbados capacity can directly impact Barbados’ economy. A relevant correlation between the two trading partners can be seen in the current global financial crisis. The lesson being, as it pertains to climate change that any change in market structure or competence in the North stifles the development and economic growth in the country. Conclusively, the first step to moving forward is recognizing the importance and inherent linkages that the shipping industry provides to the development of Barbados. As such there is the need for effective adaptation action at the local level, which requires a good understanding of relevant climatic impacts and likely vulnerabilities. For the purposes of developing effective adaptation measures, as an important step, appropriate approaches and mechanisms need to be identified/developed to ensure improved availability and dissemination of data and other information on climate change impacts, exposure and vulnerability. In this context, extensive cooperation among policy makers, stakeholders, scientists and engineers is required both at local and national levels, but also at the regional and international levels. Insight gained is key to the formulation of well-designed and adequate maritime transport policies as well as integrated intersectoral policies that take into account the strong interlinkages between relevant productive sectors.
Caribbean Development Bank . ECLAC. (2011). The Economics of Climate Change in the Caribbean. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean . Few, R., Brown , K., & Tompkins, E. L. (2006 ). Public Participation and Climate Change Adaptation. United Kingdom : Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. Stenek, V. (2011). Climate Risk and Business: Ports - Terminal Maritimo Muelles El Bosque Cartagena, Colombia . Washington DC: World Bank Group . UNCTAD. (2011). Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation . Geneva: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development . UNCTAD. (2014 ). Small Island Developing States: Challenges in Air Transport and Trade Logistics . Geneva : United Nations Conference on Trade and Development .
References CDB. (2014). Barbados Country Strategy Paper. Retrieved March 2016, from www.caribank.org/ uploads/2015/01/BD91_14-Bdos-CSP_FINAL.pdf CDB . (2014 ). Public-Private Partnerships in the Caribbean: Building on Early Lesson . Bridgetown :
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UWI St. Augustine Team Visits MIT Legena Henry
legenahenry@alum.mit.edu
From June 16 – July 31st, 2015, a collaborative team of undergraduates from The University of the West Indies Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, and the Department of Life Sciences, St. Augustine Campus led by UWI Assistant Lecturer, Legena Henry conducted two research projects in The UWI Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. The projects focused on: 1. An Equator-friendly wave power device 2. Probing the confusing Doppler-mapped Haemodynamics of mitral regurgitation in the Human heart Subsequent to the team’s eight weeks of research in collaboration with international industrial partners, they visited MIT from August 3 – 6, 2015 and presented research in a seminar hosted by Professor Markus Beuhler, Head of the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. This research was also discussed in a series of collaborative meetings at the MIT campus and at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital which is the largest hospital of the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in Boston, and also Harvard Medical School’s second largest teaching affiliate. For the six participating students, Briege Lougheide, Hodeem Miller, Krishane Satahoo, Ian Dass, Ezekiel Yorke, and Kimberly Baliram, this trip was life-changing.
- Students made decisions about their future careers - Students postulated that if more science or engineering students have these kinds of experiences, they will be motivated to do better in class - Students learned to face their fears and to manage doubts that previously paralyzed them - Students gained increased confidence to learn and do as engineers/scientists - Students gained greater understanding that: - Research can solve real problems in the world - The energy needs of the Caribbean require a lot of fundamental in-house research for this Caribbean context Our UWI-based work being presented to very interested leading world experts at MIT resonated with the research goals of UWI, to be a world-class research institution and also to produce world-class research that is relevant to Caribbean needs. UWI’s value to the world is real, when comparing UWI to other institutions. For a report on the entire visit, please email legenahenry@alum.mit.edu.
STA students visiting MIT
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A Research Journey: From UWI to Cambridge Jerelle Joseph jaj52@cam.ac.uk
Short Biography
2. What was the focus of your Jerelle A. Joseph hails from the island of master’s research at The UWI and how Dominica. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree did you choose your research topic? in Chemistry and Mathematics and a Master’s of Philosophy Degree in Chemistry from The University of the West Indies (UWI). During her time at The UWI, Jerelle and her supervisor published nine scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and one book chapter. She is currently pursuing her PhD. in Computational/Theoretical Chemistry as a Gates Scholar at the University of Cambridge.
Alumni Interview
At The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, I worked under the supervision of Professor Sean McDowell. My dissertation was based on computational studies of halogen-bonding (which is a special type of chemical bond) and other weak interactions in molecules. I worked on this topic for my third-year undergraduate research project and I decided to extend the work for the master’s degree. I believe that the undergraduate research project was very instrumental in guiding my choice; since I was able to learn the fundamentals of the topic and basics of scientific research, which ultimately fueled my desire to pursue research in the field of computational chemistry.
1. Why UWI and why Computational/ Theoretical Chemistry? 3. What were your most memorable A mentor from Dominica, who was a former experiences as a research student at Cave Cave Hill graduate, suggested that I apply to The UWI Hill?
for my undergraduate degree. I always wanted to pursue higher education but I never wanted to leave the Caribbean. When he proposed The UWI, I jumped at the opportunity and it turned out to be a great decision. I developed a passion for Chemistry while pursuing an Associate’s Degree at the Dominica State College. However, wet-lab chemistry was not my forte – being extremely clumsy. Studying chemistry with computers became a more natural fit for me and this notion was solidified at UWI when I worked on my final year chemistry research project.
My most memorable experience as a graduate researcher was when I published my first article. I read the research of others in journals and seeing my own research added to a body of work brought with it a feeling of great pride and accomplishment. Another memorable experience was when I presented my work at the CARISCIENCE conference in Jamaica. I had an initial talk planned and a few hours before the presentation, in an effort to make the research accessible to a wider audience, I changed all my slides! It ended up working out
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A Research Journey: From UWI to Cambridge in the end and the talk was well-received. This analysis, writing scientific papers and publishing experience gave me a great boost in confidence. work. I also got training in presenting my work at academic seminars and conferences. These 4. What were the challenges that you faced skills have been invaluable to my current research.
as a master’s student and how did you overcome them? 7. What is the focus of your current One main challenge was a lack of subject/theory- research? based graduate courses. Though the basics of my subjectarea were covered in the undergraduate program, it would have been beneficial to have formal training at the graduate level. I improved my knowledge by reading books and through discussions with my supervisor.
Currently, I work in the research group of Professor David Wales. My work is based on developing methods for modelling proteins efficiently – in order to elucidate how proteins adopt their unique, functional structures. I am most interested in applying our methods to study proteins which lead to neurological disorders and certain types of cancers.
5. How did you go about writing your master’s thesis and what advice can you give to others now in a similar stage of their 8. What major challenges have you faced so degree? far in your PhD and how did you overcome I admit that writing the master’s thesis was the these obstacles?
My first year was the most challenging so far since I had to grasp numerous new concepts pertaining to my research area. I eventually learnt: that ‘Google is your best friend’ as a researcher, to never make assumptions, and to ask for help when you get stuck. It is also very hard to stay motivated when doing PhD research since you try so many things that fail, and you sometimes feel like you are not making any progress. I am constantly learning to embrace my mistakes, because every drawback has made me a more competent researcher. Additionally, it helps to balance my research life with extra-curricular activities and other things that I am 6. How did a master’s degree at The UWI good at. Someone once told me that, as researchers we prepare you for research at Cambridge? often measure our value by our research output and, if During my master’s program, I benefited most that fails, we end up being frustrated and discouraged. from having an excellent supervisor who taught me However, being a more holistic individual helps us how to conduct scientific research properly. I gained to create value in other places, apart from work. experience in planning a project, data collection and most challenging part of the degree. The best advice I can give to current MPhil students is to have a very good outline – a thorough and detailed one. I believe that writing a thesis is very much like telling a story; while your story is academic, it needs to be engaging and logically arranged. Once my outline was complete (after about a week), it was then reviewed by my supervisor and, after several iterations, I commenced writing. This made the writing process much easier and it also helped me keep track of my progress, as I had deadlines for completing different sections.
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A Research Journey: From UWI to Cambridge
9. What are your future career plans?
Upon completion of my PhD, I hope to eventually lead my own chemistry research group in the Caribbean and to work alongside other academics in the region. I believe that as a region we can offer so much to the field of science (among other areas) and I am very excited about the possibilities.
sound choices. Also, stay abreast with the research of others and be confident in your own ideas. As a rule, always document your work properly and make sure to BACKUP everything you do! Remember that obstacles and failures will come but learn to rise above these every time. In addition, make time to ‘have-a-life’ outside of research – the world has so much to offer! Finally, do enjoy your research journey; if you are constantly miserable, research is probably not for you. So be sure to keep your options open and do not be afraid to start over!
10. Growing up, were you exposed to scientific research as a potential career path, if so, did this influence your academic decisions and if not do you think this 12. Any last thoughts? “…being a good researcher is deeply should change?
Growing up we were encouraged to become a medical doctor, a lawyer or some other conventional noble profession; doing scientific research as a profession was unheard of. And, though I dreaded being in hospitals, at one point I considered pursuing a career in medicine. However, I received great mentorship from my lecturers at The UWI; learning that the opportunities in science, and life in general, are vast. I think that we underestimate the power of great mentorship and fail to appreciate the fact that many potential scholars come from homes/ societies where few persons are equipped to provide such guidance. I do believe that greater effort needs to be placed on mentoring young persons; it is an area that I have become very passionate about.
rooted in a passion for a particular field of study and given the right tools vast insights into important phenomena can be attained.” I am thankful for the role that The UWI has played in shaping my eventual academic career and I encourage current researchers to stay focused and to remember that it is okay if you do not have all the answers – after all, if we did, there will be no need for research. Interviewed by Cherysa Anselm
11. What advice would you give to young scientists beginning their tertiary education journey? It is going to be a challenging but rewarding journey, so stay focused, encouraged and motivated. At every stage, seek counsel from experienced persons (e.g. established researchers), who can assist you in making
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The Graduate Experience: International Trade Policy for Climate Change - The Chrysalis for Caribbean Development Alberta Richelieu
albertarichelieu@gmail.com
In light of rapidly increasing technology, the world economy is becoming increasingly connected and interdependent. The creation of the Internet has fostered business activity globally. Electronic commerce (E-commerce), today, has grown into a huge industry generating large amounts of revenue from online retailing among other things. The success of e-commerce necessitates integration of transport and information and communication technologies. E-commerce and its related activities via the internet are potential engines for improvement of domestic production as well as leap frogging of available technology. The new international economic landscape is emerging. This landscape is characterized by the interconnectedness of global markets as well as the trade of more knowledge intensive and technologically innovative goods and services. Considering such, the need for policy is paramount. With this new phenomenon known as globalization, it is imperative that with the new patterns of transnational production, developing countries in the Caribbean are able to capture the benefits of globalization and counter the challenges that they pose. The importance of international trade policy is vital for capturing these unique opportunities presented by the new economy.
“the possibility of a global sustainable future lies ahead of you”. She focuses on innovative policy, technological revolutions and plausibility for development. Perez is perhaps most famous for her development of the concept of “Techno- Economic Paradigm Shift”. She focuses on technological revolutions and studies longterm historical trends with technological changes and their impact on development. She looks at those trends in an interdisciplinary way to include economics, technology with history as well as politics and policy to create a vivid understanding of how societies change. In short, Perez indicates that opportunity space is defined by three forces: Information, Technology, Global Development and “Green” initiative. She indicates that policymakers are essential in shaping country-specific frameworks to create opportunities for development. Hence, the pertinent question is “What does this mean for the Caribbean?”
The Role of Policy Makers
In August 2015, President Barack Obama unveiled a Clean Power Plan which he considered “the biggest, most important step taken in tackling climate change”. In December 2015, more than 190 countries gathered in Paris, France to discuss a plausible global agreement on Climate Change. The effect of these legally binding commitments will impact international Possibility of A Global Sustainable Future trade policy. The question now necessary is “How Inspired by an article written by Carlota Perez can Caribbean countries formulate a trade policy as well as an article by Dr. Keith Nurse, I decided to framework which will create trading opportunities research on Climate Change and Trade. Perez notes that while mitigating the effects of Climate Change (CC)?”
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The Graduate Experience: International Trade Policy for Climate Change - The Chrysalis for Caribbean Development Trade policy can serve as a viable tool in addressing CC issues. For example, lowering tariffs on environmental goods as well as looking at services under trade agreements and based on schedules, strategically seeking to promote services in cross cutting sectors. In addition, trade policy can be used to provide environmental protect. For example: • Local content requirements • Clean energy subsidies • Export restriction/ taxes • Government procurement services • Standard and certification (Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, Technical Barriers to Trade and other standards such as food miles, carbon footprint, eco-labeling) In the past, environmental sustainability was looked at in isolation, however, important linkages have been made between environmental sustainability and economic growth. While trade can be a driver for economic growth, it also possesses characteristics to be a potential vehicle for addressing CC issues. However, financing, technology as well as cooperation between developing and developed countries are key factors in achieving emission reduction via trade. Hence, as stated in the World Trade Organization United Nations Environmental Programme (WTO-UNEP) report 2009 on Trade and Climate Change, “bringing the potential of global mitigation to fruition will also depend on the ability of developing countries to manufacture, diffuse and maintain low-carbon technologies, and this can be facilitated through trade and technology transfer”. Technological solutions costs will have repercussions for the relative significance placed on different mitigation sectors as well as technologies. Also, overall
mitigation will be highly dependent on technological developments, reduced costs of existing technology and technology that is yet to be commercialized.
Innovative Trade Policy Framework: A Vital Tool
Trade Policy can be used to enhance the competitiveness of Caribbean countries through export diversification. Hence, policymakers and governments should aid in facilitating environmental trade and addressing local demands. The pursuance of an innovative trade policy framework to address Climate Change for the Caribbean must also focus on the services sector, as Caribbean economies are primarily services based economies. Exploring the possibilities of creating environmental service jobs to improve cross sector services is also a vital factor. In conclusion, the opportunities for economic development are endless. However, it can only be achieved through country-specific, strategic and detailed planning. As the world moves towards more environmentally friendly products and technologies, it is necessary that Caribbean countries capture these opportunities via strategic trade policy. References Fong, M. (2009) Technology leapfrogging for developing countries. Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology (2nd ed.) IGI Global: Harshey, Pennsylvania. Nurse, K. (2013) Trade Policy and Climate Change Intersections: The Case of the Caribbean In Trade Policy and Climate Change in the Caribbean: Key Issues
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The Graduate Experience: International Trade Policy for Climate Change - The Chrysalis for Caribbean Development and Perspectives Available at: http://www.academia. edu/12370174/Trade_Policy_and_Climate_Change_ in_the_Caribbean_Key_Issues_and_Perspectives (Accessed 20 July 2016). Obama, B. (2015) A Detailed Q & A on Obama’s Clean Power Plan. Available at: https://www.carbonbrief.org/ a-detailed-qa-on-obamas-clean-power-plan (Accessed 20 July 2016). Perez, C. (2010) The Advance of Technology and Major Bubble Collapses: Historical Regularities and Lessons for Today Available at: http://docplayer. net/5655846-The-advance-of-technology-and-majorbubble-collapses-historical-regularities-and-lessonsfor-today.html (Accessed 15 August 2016). Tamiottima, L., Teh, R., Kulacoglu, V., Olhoff, A., Simmons, B., and Abaza, H. (2009) Trade and Climate Change;WTO-UNEP Report, WTO Secretariat, Switzerland.
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Colour-Blind Casting: Radical, Ridiculous Or Just Wrong? Lafleur Cockburn
lafleurcockburn@hotmail.com
Colour-blind casting, also known as nontraditional casting or integrated casting gets its name from the medical condition of ‘colour blindness’ – defined by Carol Bucking in the Journal of Experimental Biology as the inability to perceive colour. In the world of theatre, film and television, characters are cast without partiality to race, gender, age or any other distinguishable traits. The focus is kept on the actor’s skill of performance, hence the term ‘colour-blind casting’. The topic of colour-blind casting became a point of discussion during a lecture in Caribbean Theatre: Texts and Performance with Mr. Robert Leyshon. The class recognized an awareness of colour running through all the plays covered. This recurrent theme became the catalyst for an extended discussion on the postcolonial legacy of slavery and the attempts of the region’s playwrights at examining this legacy through the fictional spaces of their written plays as well as performances on stage. We speculated on the intentions of the playwrights, specifically Gregory Strachan, in his play Diary of Souls. During a production of the play at The UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Strachan cast a white actor in the role of one of the main characters in the play – a Bahamian police officer who had a part in the ill-treatment of black Haitian refugees. We wondered about the impact of this type of casting on the way the audience viewed a particular character or how they interpreted the issues presented in the play. Interestingly enough, the same discussion on
colour-blind casting blew up on both Social and Mass Media a few days after the class. Apparently, this very topical issue had been at the core of arguments and critique in Hollywood and Broadway. Research shows that in a recent production of The Mountaintop, a play written by American playwright Katori Hall, which dramatizes the final night before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, the role of Dr. King is alternated between a black actor and a white actor. This was not favourably received by the playwright. She argues that ‘non-traditional’ casting puts forth a pervasive misconception about plays with roles for Black protagonists and adjusted the play’s licensing agreement, specifically noting that the characters be played by African-American or Black actors. Another production currently running on Broadway, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Musical, Hamilton uses black, white and Hispanic actors to portray historically white characters. The musical has received rave reviews for its mixed cast and has won several awards in 2016, including Best Musical Theatre Album at the Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Musical. A racially diverse cast was also used to replace the originally all-white cast from the Broadway Musical Annie, which was adapted to television in 2014. The orphan Annie and her billionaire adoptive father are played by African-American actors, Quvenzhané Wallis and Jamie Foxx. It received mixed reviews and was nominated for the 2015 Golden Globe Award. The awards garnered by these productions seem
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Colour-Blind Casting: Radical, Ridiculous Or Just Wrong? to indicate that colour-blind casting is becoming a part of contemporary theatre, television and film; but is the Caribbean ready to embrace it? Our quest for answers led to the formation of a graduate forum on the issue. The structure of the forum was informal. It began with a short dramatic performance aimed at highlighting colour-blind casting, and ended with a general discussion on the issue. In the performance, we interrogated a future colour-blind theatrical or film portrayal of Caribbean national heroes such as Maroon Queen Nanny of Jamaica, slave rebellion leader Bussa of Barbados and Garifuna Chief Joseph Chatoyer of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Would we be able to look beyond skin colour and appreciate an actor’s performance if these historical figures were portrayed by white actors? How would a Caribbean audience view such productions? Should we strive to be accurate in the portrayal of historical figures? Or should we “suspend all disbelief in actuality” and use the actor who can best embody the role regardless of their colour? After all, we are willing to suspend our disbelief when males take on female roles, and vice-versa. Moreover, colour-blind casting is viewed as an agent of neocolonialism by some, used to appease those who campaign for diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. The addition of other ethnicity deserves praise; after all, it shows that our society is evolving in a positive direction, but one may query, does this diversity exist beyond the camera or the stage? Is it progress or erasure? In a world where comfort is sought in being “politically correct”, colour-blind casting is another platform for much needed conversations on race relations. It is a way of presenting sociological facts and examining them within the fictional space of the stage or film. A cast of white actors portraying Maroons who are being challenged by planters represented by
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black actors will highlight how theatre and film can be used within the region as a stimulus for the beginning of much needed dialogue regarding forgiveness and resolution. This dialogue may help with the creation of a new perspective for future generations. At the very least, it can project a future towards which we can strive. References Abrahams, Roger. Foreword. (1995). The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. By Victor Turner. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. v-xii. Bucking, Carol. (2011). Colour-matching when Colourblind. Journal of Experimental Biology, 214(19): i-vi. Chasman, Jessica. (2015). Katori Hall, The Mountaintop Playwright Outraged after Kent State Casts White Actor as MLK. WashingtonTimes. com. Retrieved: http://www.washingtontimes.com/ ne ws/2015/nov/11/katori-hall-the-mountaintopplaywright-outraged-af/ [Accessed Nov. 11, 2015] Hall, Katori. (2015). Playwright Outraged After Kent State Casts White Actor as MLK. TheRoot. com. Retrieved: http://www.theroot.com/articles/ c u lture/ 2015/ 11/ t he_w hite_version _ of_ m l k _ i n _ the_mountaintop.html [Accessed Nov. 11, 2015] Hughes-Freeland, Felicia. (1998). “Theatre as a Site of Passage: Some Reflections on the Magic of Acting”. Ritual, Performance, Media. Ed. Felicia Hughes-Freeland. London: Routledge, 1998. 29-45.
Part Two: Reading Strategically and Critically Using the SQ4R Method Gail Rolle
gail.rolle@mycavehill.uwi.edu
Read Strategically And Critically
“Reading critically� means discerning the strengths and the limitations of the related work you are studying, so that you can engage with it in a meaningful way. At the primary level, we were taught comprehension strategies, which were again reinforced at the secondary level. At times, regardless of our educational qualifications, we need to go back to basics. Let me re-introduce and refresh your memory on effective comprehension strategies. For the purpose of this paper, I will explain the six comprehension strategies that I was taught in secondary school. Its acronym, SQ4R, makes it an easy method to remember. It stands for Survey, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite and Review. SQ4R is a powerful approach that incorporates a number of reading skills and techniques such as skimming, elaborating, notemaking and reciting. Amazingly, this approach can be applied to any written research paper or journal article from any discipline. Using the SQ4R method can help you to read more effectively and efficiently.
Survey or Skim the Material
This approach can save you from reading material that is not relevant to your work. When you skim through a document, your focus should be to find key topics relating to your work. Skim through the abstract, methodology, findings, and discussion. This should provide you with a clear insight of what the article or journal is about. If it is useful,
file it away immediately and record your citation.
Question
At this stage, ask yourself questions once you are actively engaged with the material you are skimming. What am I hoping to learn? What do I need to find out? Convert headings and sub headings into questions. Most importantly, make note of all your questions. Do not feel overwhelmed if your list of questions seems long. You will find the answers. Developing questions ensures that when you read, your mind is actively looking for answers rather than inertly reading to get to the end.
Read the material
You have skimmed through the material and have decided that it is important to your work. You are actively engaged because you have questions that you need answered. Do not feel discouraged if you did not find answers to all your questions after your first reading. At this stage, you are only reading to get the gist of the paper.
Reflect on the material
After your first reading, what did you understand? Will you be able to use the information in your work? What new theories, concepts, and ideas did you find of interest? Was there anything in the paper that was familiar to you? Reflecting on the material helps you to put things in perspective, and helps you decide how important that paper is to you. Reflection also
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Part Two: Reading Strategically and Critically Using the SQ4R Method helps determine whether a paper is useful or not. but not too comfortable.
Recite the material
Yes! You may have to read the article and or journal AGAIN, as often as you need to. This time, take notes. At this point, you can write the answers to questions you developed, and highlight the important sections. Take time to paraphrase what you have read. This approach helps you avoid plagiarism, assures that you have understood what you have read and saves you a lot of time when you are ready to begin writing.
Review the material
• Do read to understand. • Do file your articles based on similarity of topics and or ideas. This simple technique will offer you peace of mind when it is time to write and you need to locate articles. • Do save your citations as soon as you decide on an article of interest.
“No matter how busy you may think you are, It is important that the review process you must find time for reading, or surrender takes place in order for true comprehension of the yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” material to happen. The more you review and recite, -Confucius the better the recall. It may seem like a tedious task but when this process becomes a consistent reading habit, it makes reading more efficient.
Dos and Don’ts to reading effectively and efficiently • Do set reasonable and achievable reading goals. • Do not over burden yourself if your schedule is hectic. • Do not read lying down. This is one of the biggest mistakes made by many and before you know it, you are asleep. • Do not read if you are distracted. This is the recipe for meaningless reading. It can very well be considered a waste of your precious time. • Do relax and enjoy reading. Make yourself comfortable
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Lose the Stress, Not Your Mind: Tips for Job Searching Brittany Demas
bridemas@gmail.com
In mid-October, some of you will be preparing to cross the stage at one of UWI’s four graduation sites. Smiles will be etched across your faces, with heads held high while friends and family cheer on your postgraduate achievement. You did it! You accomplished all the seemingly impossible assignment deadlines, survived the dreaded group projects and passed those infamous courses. Ahhh...the sweet taste of success feels amazing! The question many of us encounter after graduation is often, “So what now?” If you pursued a postgraduate qualification to strengthen your résumé, increase opportunities for a career change and/or promotion or you are simply entering the world of work for the first time, this article provides a few tips. These tips can assist in ensuring that you have an advantage in these very competitive job markets.
Proper Planning
progression. This online network, allows you to carefully design a plan towards achievement of your goals.
Networking
The benefits of networking cannot be overly expressed It is no longer a case of simply who you know anymore, but rather WHO KNOWS YOU. Networking is an art and deserves its own article of Do’s and Don’ts. According to Jeanette Purcell, international speaker on topics including business and management, and CEO of Jeanette Purcell Associates, it does NOT involve presenting a false image of yourself to strangers while blindly accepting their business cards, or randomly making connections on LinkedIn. It’s more about developing relationships with people you admire and respect (sometimes that does involve taking a business card or two). An option to consider is joining professional associations related to your field such as the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (APETT), the Jamaica Geographical Society (JGS), or the Human Resource Management Association of Barbados (HRMAB). Also, whenever the opportunity arises, ensure that you attend functions that will allow you to meet and liaise with those who are in the same field and that you can learn from and share ideas.
During our educational journey, many students often make one mistake: improper planning. If we wait until we have graduated to begin our job search, chances are we are already too late. This is not to say that all hope is lost for those of us, myself included, who are just too overwhelmed with our research papers and/ or work to take on the task of planning for our future. Often, financial circumstances cause many of us to fall victim to a career that is unrelated to our field or interest. Over the years, I developed a habit of using Tailor your Résumé This is another well-known yet very often LinkedIn to assist me with my career plan. LinkedIn allows searches for persons in various careers so overlooked tidbit. Your résumé speaks for you when that you can review their educational and career you are unable to do so. Crafting your résumé takes time
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Lose the Stress, Not Your Mind: Tips for Job Searching so it’s understandable that when you are desperate for discouraged with your past or present while a job, you begin applying in a frantic haste, frequently you are in the process of being ‘completed’ ” utilizing that ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. When you are focused on your job hunt, the time required Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now for creating a personalized résumé becomes easier. Review the full job description for the job; in doing so, TRUTHFULLY match your experience as closely as possible to the requirements of the job. Also, ensure that you identify the key competencies (if not explicitly stated), as these tend to be the focus of questions in the interview. If you are uncertain of your ability to decipher these competencies, utilize resources such as O*Net which has a large database of job descriptions for an array of jobs across numerous sectors.
Don’t Get Jaded
The most important reminder that may be overlooked is the exhaustion associated with job hunting. It’s true when it was said that getting a job is, in itself, a job! Sometimes it might be easier than other times, but in most cases be prepared for the struggle. Several times I found myself whining to my family and friends that I was clearly in the wrong field as none of the vacancies seemed geared to my area of study. You can overcome some of the stress by intensifying your job search through registering with recruitment agencies. Admittedly, while there are a few drawbacks to gaining employment through an agency, it is still a benefit as quite frequently job seekers miss opportunities which are solely recruited through an agency. Lastly, you can combat those less-than-positive feelings by staying grounded; whether it is through daily prayer and meditation, exercise or the occasional venting with loved ones. “The key to future success is to not become
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Author Information
Name: Lesvie N. Archer Email: lesvie.archer@gmail.com Campus: Cave Hill Faculty: Humanities Department: Cultural Studies Position: Graduate Student Qualifications: BA – International Hospitality and Tourism Management; Marketing; minor: Spanish Research Interests: Cultural Political Economy of the Bahamas; the role, function and historicity of historically seafaring archipelagoes (eg. Bahamas; Bermuda, Cayman Islands) in the international political economy
Name: Louise Alison Armstrong Email: louise.armstrong@mycavehill.uwi.edu Campus: Cave Hill Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences Department: Government, Sociology and Social Work Position: PhD. Candidate Philosophy of Political Science Qualifications: Honours Bachelor of Arts Global Studies and Political Science with research specialization option Programme: Doctorate in Philosophy of Political Science Research Interests: Human Security, Humanitarian Aid, Development, Caribbean Micro-states, Governance
Name: Tianna Blades Email: tianna.blades@gmail.com Company: Andrew Senior Associates Position: Consultant/Project Manager Qualifications: B.Sc. Political Science with International Relations (Hons) (UWI) M.Sc. International Trade Policy (UWI) Research Interests: Trade and Climate Change, International Trade Policy and Development, Export Development
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Author Information
Name: Lafleur Cockburn Email: lafleurcockburn@hotmail.com Campus: Cave Hill Campus Faculty: Humanities and Education Department: Language, Linguistics and Literature Position: MPhil Candidate, Faculty Rep. Qualifications: BA. Literatures in English (Hons) (UWI) Programme: MPhil Literatures in English Research Interests: Caribbean Literature with emphasis on Vincentian writing, Vincentian writing at intersection with history, gender, social realism and post colonialism.
Name: Brittany N. Demas Email: bridemas@gmail.com Campus: Cave Hill (2013-2015) Faculty: Social Sciences Department: Management Studies Position: HR Analyst (Recruitment) Qualifications: BSc. Psychology (UWI, St.Augustine); MSc Management specialization in HRM (UWI, Cave Hill)
Name: Shakira Grannum Email: shakiragrannum@gmail.com Campus: Cave Hill (past student) Faculty: Science and Technology Department: Natural Science Employer: Barbados Bottling Company LTD (member of the Banks Holdings Limited Group of Companies) Position: Quality Assurance Technician Qualifications: Certified Coca Cola Company Microbiologist; MPhil. Microbiology (UWI); BSc. Ecology with Earth Science (UWI) Research Interests: Through my exposure in the beverage industry, I have developed an avid interest in the effect of microbial populations on spoilage rate; and the effective control of microbial populations via cleaning and sanitization procedures.
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Author Information
Name: Legena Henry Email: legenahenry@alum.mit.edu Campus: St. Augustine Faculty: Engineering Department: Mechanical Engineering Position: Assistant Lecturer Qualifications: M.Sc. (MIT), B.Sc. (Magna Cum Laude, Howard) Research Interests: Fluid Mechanics, Ocean wave energy, Ocean wave statistics
Name: Jerelle A Joseph Email: jaj52@cam.ac.uk Institution: University of Cambridge Department: Chemistry (Theory, Modelling and Informatics Research Interest Group) Position: PhD. Candidate & Gates Cambridge Scholar Qualifications:BSc. Chemistry and Mathematics (Hons.) (UWI), MPhil.Chemistry (High Commendation) (UWI) Research Interest: Computational Studies of Protein Folding
Name: Alberta A.G.S. Richelieu Email: albertarichelieu@gmail.com Present Institution: The University of London Programme: Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) (In progress) Qualifications: BSc. Economics & Law (Hons.) (UWI) MSc. International Trade Policy (UWI) Graduate Diploma in Law (BPP University London) Research Interests: International Trade Policy, International Law, Developmental Economics, Climate Change and Trade
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Author Information
Name: Gail Rolle Email: gail.rolle@mycavehill.uwi.edu Campus: Cave Hill Faculty: Science and Technology Department: Computer, Mathematics and Physics Position: PhD. Candidate Qualifications: BSc Information Technology with Management Research Interest: Educational Technology
Name: Chaney C.G. St. Martin Email: cstmartin@hotmail.com Campus: St. Augustine Faculty: Food and Agriculture Department: Food Production Position: Researcher Qualifications: Ph.D. Crop Science Research Interests: Green product development, bioprocess modelling, plant ecology and biowaste transformation
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