Science students attend Caribbean Science Forum

Eight young enthusiastic Science students from the A’level College returned to these shores last week with a wealth of knowledge after participating in the seventh edition of the Caribbean Youth Science Forum (CYSF) held in Trinidad and Tobago at the University of the West Indies and the University of Trinidad and Tobago O’Meara Campus.{{more}}

An initiative of the Caribbean Council of Science and Technology (CCST) and the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), the students: Veronique Walker, Alkeem Alexander, Colette Charles, Christal Oliver, Devon Dickson, Camraul Cadogon and Leon Walters each took part in debates, workshops, lectures and discussions, among others, in the week long program, which lasted from August 3-10.

The students’ chaperone, Science and Technology Coordinator in the Ministry of Telecommunications Phillip Jackson, said that the basic objective of the forum was to create an engaging environment for young science students to interact with other science students from around the region. Jackson said it has come to the point where he feels that other countries should help in sponsoring the forum since it has become such an integral part of the students’ development.

Jackson also noted that the trip was indeed a success but the highlight of their trip was the opportunity to mix with fun loving science students from seven other Caribbean countries. He said that the support of the Trinidad government was tremendous and he thanked the National Lotteries Authority for funding the local delegation’s trip.

The excited students said that they were exposed to many different fields and aspects of science. The students admitted that they

found the field of forensics to be particularly interesting.

The students noted that the field of Science is not well received by many youths here and contributing to that is the absence of a National Science Museum. They said if a museum were to be built here, much more could be done to teach students about Science and its related fields.

Research Officer Inga Creese and Science student Aljay Massiah also attended the forum.