In recognition of his work in Guyana and Canada creating the rare bridge between scientific research and commercial application, with lessened environmental impact, Trent University’s Dr. Suresh Narine has been named laureate for the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence in the Science and Technology category.

“With the increase in scientific knowledge globally, the Caribbean still finds itself in the role of technology importer. Professor Suresh Narine of Guyana is one of the people who is actively changing that with reference to the physical and chemical sciences,” read the announcement from the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence, the Caribbean’s leading recognition program in Arts, Sciences, and Public and Civic Work.

“It is a distinct honour, and most humbling, to now be counted among the stellar group of past and current laureates of the Anthony N. Sabga Award for Excellence,” said Prof. Narine. “This recognition must be shared with the many graduate and undergraduate students, research associates, post-doctoral fellows and research collaborators I have been fortunate to work with over the years, and in particular, with the staff of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology in Guyana. As the still relatively young Caribbean region matures into a shared future fraught with challenges, the celebration of role models from across the region has a cumulative impact on development, Caribbean unity, and collective achievement.  The leadership demonstrated by the ANSA McAL Foundation and Dr. Anthony N. Sabga in conceptualizing and supporting these awards is both visionary and immediately impactful, and for this reason I am grateful to Dr. Sabga and the foundation.  Recognition from one’s home region is simultaneously humbling and motivating.”

A Trent University alumnus, Prof. Narine, originally from Guyana, is an internationally-renowned expert in biomaterials. Prof. Narine is the director of the Institute of Applied Science in Guyana (IAST) and a professor at Trent, where he directs the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research. He also holds the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Lipid Derived Biomaterials and the Ontario Research Chair in Green Chemistry and Engineering. His work as a researcher has led to 138 peer-reviewed publications, two books, 22 patents, and the creation of environmentally-friendly economic activity in Guyana, Canada and beyond.

Though he lives and was educated in Canada, Prof Narine holds dual citizenship and returns to Guyana on a monthly basis for his participation in its technological and scientific development. In Guyana, he is credited for single-handedly reviving the IAST, through persistent lobbying and attracting research funds, and turning it into the premier institution of its kind – in research chemistry, materials science, environmental monitoring, and physical properties analysis – in the region.

In addition to his research work, Prof. Narine has written policy documents for the Guyanese government including its current Science and Technology Policy and its first Agro-energy policy. He is also the chair of Research and Innovation in Guyana’s National Science Council and chair of the Energy Thematic Group on Guyana’s National Competitiveness Council.

The work he leads in the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research focuses on the utilisation of plant oils to create “environmentally-friendly” materials such as polymers, lubricants, adhesives and drug delivery matrices for everyday use. In 2011, he was named one of “Canada’s Top 40 Under 40” by the Globe and Mail. Professor Narine has been additionally honored with a Presidential Award from the President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, for his contributions to Science and Technology in Guyana and Canada, the Trent University Distinguished Alumni Award, the Guyana Award for Special Achievement (in spawning the biofuels sector in Guyana), the Growing Alberta Leadership Award for Innovation, and many other accolades and awards.

In addition to his roles at Trent and in Guyana, Prof. Narine is a member of the Canadian Association of Physicists, the American Physical Society, the International Federation of Food Technologists, and the American Oil Chemists Society. He is also a much-sought after speaker in the Caribbean and North America on topics of the inter-relationships between commerce, science and the environment.

About the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence

Initiated by Dr Anthony N. Sabga, one of the Caribbean's most celebrated entrepreneurs, the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence (ANSCAFE) is the English-speaking Caribbean’s leading recognition program in Arts, Sciences, and Public and Civic Work. The awards recognize and reward excellence in the Caribbean region and create an awareness of the significant work done in the region that benefits Caribbean people, and all people worldwide.

2015 marks the 10^th anniversary of this distinguished awards program. Launched in 2005, prizes are awarded in the spheres of Arts & Letters, Science & Technology, and Public & Civic Contributions. Laureates are presented with a cash prize of (TT)$500,000 (US$83,000), a gold medal, and a citation at a ceremony in April. More info: www.ansacaribbeanawards.com