Prepared by Dr. Susan Chand, Director, Office of Research & Innovation
Visit usc.edu.tt/researchday for more!
Research Day is an annual event that showcases the scholarly work of the faculty, staff and students at the University of the Southern Caribbean through oral presentations, poster exhibitions and round table discussions. As we continue to be in the pandemic times, the presentations will be focusing on the dimensionalities and disparities encountered by the people locally and across the globe. Theme of the Research Day 2022 is: “Human Dimensionalities and Disparities: The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical, Social, Economic, Emotional and Spiritual Well Being”.
BACKGROUND
COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the normal way of life for people world-wide. Rapid changes to adapt to the ‘new normal’ has created a competitive environment that has challenged access to health, resources, food, jobs by many individuals leading to disparities in human dimensions. Human dimension encompasses a wide range of human behaviours, relationships, and dynamics. Countries and regions continue to face threats directed toward exploitation of persons from low socio-economic status, minority groups, women, and migrant populations. This situation under COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to exacerbating rather than alleviating the plights of the vulnerable groups globally as well in the Caribbean region (United Nations Policy Brief COVID LAC, 2020).
OBJECTIVES
The USC Research Day 2022 will address the issues of human dimensionalities and disparities in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the objectives will be to:
1. Address the issues of disparities across human dimensions globally and regionally.
2. Discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the physical, social, economic, emotional, and spiritual well-being of people globally and in the context of the Caribbean region.
3. Discuss the disparities faced by the vulnerable populations globally and in the Caribbean region.
4. Provide innovative solutions/interventions to address human problems and disparities under COVID-19 pandemic.
PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES
Research Day will begin with the Public Lecture Series – VII on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 at 6:00 – 7:30 pm AST.
Public Lectures are held to address issues that are current and relevant to the University and the wider community. In the past, the topics of these Lectures have ranged from crime prevention, domestic violence, and child authority act, rising trends in diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago, climate change and mental health, education during COVID-19 pandemic, and public science – learning without walls. Public Lectures commenced at USC since 2019. These events are hosted from the Office of Research and Innovation.
This prestigious lecture will be delivered by Dr. Wayne L. Greaves, Distinguished Scientist in the biopharmaceutical field, physician and a specialist in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, USA. His primary focus is on research and development of drugs for infectious diseases. Dr. Greaves is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the author of numerous scientific articles.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic much of his time has been devoted to addressing myths about the Covid vaccines and separating fact from fiction.
USC RESEARCH DAY ONE – MARCH 9, 2022: OPENING CEREMONY
Research Day Opening Ceremony will commence on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 from 8:30 am – 9:45 am.
The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Dillon Alleyne, Deputy Director, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub regional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Topic: “The impact of the Covid19 on the Economic and Social Sectors and peoples of the Caribbean and Opportunities for Resilience Building”
PANEL PRESENTATION
Session – 1: Featured Panel Presentations: 9:55 – 11:00 am
Overarching Theme: “Evidential and Collaborative Approaches for Addressing Health Disparities and Equity”
Presenter # 1: Noel Brathwaite, PhD, MSPH, Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, USA.
Topic: Data Driven policy Formulation and Implementation
Presenter # 2: David A. Mann, MD, PhD, Epidemiologist, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, USA
Topic: COVID-19: A Causal Model Approach to Health Equity Data
Presenter # 3: Arif J. Vega, PhD, Director of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion – Engagement and Outreach, LUNGevity Foundation, Washington, USA
Topic: Priority Intervention Models
Presenter # 4: Diane Walker, MDH, Executive Assistant, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, USA
Topic: Funding, Capacity Building and Drivers of Sustainability
Session – 2: USC Students’ Oral Presentations – 11:00 – 11:40 am
Session – 3: USC Faculty Featured Presentations – 11:45 am – 12:25 pm
Presenter # 1: Ms. Fayola St. Bernard, Chair, Department of Computing, Mathematics and Technology School of Sciences, Technology and Allied Health, University of the Southern Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago.
Topic: “The Impact of Gamification on Student Engagement and Performance”
Presenter # 2: Dr. Gersha Pierre, Director, Quality Assurance, University of the Southern Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago.
Topic: “Using the Mixed Method Research Design for Scale Development and Inferential Analysis of Student Satisfaction in Higher Education”
Session – 4: USC Students’ Oral Presentations – 12:25 – 1:00 pm
Session – 5: ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION – 4:45 – 6:00 pm
Topic: “Three years in and counting: Navigating the interdisciplinary implications of Covid 19″.
Moderator – Dr. Amanda Thomas, Research Assistant Professor, School of Graduate Studies and Research, USC
1. Dr. Cerise Hunt: Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Director for the Center for Public Health Practice, Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at Colorado School of Public Health University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
2. Dr. Apryl Alexander: Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the University of Denver (DU).
3. Dr. Godfrey St. Bernard: Senior Fellow, Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
4. Dr. Lois George: Programme Coordinator for Undergraduate and Graduate Mathematics Education programmes and co-chairperson for the SOE Academic Quality Assurance Committee (SOEAQAC).
5. Dr. Claudette Mitchell: Chair, Department of Consumer Sciences, School of Science, Technology and Allied Health, USC
Session – 6: USC Faculty & Students’ Oral Presentations – 6:00 – 7:30 pm
USC RESEARCH DAY TWO – MARCH 10, 2022
Session – 1 – Featured Presentation – 8:30 – 9:10 am
Featured Speaker: Mr. Charles D. Jean-Pierre Collier, President, T&T Association of Psychologists
Topic: “When the Proposal Pleases the Whole Group – Participatory Action Research”
Session – 2 – USC Faculty and Students’ Presentations – 9:10 – 9:50 am
Session – 3: Featured Presentation – 9:50 – 10:30 am
Presenter: Dr. Walter Murray, Managing Director/Founder – Strategic Business Analysts, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Topic: “Human Dimensionality, Covid19 and Opportunities to Implement Genesis Leadership Principles”
Session – 3 – USC Faculty and Students’ Presentations – 10:30 – 11:15 am
SESSION – 4: ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION – 11:20 AM – 12:30 PM
MODERATOR: Mr. Paul Richards, Independent Senator, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Adjunct Faculty, USC
Overarching Theme: “Human Dimensionalities and Disparities: Inter-regional perspectives and solutions”
Presenter # 1: Kenneth P Swansi, MBA, MPhil, PhD, Chair, Business Department Associate Dean, Graduate School Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies [AIIAS], Philippines
Focus area: “Economic disparities on account of COVID-19 globally and in the Asian context”
Presenter # 2: Lía Rodríguez de la Vega, PhD, Teacher/Researcher at the National University of Lomas de Zamora/University of Palermo, Argentina & Director of the Diploma of Asian Studies (UNCAUS, Argentina)
Focus area: “Latin American perspective on disparity issues during COVID-19 pandemic (including gender issues)”
Presenter # 3: Amy Paul-Ward, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy Former Director, Nursing PhD Program Florida International University, USA & Visiting Faculty, Department of Occupational Therapy, USC
Focus area: “Disparities with special reference to disabilities: A health anthropological perspective in the context North America”
Presenter # 4: Donald T Simeon, PhD, Director, Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development, Professor of Biostatistics and Public Health Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad
Focus area: “The Critical Role of the Researcher in addressing the COVID-driven challenges to Human Dimensionalities and Disparities”
Presenter # 5: Dr. Wanda Chesney, Provost, University of the Southern Caribbean, Trinidad
Focus area: “Online Teaching and Learning Challenges and Resilience at a Tertiary Institution – Actions for closing the Disparity gaps”
CLOSING CEREMONY – 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Keynote Speaker: Professor Sunil Khanna, Professor and Robert & Sara Rothschild Endowed Chair in Global Health, Oregon State University, School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon, USA
Topic: Exploring Dimensions of Health Inequities: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic
