The University of the Southern Caribbean is proud to host its Annual Research Conference, focusing on the theme “Lifestyle, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), and Innovative Research Methodologies in Health and Well-Being.” This event brings together
researchers from diverse fields such as public health, social science, and behavioral health, along with policymakers, to explore,
discuss, and innovate new approaches. Our primary goal is to understand and address lifestyle-related diseases while
promoting effective ways to enhance health and wellness for all.
Dr. Loren Toussaint is a professor of psychology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He serves as the chair of the Discover Forgiveness Advisory Council for the Templeton World Charity Foundation, president of the Forgiveness Foundation, associate director of the Sierra Leone Forgiveness Project, and a consultant to Mayo Clinic, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and Boise State University. Additionally, he is a visiting professor at the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.
Dr. Toussaint’s research focuses on virtues, particularly forgiveness, and their connection to health and well-being. He and his colleagues recently published Forgiveness and Health: Scientific Evidence and Theories Relating Forgiveness to Better Health (Springer), a comprehensive collection of research on the subject.
He is also the director of the Laboratory for the Investigation of Mind, Body, and Spirit at Luther College Learm more about Dr.Toussaint. Dr. Toussaint advocates for “everyday forgiveness” as a means to build resilience and reduce stress in families, schools, healthcare settings, workplaces, and communities.
Dr. David R. Williams, a distinguished scholar and global authority on social determinants of health, is the Florence and Laura Norman Professor of Public Health and Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A USC alumnus, he has authored over 500 scientific papers and developed the Everyday Discrimination Scale, a key tool in health research.
Dr. Williams is the first Seventh-day Adventist elected to the National Academy of Sciences and has been recognized as the world’s most cited Black scholar in the Social Sciences. His TED Talk has garnered over 1.8 million views, and his research has influenced national health policies.
Beyond academia, he has dedicated himself to public health advocacy and service within the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Dr. Samuel George Hansdak is Professor & Head of the Department of Medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a graduate and postgraduate from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India. He also holds MA in Sociology; and Fellowship in Education from FAIMER, Philadelphia. He has a diploma in International Board of Lifestyle Medicine from American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He has a special interest in Lifestyle Medicine. He is the former President of Asian Society of Lifestyle Medicine and founding President of the Indian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.
He has written book chapters in obesity and snake bite. He has edited a textbook entitled “Lifestyle as Medicine” where his chapter on “Meaning and Purpose: Finding Fulfilment in Life” is published. He has also pioneered the first blended learning course called Post Graduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine. He has 38 publications in peer review journals.
Dr. Samuel E. Dey is a distinguished psychiatrist with over 40 years of experience in the medical field, including 25+ years specializing in Psychiatry. He is the founder and Medical Director of Dogon Behavioral Medical Group, an organization named after the Dogon tribe of Mali, known for their vision and freedom—values that Dr. Dey strives to uphold in the psychiatric profession.
Dr. Dey is board-certified in Psychiatry, with added qualifications in Geriatric Psychiatry. He is a graduate of the Loma Linda University School of Medicine and completed his training in Psychiatry at the Loma Linda University Medical Center.
His expertise and dedication have made a significant impact in the field of mental health, particularly in advancing patient-centered care and holistic psychiatric practices.
He is currently in private practice in Riverside, California.
Join dynamic discussions and explore innovative solutions to pressing health and well-being challenges.
Network with leading researchers, policymakers, and fellow attendees to build lasting professional relationships.
Share your insights and learn from others to advance the field of public health and wellness.
