The Launch of the Centre for Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE)

A unique opportunity to delve into the challenges and opportunities that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face in the context of the Blue Economy and Climate Finance.

Antigua
Date
30 May 2024
Time
12:00 AST (GMT-4)
Location
The fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4)

Room 10
American University of Antigua
Jabberwock Rd
Osbourn
Antigua & Barbuda

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In 2021, The University of West Indies in partnership with the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Centre for Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE). 

The Centre is part of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to transition to a Blue Economy. Research, teaching and training are central pillars to this plan, and the ACU will convene universities from across the Commonwealth to develop the networks and collaborations to underpin research-led solutions.

Join us at the launch event to hear from UWI, ACU and other partners on how we will be working to research and advance issues surrounding the Blue Economy and share your ideas and perspectives as potential partners.

RSVP here
Branson Belle

Branson Belle Ph.D.

Dr Branson D. Belle is a skilled scientist with over 20 years' experience developing technology at world leading universities and institutes. 

Branson is a graduate of The University of Manchester (Meng in Electronic and Electrical Engineering and PhD in Magnetism). Following his PhD, Branson continued his research at the University of Manchester in a Nobel Prize Winning laboratory. Dr Belle has commercialisation experience having    co-founded 2-DTech Ltd, and material and device spin out from the University of Manchester. He also worked as Director, Research Programmes and Technology at Thinfilm Electronics ASA.  

For the past 9 years Branson has been working as a senior scientist at SINTEF in Oslo Norway, one of Europe's largest research institutes, in the departments of Smart Sensor Systems and Sustainable Energy Technology where he has been developing novel sensor platforms. To date, Branson has published over 30 international peer-reviewed papers in world class journals including Science, Nature Nanotechnology and Nano Letters and has raised over $7 million USD in grant funding.

Dr Belle will assume the role of Director of the Centre for Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy on August 1, 2024.

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Justin Robinson

Professor C. Justin Robinson

Professor Justin Robinson, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines national, is a distinguished University of the West Indies (UWI) alumnus with a PhD in Finance from the University of Manchester.

With over 20 years at UWI, he has held leadership roles as Department Head, Executive Director, Dean, and Pro Vice-Chancellor. He was instrumental in work of the taskforce for establishing UWI's Five Islands Campus.

As a Professor of Corporate Finance, his research interests span capital markets, public finance, risk management, and corporate finance, with over 50 publications. Before becoming Campus Principal at Five Islands, he led the Multi-Campus Teaching & Learning Initiative and Foreign Language Policy implementation.

Professor Robinson actively serves on boards including the Central Bank of Barbados, Fiscal Responsibility Mechanism, Jamaica Money Market Brokers, and West India Biscuit Company. He chairs CARICRIS Ratings Committee and is First Vice-President of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. 

Appointed on August 1, 2023, he is the Five Islands Campus' third Principal.

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