The
UWI Regional Headquarters Jamaica. Monday, 15 June 2020. Academics
in the fields of in tourism, economics, accounting, social
psychology, management, political and social psychology, agriculture,
marine biology, cultural studies, plant pathology and petroleum
engineering are among the newest professors at The University of the
West Indies (The UWI).

The
academics were recently promoted from Senior Lecturers to Professor,
the highest rank at the regional university. These promotions follow
a review of their records of teaching, research, public service and
other professional activities by internal and external assessors. The
appointments were subsequently approved at recent meeting of the
University Finance and General Purposes Committee (UFGPC). The new
professors and the dates with which their appointments take effect
are as follows:

February
2020

• 
  Dr
  Philmore Alleyne,
  Cave Hill Campus, promoted to Professor of Accounting
  
• 
  Dr
  Raffie Hosein,
  St Augustine Campus, promoted to Professor of Petroleum Engineering
  
  
• 
  Dr
  Troy Lorde,
  Cave Hill Campus, promoted to Professor of the Economics of Tourism
  
  

May
2020

• 
  Dr
  Christopher Charles,
  Mona Campus, promoted to Professor of Political Social Psychology
  
  
• 
  Dr
  Dwayne Devonish,
  Cave Hill Campus, promoted to Professor of Management and
  Organisational Behaviour
  
• 
  Dr
  Judith Gobin,
  St Augustine Campus who was promoted to Professor of Marine Biology
  
  
• 
  Dr
  Aaron Kamugisha,
  Cave Hill Campus, who was promoted to Professor of Caribbean and
  Africana Thought
  
• 
  Dr
  Duraisamy Saravanakumar,
  St Augustine Campus, promoted to Professor of Plant Pathology
  

More
about the new Professors

Professor
Philmore Alleyne

Professor
Philmore Alleyne is a Chartered Accountant and lectures in Accounting
at The UWI, Cave Hill. His research interests are notably wide and
include, accounting and auditing; taxation; business; professional
ethics and whistle-blowing among public accountants. His work
provides welcomed additions to literature particularly in context of
developing and emerging countries.

Professor
Alleyne has published 47 articles in peer-reviewed journals,
including the top-rated British
Accounting Review
and Journal
of Business Ethics.
One assessor noted that this robust publication record alone warrants
his promotion to full professorship. He has presented at eight
conferences, written 16 non-academic publications including technical
reports and has over 20 works in progress. His book, Ethical
and Whistleblowing Considerations in the Accounting Profession in the
Caribbean,
was accepted for publication in 2019.

In
2018, Professor Alleyne presented on ‘Corporate Governance and
Corruption’ to the Joint Select Committee of Parliament, in
Barbados. He currently serves as a member of the editorial Boards for
The
Accounting Educator’s Journal, the Journal of Financial Reporting
and Accounting (Emerald Journal) and
the
Inter-American Journal of Psychology.

Professor
Alleyne received the Cave Hill Campus Principal’s Award for
Excellence for Research and Publications in 2013. In 2018, he also
won the Emerald Literati Award from Emerald Publishing and the Cave
Hill Campus Award for the Most Internationally Successful Research.

Professor
Alleyne holds a BSc (Hons.) in Accounting (1986) from The UWI, Cave
Hill. He was designated a Chartered Accountant by the UK’s
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in 1990 and
became a Fellow (FCCA) of the Association in 1996. In 2003 he became
a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Accountants (FCA). He earned
a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Oxford Brookes
University (2004); a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip – Distinction)
Research Methods (2007) and his PhD in Accounting (2010), both from
the University of Bradford.

Professor
Alleyne served as Head of the Department of Management Studies from
2012 - 2018. He developed two postgraduate courses and supervised
five PhD candidates. He is currently Chair of the Barbados Minimum
Wage Board and works pro bono as an auditor for the Barbados Red
Cross Society.

Professor
Raffie Hosein

Head
of The UWI St. Augustine’s Department of Chemical Engineering,
Coordinator of MSc Reservoir Engineering programme funded by BPTT and
Chartered Petroleum Engineer, Professor Raffie Hosein, is a
recognised professional and educator in his field.

A
proud alumnus, Professor Hosein is the only holder of the combination
of the BSc (1984), MPhil (1990) and PhD (2004) with high commendation
in Petroleum Engineering from The UWI. He also holds a postgraduate
certificate (PGCert) in Teaching and Learning with Distinction from
The UWI.

A
large percentage of Professor Hosein’s research work focuses on oil
and gas extraction in Trinidad and Tobago. More recently, his
research has diversified to novel methods for improving heavy oil
recovery and new research on radio frequency heating of oil sands
combined with solvent injections. The latter, according to one
assessor is an area with “...potential for developing innovative
and new technology.”

Professor
Hosein has published over 27 articles in peer-reviewed journals and
prepared seven technical reports, specifically for the Ministry of
Energy and Energy Industries, Trinidad and Tobago. He has also
delivered 24 conference and seminar presentations and is a reviewer
for several journals including the Journal
of Petroleum Science
and
Engineering
and the West
Indian Journal of Engineering.

In
2018, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) awarded Professor
Hosein the
Regional Distinguished Achievement Award for
distinction in classroom teaching and research contributions to the
petroleum engineering profession. Over his academic career, he has
supervised over 120 postgraduate research projects and currently
supervises four MPhil and four PhD candidates.

Professor
Hosein’s work outside the region includes academic and technical
roles at the Sultan Qaboos University, Oman and Texas A&M
University, Qatar. His work as an international industry Teaching
Consultant has connected him with large industry players like
Schlumberger and PetroKnowledge in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Professor
Hosein served as member of the Energy Task Force established by the
Trinidad and Tobago Government to advise its Standing Committee on
Energy. He is currently a Fellow with the UK Institute of Materials,
Minerals and Mining (IOM3), member of the UK Energy Institute (EI),
Vice-Chairman of the Caribbean Branch and member of the SPE.

Professor
Troy Lorde

Professor
Troy Lorde started his career at The UWI, Cave Hill as a teaching
assistant in 1998. He joined the Campus in 2004 and worked his way up
to Head of the Department of Economics, a position he has held since
2018. Professor Lorde holds a PhD in Tourism Economics from the
University of Surrey (2014), an MA in Economics from York University
(1999) and a BSc in Economics and Accounting from The UWI, Cave Hill
(1998).

Professor
Lorde’s primary research interests include Tourism Economics Trade
and Growth and Development. His research is both ground-breaking and
practical. One assessor noted that he leads the research in tourism
demand modelling and forecasting. Another praised the practical
applicability of Professor Lorde’s work which addresses current
topics such as climate change, Airbnb supply and electrical energy
for economic growth.

For
his outstanding research in Economics, Professor Lorde has received
numerous UWI awards. They include a Campus Research Award in 2007,
2009 and 2018 and the Campus Principal’s Award for Excellence in
Research in 2017. His work in teaching and learning was recognised
with a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)/Guild of
Students Certificate for Outstanding Contributions to Student
Learning in 2019. Professor Lorde also received the CIBC First
Caribbean International Bank (CIBC) Research Grant(s) in Banking and
Finance in 2016.

A
well published researcher, he has 43 peer-reviewed publications in
top tier journals including Tourism Management, Energy Economics and
the Journal of Travel Research and Tourism Economics. He has also
authored 10 book chapters and monographs with several in progress.
Professor Lorde has supervised and examined 33 postgraduate
researchers including nine at the PhD and MPhil levels and has
presented at 47 conferences.

Professor
Lorde’s work is valuable to policymakers and the public alike. He
has served as the Assistant Chief Examiner in Economics, Caribbean
Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE); is currently the Deputy
Chairman of the Management Committee of the Agricultural Development
Fund, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Barbados and has
appeared as a guest columnist in the Sunday
Sun Newspaper
and the Barbados
Business Authority.

Professor
Christopher Charles

Professor
of Political and Social Psychology, Christopher Charles tackles
complex topics related to post-colonial political and social
identity. As a researcher, he is deeply concerned with colourism,
electoral politics, violence and extreme partisanship—realities he
proposes are legacies of slavery and colonialism. Regarding his work
in social identity, one assessor calls him the ‘preeminent scholar
of skin bleaching’ a topic that has implications for African
diaspora and sub Saharan societies. Professor Charles’ research
refutes the theory that skin-bleaching is a result of low self-esteem
and self-hate. He instead argues that bleaching is related to
colourism and the associated miseducation as skin-bleachers scarcely
display low self-esteem or a sense of body disturbance.

Professor
Charles holds a BA in Geography with Social Science (1990) and an MSc
in Government (1994) both from The UWI, Mona. His qualifications in
Psychology include an MA (2006), MPhil (2008) and a PhD (2010); all
from the City University of New York.

Professor
Charles’ body of published work includes 38 peer-reviewed articles
comprising book chapters and journal articles. These have been
published broadly in Caribbean journals as well as international
publications such as The
Journal of Black Studies
and the British
Journal of Psychology.
Professor Charles has presented at 33 conferences, is an ad hoc peer
reviewer for several international journals and is the Editor of the
book, Perspectives
on Caribbean Football
(2015).

At
The UWI, Mona, Professor Charles is Programme Coordinator for the BSc
programme ‘Political Leadership, Strategy and Management’ and has
designed several undergraduate courses. He has supervised seven
postgraduate researchers and served as examiner for nine others.

Throughout
his career, Professor Charles has served the public as an educator,
youth worker, counsellor, newspaper columnist and a sport psychology
consultant. He is currently a member of the Board of Visitors for the
St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.

Professor
Dwayne Devonish

Professor
Dwayne Devonish impressed assessors with the breadth and depth of his
scholarship. It was noted that “his research appears in quality
outlets and much of it is of direct value to the internal and
external communities he serves.”

This
alumnus of The UWI, Cave Hill Campus holds both a Diploma in Teaching
and Learning in Higher Education along with a BSc in Psychology
(First Class Honours) from the University as well as an MSc in Work
and Organisational Psychology (with Distinction) and a PhD in Work
and Organisational Psychology from the University of Nottingham in
the United Kingdom.

He
began his academic career in 2005 as a Research Assistant in the
Department of Management Studies, and transitioned to Assistant
Lecturer, Temporary Lecturer, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer.

Professor
Devonish’s scholarly output has totalled 31 journal articles, with
seven of those articles being single-authorships in international
scholarly journals. He served as first author contributor to an
additional four of these articles. Within the last four years he
published nine scholarly articles and one refereed book.

The
impact of his focused research work in organisational psychology and
behaviour has led to heightened local, regional and international
recognition and allowed the building of an attractive profile for
securing funds for various research projects and activities over the
last few years. He is credited with attracting over US$1,305,000 in
research grant funding.

At
the same time, he has maintained a full course load in the Department
of Management Studies, covering key undergraduate and postgraduate
courses and he has supervised at least 16 graduate students including
MSc, MPhil and PhD candidates.

Over
the past ten years at The UWI Cave Hill Campus, he also served as an
active committee member on over 15 faculty-level and/or
University-level committees.

He
is currently the Chief Coordinator of the MSc. International
Management programme within the Department of Management Studies
which he recently restructured into an MSc. International Business
programme. He is also credited with the development of a
comprehensive guide for assessing faculty members’ academic
performance in the areas of teaching, research, public service and
university service.

He
has contributed his expertise to public service in the areas of human
resource management and organisation behaviour for the last ten years
as a trainer, presenter and committee member for many public sector
and private sector organisations locally and regionally.

Professor
Judith Gobin

Professor
Judith Gobin is an internationally recognised marine biology expert.
Currently Head of the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science
and Technology at The UWI, St Augustine, her marine research career
spans more than 38 years. Professor Gobin has made significant
contributions to the knowledge of marine biodiversity in Trinidad and
Tobago and the Caribbean.

She
earned a PhD in Marine Ecology from the University of Exeter, UK
(1994) and holds an MPhil in Pollution Ecology (1988) and a BSc in
Zoology/Botany (1982), both from The UWI, St Augustine. Professor
Gobin began her academic career as a Lecturer (in 2002) and then a
Senior Lecturer (in 2016). As a Caribbean Marine Scientist, Professor
Gobin has achieved a number of firsts. She was appointed to the REV
Ocean Science and Innovation Committee (SIC) in 2019 and serves on
the Global Advisory Board of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative
(DOSI) since 2018. She contributed to the Intergovernmental
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
(IPBES) as Lead Author (2019) and also to the World Ocean Assessment
(2015) and the Census of Marine Life Initiative (2010).

Her
works on almost 300 new marine scientific species and records for the
Caribbean have been published. In 2018, she launched with NIHERST a
book and five-part DVD series, Deep
Sea Wonders
featuring footage from an expedition by the E/V Nautilus. She was
on-board the ship that showcased the first clear pictorial look at
the Caribbean’s deep sea communities.

Beyond
academic achievements, Professor Gobin has been making marine
scientific interventions and contributing to the negotiations for an
international legally binding instrument, under the UN Convention on
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use
of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction
(BBNJ). She has also given a number of international talks as a Small
Island Developing States (SIDs) marine science expert.

One
external assessor commented that Professor Gobin’s “scientific
excellence and her international connections make her have a huge
global reach and influence. As such, she is an incredible Ambassador
for The UWI and for Trinidad and Tobago.”

Professor
Aaron Kamugisha

Professor
Kamugisha’s research focus is on the social, cultural and political
thought of the Caribbean and African diaspora, and is one of the
leading specialists on Caribbean and Africana thought at the
University of the West Indies. A UWI alumnus, he completed his BSc.
in Accounting (1997) and MPhil in Political Science with high
commendation (2002) at the Cave Hill Campus. He earned his PhD in
Social and Political Thought at York University in Toronto (2006),
and was the 2007/2008 Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of
African-American Studies at Northwestern University.

His
career at The UWI commenced as a temporary lecturer in Political
Science in 2006/2007, following which, he served in the Cultural
Studies Programme in as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and now
Professor. In total, he has served 13 years at The UWI, taught 17
different courses in the areas of Cultural Studies and Political
Science, and supervised a number of students towards the award of
their MA, MPhil and PhD degrees in a variety of disciplines.

Among
his service highlights at The UWI, Cave Hill are Programme
Coordinator, Cultural Studies from 2015 to the present, Chair of the
Campus Lecturer Series Committee (2012-2015); Principal Investigator
at The UWI of the “Other Universals: Theorizing from Postcolonial
Locations on Politics and Aesthetics” International Consortium
2017-present; contributing to The UWI Assessment and Promotions
Guidelines (2019); Programme Coordinator for Cultural Studies and
Lead Coordinator of the Cultural Studies Quality Review Assessment.

Professor
Kamugisha’s scholarly publications include one single authored
book, six edited collections, four special issues of academic
journals, 15 journal articles and 13 book chapters. He has spoken by
invitation at over 27 different universities around the world,
including in Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, the
Caribbean, Europe and North America. Outside The UWI, Professor
Kamugisha has an extensive record of public service which includes
coordinating, speaking and moderating or chairing several lectures
and seminars. He was the recipient of a Cave Hill Campus Principal’s
Award for Excellence in Research in 2013 and was awarded a US$1.1
million grant for the Other Universals Consortium project in
association with the University of the Western Cape, the University
of Cape Town, and the American University of Beirut.

One
of his external assessors reported, “He has carved out a
distinctive position as a cross–disciplinary and creative thinker,
whose writings are relevant in both the humanities and social
sciences, including cultural studies, philosophy, literature and
political theory.”

Professor
Duraisamy Saravanakumar

Assessors
say “the noteworthy features of Professor Saravanakumar are his
work on the molecular plant pathogen interaction seeking for
biological agents able to enhance the host plant resistance. The high
level of his contribution in many scientific events must be
appreciated and recognised by the senior academic community.”

Professor
Saravanakumar holds a BSc in Agriculture, an MSc in Plant Pathology
and a PhD in Plant Pathology from the Agricultural College and
Research Institute in TNAU, India, and a Postgraduate Certificate in
University Teaching and Learning from The UWI, St Augustine Campus.

He
has served at St Augustine as Senior Lecturer in Plant Pathology in
the Department of Food Production since January 2014. Prior to this,
he held a range of academic positions at Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University in India, and University of Turin in Italy. He is credited
with establishing a progressive research programme in agriculture and
plant pathology that is appropriate for the needs of West Indian
agriculture and has also maintained an impressive record of
leadership at various levels. He has 15 years of experience in
developing microbial based novel formulations for the management of
plant health, including postharvest diseases.

He
is currently engaged in research on the development of molecular
diagnostics of tropical plant pathogens and bio formulations for the
sustainable management of plant diseases. He served as an
international consultant for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
to develop the certification protocol for the production of disease
free planting materials in ginger in Jamaica. From 2014 to 2019, he
supervised 11 students, with another 12 currently reading for the
MSc, MPhil and PhD levels.

Professor
Saravanakumar has published over 54 impactful research papers in
refereed journals and authored nine book chapters. His publications
have over 2500 citations within Google Scholar, with papers published
as first author, earning over 1300 citations – particularly in the
fields of plant pathology, entomology, biological control, stress
mitigation, microbiology, environmental science, and molecular
biology.

He
has received externally funded research grants to the value of
TT$3,100,000 as Principal Investigator and Key Expert from funding
agencies such as GEF-FAO, European Union, UWI-TT RDI Fund, Campus
Research and Publication Fund and UNU-BIOLAC - United Nations
University.

Professor Saravanakumar holds professional membership in a range of bodies including the American Phytopathological Society and India’s National Environmental Science Academy. He has served as an ad-hoc reviewer for various plant science journals of Elsevier, Springer and Wiley. Professor Saravanakumar is also a topic editor for the journal, Frontiers on the Topic of Plant Growth Promotional Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture in 2020.

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