The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Branson D. Belle as the Executive Director of the Centre for Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy at The UWI Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda. The Centre aims to advance research and training in oceanography and sustainable maritime industries, contributing to the development of the blue economy in the Caribbean region.
Dr. Belle, an Antiguan national, brings over 20 years of experience in cutting-edge technology development from renowned universities and research institutes. He obtained his Ph.D. in Magnetic Materials from the University of Manchester (UoM), where he also earned a Master’s degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering with First Class Honours, and spent a year at ENSEEIHT in Toulouse, France. He was awarded the F.C. Williams (2000), IEEE (2001) and the Sir William Siemen (2003) awards for most outstanding academic achievements in his years at UoM. Belle then obtained an Overseas Research Scholarship award to pursue his PhD in Magnetic Materials at UoM.
After his Ph.D., Dr. Belle worked as a Research Associate with Nobel Prize winners Professor Sir Andre Geim and Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov. He co-founded 2-DTech Ltd, a materials and technology company later acquired by Versarien PLC. For the past nine years, Dr. Belle has been a senior scientist at SINTEF, one of Europe’s largest research institutes, working in the departments of Smart Sensor Systems and Sustainable Energy Technology. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals and secured over $7 million in grant funding.
“I am thrilled to be joining UWI FIC,” said Dr. Belle. “After more than 25 years abroad studying and working with some of the world’s leading scientists and companies, I look forward to bringing this experience back to Antigua and Barbuda to further assist in the build out of the campus and nation building.”
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor Justin Robinson noted that the addition of Dr. Belle to the CoBE will be a significant boost to The UWI Five Islands Campus. “The UWI Five Islands Campus is fortunate to be able to attract a scholar of Dr. Belle’s global stature at such an early stage in its development.”. He also noted that “Dr. Belle, a distinguished son of the soil will lead the charge as the campus builds out a vibrant research culture.”
Dr. Belle’s appointment becomes effective August 1, 2024.
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the center of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for over 75 years.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and the wider world. The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE) . Since The UWI’s 2018 debut in THE’s rankings, it has performed well in multiple schemes—among them including World University Rankings, Golden Age University Rankings (between 50 and 80 years old), Latin America Rankings, and the Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being; Gender Equality and Climate Action.
