Executive Director of the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) and Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr Cardinal Warde believes that over time, the Caribbean could develop into a global science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) hub.
To promote STEM in the region, the CSF runs several major programmes for Caribbean youth, including the Student Programme for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE) – an intensive summer STEM programme, the Barbados Junior Robotics Camps (BJRC), the Caribbean Computer Coding Workshops (C3W), and the Caribbean STEM Olympiads (CSO) – competitions in robotics, computer programming and maths.
Sagicor Life Inc. and Sagicor Financial Company Ltd. have supported SPISE since 2012, BJRC and C3W for multiple years, and have now committed to sponsoring SPISE 2025 and for the first time, the 2026 CSO.
Dr Warde stated: “The programmes offered by the CSF, including SPISE, place emphasis on critical, logical, analytical, and creative thinking, as opposed to rote learning. This focus grooms all participants to be independent thinkers, creators and solution finders who can become future leaders in science and engineering.
“Technology entrepreneurship is highlighted as one of the main objectives of the CSF to stimulate and support such initiatives throughout the region. Furthermore, all participants are sensitized to the need to give back to the region, whether it be by setting up STEM businesses or other organisations, or making donations of time or funds to support STEM.”
The CSF’s SPISE is an intense five-week summer programme, offering the top Caribbean high school STEM students a unique learning experience with full immersion in calculus, physics, biochemistry, computer programming, electronics, and entrepreneurship at the level of first-year university. Additionally, the CSO is a set of regional competitions aimed at helping to raise the standards of primary, secondary, and tertiary STEM education in the region, while also promoting science and maths popularization.
The SPISE programme, in particular, has seen 245 students benefit since its inception. Director of SPISE and Co-Executive Director of the CSF, Dr Dinah Sah, said that, to date, 96 SPISE graduates (approximately 40 per cent) are enrolled in or have attended the top universities in the world such as MIT, Stanford, Caltech, and Princeton.
“This demonstrates that Caribbean students perform at least on par with the best from around the world. In addition, most of these students have substantial financial aid packages, including some who have full scholarships,” she said. “Several SPISE graduates are currently pursuing Master’s or PhD degrees at these top universities.”
Commenting on Sagicor’s continued commitment to these programs, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Sagicor Life Inc.’s Barbados operations, Paul Inniss, said that both Sagicor Life Inc. and Sagicor Financial Company Ltd are pleased to assist the region’s youth in gaining the knowledge and skills needed to advance the Caribbean’s success in technology.
“The Caribbean Science Foundation continues to play an instrumental role in supporting our young people and ensuring that they are well prepared for, and in many instances, can pioneer technological advancements that will define our world,” he said. “They are the ones who will lead the Caribbean into the future and so we are pleased to be able to lend our support for another year. Education, and community and youth development are key pillars in our corporate social responsibility program, and initiatives such as these allow us to live our vision while also bolstering the Caribbean’s opportunities in STEM.” (PR)
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