UTech, Jamaica 2015-16 Annual Report

 Natural Products Research Laboratory (Dr Andrew Lamm – Principal Investigator)  The NPRL hosts one graduate student (Mr O’Brien Brown) and continues to facilitate his MPhil/PhD in Chemistry. The lab supports undergraduate student research projects from FOSS, COHS and FENC as well as several faculty research projects.  The recent expansion of the NPRL which was led by Dr Lamm has seen the lab space triple in size.  Dr Lamm and the NPRL are now a crucial part of the Cannabis Collaboration Group at UTech with charges of managing all aspects of the University’s marijuana research licenses, its internal and external collaborations along with revenue generation and outreach. Dr Lamm began analysis on cannabis samples for student projects. Once all protocols are working and standards are obtained then the potential for revenue generation can achieved  Dr Lamm and Mr R. Johnson (Chemistry Division) participated in the updating of the National Profile of the Management of Chemicals in Jamaica.  Dr Lamm participated as a panelist and reviewer for the College of Business and Management (COBAM) Summer Research Colloquium. During the event, faculty members were trained in research, grant proposal writing, etc.  Through Dr Lamm’s efforts two sterile hoods were acquired and eventually installed. These are vital to the faculty’s accreditation by the UCJ.  INVOCAB Project (Dr Andrew Lamm, Senior Expert) The European Union (EU) African, Caribbean, Pacific Science and Technology (ACP S&T II) funded project, titled “INVOCAB - Improving Innovation Capacities in the Caribbean” is a collaboration between the Scientific Research Council (SRC); National Institute of Higher Education, Science and Technology (NIHERST); Mico University College; Ministry of Education and UTech. This project was created to improve innovation in selected schools in the Caribbean through a targeted 16 primary and secondary schools, eight (8) each in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. Schools, once selected, would see, inter alia, the training of their science teachers, development and monitoring of science camps, development of science manuals, procurement of scientific equipment for their labs, visits to overseas institutions to observe teaching methods in science and technology, innovation competitions, the establishment of Science Centres at the MICO University College and Church Teachers’ College. Dr Lamm has served as Senior Expert along with Mr Rhoen Kerr (Mico University) and participated in various connected activities, including attendance at the Innovation Week at the University of Dresden, Germany (November 15-22, 2014); two summer camps in 2015 and 2016; and two teacher training workshops. Patents 1. Inventors: M. McGlashan-Powell , V. Salapura. “Multi-node system network with optical switches” USPTO #: 8977124; Granted: March 10, 2015. 2. Inventors: M. McGlashan-Powell . “Multi-node system networks with optical switches” USPTO #: 9143259; Granted: September 22, 2015. 3. 3. Inventors: K. Hylton and Somenath Mitra . “Carbon nanotube mediated membrane extraction” USPTO #: 9169579; Granted: October 27, 2015. 5th Annual Sports Conference The 5 th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sport Science was held on Friday, April 10, 2015 at the Papine Campus under the theme “Taking a Scientific Approach towards Sport Development and Athletic Performance”. Keynote speaker was Ms Angenie Kanhai (Trinidad and Tobago) Page 73 University of Technology, Jamaica ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016