NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A world-class education scientist congratulated new Minister of Education, Technical and Vocational Training Glenys Hanna-Martin and Minister of State Zane Lightbourne, while pointing to the dire need to develop a “research culture” in the country going forward.
Dr Patrice Juliet Pinder, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) based scientist, said students at the University of the Bahamas (UB), the Bahamas Agriculture & Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) and other institutions of learning in The Bahamas should be actively participating in national development by assisting in scientific studies and the documenting of data that could revolutionize the way we live.
“We have all learned from the COVID-19 health crisis that ‘empirical data’ is critically important to help us to make better-informed decisions,” she said.
“Well, empirical data can help us to make better-informed decisions in many areas in our society, including education. For example, simple classroom-based [action] research, which seems to be non-existent here in The Bahamas, can be conducted by teachers and instructors at all levels of the Bahamian education system, and data obtained from this type of simple research can play an important role in helping to better inform effective teaching strategies and methodologies, which can ultimately lead to an improvement in students’ test scores.”
Pinder added: “I would like to extend congratulations to both of the new Ministers on their appointments, and I wish them much success.
“Additionally, I hope they will be open to advice and suggestions from those of us who are world-class experts within the field of education.”
She also said: “I had to reach out to partner with universities around the world in order to create research projects and publish in collaboration with them due to the limitation of conducting research, carrying out research and finding active ongoing research projects within The Bahamas that I could be a part of.
“This should not be when we have a university within my country that should be conducting research in an ongoing fashion… Most universities seek out faculty members with research agendas and publishing records that can advance them. Where are we on this?
“I am happy that I found research success, but I had to do it under an Asian university and not with my Bahamian university… These areas of concern are all ‘food for thought’ being offered to the new ministers.”
This year, Pinder was listed on the first-ever AD Scientific Index of World Scientists and Universities, which includes eminent scientists from across the globe. She was one of 51 top-ranked research scientists from the Ton Duc Thang University (Asia) to be named to the list.
She was also one of a few non-Asian scientists, and the only Black woman researcher from Ton Duc Thang University, to appear on this list of world scientists.
Pinder also fared well in her specialty field of “Education, STEM Education”, earning two gold medal standings.
For more information, contact dr.patricepinder@gmail.com or at 1-242-468-9009.
