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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, WEST INDIES DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies Telephone: (868) 662-2002 Ext. 82070/71 Fax: (868) 662-4414 E-mail: [email protected]; Homepage: http://sta.uwi.edu/eng/mechanical/index.php

1 | P a g e MME Newsletter January 2017, Vol.3 Issue 1

MME Newsletter– January 2017, Vol.3, Issue 1 Contents: A) From HOD's Desk - Professor Boppana Chowdary B) News and Events of the Department C) Staff’s News and Accomplishments D) Students’ News and Accomplishments E) Frame of Birthday Stars for August 2016 – January 2017 F) Quarterly MME Words

Attachments: Annex-1: Brief Report of the PM9 Seminar on 3rd December 2016 Annex-2: Interview with Dr. Anthony Ademola Adeyanju, New Lecturer in Manufacturing Engineering Annex-3: Interview with Dr. Cilla Benjamin, New Lecturer in Industrial Engineering Annex-4: Interview with Dr. Richard Bachoo, New Lecturer in Applied Mechanics Annex-5: A Revised Flyer of the MSc Programme in Manufacturing Engineering and Management Editor’s Note: A great welcome to the latest issue of the MME Newsletter! On behalf of the MME Newsletter Sub-Committee and extending to the Department, we sincerely wish you a productive and successful year of 2017 and every prosperity in the Year of Rooster. Starting from July 2016, our Newsletter has turned to be published annually in 2 issues, one being in January and another in July of the year. This January issue serves as a “what’s on” venue for the Department covering a period from August 2016 to January 2017. You will be abreast of some recent news of the Department and people. Kit Fai PUN, The MME Newsletter Sub-Committee 31st January 2017 A) From HOD's Desk It is my pleasure to wish all staff and students in our Department a Happy New Year and welcome back after a hectic Semester 1 examinations schedule followed by a short break.

Over the last twenty years, we have advanced our expertise and competence in the core Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering curriculum. In this regard, the Department strives to ensure that all our undergraduate students have a strong foundation in engineering education with team based leadership skills along with practical activities and hands on experience. Further, the Department strongly believes that emphasising these areas will make our students well qualified for professional practice and leadership roles in the future.

The Department is fully equipped and is ready to complete the Final Year Design and Build projects within the set time frame of Semester 2. In 2015-2016, more than 20 of our undergraduates have co-authored papers with the faculty and some have helped write proposals for campus and external

funded research. Such activities redound to the benefit of staff and students.

There are numerous opportunities for our students to participate in student organisations. The American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) student chapters have been among the most active in the campus during the past few years.

Whether you are a current or former student, a potential student, or a visitor, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] with your questions and inquiries. I look forward to corresponding with you. Professor Boppana V. Chowdary Head of Department

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B) News and Events of the Department

1. Postgraduate Lunchtime Seminar Series, 2016-2017

The 2016/2017 Postgraduate Lunchtime Seminar Series was launched in September 2016 to showcase the work of the research students of the Department of the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. The series is held on alternate Wednesdays in Room 107 of the Ken Julien Building. Its aim is to enrich the intellectual life and activities within the Department by encouraging interaction among students and faculty and promoting the sharing of ideas about recent research developments, problems and controversies. Six students presented their work in Semester 1. They are: • Drareve Chairman, “Investigation of non-linear

free rotation vibrations induced by dipole magnets on parallel shafts coupled to gears”;

• Amad Martin, “Developing a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with a Variable Radius”;

• Legena Henry, “Analytical approaches to Statistical Moments associated with Rogue ocean waves”;

• Geeta Ramsoobhag, “Maintenance Optimisation for Offshore Gas Production Systems”;

• Devin Singh, “Development of a Spherical Cap Actuator for Shape Memory Alloys”, and

• Jainarine Bansee, “A Study of the Improvements of Job Shop Operations: Development of a Conceptual Framework and Validation through Lean Systems”. The audience included students (both

undergraduates and postgraduates), academic staff (including staff from other Departments), technicians and invited guests from outside the university community. All the talks were informative but the most stimulating section was the question and answer session(s) at the end of each talk.

The audience was fully engaged and participated through probing questions and helpful suggestions for the presenters’ consideration. The most common comment made by undergraduate students after attending the series is “I did not know that this type of research was done at UWI”. It is hoped that this will encourage them to consider doing research degrees after graduating from the B.Sc. programmes. The Series resumes on February 15 in Room 103 at 12:10 p.m.

2. The Ninth Public Seminar on Project Management Practices in the Caribbean (PM9) on 3rd December 2016

The UWI Industrial Engineering Office hosted the Ninth Public Seminar on “Project Management Practices in the Caribbean”, (PM9 Seminar), in collaboration with the Technology & Engineering Management Society (TEMS) Chapter and the Education Society (EdS) Chapter of the IEEE Trinidad & Tobago Section. The Seminar was also supported by 2 sponsors; The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Local Network, and The American Society for Quality (ASQ), Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). The seminar was held at Room 1, 1/F., Block 1, Kenneth S. Julien Building, from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon on Saturday 3rd December 2016.

The seminar was facilitated by Dr. Ruel Ellis and Professor Kit Fai Pun. Four presentations were made in two sessions, followed by an open forum. In the first-session presentations, the first speaker talked about using earned value as a means to improve project delivery in the early phases of project, whereas the second presenter shared her experience in the development of a Project Management Best Practice Framework in the tourism sector. In the Second Session, another two invited speakers focused on exploring the core of public health transformation in project management best practice, and also the development of an approach for

assessing the impacts of smart building strategies in T&T.

Over 80 participants including invited guest speakers, Project Management professionals, academics, students, and delegates from industry attended the Seminar. Many participants commented that the presenters were very knowledgeable about their areas of expertise and the presentations were interactive and informative. For a brief report of the PM9 Seminar, see Annex-1. Invited speakers and participants at the PM9 Open Discussion

Forum



C) Staff’s News and Accomplishments

1. Won the 2016 IMechE Young Member of the Year Award

Dr. Chris Maharaj, Lecturer in Materials and Manufacturing Design received a certificate in recognition of his achievement as the winner of the Volunteer Role Model of the Year Award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), in August 2016.

2. Won the UWI/Premium Guardian Teaching Award 2016

The Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and The UWI/Guardian Group presented the Premium Teaching Awards which celebrated the work of exemplary teachers on the St. Augustine Campus. The Department would like to congratulate Dr. Chris Maharaj, Lecturer in Materials and Manufacturing Design and Ms. Marcia Nathai-Nalkissoon (our ex-colleague in Industrial Engineering) of the Department, on the recognition of achievements of the UWI/Premium Guardian Teaching Award 2016. The Award ceremony was held at Daaga Auditorium on 23rd September 2016

3. Reach-out to the FAO Workshop in Santiago, Chile in October 2016

Mr. Rodney Harnarine, Development Engineer in Mechanical Engineering, brought along examples of the Department’s research work and attended the FAO Workshop on "Systems of Innovations in the Development of Sustainable Rural Agriculture" in Santiago, Chile 19-21 October 2016. He reported that FAO had showed keen interests in the Department’s work in the Caribbean and would like to organize a Workshop in the Caribbean in the near future, in areas relating to Climate Change and its effect on SIDS future survival and sustainability.

Mr. Rodney Harnarine in front of the posters of Department’s research work at the FAO Workshop in Chile

4. Reach-out to the Bureau of Standards and Draft up the TTS 641 Standard 2016

The Department of Mechanical Engineering, working through the Bureau of Standards developed a National standard for sliding and swing gates. Mr. Rodney Harnarine, Development Engineer, chaired the Sliding Gate Committee that was consisted of a variety of specialists representing designers, installers and builders. He reported that a Final Draft Standard, “TTS 641: Metal Driveway Gates – Mechanical and Safety Requirements”, was completed, drawing data from ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), several European standards and other technical documents. At the recent launch of the standard, this safety standard will form part of the Building Code in the future and there would be compliance through gate builders and installers throughout the Country. .

Mr. Rodney Harnarine (Centre) and other members of the Sliding Gate Committee

5. Representing at ICSU Regional Committee and Serving as a Chair of ASQ-LMCtt 2016

Professor Kit Fai Pun was elected as a member of The International Council for Science (ICSU) Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), in 2016. The mission of the ICSU-ROLAC is to ensure that the regional priorities are reflected in the ICSU Strategic Plan and to develop sound regional scientific programmes.

Besides, Professor Pun was elected as the Chair of The American Society for Quality (ASQ) Local Member Community (LMC) Branch, in Trinidad and Tobago, in November 2016. The ASQ-LMCtt is striving for collaboration and cooperation opportunities to promote quality and related best practices in T&T.



6. Welcoming three New Lecturers and New Senior Administrative Assistant (Acting) to the Department

A heartfelt welcome to Dr. Anthony Ademola Adeyanju, Lecturer in Manufacturing Engineering, Dr. Cilla Benjamin, Lecturer in Industrial Engineering, and Dr. Richard Bachoo, Lecturer in Applied Mechanics, who recently joined the Department. On behalf of the Department, we wish them all success in turning a new academic page at To know more about the passions and views shared by three new faculty members, see Annexes 2, 3 and 4.

Besides, the Department welcomed Mrs. Anita Khoon Khoon-Ali joining us as the Senior Administrative Assistant starting from 9th January 2017.

7. Two Faculty Members promoted to Senior Lecturers

In January 2017, Dr. Jacqueline Bridge, Lecturer in Applied Mechanics and Vibration and Dr. Chris Maharaj, Lecturer in Materials and Manufacturing Design, received their promotions to the rank of Senior Lecturer in recognition of their academic accomplishments and excellent services to the Department. The Department extends the congratulations to both faculty members on their promotions that are truly deserved.

8. Appointment of New Coordinator of MSc Manufacturing Engineering and Management (MME) Programme

Dr. Kuldeep Ojha, Lecturer in Production Engineering and Industrial Engineering & Management, appointed as the new coordinator of the MSc MME programme. Following the refined initiative of the programme, a revised flyer of the MSc Programme was prepared (see Annex 5).

D) Students’ News and Accomplishments 1. Most Outstanding PhD Student 2014/2015

Dr. Randy Harnarinesingh was one of the recipients of the “Most Outstanding PhD Student 2014/2015”, and his accomplishment was recognised with a trophy at the Annual Welcome Ceremony of the St Augustine Association of Postgraduate Students (STAAPS) in September 2016.

2. MME Students in the Dean’s Honour Roll 2016

The Faculty of Engineering hosted its Annual Prizes and Award Ceremony on 18th October 2016. Eight (8) MME graduands were listed in the Dean’s Honour Roll. They are:

1) Timothy Michael Abdool 2) Kirish Vikash Balram 3) Ian Yudisthir Dass 4) Yvan Joseph Dass 5) Riaz Ishmael Jahoor 6) Omar Jamaal James 7) Julian Andrew Jurai 8) Rohan Eshani Motilal

3. Students and Graduates Receiving Honours and Prizes in 2016

Fourteen (14) prizes had been awarded to students and graduands from MME Department at the Faculty’s Annual Prizes and Award Ceremony 2016. These recipients and the respective prizes are: 1) Alvin Daniell Prize ($1,000) for the best student

in Level 1 Mechanical Engineering; Recipient: Michael Rishi Jodhan

2) Alvin Daniell Prize ($1,000) for the best student in Level 1 Industrial Engineering: Recipient: Karishma Mohammed

3) ASME Trinidad and Tobago Group Prize ($1,000) for the best student who has completed Level 3 of the Biosystems Engineering Minor; Recipient: Cindy Andrea Persad

4) ASME Trinidad and Tobago Group Prize ($1,000) for the best student in Level 2 Industrial Engineering for 2014/2015; Recipient: Dana Kimberly Basdeo

5) ASME Trinidad and Tobago Group Prize ($1,000) for the best student producing the best Industrial

Professor Brian Copeland, PVC and Campus Principal

(left) and Dr. Randy Harnarinesingh(right) at the STAAPS Welcome Ceremony 2016



Engineering Special Project; Recipients: Salisha Khan and Dana Kimberly Basdeo

6) Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago Prize (APETT) Prize ($2,000) for the student producing the best Mechanical Engineering Special Project; Recipient: Yvan Joseph Dass

7) Damus Limited Prize ($1,000) for the best student in Level 3 Industrial Engineering;Recipient: Dana Kimberly Basdeo

8) Damus Limited Prize ($1,000) for the best student in Level 3 Mechanical Engineering; Recipient: Yvan Joseph Dass

9) The Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago Prize ($2,000) for the student obtaining the highest mark in the course Power Plant Engineering; Recipient: Kirish Vikash Balram

10) The Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago Prize ($2,000) for the student obtaining the highest mark in the course Energy Engineering; Recipient: Yvan Joseph Dass

11) Schlumberger Prize (US$500) for the best student in Level 2 Mechanocal Engineering; Recipient: Kristy Chandini Lall

12) UWI Faculty of Engineering Prize ($2,500) for the most outstanding graduating student; Recipient: Yvan Joseph Dass

13) PCS Nitrogen Trinidad Ltd Prize ($5,000), for the best student in Level 2 who is a national of Trinidad and Tobago; Recipient: Kristy Chandini Lall

14) The Society of Petroleum Engineers Trinidad and Tobago Section (SPETT) Prize ($1,500), for the student with the best energy industry related final year project in Mechanical Engineering; Recipient: Akmal Ali

4. PhD and MSc Graduands 2016

Dr. Rikhi Ramkissoon received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the 2016 Graduation Ceremony on 20th October 2016. Besides, The MME Department had 20 graduands who successfully completed their studies in respective taught Master’s programmes in 2016. On behalf of the Department, the Newsletter Sub-committee congratulates all graduates on their successful completion of studies. The MSc graduands and the respective programmes are:

(I) MSc Engineering Asset Management 1) Kalifa Bernard 2) Francise Paulette Cazoe 3) Valmiki Frankstan-Paul 4) Aarti Kulwantie Jagmohansingh 5) Godfrey Richard Jardine 6) Liana Lisa Roopnarine 7) Reyad Devindra Singh

(II) MSc Engineering Management 8) Sunil Bridgal 9) Shinel Maria Granger 10) Amanda Hunte-Balgobin 11) Kevin Gregory Lemessy 12) Clifton Agustus Mcleod 13) Shazad Mohamdally 14) Shereza Christiana Mohammed 15) Clint Giovanski Moralie 16) Roshini Devi Seepersad

(III) MSc Production Engineering Management 17) Joel Vince Le Gendre 18) Kiran Rampat

(IV) MSc Production Management 19) Christopher Andre Fullerton 20) Joseph Simon

E) Frame of Birthday Stars On behalf of the MME Department and the Newsletter Sub-Committee, we wish 5 members in the following list have a Happy Birthday from August of 2016 to January 2017, with numerous best returns.

The August-September-October Stars: Happy Birthday to you all…… 1. Barry Maraj (September) 2. Hassan Bain (August) 3. Jonathan Desaine (September) 4. Justin Joseph (August) 5. Lionel Hanumansingh (August) 6. Marlon Dolloway (August) 7. Oswald Lawrence (October) 8. Rawle Augustine (October) 9. Steven Toolsie (September) The November-December-January Stars: Happy Birthday to you all…… 10. Marlene Fletcher-Cockburn (November) 11. Kishore Jhagroo (December) 12. Krishpersad Manohar (December) 13. Rodney Harnarine (January) 14. Steve Ramoutar (January)



F) Quarterly MME Words The Newsletter Sub-Committee compiled some enlightening words for sharing among faculty members and administrative/support staff and other readers of MME Newsletter.

Please take leisure reading on them. Accept those you think appropriate, and reject those you consider inappropriate.

Adopted from different sources The MME Newsletter Sub-Committee:

1) Professor Kit Fai Pun (Chair/Editor) 2) Mr. Rodney Harnarine (Member) 3) Mr. Sennen Matabadal (Member) 4) Dr. Renique Murray (Member) 5) Mr. Robert Birch (Member)

6) Dr. Graham King (Member) 7) Dr. Chris Maharaj (Member) 8) Ms. Ayanna-Rene De Noon (Member) 9) Mr. Steve Ramoutar (Member) 10) Mr. Oswald Lawrence (Member)

Good for Thought Today: 1. “It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” - Decouvertes 2. “Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.” - Confucius 3. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” - Lao Tzu 4. “We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.” -

George Bernard Shaw 5. “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” - Henry Ford 6. “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.” - Henry David Thoreau 7. “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” - Nelson Mandela 8. “From the errors of others, a wise man corrects his own.” - Publilius Syrus

Annex-1: Brief Report of The PM9 Seminar, December 2016

7 | P a g e MME Newsletter February 2016, Vol.2 Issue 1

Annex-1: Brief Report of the PM9 Seminar, 3rd December 2016

The Industrial Engineering Office of The University of the West Indies (UWI) hosted the Ninth Public Seminar on “Project Management Practices in the Caribbean” (PM9 Seminar), in collaboration with the Technology & Engineering Management Society (TEMS) Chapter and the Education Society (EdS) Chapter of the IEEE Trinidad & Tobago Section. The Seminar was also supported by 2 sponsors, namely The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Local Network, and The American Society for Quality (ASQ), Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). The seminar was held at Kenneth S. Julien Building, from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon on Saturday 3rd December 2016.

The seminar was facilitated by Dr. Ruel Ellis, the Chairman of EdS Chapter, IEEEtt. Professor Kit Fai Pun, of the Industrial Engineering Office gave a welcoming address to participants, and Mr. Colin Gopaul, The Vice-Chair of IEEEtt Section delivered a Keynote speech. Eng. David Drakes, Chair of the IET-Local Network and Eng. Kester Gabriel, Counselor of the ASQ, Trinidad and Tobago, also shared some introductory remarks to participants. This Seminar has its theme of “Project Management in Practices”, and sought to facilitate the nation-wide awareness and the use of best project management practices and related concepts, models and tools in both public- and private- sector organisations in T&T.

There were four presentations in two sessions, followed by an open discussion forum. In the first session presentations, the first speaker talked about using earned value as a means to improve project delivery in the early phases of project, whereas the second presenter shared her experience in the development of a Project Management Best Practice Framework in the tourism sector. In the Second Session, another two invited speakers focused on exploring the core of public health transformation in project management best practice, and also the development of an approach for assessing the impacts of smart building strategies in T&T. Individual presentations are highlighted as follows:

• “Improving Project Performance by Leveraging Progress Payments in the Early Phases: An EVPM Application” - Mr. Keone Jackman, Project Engineer, Design – Instrumentation, EI&CSE, Engineering Services at The Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Petrotrin), T&T. Mr. Jackman shared the current practices with the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contract approach in the petrochemical industry. The presentation addressed the use of an Earned Value method to improve project delivery based on a case study of an EPC-type contracts programme in the industry. The enhancement of the progress measurement processes was explored to leverage the resultant contractor progress payments on performance in the early phases of the project, with particular reference to engineering. He also provided the suggestions for implementing a client-driven Earned Value Management System for EPC projects.

• “Development and Evaluation of a Project Management Best Practice Framework for Use at The Ministry of Tourism and The Tourism Development Company Limited” - Mrs. Simone Medina, Director, Research and Planning (Ag.), The Ministry of Tourism, T&T. Mrs. Medina’s presentation shed insights on 1) the status and challenges of current PM practice, and 2) the identification of factors affecting PM practice and performance, at The Ministry of Tourism (MOT) and The Tourism Development Company (TDC). It explored 3) whether adoption of a proposed Project Management Best Practice (PMBP) Framework would strengthen the ability of the MOT/TDC in the management of tourism projects. It is anticipated that proper adoption of the PMBP framework would foster knowledge transfer, awareness of team and stakeholders, and motivation

Annex-1: Brief Report of The PM9 Seminar, December 2016

8 | P a g e MME Newsletter February 2016, Vol.2 Issue 1

of project stakeholders, leading and transforming the MOT/TDC towards high performing PM organisations.

• “Delay Mitigation in the Trinidad and Tobago Construction Industry: A Public Sector Perspective” - Mr. Kevin I. Thomas, Project Manager of the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD). Mr. Thomas discussed the problems and the efforts in mitigating project delays in public sector construction projects in T&T. A conceptual integrated framework was developed to overcome the challenges. The nucleus of the framework was derived from the ISO 31000: 2009 Risk Management Standard and synthesised with key themes from lean construction philosophy. The framework would offer a systematic process in demystifying the primary factors responsible for delaying projects and to aid in developing approaches to mitigate them. He contended that there has been a need to generate adequate resources to enhance knowledge, buy-in and commitment within construction organisations in T&T.

• “Development of a HSE Management Approach in accordance with STOW-TT and OSHA Requirements” - Ms. Lollita Kissoondath Singh, Project Engineer, of KAIZEN Environmental Services (Trinidad) Limited (KESTL). Ms. Singh’s presentation addressed the issues of health, safety and the environment (HSE) and difficulties in striking a balance between compliance and economic feasibility using the HSE operations and experience at KESTL as a case study. Findings showed that KESTL has been encountering poor management of risk, poor training, and lack of safety culture. In order to address these problems, KESTL had incorporated the requirements of STOW-TT and OSHA into a structured approach of HSE Management to improve its HSE performance. She shed lights on the development of the approach and the lessons learnt in revitalising HSE Management and performance at KESTL.

Over 80 participants and industry delegates attended the Seminar. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly good. About 79.6% of returned evaluations rated the Seminar either ‘Very Good’ (18 responses; 33.3%) or ‘Good’ (25 responses; 46.3%), and 16.7% of participants rated ‘satisfactory’. Many participants commented that the presenters were very knowledgeable about their areas of expertise and the presentations were interactive and informative. __________________

Four Invited Speakers (from left): Mr. Kevin I. Thomas of CNIRD, Ms. Lollita Kissoondath Singh of KESTL,

Mr. Keone Jackman of Petrotrin, and Mrs. Simone Medina of MOT

Mr. Colin Gopaul, The Vice-Chair of IEEEtt Section receiving a Commemorative Plaque from

Professor Kit Fai Pun of the Industrial Engineering Office, for co-organising the Seminar

Annex 2: Interview with Dr. Anthony Adeyanju


Annex-2: Interview with Dr. Anthony Ademola Adeyanju

Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Anthony Adeyanju is a registered engineer with the Council of Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and has worked at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Concord Airline and Gas Airline in Nigeria. Coming from Ekiti State University (EKSU) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering where he has been lecturing since 1999, he took study leave from 2009-2012 to obtain his PhD at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Adeyanju was the recipient of the UWI’s Most Outstanding Graduate Researcher 2012 Award for his doctoral work. Upon completion of his PhD, he returned to Nigeria and continued lecturing at EKSU, eventually attaining the position of Senior Lecturer. His research interests include solar/thermal energy, hydropower, hydrogen fuel cell, biomass, biogas, combustion, gas and steam turbine. Dr. Adeyanju has published more than 20 research papers in journals and has presented papers at several international conferences. This is his first time back to Trinidad since 2012. ADN: What interested you in coming back to the UWI?

AA: Actually coming back is good for me, I need to develop my career and research; apart from that I need to repay the university for sponsoring my PhD.

ADN: Since you have been away for a while, have you felt a change or does it feel like you fell right back into place?

AA: Certainly, yes! This is my second home.

ADN:How has it been settling back into the department?

AA: Very good, we are all family here.

“…I would love to see development in, for example the production of vehicles, Trinidad can do it! “

Annex 2: Interview with Dr. Anthony Adeyanju


ADN: In Nigeria you lectured both undergrad and postgrad students, are you doing the same here?

AA: Presently, I am teaching undergrad students here. In the field of Energy and Thermofluids, where I am, my intention is for us to start a postgrad programme.I am just coming on so I will take some time to start planning.

ADN: With 17 years’ worth of experience now, is teaching something you always wanted to be apart of?

AA: Initially, I was in the Nigeria petroleum industry, I worked also with GAS Airlines, and there I had experience with the aircrafts maintenance before I joined academics. Academics is where you can develop, your career and research so at the time I was ready to go into the academics.

ADN: What is the focus of your research these days?

AA: My major research is in Energy, I was in the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI conference), where I represented Nigeria, in Paris (France) in June 2016. My major aim in research is to improve on energy, more specifically renewable energy.

ADN: From your perspective, do you still see a lot of interest in joining the field of Mechanical Engineering?

AA: I think the interest is still in Mechanical Engineering, worldwide, but the only area I would love to see development in, for example the production of vehicles, Trinidad can do it! We can go fully into it like Japan and it must start from the university.

ADN: As you mentioned representing Nigeria, are you still actively involved with those organisations?

AA: Yes, I am still actively involved and in contact with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other Energy organisations.

ADN: Are there current projects going on that you think the Caribbean could or should be a partof?

AA: Yes, I think a lot! When I was at the meeting (GFEI) I met the Jamaicans that came to represent as well as Barbados, unfortunately I didn’t see the Trinidadians. But I think we need to work along these lines as well most importantly for fuel economy; many countries are now going to hybrid or electric vehicles.

ADN: Work aside, what are you most looking forward to now that you are back in Trinidad after so long?

AA: Well to see Carnival again!

ADN: What are your goals for 2017?

AA: My major aim is to get back into the research and involve students.

________________________ ADN: Ms. Ayanna-Rene De Noon (Interviewer) AA: Dr. Anthony Adeyanju (Interviewee)

Annex 3: Interview with Dr. Cilla Benjamin


Annex-3: Interview with Dr. Cilla Benjamin

Lecturer in Industrial Engineering

Having been an instructor within the Faculty of Engineering since 2012, Dr. Cilla Benjamin is by no means “new” to the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing. However, as she takes on the role of Lecturer, she begins a new phase in her professional career. In addition to her DBA, MSc Production Engineering and Management and MSc Industrial Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management, Dr. Benjamin has also achieved certification as a Lean Enterprise Master Practitioner and has special training in Business Development Services/Facilitation. Throughout her time working with the UWI, she has contributed her academic and industrial experience. Dr. Benjamin has practised in the manufacturing industry as an Industrial Engineer and has wider experience in competitiveness building and consulting across many sectors including manufacturing, printing, industrial services, hospitality, construction, packaging, food processing and garment manufacturing.

Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment are important areas where Dr Benjamin has been working with organisations and institutions, both locally and abroad to provide, among other things, training and mentoring to students.

ADN: Coming from your professional experience and feedback you may have received, is the local industry increasingly asking for the type of Engineer, with more developed managerial skil ls?

CB: Well actually, I have had people shake my hand when they realised I was an engineer who knew something about economics or human resources and other things.. There is something called the entrepreneurially minded engineer who is able to contribute more meaningfully to the company’s bottom line. So these skills do not necessarily have to manifest themselves in the engineer starting their own business.

ADN: This seems of particular interest to you, what current projects are you involved with either professionally or through your volunteer-work along those lines?

CB: Well the volunteer work is mainly entrepreneurship. The programme at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), which I did was instructed by lecturers from the University of Cambridge, modelled after their Masters programme at the IfM (Institute for Manufacturing). This focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, but I have not had the opportunity to do it in a formal sense, however, I practise it outside of this institution mainly as volunteer work.

Annex 3: Interview with Dr. Cilla Benjamin


ADN: Is this something you think we should promote more with our students (undergrads/postgrads)?

CB: In my research, developed and rapidly developing countries, are placing their hopes on graduates from engineering programmes for the future of their economies in terms of innovation and new business creation. So obviously, I would like to see this engineering programme also producing some of these same things, for example we were told that the programme at Cambridge programme, spawned 400 new local businesses, from students in that Masters programme.

ADN: Do you think the students are so used to the traditional model of getting your degree then getting a job that it may require a cultural change in the way of thinking?

CB: It is something that we could do but I think at the university stage, it may be a little late to change people’s mind-set. That said, it has been found in certain studies, that exposure to training at this level, for engineering students in particular, has been positively correlated with them taking an interest in entrepreneurship so it seems as though Engineering Entrepreneurs can be made, not necessarily born, but I guess, they have to be open to it.

ADN: Do you think, based on the state of the economy that more students would inherently turn to this option in the future?

CB: Yes, but it cannot be pushed down their throats. I think what influences students are their peers so if they can see peers successfully going down that route it is more likely to influence them. We do not have to go far; take a look into history and look at the industries that have been started in Trinidad and Tobago and have been successful and who has been responsible for them? Persons from this very same campus and faculty. Who were the persons responsible for Point Lisas? Who have been very much involved in starting up the manufacturing companies in the Industrial Estates? Many of those persons were right here in this faculty of engineering. It is time for another generation to make an impact.

ADN: Are you seeing more of the Masters students expressing an interest in the business/management aspect instead of just the technical aspect?

CB: Well! That is the problem. We want to think of it as either one or the other when it is both. Managers could sit down in a boardroom and come up with a strategy… but that strategy is not necessarily feasible for implementation in the plant, which is why we have to get more engineers into the boardroom. The strategies have to run throughout the organisation and traditionally in the Caribbean, we have not been thinking like that so that the solutions are both technical and strategic and it would take a team effort.

ADN: Is teaching something you always saw yourself being involved with?

CB: It is something that I loved doing outside of working in the field, so that since 1998 I have been tutoring, teaching, and conducting training, including volunteer training, part-time. So, it is something that I enjoy doing. Now I am trying to see how it works the other way around. But I like keeping my feet wet, being in touch with what is going on in the industry and doing projects.

________________________

ADN: Ms. Ayanna-Rene De Noon (Interviewer) CB: Dr. Cilla Benjamin (Interviewee)

Annex 4: Interview with Dr. Richard Bachoo


Annex-4: Interview with Dr.Richard Bachoo

Lecturer in Applied Mechanics

Dr. Richard Bachoo joins the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering of The University of the West Indies (UWI) as a Lecturer after 4 years in the Oil and Gas field. He was the recipient of the Professor Clement K. Sankat Award by the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers to pursue his Master of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering at the Department. Dr. Bachoo was awarded, the UWI’s Most Outstanding Graduate Researchers 2013, for his doctoral research entitled “The High Frequency Vibration of Fibre Reinforced Composites”. His research interests are in the area of flow-induced vibration, high frequency dynamics and theoretical mechanics.

“If I can get the students to be as excited and curious as I am about mathematics, physics and mechanics, then that would be very fulfilling.

ADN: You were in the department previously during your postgrad years?

RB: Yes, I did my MPhil after which I got to do my PhD, so I was here fulltime. I demonstrated labs and ran tutorials and so on. I was out of the system for four years, after I got my PhD.

ADN: What have you been doing since you left?

RB: I got a job with an engineering design company; it was one of those international companies based in Trinidadservicing the Oil and Gas industry, they were doing work that was pretty close to the stuff that I studied so that was a good experience. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel as well and visit some of the leading specialists in my field.

AND: What brought you back to teaching and the university?

RB: I do enjoy teaching but another major aspect is continuing my research interests. Because I was out in the field for some period of time, I was able to identify a number of gaps that requires research from a theoretical and experimental stand point; there is some academic work to be done on a

Annex 4: Interview with Dr. Richard Bachoo


number of problems. My passion is with research and using science to solve practical problems so I always knew I would come back into an academic environment.

ADN: Do you already have specific projects/research in mind?

RB: Well the plan is to develop, along with the Applied Mechanics group, a team to attack some of these wide-ranging problems. I tend to place emphasis on the theoretical aspect. If the theoretical aspect of a problem is not given the attention it deserves then you’re not able to interpret and understanda practical system fully. Even when I was in the industry, everything goes back to the first principles.

AND: Have you noticed any difference since your time away from the department?

RB: The one major change that I have seen is more consultation with the students. That was actually really good.

ADN: Do you have particular goals in mind for 2017?

RB: The idea is to get on the ground running from day one; firstly, to be an effective lecturer, the second thing is propelling my research interests forward, of course, we’ve already started doing some work but it’s mostly theoretical, we need to get the experimental framework and it is going to requireworking with students over the next year.

ADN: Do you think the industry will buy in and support the research?

The industry’s stakeholders would be very enthusiastic; primarily if we can produce a product that is more easily accessible and possibly cheaper.

ADN: You have said you had the opportunity to travel, did you ever consider relocating abroad or did you always intend to return to the UWI?

RB: The thing is, those companies are engineering companies but they are not research companies, they are state of the art for what they are but they still depend on universities and what they produce. I wanted to actually be in the university conducting the research. The idea of working with a foreign company was never really there; here we get the opportunity to interact internationally with groups that are doing similar work so it could not be any better.

ADN: What drew you to applied mechanics?

RB: I have always liked physics and I have always liked mathematics and I have always liked their application and that is why I chose Mechanical Engineering. I remember doing vibration modeling with Dr. Bridge in the vibrations course and I thought that was very interesting, then I did my final year project in vibrations and that was quite interesting as well and that is how it continued, my interest grew through exposure.

ADN: In your time here, however long it will be, what would you like your impact to be on the students?

RB: If I can get the students to be as excited and curious as I am about mathematics, physics and mechanics, then that would be very fulfilling. This will have to be achieved through research, through teaching, and through the execution of successful projects.

________________________ ADN: Ms. Ayanna-Rene De Noon (Interviewer) RB: Dr. Richard Bachoo (Interviewee)

MSc in Manufacturing Engineering and Management Faculty of Engineering | Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

One (1) year Full time | Two (2) years Part-Time

Making technology work for us.

Manufacturing professionals are highly skilled technical experts who plan, design, implement,

modify, optimize and manage Manufacturing Processes.

The MSc in Manufacturing Engineering and Management degree programme covers the following key areas:

Computer Integrated Manufacturing Project Management

Technology and Product Development Production Planning and Control

Advanced CAD/CAM for Product Realization Design and Simulation of Manufacturing Systems

Finite Element Analysis in Manufacturing Total Quality Management

Production Technology Design of Plant and Services

Robotic Technology and Application Health, Safety and the Environment

This MSc programme stresses the University – Industry linkages utilizing current operating

systems which enable professionals to gain work experience in the field of study.

Entry requirements A BSc Degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Production Engineering or an equivalent with

at least a Lower Second Class Honours. At least one (1) year of industrial experience is desirable. This may be waived for

Recent Graduates with a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree who wish to complete the programme on a Full time basis.

Applicants with Third Class Honours or Pass Degrees require at least three (3) years

industrial experience.

How to Apply Apply online at www.sta.uwi.edu/admissions/postgrad/

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 31st, 2017

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Dr. Kuldeep Ojha Programme Coordinator Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Tel. 1-868-662-2002, Ext: 82060 | Fax: 1-868-662-4414 Email: [email protected]

St. Augustine Campus

Ayana Makeba Waldron-Morris (Mrs.) Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Office Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Tel. 1-868-662-2002, Ext: 82068 Email: [email protected]

http://www.sta.uwi.edu/admissions/postgrad/

mailto:[email protected]

fax: (868) 662-4414 e-mail: [email protected] ... · ideas about recent research...

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