Dr Ava Maxam has a range of management experience since 2005 with award-winning projects in areas of coastal and environmental management, sustainable development and spatial systems solutions development.  As the recently appointed Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs (September 2023), she heads the transformation of the 45-yr old government research institution into a contemporary, state-of-the-art leader for marine and coastal research in national development and information technologies for Trinidad and Tobago as well as the wider Caribbean Region.

Dr Maxam previously led the prestigious Mona Geoinformatics Institute - an information technology company specialising in spatial solutions - where she amassed a sizable network through corporate, government, multi-lateral funding and academic collaborations, having negotiated and executed national projects locally and regionally, as well as through the various technical committees and boards on which she resided.

As an advocate for using data to inform decisions, Dr Maxam combines environmental, physical, social and economic data with geographic information systems (GIS) to create models, tools and policies necessary for bringing countries into more modern and efficient ways of managing vital resources. She specialises in developing GIS-based analytical and decision-support systems that empower governments, civil society and private sectors, in turn strengthening their resilience to impacts of natural and man-made hazards including effects of climate change. These systems are important in enabling countries to protect, assess and manage their natural and built resources. Through her technical and management expertise, she expanded GIS solutions throughout the Caribbean, leading the development of over 27 customised software applications and 68 major projects for public and private sectors.

Dr Maxam has built her experience and skills into programmes for knowledge transfer and development of hundreds of trainees. As a PhD graduate in Oceanography from the University of the West Indies, she delivered lectures and developed training programmes in GIS, coastal management and environmental fields to graduates, undergraduates and professionals alike. Her academic research has led to publications on the effect of ocean circulation on Jamaica’s coral reefs and coastlines - highlighting their importance in: ecological nurseries, creating unique circulation systems, and influencing water quality.

Dr Maxam has chaired and resided on several Boards related to the environment, public affairs, education and business development, including Government of Jamaica appointments to the: Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Board; the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) Advisory Board; Town and Country Planning Authority (TCPA) Board; Chair of the NRCA Beaches and Coastal Resources Committee; and Cannabis Licencing Authority (CLA) Board. She also served as a Member of the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Committee – Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSoJ).

She has been involved in a number of non-governmental organisations, including the Violence Prevention Alliance, the Peace Management Initiative and the Farquharson Institute for Public Affairs. She is also an avid photographer, enjoys cycling and tai chi chuan, and is a certified SCUBA diver with a love for water activities.

Dr. Maxam was awarded a BSc in Zoology-Botany in 1999 and PhD in Oceanography in 2019 from The Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona.

Photo caption: Dr Ava Maxam.

Follow the Faculty of Science and Technology on Instagram @uwimona_fst and on Facebook at The Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona. For enquiries, WhatsApp us at 1-876 552-4691, call us at 1-876-977-1785 or email us at fst@uwimona.edu.jm.