Dr. Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith’s work on Jamaica’s water and marine environments will take her to Wellington, New Zealand, this October, with support from a Ripple Impact Travel Grant awarded by the Carbon to Sea Initiative.

Valued at approximately US$6,000, the grant will support her participation in The Ocean in a High-CO₂ World—6th International Science Symposium, scheduled for October 13–16, 2026. The event will bring together researchers from across the world to examine the effects of rising carbon dioxide levels on the ocean and explore responses to these challenges.

A Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona, Dr. Gordon-Smith heads the Water, Analytics, Tracing and Environmental Research (W.A.T.E.R.) Laboratory, launched on June 5, 2026. The laboratory advances research into freshwater, coastal and marine environments, supporting efforts to understand and sustainably manage aquatic systems in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Her research connects water chemistry and pollution, groundwater–surface water interactions, coral reefs, ocean acidification and climate change. Through field investigations and laboratory analyses, her work examines how water, nutrients and pollutants move between environments and influence ecosystem health. Ocean acidification is a growing area of the laboratory’s research, including assessments of carbonate chemistry and ecological responses to changing ocean conditions.

Participation in the symposium will provide an opportunity for Dr. Gordon-Smith to exchange knowledge with international colleagues, explore potential research collaborations and engage with scientific developments relevant to the Caribbean. It will also connect her work at the W.A.T.E.R. Laboratory with wider discussions on ocean sustainability and environmental resilience.

The Faculty of Science and Technology congratulates Dr. Gordon-Smith on receiving the grant and celebrates her continued contribution to understanding and protecting the region’s water resources and marine environments.

Photo caption: Dr. Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith