Researchers, Dr. Debbie Gordon-Smith (Lecturer) and Pearl Bergan (Graduate student), from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona, showcased their research output in ocean health, climate resilience, and coastal sustainability at the Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) 2026, held in Glasgow, Scotland, from February 22–27, 2026.

Recognized as one of the world's premier gatherings of marine scientists, OSM brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from across the globe to share scientific advances and explore solutions to some of the most pressing challenges affecting the world's oceans and coastal ecosystems.

Among the Faculty’s contributions was the poster presentation, “Advancing Regional Resilience through Ocean Acidification Research and Policy Capacity Building in the Caribbean: Establishment of the GOA-ON Caribbean Hub.” The work was co-authored by Dr. Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith and an international team comprising Amber Packard, Clayton Vondriska, Julio Morell, Yasmin Detres Cardona, Jair Valladarez, Sylvia Lander, and Alain Munoz. 

Pearl also delivered an oral presentation titled “Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) as a Potential Biogeochemical Stressor in Kingston Harbour, Jamaica: Implications for Coastal Ecosystem Health and Climate Resilience.” The research was co-authored by Pearl, Dr. Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith, Dr. Kadane Coates, and Dr. Andrew Green. 

The participation of FST researchers at OSM 2026 reflects the Faculty’s growing contribution to global ocean science and its commitment to producing internationally relevant research that addresses critical environmental and climate-related challenges. Through collaborative research and knowledge sharing, FST continues to support evidence-based solutions that advance the sustainable management and resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems in Jamaica, the Caribbean, and beyond.