The Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), The University of the West Indies, Mona, continues to demonstrate its leadership in impactful, solutions-oriented research through a new international collaboration with the University of Leeds.

The collaborative project, titled “Explainable Data Science for Humanitarian Recovery: Women’s Health Needs in Jamaica Post-Hurricane Melissa,” has been awarded funding valued at £30,000 through the Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Account (ESRC IAA) under the Data Scientist Development Programme 2026.

The proposal was the highest-scoring submission, reflecting the quality of the research, the strength of the partnership, and the growing international recognition of FST’s contribution to data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and development-focused research.

The project sits at the intersection of data science, humanitarian response, and gender equity. It will examine how explainable data science approaches can be used to better identify and respond to women’s health needs in post-disaster contexts. By focusing on transparency, inclusivity, and practical impact, the research aims to support recovery efforts that are not only data-driven, but also grounded in the realities of affected communities.

For FST, the project represents another important step in advancing research that responds directly to national and regional priorities. In the Caribbean, where climate-related disasters continue to affect lives, livelihoods, and public health systems, the application of data science to humanitarian recovery is both timely and necessary.

A key feature of the project is its planned collaboration with government ministries in Jamaica. This engagement will help ensure that the findings are translated into policy and practice, strengthening Jamaica’s capacity to respond to health-related needs following disasters. 

The collaboration includes Dr. Curtis Busby-Earle, Senior Lecturer, and Dr. Sean Miller, Lecturer, both from the Department of Computing in the Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona. Their work applies cybersecurity, machine learning, and large and small language models to complex cybersecurity challenges, including botnet detection and resilience against evolving digital threats. Their involvement highlights the Department’s growing contribution to applied computing research with real-world relevance.

The project also includes Dr. Sasha-Gay Wright from the Faculty of Engineering, whose leadership in biomedical engineering and commitment to advancing engineering across the Caribbean bring valuable expertise and perspective to the initiative.

The work is closely connected to Professor Lisa Dionne Morris' (from the University of Leeds) Visiting Professorship, which has focused on building international collaborations that bridge engineering, policy, and social impact. Through this partnership, FST continues to strengthen its global research networks while contributing Caribbean expertise to international conversations on disaster recovery, health, and resilience.

The project is supported by the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA), the home of data science at the University of Leeds, which provides a strong interdisciplinary foundation for the work.