About Us

The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. The work of the CSF is supported in part by the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation (CADSTI) which founded the CSF in 2010 as its implementation arm in the Region. CADSTI (http://cadsti.org) has its center of gravity outside the Region, and its primary function is to mine and mobilize the resources in the world-wide Caribbean Diaspora in support of the CSF.

Mission

The mission of the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) is to assist with the diversification of the economies of the Caribbean Region by harnessing science and technology for economic development, thereby helping to raise the standard of living.

Specifically, the CSF is:

Accelerating education reform that supports technology‐based entrepreneurship by:
- Promoting and offering STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs including robotics camps and computer coding workshops for Caribbean youth
- Offering business and entrepreneurship education programs for Caribbean youth
- Carrying out STEM teacher training exercises in the Region
- Enhancing the communication skills of the youth in CSF programs
Stimulating technology‐based entrepreneurship by identifying and funding science and technology projects in new and existing enterprises that are relevant to the economic development needs of the Region, and
Providing scientific and engineering advisory services to Caribbean governments by working with the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation (CADSTI) to leverage the expertise that resides in the Diaspora.

Overview

The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) was established as an independent non-profit non-governmental organization in 2010 by the Caribbean Diaspora for Science, Technology and Innovation (CADSTI). CADSTI (http://cadsti.org) has its center of gravity outside the Region, and its primary function is to mine and mobilize the resources in the world-wide Caribbean Diaspora in support of the CSF. The figure below illustrates the structure and the role of CADSTI and shows it as one of the support pillars of the CSF. The headquarters of the CSF are located in the CARICOM Research Building on the Barbados campus of the University of the West Indies. A PDF of this CSF Overview and the Mission Statement below is available here.

CSF History

Grenada Meeting Recommends Establishing CSF, Grenada, April 9, 2008. A high‐level meeting convened by Prime Minister Mitchell in Grenada on April 9, 2008 recommended the establishment of a Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) to help promote the aggressive development of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the Caribbean, and to harness STI for sustainable economic development of the region.

CSF Launched by CADSTI, Trinidad and Tobago, September 21, 2010. On September 21, 2010, the Caribbean Diaspora for Science Technology and Innovation (CADSTI) led by its President, Dr. Cardinal Warde, Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, launched the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago with the assistance of CARISCIENCE. Senator, The Hon. Fazal Karim, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago gave the Keynote Address and launched the CSF on behalf of Prime Minister Kamla Persad‐Bissessar who was attending the United Nations Millennium Summit in New York.

The links below take you to the Program of the CSF Launch and Science Forum, and the Official Press Release announcing the Launch of the CSF:

Official Press Release announcing the Launch of the CSF
Programme of the CSF launch and Science Forum