The event marked the history of the structural engineering profession across the Caribbean and globally, looking ahead to new opportunities and challenges, while also discussing topics such as design, resilience, technology, innovation, and sustainability.
Shalini Jagnarine-Azan, IStructE Fellow, Board member, and Vice President for the Americas said of the event: “Our conference examined the future of the profession, alongside celebrating our past. Structural engineers, architects, builders, policy and decision makers all have an important collaborative role to play in the Caribbean community, especially now when the region and the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and what it means to be resilient, sustainable, and innovative.”
Savitree Singh, the current chair of the Regional Group, added: “Our group now has over 300 members, all talented and professionally qualified structural engineers. The group has grown over the years, building connections across the structural engineering profession, with the wider built environment sector, businesses, and academia.”
The event also celebrated the career of structural engineer and IStructE Fellow, The Honourable Tony Gibbs, who has been a Chartered member of the Institution for 55 years. Tony joined IStructE as a Graduate member in 1964, and was instrumental in creating the Regional Group.
Shalini Jagnarine-Azan commented: “It was a highlight of our conference to play a special video from our President Tanya de Hoog to our Regional Group’s members and partners celebrating our milestone anniversary and congratulating Tony on his illustrious career. Tony has received several awards for his structural engineering expertise, particularly about the resistance of structures to the Caribbean’s natural hazards particularly to high winds. He remains a role model for the profession.
The outcome of this conference reinforced the cohesive message that more needs to be done to improve clarity on seismic design, update regional wind and rainfall hazard maps which are ever changing due to climate change, and work with regional partners and professional engineering bodies in each country to improve resilience and work towards a sustainable future for all.”
IStructE’s Regional Groups are global, and made up of volunteer members. The Caribbean group began in 1994 with active members in 8 Caribbean countries covering the overall territory of 28 countries. In 2004, other Caribbean locations were added, including Bermuda, Belize, Guyana and Suriname. It extended in 2011 to include the region of Florida, USA.
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Notes to Editors
About the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE): https://www.istructe.org/
The Institution of Structural Engineers dates to 1908 and is now the world’s largest membership organisation dedicated to the art and science of structural engineering.
It has over 29,000 members working in 138 countries around the world. Professional membership is one of the leading global benchmarks of competence and technical excellence. Members undergo rigorous technical assessment and commit to continual learning and development.
The Institution drives higher standards and shares knowledge because its members’ work is vital to public safety and meeting the challenges of the future. The Institution provides a voice for its members, promoting their contribution to society as innovative, creative problem solvers and the guardians of public safety.