ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. April 30, 2016 – Former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Professor Brian Copeland, has been appointed Campus Principal of The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine. The appointment was announced yesterday, April 29, at the annual business meeting of the University Council held at the Teaching and Learning Complex at the St. Augustine Campus. Copeland succeeds Professor Clement Sankat, who has served two terms as Campus Principal: beginning his first term in January 2008 and the second in January 2013.
Speaking on the Appointment, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles said:
Professor Copeland is a distinguished scholar, an experienced engineer, and a respected university administrator. He has served this University in many roles, including as Dean of his faculty. His reputation as collegial leader is well established within the Campus and throughout the University. He is known for demonstrating concern for students, and has shown deep commitment for the well-being of the University.
Within Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider Caribbean, he is respected as a professional of integrity and a citizen concerned with the development of the people and communities our University serves. I have no doubt that he is most suited to take on this important task at this time in the history of the Campus, University and leader.
Professor Copeland graduated from The UWI St. Augustine with a BSc in Electrical Engineering in 1978, with an MSc in Electrical Engineering (Control Systems) from the University of Toronto in 1981 and with a PhD in Electrical Engineering (Control Systems) from the University of Southern California in 1990. He has been a Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at The University of West Indies from 2007 to 2015. He was Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The UWI from 1997 to 2007. He has lectured in Digital Electronics and Microprocessor Systems Design and Control Systems.
He was Coordinator of the Real Time Systems Group, a UWI unit for developing university/industry liaison through impactful R&D Projects. At the RTSG, Professor Copeland was Project Leader for design and construction of the Electronic Scoreboard at the Queen’s Park Oval. He currently co-ordinates the Steelpan Initiatives Project (SIP) which saw the development and patenting of the G-Pan, a re-engineered form of the traditional steelpan, as well as the Percussive Harmonic instrument (P.H.I.), an electronic form of the traditional steelpan. Professor Copeland is Convener of the Steelpan Research Centre, UWI and is a former Member of the Board of Directors, CARIRI.
Professor Copeland has won many prestigious awards. In 2008 he was the first recipient of the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and in 2007 he was joint recipient of the Chaconia Medal Gold as a member of the G-Pan development team. He received the Guardian Life Premium Teaching Award in 2002, the BP/AMOCO Fellowship Award for Senior Academic Staff at The UWI, 2001 and a LASPAU/Fulbright scholarship for Doctoral program at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1987 among others.
Professor Copeland’s appointment will be for a period of five years.
Replies
Congrats Dr. Copeland on your timely appointment. I'm hoping to connect with you during my next visit to Trinidad in 2016 or 2017.
Congratulations , indeed , Dr. Copeland.
Success , and best wishes on your new endeavor.
Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.
Alas ... this is a great victory for the real peeps of T&T ...
This is a man who was persecuted, by the former administration, for the very research on the national instrument of his beloved country.
The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
The Goodly Professor did just that.
I knew it will happen some time, Congrats on behalf of the pan fraternity
Congrats Dr. Copeland........, Best Wishes
Congratulations to Dr Copeland.