For decades, Caribbean researchers have faced the challenge of shipping crystals abroad for analysis, resulting in delays, damage, and stalled projects. CCS2025 addresses this gap by strengthening the local infrastructure and training needed to empower Caribbean scientists tackling urgent regional challenges – from drug discovery using indigenous plants to developing materials for water purification and solar energy.
On 7 June, participants signed a commitment to establish a Caribbean Regional Committee for Crystallography, under the umbrella of LAAAMP (Lightsources for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Middle East, and Pacific), an initiative funded through the ISC grants programme and led by ISC unions. The committee will work to expand capacity, foster scientific collaboration, and strengthen research infrastructure in crystallography across the Caribbean.
26 participants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Belize, alongside a distinguished faculty of international experts from Brazil, Costa Rica, Italy, Uruguay, the UK, the USA, and Venezuela engaged in a comprehensive programme covering the entire crystallographic workflow.
Participants also heard from world-renowned crystallographers and engaged in advanced symposium sessions on quantum crystallography, perovskites, pharmaceuticals, and bioactive compounds.
Notably, Prof. Graciela Díaz de Delgado (Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela) represented the Liaison Committee of the ISC Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean (ISC RFP-LAC), as both lecturer and mentor. Her dual role, together with her ongoing support to participants beyond formal sessions, was highlighted as invaluable to the success of CCS2025.
The outcomes of CCS2025 serve as a powerful testament to what can be achieved when international organizations, regional bodies, and dedicated experts work together to empower the next generation of scientists. With continued support, CCS is set to become a cornerstone for scientific capacity-building in the Global South, offering a model of how collaborative science can deliver solutions to both regional and global challenges.
‘[The school is] a game changer,’ said Dr. Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot, co-chair of CCS2025 and co-founder of crXstal – ‘one that transforms the Caribbean into a producer of scientific knowledge rather than merely a consumer’.
CCS2025 directly contributes to the United Nations International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033) by strengthening the Caribbean’s STEM ecosystem and creating new opportunities for collaboration, research, and innovation.
CCS2025 was made possible through strong international and regional partnerships. Key sponsors included the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Union of Crystallography (IUCr), American Crystallographic Association (ACA), Italian Crystallographic Association (AIC), and the ISC RFP-LAC, among others. The initiative also received endorsement from the Latin American Crystallographic Association (LACA).
As sponsor and donor, the ISC RFP-LAC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen regional scientific communities through mentorship, training, and international collaboration.
ISC RFP-LAC looks forward to continued collaboration with IUCr and partner institutions to expand opportunities for training, mentorship, and regional integration in the years to come.
Photo: T. Collins-Fray, IUCr
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