Ever heard of an island called Barbados? Sure you have, it's a small coral island in the heart of the Caribbean and the birth place of rum. Ever heard of Bellairs Research institute? You can be forgiven for answering "no" to this question. Beyond the walls of the biology department, very few people at McGill are aware of Bellairs' existence.
Bellairs Research Institute is a little piece of McGill in paradise. Nestled among the exclusive resorts on Barbados's picturesque Gold Coast, jokingly referred to as the newly-wed-and-nearly-dead-coast by many locals, Bellairs is Canada's only university research institute in the tropics. Bellairs was created in 1954 from an endowment by the late Commander Carlyon W. Bellairs, of the British Royal Navy.
Over the years, scientists working at Bellairs have produced a vast number of scientific publications, in a wide range of subjects. Palaeontologists come to study the upraised coral reefs of Barbados, primatologists come to study the wild populations of African vervet monkeys, and ornithologists come to study the local birdlife.
"Bellairs was primarily a marine biology research station," explained Dr. Bruce Downey, the newly appointed director. "We have expanded the research base of the institute to cover a wide range of other subjects such as geology, sociology, anthropology, archaeology and climatology."
Not surprisingly, marine biology is still the most commonly studied subject. The research institute sits adjacent to the fringing coral reefs that hug the shoreline of the west coast of Barbados. Marine biologists wishing to conduct their research at Bellairs need only stagger across the 14.87m of golden sand to reach their study site. Marine biologists at Bellairs study a wide range of captivating subjects, from the behaviour of cleaner fish to the movement patterns of moray eels.
Recently, increased emphasis has been placed on environmental and conservation concerns at Bellairs. This focus was spearheaded by previous director Dr. Wayne Hunte through the creation of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project in 1994, a joint conservation initiative between Bellairs and the University of the West Indies. Dr. Downey is working to expand environmental research.
"Environmental issues have grown in importance on such a small island. We are currently working with the assistance of Dr. Peter Brown, director of the McGill school of Environment who is obviously very supportive of new initiatives which have an environmental component." Downey commented.
Considering the value of such a research institute, why is it that so few people at McGill have ever heard of Bellairs?
"It is hard for McGill to use a place like Bellairs to its full potential," offered Dr. John Lewis, the founding director of Bellairs from 1954-1970. "The summer months are the only time that students are available to attend field courses."
An economic evaluation of Bellairs conducted last year also identified a lack of marketing. One aim of Dr. Downey is to spread the word that Bellairs is ready and able to provide the logistical support that many scientists require when conducting research and that the institute is equipped to accommodate field courses.
Dr. Gray Stirling, a lecturer for McGill's Applied Tropical Ecology course, is keen to see an increase in the number of students attending field courses at Bellairs.
"Field courses are an excellent opportunity for students to apply what they learn in academic courses. As a result, what they learn seems more relevant."
The number of field courses conducted at Bellairs has gradually increased over the years. Last year 13 field courses from 7 universities visited Bellairs. Dr. Downey is keen on increasing the number still further.
"Work is underway to develop a semester long course involving two or perhaps three faculties at McGill. We hope more individual courses can be generated through greater marketing of Bellairs,"opined Downey.
Projects like this require money, and Bellairs has suffered greatly over the years from funding cuts.
"We are working on proposals to both the university and outside agencies such as the Canadian Foundation of Innovation."
To find out more, visit www.mcgill.ca/bellairs.
