University of Belize holds 15th Annual Research Conference

By Orlando Pulido (Freelance Writer)

SANTA ELENA TOWN, Cayo District, Fri. May 1, 2026

   The University of Belize’s (UB) Faculty of Management and Social Sciences (FMSS) held its 15th Annual Research Conference on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at its main campus in Belmopan. Some of the topics discussed were Caribbean Industrialization and Tourism Risk, and the Commercialization of Maya Herbal Medicine.

   The opening remarks were given by Dr. Bernard Watler, Dean of FMSS. According to Dr. Watler, “Research is the backbone of any credible university.”

   Dr. Watler stated that UB must now deepen its engagement with both the private and public sectors, where “our society faces interlocking challenges.” It is where “research is the bridge between those problems and our solutions.”

   “Over the last decade and a half, through this forum we have sent a clear message to Belize: the University of Belize is ready to lead. We are a national university dedicated to the betterment of Belize,” declared Dr. Watler to the packed hall of the Jaguar Auditorium at UB.

   Dr. Sherlene Savery-Enriquez, Vice President of Academics at UB, gave the welcoming remarks on Thursday.

   “It is a testimony to persistence for scholars to pursue the evidence … the University of Belize does not exist in isolation from Belize,” remarked Dr. Enriquez.

   Focusing on the topic at hand, Dr. Enriquez said that “research is not just a peripheral activity at UB; it is a priority. It is how we ensure that decisions about Belize’s future are informed by data …”

   In his keynote address, Dr. David Robertson, math assistant professor at UB, claimed that there are many opportunities for research in Belize, and that more people need to do it. Dr. Robertson has also done some research in Belize.

   In one of his findings, Dr. Robertson concluded that Belize has ranked 25th in the World Happiness Report. In the Happiness Index, which relied partly on microdata from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, Belizeans’ happiness is “comparable to countries that have four times the per capita income.”

   Dr. Robertson also stressed that “we need Belizean science, done by Belizeans, for Belizeans.”

   Before the first presentation for the day, Ms. Christelle Wilson introduced the economics professor at UB, Dr. Yasmine Andrews. Ms. Wilson described Dr. Andrews as having done public opinion polling, and having had an influence on the national discourse on constitutional reform. Dr. Yasmine Andrews is currently doing a postdoctoral study on sustainable development in Belize.

   In her talk, Dr. Andrews stated that after independence, many countries in the Caribbean did not transition from agriculture to industry, but rather to tourism.” This is the same for Belize.

   “The current economic structure is not a policy choice; it has historical importance. The issue is that: tourism became the main national income,” she said.

   Dr. Andrews continued, “Every cloud has a silver lining. The data revealed an opportunity. Belize is ‘green’, and that is our competitive advantage. The policy implication is not to abandon tourism; instead, tourism should finance diversification.”

   While Belize possesses an opportunity for the future, Dr. Andrews advised that “sustainable development requires diversification and industrial capacity.”

   The second presentation for the day was delivered by Ms. Zena Carrias, a Master of Business Administration student at UB. Carrias comes from a long tradition of Maya healers. Her mother was Mrs. Beatrice Torres Waight, author of the book, Fire Heart, which summarized the life and teachings of traditional Maya healers of Belize. This book is currently a sensation on Amazon, is sold at the market in San Ignacio, and has financed the education of Ms. Zena Carrias.

   Ms. Carrias spoke about the Commercialization of Maya Herbal Medicine in the Cayo District. Carrias said that in the findings of her thesis, Maya healers have three different stakeholders: the Maya healers themselves, the consumers, and the herbal entrepreneurs. Carrias maintained that tourists have a great interest in traditional medicine in Belize.

   The voices of scholars like Dr. Sherlene Savery-Enriquez, Dr. David Robertson, and Dr. Yasmine Andrews reinforced that Belize’s future must be built on evidence, innovation, and diversification. In the end, the message was clear: research is not peripheral—it is central to Belize’s development, and UB is positioning itself at the heart of that mission.