Bahamians understand, respect and value the importance of science and how integral it is to our survival and well-being. The Bahamas Academy of Sciences is recognized as a credible and impartial scientific authority in the country.
Who
We Are
A global network of Bahamian scientists and scientists who have made outstanding contributions to science in The Bahamas.
Our
Mission
To recognize and promote excellence in science and its use in decision-making processes that contribute to national development and growth.
The Bahamas Academy of Sciences (BAS) is a registered non-profit and merit-based organization for respected scholars in the fields of natural science, social science, humanities, other life sciences, medicine, mathematics, and engineering in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. It was established in 2023 by six Bahamian scientists (Founding Members) interested in advancing science and the quality of science used in decision-making processes to contribute to national development and growth.
The Academy not only recognizes and promotes Bahamian scientists for excellence in their respective fields of research, but also considers how this work has benefitted society nationally and internationally. The Bahamas Academy of Sciences also strives to provide clear and transparent positions based on sound science and build support for science awareness and appreciation with the general public in The Bahamas.
Our
Goals
1
Address critical and priority national research issues
2
Develop and strengthen opportunities for capacity building and collaborative interdisciplinary research
3
Improve public understanding, appreciation and support for science.
our
FOUNDERS
President
Krista Sherman, PhD
Krista is a marine scientist with a broad range of research and conservation experience and currently leads the Fisheries Research & Conservation Program for the Perry Institute for Marine Science. She holds a PhD in Biological Sciences, MRes in Ocean Science and a BSc in Marine Science and a minor in Spanish.
Vice-President
Adelle Thomas, PhD
Secretary
Nick Higgs, PhD
Nick is a marine biologist and Director of the Cape Eleuthera Institute at The Island School in Eleuthera. His research has ranged from deep-sea biodiversity to tropical lobster fisheries, with a focus on unusual food pathways in marine ecosystems. He is a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth and Research Associate at the Natural History Museum in London.
Treasurer
Charlotte Dunn, PhD
Charlotte co-runs The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation based in Abaco, Bahamas. She is also a research fellow at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Charlotte is a bio-acoustician specialising in the vocalisations of marine mammals, and anthropogenic ocean noise that is an increasing threat to marine life.
Founding Member
Diane Claridge, PhD
Diane is a founding member and Executive Director of the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation. Her work of the population ecology of cetaceans in The Bahamas focuses primarily on the population dynamics of beaked whales and coastal bottlenose dolphins to understand impacts of human activities on local populations and improve conservation directives.
Founding Member
Nicola Smith, PhD
I am currently an Assistant Professor of Biology at Concordia University where I study climate change impacts on marine systems, marine invasions, and their intersection. I am an Associate Editor for NeoBiota, a peer-reviewed, open access, online journal on biological invasions. I am also an Editorial Board Member for Discover Oceans, a new, online, open-access journal on all fields related to oceanography and marine sciences.
News
