Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE)

Class of SPISE 2023
Class of SPISE 2023
SPISE 2019 team preparing their underwater robot (sea perch courtesy of MIT)
SPISE 2019 team preparing their underwater robot (sea perch courtesy of MIT)
SPISE 2013 students in biochemistry lab running an ELISA
SPISE 2013 students in biochemistry lab running an ELISA
Class of SPISE 2019
Class of SPISE 2019
SPISE 2015 team with their windmill
SPISE 2015 team with their windmill
SPISE 2015 teams navigating their underwater robots (sea perches courtesy of MIT)
SPISE 2015 teams navigating their underwater robots (sea perches courtesy of MIT)

The annual Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE) is an intensive five-week enrichment summer program for gifted Caribbean high-school students 16-18 years of age who are interested in studying and exploring careers in science and engineering. The longer-term goals are to: (1) help address the low numbers of Caribbean students pursuing advanced degrees in science engineering, (2) groom the next generation of science, engineering technology and business leaders in the Caribbean, and (3) help diversify the economies of the Caribbean by stimulating more technology-based entrepreneurship.

SPISE is hosted on the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies, Barbados, where the CSF has its headquarters. SPISE students are totally immersed (24/7) in university-level calculus, physics, biochemistry, computer programming, entrepreneurship, and hands-on projects in robotics or electronics. The SPISE environment discourages rote learning and teaches students how to focus on understanding and applying the fundamentals so as to achieve mastery of the material, and thus to be able to solve complex problems. The value of teamwork (learned in the hands-on projects) is yet another essential skill that is emphasized, along with proactive time-management skills. Instructors in the SPISE include university professors from the Caribbean and the Diaspora (including MIT), and senior management from leading biotechnology companies in the Diaspora. The program culminates with student project competitions in which each team first gives an oral presentation of their hands-on project before demonstrating the workings of their project. These final competitions are open to the public.

Since 2012, SPISE has served 245 students from 17 different Caribbean countries. SPISE graduates are currently attending the world’s top universities, including MIT, Caltech, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, U Penn, McMaster, and UWI.

Students participate in SPISE through the support of generous donations from organizations and individuals. It costs US $7,500 to support each SPISE student, including round-trip air travel to Barbados, if applicable. Contributions to support SPISE are tax-deductible through CADSTI-New England. Please go to the Donations page to submit your donation to CADSTI-New England in support of SPISE. Note that under 501(c)(3) regulations, the donations cannot be earmarked for a specific student.

For more information on SPISE, please visit https://caribbeanscience.org/spise/.