Crystallising a collaborative Caribbean network

On October 3, 2024, enthusiasm filled the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the West Indies Mona Campus (UWI Mona), as undergraduate and graduate students joined established researchers, faculty members, and university and industry leaders to officially launch the Caribbean Regional X-ray Science Toward Advancement Laboratory (crXstal). This was the result of a successful collaboration between UWI Mona and LAAAMP (Lightsources for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Middle East and Pacific), and falls within the scope of LAAAMP’s broader capacity building framework, which has as one of its core components, the creation of networks of research and educational hubs that fuel the growth of future communities of synchrotron users in emerging regions.

At the launch, Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot, co-founder of crXstal, remarked that the laboratory represents true “partnerships for the goals” as The UWI Mona and LAAAMP brought multiple contributors from the international community: Bruker AXS, the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr), the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean (ISC RFPLAC), Bristol Myers Squibb, together with regional partners including the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO (through the Participation Programme), the UWI Cave Hill Campus, Juici Beef Limited (private sector), the Caribbean Academy of Sciences Jamaica Chapter, and others, to make the laboratory a reality.

The occasion was marked with a public lecture entitled Crystallography as a Vehicle for Stimulating Research and Education in the Developing World by Professor Michele Zema from the University of Bari, Italy (UniBa), who attended the inaugural event in his capacity as Director of New Crystallography Facilities and Training for LAAAMP and Co-founder of crXstal. Professor Zema’s lecture reinforced the core objectives of crXstal as a Caribbean hub designed to build regional capacity in X-ray crystallography, stimulate research, popularize crystallography and cultivate a collaborative Caribbean network of researchers.

The Inaugural Caribbean Crystallography School, June 2-7, 2025 (CCS2025)

Exactly one day short of eight months later, on June 2, 2025, the inaugural edition of the Caribbean Crystallography School (CCS) opened at crXstal under the direction of Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot and Professor Michele Zema. The school was co-organised by UWI Mona and LAAAMP, with the partnership of Bruker AXS and the CCDC, and supported by several sponsors, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the main sponsor, Juici Beef Limited as the local sponsor, as well as the IUCr, the American Crystallographic Association (ACA), the Italian Crystallographic Association (AIC), the International Center for Diffraction Data (ICDD), the RSC, the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, the University of Bologna (UniBo) Global South Program, ISC RFPLAC and LearnSci.

Twenty-six (26) students from 6 universities across 4 countries attended: Jamaica [UWI Mona and University of Technology (UTech)], Trinidad [UWI St Augustine and University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT)], Barbados (UWI Cave Hill) and Belize [University of Belize (UB)]. They were engaged for 6 days by 11 instructors/lecturers from Brazil, Costa Rica, Italy, Jamaica, the UK, Uruguay, the USA and Venezuela. The gender distribution of 62% males and 38% females among students was deliberately reversed to 27% males and 73% females among lecturers to achieve gender balance among participants of CCS2025.

With an approximate student-instructor ratio of 1:2, instructions, engagement and support were individually tailored to student needs. This was particularly effective since students varied significantly in their previous experience and exposure to crystallography: there were three PhD students, four MPhils of which two were full-time academics, one laboratory technician, three finalizing undergraduates, and 15 mid-to-early career PhD researchers/lecturers with more than 60% familiar with crystals and crystal structures but less than 10% having any previous experience in selecting, mounting, data collection, structure solution and analysis, including the use of crystallographic databases.

Seeding Human Connections: Let’s Get Together and Do Crystallography!

The group met for the first time on the evening of June 1, 2025, at a pre-school networking event deliberately designed to seed the human connections that are crucial for building a community of users within the Caribbean. The room filled with “One Love… Let’s Get Together and Feel Alright” Jamaican vibes and, with the clock ticking, outstanding regional and global scientists, students and workers at various levels in the STEM enterprise ran like Usain Bolt, from person to person, asking questions to complete a game of “human bingo!”: XXX has made a YouTube video, YYY has used a synchrotron, ZZZ loves the beach! There was laughter, chatter, and even singing of Bob Marley’s greatest hits, which were playing in the background. Potential winners raised their bingo cards, signalling a win, and together the group went through to check, only to realize – the answer could not be verified – no winner yet! The game started again and people moved with more purpose as they got closer to the win – not just of the bingo game but of trust and familiarity - the win of human connection! The evening ended with more singing and dancing! CCS2025 had begun!

Opening Ceremony: Crystallising the Network

The opening ceremony was a public event, well attended by academics, researchers, students, administrators and representatives of various organisations. In her opening comments, Dr Singh-Wilmot, emphasized the school’s role in empowering Caribbean scientists to tackle local challenges, from drug discovery using indigenous plants to improving materials for water purification and solar energy. She recalled the frustrations of researchers who previously had to send samples abroad for structure determination and expressed gratitude for the local and global support that enabled the launch of crXstal and the CCS. Dr Donna Minott-Kates, Head of the Department of Chemistry, UWI Mona, welcomed the partnerships that the CCS has brought to the UWI, in particular with LAAAMP and the International Union of Crystallography, while Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, declared the establishment of a dedicated crystallography school in the Caribbean a regional milestone that “affirms the region’s readiness as a serious player in cutting-edge scientific research". In his message, Professor Densil Williams, Principal and Pro-Vice Chancellor, UWI Mona, celebrated the CCS as a "game changer" consistent with UWI’s Triple A Strategy of Access, Alignment and Agility. Professor Zema reiterated that the opening of the CCS was indeed a milestone in building a regional community of crystallographers. Mr Bandiogou Diawara, Head of the Natural Sciences Sector at UNESCO’s Caribbean Office, celebrated the initiative for advancing the goals of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033).

Short presentations about the mission, programmes and opportunities of selected partners and sponsors introduced the audience to the regional and international community of crystallography, and invited everyone to become a part of it. Professor Michele Zema (UniBa) showcased LAAAMP in his capacity as Chair, Professor Graciela Diaz de Delgado (Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela, also Vice President of the IUCr and ICDD Director-at-Large) represented ISC RFPLAC, Dr Andrea Araya-Sibaja (LANOTEC, Costa Rica) represented the Latin American Crystallographic Association (LACA) as its President, and Professor Lucia Maini (UniBo) introduced the AIC and UniBo’s Global South Programme.

The ceremony closed with an interactive activity dubbed Crystallising the Network, coordinated by Professor Leopoldo Suescun (Universidad de la República, Uruguay) and the co-chairs of CCS2025, Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot and Professor Michele Zema. A symbolic ball of thread was thrown around the room. Each time a person caught it, they announced their name, organisation and country, and then held on to the thread before throwing the ball to the next person of choice. The result was a beautiful network with a unique and intricate topology, analogous to the Caribbean framework. Each person and their associated organisation/country represented a node in the network, and the thread symbolised the linkers that bridge from one node to the next through strong bonds. This reflects the interconnectedness within the Caribbean crystallographic community, demonstrating the importance and commitment of each person and organisation in the network, as well as the scientific and human collaborative links that the CCS aims to foster.

The Programme: From Theory to Practice

From the opening to the closing on June 7, 2025, the CCS was stimulating and intense with sessions from 8:30 am to 6:30 or 7:00 pm. Lectures took students on a journey covering the fundamentals of crystallography, its theory and practice. The school began with an overview of the history of crystallography by Professor Michele Zema (UniBa), who also introduced the basic concepts of crystal symmetry. Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot (UWI Mona) taught the principles of crystallization and crystal growth techniques. Crystal symmetry, point groups and space groups, and the use of the International Tables for Crystallography Vol. A were covered in different slots by Professor Leopoldo Suescun (Universidad de la República, Uruguay) and Professor Lucia Maini (UniBo, Italy). Professor Javier Ellena (University of Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Professor Serena C. Tarantino (University of Pavia, Italy) gave the basics of X-ray diffraction by crystals, structure factors and structure solution methods. Dr Ashley Schmidt (Bruker AXS) and Professor Lucia Maini ran a step-by-step practical lecture on structure refinement, while Professor Graciela Diaz de Delgado (Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela) covered structure validation and publication, giving hints on how to publish crystal structures with the IUCr Journals. Polymorphism in organic and inorganic crystals was covered by Dr Andrea Araya-Sibaja (LANOTEC, Costa Rica) and Professor Serena C. Tarantino, respectively. Pre-school sessions were held on May 19 and 21, 2025, by Professor L. Maini and her team from UniBo and helped to prepare students for these topics.

The programme also included tutorials on the use of the Cambridge Structural Database and related software by Ilaria Gimondi and Yinka Olatunji-Ojo (CCDC) and on the Bruker AXS APEX6 software by Dr Ashley Schmidt (Bruker AXS). These tutorials were made possible by temporary CSD and APEX6 workshop licenses granted to all participants by CCDC and Bruker AXS, respectively.

For daily practical sessions, students were organized into four teams, BLUE, GREEN, PURPLE, and BROWN, that rotated through structured modules designed around (a) Crystal Growth, (b) Data Collection, and (c) Structure Solution and Analysis.

(a) Crystal Growth - in the wet chemistry laboratory, students conducted experiments to grow single crystals using four different techniques:

• Slow evaporation
• Vapour diffusion
• Reflux
• Hydrothermal/Solvothermal methods

(b) Data Collection - students selected, mounted and explored strategies for cell determination and data collection using the APEX6 software package on the Bruker D8 Quest Eco Single Crystal Diffractometer at crXstal.

(c) Structure Solution and Analysis – datasets were used to:

• Solve structures
• Refine structures with SHELXL
• Validate CIFs
• Analyze using CSD tools - Conquest, Mogul, Mercury, etc.

These sessions were carefully conducted for full immersion of each student, under the supervision of all lecturers and the assistance of peer tutors Mr Jermaine Smith (UWI Mona) and Dr Zeyar Min (UTech). Each student cycled through all phases multiple times during the week, ensuring mastery of the full crystallographic process. During the 6 days of CCS2025, 24 samples were analysed and 12 structures were solved, with the rest having either no diffraction, poor resolution or known unit cells.

Crystallography Symposium

A special feature of CCS2025 was a two-hour crystallography symposium, which was designed to show advanced topics and research frontiers in crystallography. Presentations were delivered by CCS2025 lecturers and tutors, and stimulated active discussion with comments and questions from students, engaging the presenters beyond their allocated time!

The symposium talks:

• Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot, Mr Jermaine Smith (UWI Mona; crXstal, Jamaica), Dr Zeyar Min (University of Technology, Jamaica), Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs)
• Professor Lucia Maini (University of Bologna, Italy), Organic Molecular Materials
• Professor Graciela Diaz de Delgado (Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela), Polymorphism in Pharmaceuticals
• Dr Andrea Araya-Sibaja (LANOTEC, Costa Rica), Bioactive Compounds: from Crystal Engineering to Drug Delivery
• Professor Javier A. Ellena (University of Sao Paulo, Brazil), Quantum Crystallography
• Professor Michele Zema (University of Bari, Italy), Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction at Variable Temperature
• Professor Serena C. Tarantino (University of Pavia, Italy), Spinels
• Professor Leopoldo Suescun (Universidad de la República, Uruguay), Perovskites

Student Presentations and Reflections

On the final day, students presented results from their experimental work: either full structure determinations of crystals grown during CCS2025 and/or crystals brought to the school. Diversity in experiences, strengths, backgrounds and cultures of team members blended into colourful, creative and scientifically sound presentations, which demonstrated the learning, growth, transformation and collaboration that CCS2025 brought. Some of the crystals presented challenges, which the students embraced as opportunities to learn even more and go deeper with the support of their lecturers. A closing Q&A and roundtable discussion facilitated further learning and reflection.

During reflections, students expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to learn about crystallography, explore innovative research ideas in the field, interact with world-renowned crystallographers, and meet other members of the Caribbean community. Many had already begun discussing mechanisms for inter-island and intra/inter-university research collaborations facilitated by crXstal. Others discussed how shared knowledge and practices, such as the crystal growth laboratory exercises during CCS2025, could be used to initiate or enhance the teaching and learning of crystallography at their universities. There was an overwhelming call from participants for the region to get together and continue interactions even before CCS2026! Furthermore, participants agreed that the English-speaking Caribbean must become more involved in the wider regional crystallographic community through LACA and ACA, as well as the global community through the IUCr.

When asked what could be improved, students expressed that the days were quite long and intense and suggested that extending the school to 2 weeks would be ideal. Direct quotes from students commenting on the most valuable aspect of CCS2025 are shared below:

“Being able to run your own sample and solving the structure”

“There was a diversity of expertise within the lecturer group who taught us the different aspects of crystallography. They were dynamic presenters who are passionate about crystallography”

“The practical exposure to dealing with and determining the structure of a crystal with guidance from lecturers”

“Opportunities for collaboration”

“The hands-on experience with the software and presenting at the end”

A Landmark Closing – Crystallising the Network Continues

During the closing session, students received certificates of participation from the CCS2025 organisers and sponsors. This brought a lot of excitement, and students expressed the pride they felt in completing the rigorous but fulfilling programme and collecting their certificates while being cheered on by their lecturers and colleagues.

However, the biggest excitement of the closing session was the signing of a commitment by professionals associated with The University of the West Indies, Mona, St Augustine and Cave Hill campuses; The University of Technology; The University of Trinidad and Tobago; and The University of Belize, to establish, under the umbrella of LAAAMP, a Caribbean Regional Committee for Crystallography (CRCC), which aims to:

- Build capacity in crystallography and related fields

- Strengthen regional scientific collaboration

- Foster infrastructure development and sustainable training pipelines

This landmark achievement is the genesis of a Caribbean crystallographic community capable of leading structural science initiatives, both regionally and internationally. The first meeting of the CRCC will be held in July 2025; crystallising the network continues…

Conclusion

CCS2025 was more than a training event, it was a transformative and memorable moment in Caribbean science. By enabling participants to learn the fundamentals of X-ray crystallography locally, in a collaborative and empowering learning environment, the school bridged critical gaps in access, expertise, and opportunity. It demonstrated the power of collaboration, infrastructure investment, and vision in driving scientific development.

With continued support, the Caribbean Crystallography School promises to be a cornerstone in regional STEM advancement and a model for scientific capacity building and collaboration in the Global South.