Arnoldo K. Ventura
CTO
Dr. Ventura is an internationally recognized authority on the innovation trajectories, and application of science and technology for socio-economic development. He has guided a number of African, Asian, Latin American and Caribbean Countries to re-examine, strengthen and apply their scientific and technological capabilities to evolving local and international demands, technological changes, social and political pressures, and economic forces. Dr. Ventura has had over forty years experience in research and development, commercial application of research results, technological assessments and techno-economic evaluations, as well as the teaching of these topics at the tertiary levels.
Dr. Ventura was the Science and Technology advisor to four Jamaican Prime Ministers from 1989 to 2009 and the instigator and drafter of Jamaica’s first science policies and strategic plans. Dr Ventura has represented his country in many multilateral and bilateral fora and negotiated complex agreements.
He began his research career as a virologist but soon became an avid student of the use of science to accelerate socio-economic development, especially in small countries. He has been an advisor and has led numerous initiatives, including those at the UNDP, UNIDO, UNESCO, FAO and OAS. Dr. Ventura was the first Caribbean professional to preside over the United Nations Commission on Science and technology for Development (UNCSTD), in Geneva; and the first person to head at the same time both the UNCSTD and the Inter-American Committee on Science and Technology (COMCYT) of the OAS, in Washington.
Dr. Ventura was a founding member of a number of scientific and technological initiatives and institutions including the National Commission on Science and Technology at the Office of the Prime Minister in Jamaica, and the CARICOM Science and Technology Committee, headed by Prime Minister of Grenada. He now serves as the Secretary and Chairman of the Implementation Committee of this regional body. He also headed a number of Jamaican institutions including being the Executive Chairman of the Scientific Research Council ad Chairman of the Water Resources Authority.
Dr. Ventura is a significant contributor to the world’s literature on the use of science and technology for development and a well known local and international speaker on the subject. He has written books and contributed book chapters concerning science for development the best known books are the “Dilemma of Science” written in 2002 and Elements of the Scientific Research Method in 1993.
Dr. Ventura has also managed research and testing institutions, and has received many awards for his work. He was awarded the National Medal for Science and Technology, the Silver Musgrave Medal, the Order of Distinction in Jamaica’s National Honors, the Wyndham Visionary Achievement Citation and the Centennial Medal of the Institute of Jamaica.
Dr. Ventura is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of the West Indies, and has lectured and conducted research in five Universities across the Americas. He presently is the Chief Technology Officer at Tambourine Innovation Ventures, Washington DC.