UWI mourns renowned Trinidadian scholar Michelle Mycoo
Key Points(5)
- The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is mourning the death of Professor Michelle Mycoo, a distinguished scholar whose research on climate change, urban development and sustainable planning helped bring the realities facing Caribbean communities to the forefront of global discussions.
- 7, 1962, in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
- Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, pro vice-chancellor and campus principal of The UWI St.
- Augustine Campus, described Mycoo’s death as a profound loss to the university and the wider Caribbean.
- “Professor Mycoo made an extraordinary contribution to The UWI through her globally recognized scholarship, her commitment to our students and her unwavering belief in the importance of research that responds to the needs of our region,” Antoine said.
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is mourning the death of Professor Michelle Mycoo, a distinguished scholar whose research on climate change, urban development and sustainable planning helped bring the realities facing Caribbean communities to the forefront of global discussions.
Mycoo died Aug. 12, 2026, at age 64. She was born Aug. 7, 1962, in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, pro vice-chancellor and campus principal of The UWI St. Augustine Campus, described Mycoo’s death as a profound loss to the university and the wider Caribbean.
“Professor Mycoo made an extraordinary contribution to The UWI through her globally recognized scholarship, her commitment to our students and her unwavering belief in the importance of research that responds to the needs of our region,” Antoine said.
“Her work on climate change, urban development and sustainable planning brought Caribbean realities into important global conversations and demonstrated the power of knowledge to shape meaningful solutions for our communities. We are devastated,” she said.
Mycoo received the Best Researcher Award at the Principal’s Research Awards and Festival in 2025, recognizing the quality, relevance and impact of her scholarship.
Over the course of her career, she produced 147 publications, supervised more than 60 graduate research projects and secured nine internationally funded grants supporting multidisciplinary research, doctoral studies and scientific innovation. Her work attracted more than 6,000 citations and earned her international recognition as a leading voice on climate change and sustainable development.
Her scholarship also extended to major international scientific initiatives, including the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Selected from more than 1,000 international nominees, Mycoo served as a coordinating lead author for the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. In that role, she helped lead an international team of scientists and contributed to the evidence and findings used by decision-makers around the world.
She was also among the top 8% of global scientists selected as lead authors for the IPCC Special Report on Cities and Climate Change. She later served as a review editor for the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report on climate impacts and adaptation, which is due in 2029.
Through her international work, Mycoo helped ensure that the experiences and vulnerabilities of cities and communities in small island developing states were represented in the global scientific conversation.
Beyond the IPCC, she served as vice president of UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme and held appointments with the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Science Council and Future Earth Coasts.
Her research was closely connected to policy and practice. Her demand-driven scholarship informed policy discussions across CARICOM and with international organizations including the European Union and the Inter-American Development Bank.
Her work contributed to research and policy conversations on urban planning, disaster risk reduction, water security and coastal resilience — issues of growing importance to the Caribbean as the region confronts the impacts of climate change.
Mycoo’s contributions were recognized with several prestigious honors, including the Gulbenkian Prize for Human Development in 2022 and the Commonwealth Association of Planners Women in Planning Award.
For The UWI, however, her legacy extends beyond her publications, international appointments and awards.
The university described her as a teacher, mentor and colleague who invested in developing other researchers and strengthening the Caribbean’s capacity to produce knowledge about its own challenges and opportunities.
Mycoo advocated for Caribbean research that built bridges among academia, governments, communities and the private sector. She also believed scientific research should move beyond academic publications to drive practical and transformative action.
Her work reflected a broader commitment to making the Caribbean safer, more prosperous and more sustainable through the use of research and evidence-based solutions.
The UWI extended condolences to Mycoo’s family, friends, colleagues, students and others who knew and worked with her.
The university said her research will continue to inform the region’s response to some of its most pressing challenges, while her vision for a stronger and more resilient Caribbean will remain an important part of her legacy.
