Department of Biology
Leanna Kalicharan has earned her BSc. in Biology, with honors from the University of Guyana in 2013, where she was the best graduating student in the programme. She also earned her MSc. degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management where she specialized in Coastal and Marine Resource Management from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus, in 2017. She currently works as a Lecturer within the Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus. Leanna is highly interested in management and development of policies for biodiversity conservation, particularly, fishery resources. She has worked with researchers from the University of Guyana, Shedd Aquarium, Yale University, the World Wildlife Fund – Guianas, and Global Wildlife Conservation, to contribute to the conservation of freshwater fishery and reptilian resources of Guyana. Her Master’s thesis was pioneer research that examined finfish bycatch discards in the artisanal Chinese seine fishery done in the Demerara estuary, Guyana.
Leanna serves as the Caribbean Network Coordinator for the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) – Youth and also the Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean and Americas for the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN). She is a volunteer with the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) since June 2014 and has been working closely with CYEN national chapters of Guyana and Barbados to promote climate change, environmental and biological conservation, and youth integration in sustainable development related issues. She is also a Special Envoy for CYEN, specifically tasked to ensure that CYEN's position on approaches to climate change management and sustainable development is articulated and made know in throughout international NGOs and networks.
Ms. Kalicharan is one fourteen (14) young women from Guyana that is currently benefiting from the Commonwealth Pilot Women’s Mentor ship initiative, which is aimed to assist her in acquiring critical life skills and to progress in her career. More so, Leanna is the 2017 recipient of the National Youth Award presented through the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Department of Culture, Youth & Sport, for her service in championing Environmental Awareness and Biodiversity both as a volunteer and lecturer at the University of Guyana.