Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

143 ANDRE CROPPER (1961- ) D r. Andre Dominic Cropper is a research scientist and innovator whose inventions are changing the way we look at TV. He is the mastermind behind the ground-breaking Flat Panel Display. He also holds two patents for the inexpensive manufacturing of thin layers of laboratory-produced diamonds for use in TV displays. WILLIAM ECCLES H e was the owner of many estates in Trinidad and started the first railroad in 1859, the Cipero Tramroad in San Fernando, which operated between Princes Town and San Fernando. He also left money towards the setting up of the Tacarigua Orphanage for Indian children. ADELBERT W. GRAY A n American, he set up the first practical service of telephones for the business community in 1885 in Port of Spain. MAURA IMBERT (1929- ) I reland-born, her work as a chemist and her contribution to the development of astronomy in T&T is important. In 1968 she became a research assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences at UWI and in 1973 obtained her PhD. Dr. Imbert lectured in the Chemistry Department before joining CARIRI in 1978. There, she conducted research on essential oils (such as thyme oil which is used in cosmetics), food products andmedicinal plants. She led a project in the full utilisation