—With research focusing on strengthening Guyana’s offshore oil and gas safety laws

GUYANESE scholar Taymara Jagmohan has officially added a doctorate to her list of accomplishments after being conferred with a PhD from the University of Aberdeen; a challenging but rewarding culmination of years of research, resilience and determination.
Her doctoral thesis, titled “Offshore Oil and Gas Health and Safety and Environmental Regulation in Guyana: Lessons from the UK and the US Safety Regimes,” examines how Guyana can strengthen its legal framework as oil and gas production continues to expand.

The research comes at a critical time for Guyana, with major offshore discoveries accelerating production. Jagmohan noted that legislation has not always moved at the same pace. This inspired her to undertake a comparative study of two experienced oil-producing jurisdictions, the United Kingdom and the United States, to examine how their regulatory systems evolved, particularly after facing safety and environmental challenges within the industry.
Rather than identifying a single model to replicate in Guyana, Jagmohan’s findings pointed to the need for balance. She concluded that Guyana may benefit from a hybrid regulatory system, combining performance-based and prescriptive approaches, to improve oversight, strengthen enforcement and guide future legal reform.
While she describes that conclusion as only a summary of a much broader body of work, she hopes the research will contribute meaningfully to discussions on offshore safety, environmental protection and long-term governance in the oil and gas sector.
Though her academic focus ultimately settled in law, Jagmohan’s early interests were wide-ranging. As a teenager, she immersed herself in reading, often completing more than 100 books per year, to understand diverse perspectives.
She also explored science before committing to legal studies, an interest that later informed the technical depth of her doctoral research. Her academic journey includes an undergraduate degree and two Master’s degrees prior to the completion of her PhD.
Reflecting on her years in Scotland, Jagmohan spoke fondly of her time at the University of Aberdeen, describing the experience as transformative, both intellectually and personally. Outside of her studies, she found balance in activities such as yoga, swimming, painting, reading and weight training.
She acknowledged that the path was not without challenges. However, she credits perseverance and strong support systems for carrying her through. Her supervisor, she said, consistently encouraged her with the reminder that “anything worthwhile is worth fighting for.”
She described his guidance as both sensitive and steadfast throughout the research process. Jagmohan also expressed gratitude to her parents, brother, extended family, examiners, friends and faith community for their support during the demanding doctoral years.
Now, with her PhD formally conferred, she is looking ahead, though she remains reserved about what comes next. For Taymara, the achievement is not simply about academic recognition, but about contributing knowledge that could shape policy conversations in Guyana at a pivotal moment in its development.
As she moves forward, she does so with the same competitive spirit and discipline that guided her through years of research and writing, determined, she says, to keep moving forward. Her message to fellow Guyanese is one of persistence, that progress requires courage, and meaningful reform demands careful study.