Science Icon | FiwiScience

Mr. Percival A. Benjamin

Biotechnology

Entrepreneur

Jamaica

BIO

The founder of PA Benjamin, a household name in Jamaica for pharmaceuticals such as bay rum and condiments such as vanilla, Percival Austin (PA) Benjamin was born in St. Mary in 1862. A young entrepreneur, he started "Benjamins' Jamaica Healing Oil Factory" in 1879 with a large array of his own bottled preparations and teas, concocted through the young apothecary's knowledge of medicine. Unfortunately, he had funding problems and had to close the factory due bankruptcy. Determined as ever he took a job as Manager of a drug & grocery store in Port Maria, eventually buying out the pharmaceutical side of the business and starting again this time as Benjamin's Jamaica Medicines. He moved the factory and business to Kingston in 1901 and continued to expand. The savvy young businessman soon recognised the marketing potential of making his products available to Jamaicans abroad and, in a stroke of marketing genius set out to acquire customers, among them Jamaicans at work on the construction of the Panama Canal. Benjamins’ aggressive salesmanship led to the infiltration of markets throughout the Caribbean, markets which the company has managed to retain and systematically expand upon. Tragedy struck again with the 1907 earthquake and fire, but he built back better and continued to expand and improve. In 1926, his flagship brand, Jamaica Healing Oil became the first Jamaican product to obtain a US patent. Although Mr. PA Benjamin died in 1928 - the company, PA Benjamin is now the oldest drug manufacturing company in Jamaica, making Mr. Percival A Benjamin one of Jamaica's Science Icons.

Professor Anthony Chen

Physics

Retired Professor

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Emeritus Anthony Chen is an Atmospheric Physicist who was a member of the Team awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for efforts made to increase and disseminate greater knowledge of man-made climate change and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change. In 2008 he was awarded an Order of Merit from the Jamaican government for his contribution to the field of climatology. Professor Anthony Chen's career started at Boston College where he achieved a BSc in Physics and Mathematics. He went on to further his education at Harvard where he earned a MA in teaching and gained teaching experience in high school teaching in the USA. His passion for Physics brought him to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park. His thesis as a graduate research student was surrounding the uppermost layers of the atmosphere focusing on the ionospheric plasma using data from the Goddard Space Flight Center. His work earned him an MSc on An End Effect Associated with Cylindrical Langmuir Probes on Explorer XVIII. Subsequent to this, he began his career at the University of the West Indies, Mona in the Department of Physics where he was assigned a position as a lecturer in 1968. He was instrumental in making the University internationally known by being the first to do research on the upper layer of the atmosphere within the Caribbean and, therefore, attracting US government funding. In 1972, he obtained his PhD entitled: An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Ionospheric Irregularities Responsible for the Scintillation of Satellite Signals. Professor Chen has an extensive list of publications ranging from, book chapters, technical reports, and journal articles to conference proceedings. He has received multiple awards and accolades for his contribution to science, as well as, national building. He helped establish the Climate Science Group in the Department of Physics and continued to assist with its work including tutoring students and mentoring researchers well after his retirement.

Professor Daniel Coore

Computer Science

Professor

Jamaica

BIO

Prof. Daniel Coore is a Professor of Computer Science in the Department of Computing, Faculty of Science and Technology, UWI, Mona. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he attended Campion College before completing one year at The UWI after which he transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he obtained in 1994, both the S.B. in Computer Science and Engineering and the S.M. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. In 1999 he earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science, also from MIT. He is a co-inventor of the UWI Cardiac Surgery Simulator: a high-fidelity simulator that has had significant impact across the US in the training of cardiac surgeons. His primary research interests are in amorphous computing, robotics and automation and computer science education. He teaches courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, spanning a broad range of areas including algorithms, theory of computation, computer architecture and cryptography.

Dr. Conrad Douglas

Chemistry

Consultant

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Conrad Douglas is a chemist with a notable, international career in the bauxite industry and one of the first scientists to establish and environmental consultancy. He is the Executive Chairman of Conrad Douglas and Associates and Environmental Science and Technology Ltd. Dr. Douglas was born in Duncans, Trelawny but his family later relocated to Kingston, where he attended Vauxhall School and then Excelsior High School. He earned his B.Sc. in Chemistry and Applied Chemistry from The UWI in 1971 and then during an internship at Alpart Jamaica he made a number of very useful findings. This led to him receiving financial support from Alcan Jamaica to further his studies in the chemistry of bauxite and alumina production. He eventually earned a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of the West Indies, becoming the only individual worldwide at that time engaged in postgraduate research focused exclusively on the bauxite and aluminum industry. His groundbreaking research addressed the longstanding issue of unaccounted caustic soda losses, leading to significant advancements in industry processes. Dr. Douglas continued his industry leadership as a foundational figure in the Jamaica Bauxite Institute and served as an international consultant developing operational guidelines that have been adopted by bauxite industries worldwide. Between 1979 and 1983, he worked with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Paris, producing influential publications on environmental and industrial science. He contributed to science education as a lecturer at The UWI for over 20 years and served the nation through the Scientific Research Council as chair for over 10 years. He was awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica in 2024, The same year, UWI awarded him with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D.), honoris causa, in recognition of his unparalleled service and achievements in the field of science and technology. Dr. Douglas had a love for painting as a child and this has since become a hobby he enjoys.

Dr. John Ewen

Chemistry

Retired/Consultant - USA

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. John Ewen is a retired industrial research chemist whose work with metallocene catalysts significantly improved the manufacturing of plastics that are more durable, heatproof, tear resistant and transparent. He was born in Kingston and attended Munro College like his father before him but eventually finished high school in Canada as he was apparently not a very good student and always getting into trouble. He returned to Jamaica and The University of the West Indies to pursue a degree in chemistry having taken a liking to the subject whilst at Munro and gained some discipline at school abroad. He completed his B.Sc. in 1972 and moved to the USA and having been influenced by Professor Gerald Lalor who instilled in him the importance of research, he completed a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at the University of Tulane. His first job was at Exxon Mobile Chemical Company where he conducted research on the synthesis of plastics and pioneered the study of metallocenes, a group of catalysts which are used to produce plastics with elements of metal in them. The process involves mimicking the way nature incorporates traces of metals in organic molecules, as with iron in the haemoglobin of red blood cells, and magnesium in the chlorophyll of green plants. He later worked at the Fina Oil and Chemical Company where the research he lead continued to enhance the production of polyethylene plastics whether the thin, transparent but strong plastics used in packaging or heavier plastics used for furniture and automobile parts. From 1991 to 2004 he was President of Catalyst Research Corporation, Houston, Texas, and since retirement has worked as a consultant including the development of an even more advanced group of catalysts, called heterocines. In 2002, Dr. Ewen was awarded the American National Medal of Technology, which is the highest possible award in that field, and comparable to a Nobel Prize in chemistry, for which he was actually nominated in 1993. In 2004, he was awarded the honorary Doctor of Science from The University of the West Indies. His advice to young people is that: “Research is an exciting and interesting way to make a living and one must focus on the needs of the society to make an impact.” He also adds,”Pushing back the frontiers of science is highly rewarding and one can have a very satisfying life if you enjoy what you do.”

Dr. Bertram Fraser-Reid

Chemistry

Deceased - 2020

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Bertram Fraser-Reid (1934 - 2020) was a synthetic organic chemist whose research on sugars improved our understanding of how the immune system fights diseases . He was born in Coleyville, Manchester and enjoyed reading when not attending Bryce Elementary School where his father was principal. He attended Excelsior High School where his love for music and playing the piano and organ were developed. It was at Clarendon College where he also taught science for a few years, that his love for chemistry started when he read a book titled, "Teach Yourself Chemistry". Inspired by this book, he migrated to Canada to study at the Queen's University where he obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in chemisty. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Alberta in 1964 following which he did post-doctoral studies at Imperial College London. Dr. Fraser-Reid was on the faculty of the University of Waterloo from 1966 to 1980 where his research focused on producing chiral materials from carbohydrates. His work in sugar chemistry has been used in the control of insects that are harmful to agriculture. His discovery that he could copy pheromones, which could be utilized by the forestry service to prevent wood-eating insects from ruining trees, has helped to safeguard forests in Canada and Latin America. He moved to the USA and worked briefly at the University of Maryland and then at Duke University from 1983 to 1996 when he retired. His work at Duke University focused on oligosaccharides (a commonly occuring sugar in certain plants, with a shorter chain than polysaccharides) and the role they play in the body’s immune system - he found that they help the body recognize and respond to threats, like bacteria and viruses. After leaving Duke he established the Natural Products and Glycotechnology Research Institute to study the carbohydrate chemistry of tropical parasitic diseases towards developing better treatments or vaccines for diseases such as malaria and sleeping sickness. Dr. Fraser-Reid has received numerous awards from institutions all over the world including the Gold Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica. He was an accomplished jazz and classical pianist and organist and gave recitals around the world, of note at St. Geoge’s Anglican Church in Kingston, Jamaica in 1986.

Dr. Tyrone Grandison

Computer Science

Chief Technology Officer

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Tyrone Grandison is a computer scientist, entrepreneur and philanthropist employed by Microsoft, for the past 3 years, as a Chief Technology Officer. He attended Duhaney Park Primary School and Jamaica College and obtained his B.Sc. in Computer Sciences & Economics in 1997 and his M.Sc. in Software Engineering in 1998 from UWI, Mona. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, University of London in 2003. Dr. Grandison has over 25 years experience in software engineering, security and privacy and has been internationally recognized for his achievements. Dr. Grandison is the founder and Board Chair of The Data-Drive Institute, a public health non-profit that helps policymakers and executive decision makers create and implement effective programs, policies, and products to solve their most critical problems, using the knowledge of the community, data and technology. He has created and led product initiatives in data management and protection, text analytics and healthcare management systems and continues to provide technical advice to several of the organisations e.g. MStreetX (a place-based inclusive Fintech Platform designed to foster small business growth and inclusive entrepreneurship) and Hodos Health (a digital health company that helps medical practices improve clinical staff utilization and patient outcomes). Dr. Grandison has co-invented over 47 patents and written numerous books and papers. He is an adjunct professor at UTECH and set up a scholarship for computer science at the UWI, Mona.

Professor Gerald Lalor

Chemistry

Deceased - 2021

Jamaica

BIO

A Jamaican Science Icon, Professor Emeritus, the Honourable Gerald Lalor was a pioneering geo-chemist, best known for the establishment of the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Science. He was born in Kingston and attended Kingston College before entering the UWI, then the University College of the West Indies 1953). His B.Sc. was in chemistry but he also studied mathematics and physics. Soon after completing his studies at the Mona Campus, he began working with the world’s leading producer of logwood dyes at the time (West Indies Chemical Works). While with the company, he did his Masters research on haemotoxylin and hematein (substances extracted from the logwood for the dyes). Later, when the logwood tree became endangered, he found a new method to produce synthetic haemotoxylin. In 1960 he returned to The UWI as an Assistant Lecturer and did inorganic chemistry research for this Ph.D. thesis. After further post-graduate studies in the UK and USA, he returned to The UWI as Professor of Chemistry in 1969 and was Head of the Chemistry Department from 1969 to 1972 – the first West Indian to serve in this position. Whilst he served The UWI, Mona as Pro Vice-Chancellor from 1974 and Principal (1991 – 1996) he is best known for the establishment of the Centre for Nuclear Sciences in 1984 with the first and only Nuclear Research Reactor (SLOWPOKE-2) in the English-speaking Caribbean. During his tenure as Principal, he was responsible for leading the establishing of the Biotechnology Centre, computerization of the campus and improving accessibility for the physically challenged. Upon retiring from his position as Principal, Professor Lalor spearheaded the formation of the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) in 1997. A pioneering geochemist, Lalor led a research team from ICENS in the preparation of a geochemical map of the elements in Jamaican soils. The map identifies some of the major and micro elements in Jamaican soils and uncovered elements previously not known to be present. It assists with the identification of contaminated land and provides important information for government planning agencies. Of note was his team’s discovery of lead in the soil in the St Andrew community of Kintyre the source of which was isolated and lead poisoning in children treated and prevented. For his seminal contribution to science and technology, Professor Lalor was conferred with the Order of Jamaica and the Musgrave Gold Medal amongst others. He was later conferred with the Order of Merit for his contribution to Jamaica and the world’s development through the application of Science, Technology and Innovation and his service in the private sector.

Dr. Thomas TP Lecky

Life Science

Deceased - 1994

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Thomas Phillip Lecky, OM, OBE (1904 – 1994) affectionately known as “TP” is one of Jamaica’s earliest science icons and considered the Father of the Jamaican Dairy Industry. He was also one of Jamaica’s earliest environmentalists and a strong advocate for conservation of hillsides. No wonder this interest in hillside agriculture as he was born in Portland and attended Swift River Primary. He later attended the Government Farm School (Jamaica School of Agriculture) before going abroad to study in Canada. He eventually received his Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. On his return to Jamaica he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture and eventually became the Director of Animal Husbandry at the Ministry. Dr. TP Lecky was responsible for the development of three breeds of cattle suited to our tropical climate: the Jamaica Hope, Jamaica Red and Jamaica Black. The Jamaica Hope was the first breed of cattle indigenous to Jamaica and is a dairy breed whilst the other two breeds are more for beef production.

Dr. Henry Lowe

Chemistry

Researcher/Entrepreneur

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. the Honourable, Henry Lowe is a bio-chemist specialising in the development of medicines from Jamaican plants for the treatment of cancers and other diseases. He was born in 1939 and attended Calabar and Excelsior High Schools. He obtained his B.Sc. degree in chemistry at the University College of the West Indies and did his post-graduate studies in Australia, the UK and the USA. On returning to Jamaica, he lectured at the then College of Arts, Science and Technology (now the University of Technology) for 16 years before joining the Ministry of Energy and he later established the first Ministry of Science and the Environment in the CARICOM region, the current Ministry is Science, Energy and Technology). He worked in the private sector as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Blue Cross of Jamaica. As an entrepreneur and philanthropist he founded the EHF Group of Companies, which includes a private, not for profit organization, Environmental Health Foundation (EHF), established in 1992, to enhance the quality of people’s lives in Jamaica. Related companies include Eden Gardens Wellness & Lifestyle Limited (a premier wellness & lifestyle centre), Bio-Tech R&D Institute (a company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of health and wellness products from Jamaican plant-based materials) and Medicanja (a company that undertake cutting edge research on the medicinal uses of Ganja). He has has discovered several bioactive molecules from Jamaican plants (particularly Jamaican Ball Moss and Guinea Hen Weed) and has had success in patenting and registering drugs with the US-based Federal Drug Administration for the treatment of myeloid leukemia. Amongst his many awards, he was conferred with the Commander of the Order of Distinction in 1982 and the Order of Jamaica in 2012.

Professor Kenneth Magnus

Chemistry

Deceased

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Emeritus Kenneth "Ken" Magnus was an applied chemist who made significant contributions to the study of chemistry and STEM subjects and to the development of The University of the West Indies and Jamaica. Graduating with a B.Sc. first class honours in 1952, he was one of the first graduates of the then University College of the West Indies. His research was varied from sugar-cane to bauxite processing to the isolation of an antibiotic - Monamycin (together with the first head of the Chemistry Dept. Professor Cedric Hasall, from New Zealand) which was patented in Canada, Germany and the UK. Major work on Monamycin led to the development of the drug cilazapril which is still widely used in the treatment of hypertension. During his tenure as Head of the Chemistry Department (1977 to 1986) recognising the importance of Information Technology, he fostered its development in the Department. Later as Dean of the then, Faculty of Natural Sciences (1985 – 1993) he lead the computerisation of the Faculty office and student record management. His approach to technology led to the evolution of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, now Faculty of Science and Technology. Not surprisingly, the Chemistry Department’s website (http://wwwchem.uwimona.edu.jm) became in 1994, the first website in the Caribbean. Between 1969 and 1970, he helped develop the science curriculum for Jamaica's primary and secondary schools contributing to the early development of STEM education in Jamaica. For this and the national impact of his service at The UWI, he was awarded Jamaica's Order of Distinction, Commander Class in addition to other awards such as the Silver Musgrave Medal.

Mrs Daisy McFarlane Coke

Mathematics

Retired Actuary

Jamaica

BIO

A Science Icon, Daisy McFarlane Coke is the Caribbean’s first female actuary and the first Caribbean member of the Royal Institute of Actuaries. She was born in Clarendon to a farmer and home-maker and attended Spalding Primary and later Happy Grove High School in Portland. Doing well at high school, particularly in mathematics, she was moved to Kingston to attend St. Hugh’s High School for Sixth Form. Ms. McFarlane returned to Happy Grove High as a teacher and applied for a scholarship to study at The UWI. She earned her B.Sc. in pure and applied mathematics (and Latin) and taught in the Department of Mathematics before moving on to the University of Toronto where she earned her M.Sc. in applied mathematics. On returning from Canada, Ms. McFarlane worked at the Ministry of Finance where she gained a government scholarship to study for a post-graduate certificate in statistics at Oxford University. Whilst there, she was inducted into the Institute of Actuaries, becoming the first Caribbean person to become a member. She started her actuarial career on secondment to the UK Government’s Actuary’s Department in London and later returned to Jamaica to work as an actuary for the Government of Jamaica before starting her own consultancy. She has served on several national, public and private and international boards and became the founding president of the Caribbean Association of Actuaries. Mrs. McFarlane Coke had the Order of Jamaica conferred on her in 2002 and in 2018, the Max Lander Award - a lifetime achievement award, given by the International Association of Consulting Actuaries.

Professor Wayne McLaughlin

Biotechnology

Senior Lecturer & Researcher, UWI

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Wayne McLaughlin is an accomplished molecular biologist who has developed a diverse and productive research programme focused on molecular plant pathology issues e.g. whitefly transmitted geminivirus causing the yellow leaf curl disease in tomatoes and lethal yellowing in coconuts. He is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Biochemistry Section in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of the West Indies. Dr. McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Biology from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biochemistry from The University of the West Indies, Mona. He also has post-graduate training and experience in Forensic DNA analysis and the Interpretation of DNA mixtures and statistical analysis. His interest in forensic genetics led him in 2005, to establish Caribbean Genetics (CARIGEN), the first independent forensic DNA laboratory in the Caribbean to provide expert witness and DNA analysis to the legal profession in both civil and criminal cases. He has received several awards, including two Fulbright Awards, the Scientific Council Award for Best Scientific Performance in 1982 and 1987 and the Silver Musgrave Medal in 2001 for outstanding merit in the field of Science from the Institute of Jamaica.

Professor Errol Morrison

Medicine

Retired

Jamaica

BIO

Professor the Honourable, Errol Morrison is a retired medical doctor and endrocrinologist who specialised in the treatment and prevention of diabetes. He was born in 1945 and grew up in Vineyard Town later attending Exelsior High School where he excelled in both academics and athletics. His first degree in chemistry at the then University College of the West Indies led to an interest in biochemistry and he eventually won a scholarship to study medicine at the Royal University of Malta. On his return to Jamaica he focused on medical research in biochemistry and endocrinology which is the study of hormone-related conditions and their treatment, eventually obtaining his doctorate and professorships from The UWI in both fields. He is perhaps best known for his work on treating diabetes (a chronic disease related to the body's production and use of insulin - a hormone that regulates blood sugar). Diabetes is one of the world's most prevalent non-communicable diseases resulting in damage to the cardio-vascular system which can lead to blindness, strokes and heart-attacks. He co-founded the Diabetes Association of Jamaica (DAJ) in 1976 – it is a private, voluntary, non-profit, non-governmental organization which provides education on diabetes prevention and care as well as treatment of people with diabetes including kidney dialysis, foot care and pharmaceutical services, all under one roof. He spearheaded the formation of the Diabetes Association of the Caribbean in 1982 and it now has 26 member countries. He has sourced significant funding for diabetes treatment through these associations and the University of the West Indies Diabetes Outreach Programme which he launched in 1991. Professor Morrison also worked with the Pan-American Health Organisation in responding to the emerging pandemic of type 2 diabetes in 1996. In academia he has served as the Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean, School for Graduate Studies & Research at the University of the West Indies and as President of the University of Technology. In the private sector, he has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross of Jamaica, Ltd. He has also served as the Executive Director of the National Council on Science and Technology. He was awarded a Gold Musgrave Medal in 1998 and conferred with the Order of Jamaica in 2001. He published his autobiography, "Growing Tall, Pursuing Excellence" in 2019.

Professor Marcia Roye

Biotechnology

Senior Lecturer & Researcher, UWI

Jamaica

BIO

A Jamaican Science Icon, Professor Marcia Roye is a biotechnologist with a focus on plant virology towards growing healthier, disease-free plants. She remembers growing up in south St. Elizabeth surrounded by “bush” which she and her friends explored e.g. tasting and crushing berries on paper and seeing different colours appear. Later on, at the University of the West Indies she studied biotechnology and this led her to become a plant virologist, identifying the many viruses that impact the crops her family and neighbours grew. The first step in figuring out how to treat plant disease is to identify the cause and isolate the specific virus or other pathogens. Dr. Roye’s work has resulted in the identification of more than 24 viruses associated with a wide variety of plant crops such as red peas and scotch-bonnet peppers and has been instrumental in facilitating the control of viruses by cultivation of resistant varieties of tomato and cabbage. In recent years, her research has expanded to humans, as she is studying the detection of anti-retroviral (ARV) drug resistance of HIV in Jamaican patients. This research serves to improve ARV treatment and outcome for HIV-affected individuals as well as the quality of life of HIV patients. Professor Roye is a Senior Lecturer based in the Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience where in addition to lecturing she supervises graduate students research. has served the Faculty of Science & Technology as the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. She has worked all over the globe helping scientists and farmers fight plant disease and she serves on local, regional and international committees in the pursuit in improving agricultural practices to reduce world hunger and has won numerous awards for her research including the presitgious Fulbright and UNESCO-L'Oreal fellowships. In 2024 Professor Marcia Roye was awarded the Gold Musgrave Medal for Eminence in Science and she also received the RJR Gleaner Honour for Science and Technology.

Dr. Alfred Sangster

Chemistry

Deceased

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Alfred Sangster, OJ (1929 - 2025) was a chemist by education but is best known for his lead role in transforming the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) into the University of Technology (UTech) during his 26 years as Principal and later President. He was born in St. Elizabeth and went to school at Munro College where he excelled in athletics, cricket and tennis and left in 1946 with his High School Certificate in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. He earned his B.Sc. (First Class Honours) in chemistry from the Queens' College, Belfast, Ireland and returned to Jamaica as a chemistry lecturer at The UWI in 1952. In Dr. Sangster obtained his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1958, under the guidance of Professor Cedric Hassall (first Head of Chemistry Department). He was an Assistant Lecturer then Lecturer in Chemistry, and supervised several research projects up to 1970, before leaving to take up the position of Principal of the then CAST. During his lifetime, he was heavily involved in giving service to society, via chairmanships, directorships, memberships, and consultancies to a variety of institutions and societies. He is the founding father and Chairman of Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections, (CAFFE) and for this initiative he received the Gleaner’s Special Award in 1999. He was a recipient Musgrave Gold Medal from the Institute of Jamaica and in 1982 received the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) and in 1995, the Order of Jamaica (OJ).

Mrs Mary Seacole

Medicine

Deceased - Nurse & Hotel owner

Jamaica

BIO

The Hon. Mary Seacole, OM (1805 - 1881) was born in Kingston to a Scottish Lieutenant in the British Army (James Grant) and his Jamaican wife who ran a boarding house, Blundell Hall on East Street. Her mother, Mrs Grant, nicknamed "The Doctress", was a healer who used traditional herbal medicines and good hygiene to treat military and naval staff as well as enslaved Africans. Due to a patroness, she had the opportunity to further her education and live in England for a time before returning home to practice nursing with her mother and help run their hostel at Blundell Hall. Mary used what she learned from her mother and also by watching military doctors. Her marriage to Edwin Seacole in 1836 allowed her to travel to the Bahamas, Cuba and Haiti where she augmented her knowledge of traditional medicines. Unfortunately fire destroyed Blundell Hall in 1843, Mr. Seacole died in 1844 and her mother soon after. However, Mrs. Seacole rebuilt Blundell Hall and continued the practice her mother had started including successfully treating many for cholera in 1850 and later on treating yellow fever particularly amongst English officers. In 1851, she joined her step-brother in Panama where he had established a small hotel and with the outbreak of cholera, she made a name for herself for nursing many back to health. She was a successful entrepreneur in the hospitality business and did well for herself whilst also attending to the sick and injured – rich and poor. She eventually moved to London and on hearing of the poor circumstances of injured and sick soldiers in the Crimean War tried to join Florence Nightingale’s nurses but was not accepted. She therefore organized and went herself in 1855, setting up a restaurant and also offering care to the sick and wounded. She made a name for herself amongst the many English soldiers and officers she cared for and despite returning to England bankrupt in 1856, was able to make a comeback both in Jamaica and England, including the writing of her autobiography, Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands (the first book written in England by a black women) which was a best-seller. Mrs. Mary Seacole eventually died in London in 1881 and was initially forgotten. In 1957, the first Hall of Residence for women at The University of the West Indies was built and named for her amongst other recognitions. In 1990 she was awarded the Order of Merit by the Jamaican Government. She was only recognized much later in England with a statue of her placed at St. Thomas’s Hospital, London in 2016.

Mrs Joy Spence

Chemistry

Master Blender & Brand Ambassador, Appleton Estate

Jamaica

BIO

Joy Spence is a chemist who specialises in the blending of the perfect Jamaican rums at Appleton Estate, where she is the Master Blender and serves as the Brand Ambassador and Manager of Technical and Quality Services. She was born in Manchester and raised in Kingston where at age 13, she discovered her passion for chemistry. She completed her B.Sc. in Chemistry at The University of the West Indies and earned her M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Loughborough in the United Kingdom. On her return to Jamaica, she worked as a research and development chemist at Tia Maria and was then hired by J. Wray and Nephew Ltd. In 1981, the rum distillery Appleton Estate, which was owned by Wray and Nephew, hired Spence as its chief chemist. There she worked with the Master Blender, who had identified her ability to identify and differentiate between smells, for 17 years until he retired and she became the Master Blender. Her first creation as the master blender was a special rum to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Appleton Estate, which received high praise in the industry. In 2005, Mrs. Spence was awarded the Order of Distinction, Officer Class by the Government of Jamaica for her service to the rum industry. Spence was instrumental in achieving geographical indication for Jamaican rum, which was awarded in 2016, which is a tool to help protect Jamaica's intellectual property in rum-making. Mrs. Joy Spence has won several international awards for her skill in the spirits industry including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the US Distilled Spirits Council in 2022. In 2012, Loughborough University awarded her an honorary degree of Doctor of Science for her achievements. In 2018, she was awarded the National Medal for Science and Technology and in 2022, the Musgrave Gold Medal by the Institute of Jamaica. Tours of the Appleton Estate distillery are named The Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience in honour of her amazing chemistry skills and expertise in rum blending.

Dr. A.G. Hamilton Taylor

Computer Science

Lecturer

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. A.G. Hamilton Taylor is a Lecturer and the Curriculum Coordinator in the Department of Computing, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona. He is the founder of the Web, Animation, Visualisation and E-learning (WAVE) Laboratory/research group which facilitates research on the frontiers of cultural computing, encouraging the positive use of indigenous culture in the design of interactive 3D computing software and multimedia/animation, e-learning, new media and games for cultural-social upliftment. Dr. Hamilton-Taylor has a B.Sc. in Computer Science from The UWI and a M.S. degree in Computer Science with a minor in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was a LASPAU-Fulbright scholar. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Georgia, where he developed the Support Kit for Animation (SKA) algorithm animation system which is a software visualization system designed to support the needs of learners and instructors. Dr. Hamilton-Taylor served on the Jamaica Computer Society project that designed and established computer laboratories in over 150 Jamaican high schools in the 1990s to facilitate the introduction of the Caribbean Secondary School Examination (CXC/CSEC) Information Technology programme. He has significant consultancy experience in the IT industry locally and in the USA.

Professor Michael Taylor

Physics

Dean - FST & Professor of Physics, The UWI

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Michael Taylor is an internationally renowned climate physicist who has served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He has pioneered the use of regional climate models, built Caribbean Climate databases and developed tools to help us better understand and address climate change and its likely impacts into the future. This knowledge is critical for the region being comprised of tropical island states at risk from sea-level rise and tropical cyclones in particular. He earned both his B.Sc. (1st Class Hons.) and M.Sc. in Physics from The University of the West Indies and was awarded his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in environmental physics. He joined The UWI as a Lecturer in the Department of Physics in 1999 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2008 and Head of Department in 2009. In 2013 he was elevated to the rank of Professor and in 2014 he was appointed Deputy Dean and in 2018, Dean for the Faculty of Science and Technology. He became the Director of the Climate Studies Group Mona in 2007 and is currently the Co-Director with Professor Tannecia Stephenson. He is a climate resilience advocate and has served on Jamaica's Climate Change Advisory Board. The Fi Wi Science Initiative is his brainchild - aimed at ensuring that youth can find local scientists to inspire their careers. He has received many notable awards, national and international in recognition for his work including Jamaica’s Silver Musgrave Medal for Science in 2013, the Young Scientist Awards from the Scientific Research Council in 2005 and the Caribbean Academy of Sciences in 2008. He was made a Fellow of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences in 2018 and awarded the Anthony A. Sabga Award of Caribbean Excellence in 2019. In 2024, he was made a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences.

Professor Arnoldo Ventura

Life Science

Retired Science Policy Maker

Jamaica

BIO

A Jamaican Science Icon, Dr Arnoldo Ventura is a retired virologist and renowned Jamaican scientist who guided numerous national and regional science and technology policies and plans. He continues to share his knowledge and experience through consultancies and writing e.g. ‘Memories and Musings: Reflections of a Scientist’ a book of poems published in 2021. Dr. Ventura studied at the University of the West Indies, Mona for both his undergraduate and M.Sc. degrees. During his early career, Dr. Ventura (who studied the spread of viral diseases in humans, through a variety of pests e.g. mosquitoes) came across situations of poverty which touched him deeply. This sparked a desire to use science as a tool to solve social and economic problems. His Ph.D. was awarded by Cornell University, New York and he worked abroad for several years before returning to Jamaica. He was the Science and Technology Adviser to four Jamaican Prime Ministers from 1989 to 2009, a founder of the National Commission on Science and Technology and the instigator and drafter of many of Jamaica’s science policies and strategic plans. His work as a virologist and science and technology specialist has gained him national accolades including, the Commander of the Order of Distinction (Jamaica) and the Silver Musgrave Medal for science from the Institute of Jamaica.

Professor Mona Webber

Life Science

Professor of Zoology, The UWI

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Mona Webber, CD is a marine ecologist whose primary research is on zooplankton, mangroves, sargassum and the reduction of marine pollution. She is the Head of the Life Sciences Department in the Faculty of Science and Technology, UWI and holds the James Moss-Solomon Chair in Environmental Management funded by the Grace Kennedy Foundation since 1992. Prof. Webber is a lecturer and lead researcher whose teams have played an important role in mangrove restoration and marine conservation. Her research has increased the understanding of tropical marine zooplankton production, community structure and distribution and heir use as indicators of water quality. Her work on mangrove restoration goes beyond planting and growing mangroves but also efforts to reduce their pollution and destruction. Her recent work has a focus on addressing the issue of overgrowth of sargassum and subsequent washing up of large quantities on beaches, by finding ways to use this seaweed productively. In 2021 she was awarded the Gold Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica and in 2022, the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander by the Government of Jamaica.

Professor Manley West

Biotechnology

Pharmacologist - Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Manley West, OM (1929 - 2012) was a pharmacologist who developed several useful medicines from ganja (Cannabis). Born in Portland, Professor West was a graduate of the Titchfield High School after which he travelled to England to further his secondary level and later tertiary studies. At the University of London, he studied pharmacology eventually earning his Ph.D in this field before continuing his studies and work at a variety of institutions globally. In 1964 he returned to Jamaica as an Assistant Lecturer in Pharmacology in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. He rose through the ranks and served as Head of the Pharmacology Dept. amongst other senior positions. In 1981, West was appointed as Professor of Pharmacology - the first Jamaican and West Indian to be so appointed. He is best known for the development of medical drugs from marijuana for the treatment of glaucoma and asthma. Dr. West did the initial research after getting special permission to grow and use marijuana plants after observing that people who used homemade eyewash consisting of ganja and fishermen who drank ganja tea, tended to have improved night vision. He then met Dr. Albert Lockhart, an ophthalmologist who had learnt through a scientific presentation that persons who used marijuana had lower intraocular pressure than non-users and this led them to spend ten years developing the drug Canasol® in 1987 and later Cantimol® in eye-drops for the treatment of glaucoma. In the 1990s, Professor West also developed Asmasol®- which treats bronchial asthma, coughs and colds and Canavert®- a drug that stabilizes the part of the brain that controls motion sickness. He was awarded the Order of Merit in 1987 and the Gold Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica in 1994.

Dr. Lawrence Williams

Biotechnology

Researcher/Adjunct Professor - UTech

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Lawrence Williams is an Adjunct Professor in the College of Health Sciences, University of Technology, Jamaica and his research has focused on the production of anti-cancer treatments from natural products in particular Jamaican Guinea-hen weed (Petivera alliacea). Dr. Williams was born in 1963 in St. Elizabeth and went to Calabar High School where his interest in biology started. He graduated from The University of the West Indies with a B.Sc. degree in zoology and chemistry in 1987 and started to work at the Scientific Research Council on natural product pesticides. He completed his Ph.D. dissertation in 1991 at the University of the West Indies on ‘Biological Activity in Leaf Extracts from the Artocarpus altilis [the Breadfruit]’ and was later employed in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. In 2003, he was awarded the prestigious Alexander von Humbolt Scholarship to do postdoctoral studies on the guinea hen weed (Petivera allliacea) at the Hohenheim University in Germany. The investigations yielded the compound dibenzyl trisulphide, which has been shown to cure cancer cells inside a laboratory. The compound has been found to cure cells that affect the brain, bladder, breast, skin and lungs. In 2010, Dr. Williams and colleague, Dr. H.G. Levy, a Jamaican-born medical doctor based in the USA, were awarded an international patent on a protein complex of dibenzyl trisulphide, isolated from the guinea hen weed. In 2011, for his contribution to science, Dr. Williams was awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal by the Institute of Jamaica. In 2017, Dr. Williams and co-researcher Dr. George Levy obtained a further patent with the US for the discovery of anti-cancer activity in the plant.

Mr. Francis Williams

Mathematics

Former Plantation Owner & Polymath

Jamaica

BIO

Francis Williams (c. 1702 – c. 1770) was a Jamaican polymath, scholar, astronomer and poet who was one of the most notable free black people in Jamaica. His parents were formerly enslaved but had been freed on the death of their "owner". They in turn owned land and had enslaved persons working on their estate. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Williams subsequently travelled to England where he officially became a British subject. Whilst in England, Francis Williams is believed to have attended Cambridge University. On 8 August 1721, Williams became a member of Lincoln's Inn in London (one of the four Inns of Court for barristers of England and Wales). Williams was allowed to attend scientific Royal Society meetings, but in 1716, when he was proposed as a fellow of the Royal Society at a large meeting (in the presence of Isaac Newton and Edmond Halley) he was denied membership by a subsequent committee "on account of his complection". After returning to Jamaica around 1723, in addition to running his father's plantation in Spanish Town, he established a school for free people of colour in Jamaica. His portrait is considered to be the earliest known example in the canon of western art to have been commissioned by a known Black person to record their own intellectual achievements. The evidence in the portrait indicates that Williams was making a statement about his calculation of the trajectory and return of Halley’s Comment, according to the rules of the third edition of Isaac Newton’s book, Principia. Due to poor archival conditions, most information about Williams comes from a lengthy racist attack on him by his white contemporary Edward Long, and from the portrait itself, which displays some of Williams' library and shows that he had observed the return of Halley's Comet which confirmed Newton's laws of motion. The portrait was purchased by Long after Williams' death and ended up in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (in the section depicting furniture) but was studied by historian Fara Dabhoiwala of Princeton University and revealed much of the truth about the portait in 2022/23. from: Wikipedia

Dr. Cicely Delphine Williams

Medicine

Paediatrician & Researcher

Jamaica

BIO

Dr. Cicely Delphine Williams, OM (1893 – 1992) was born at Kew Park, Bethel Town, Westmoreland. She was a paediatrician and is best known for her research and treatment of children with kwashiorkor in Ghana, advocating against the substitution of condensed milk for breast milk in Malaysia and later Jamaican Vomiting Sickness (ackee poisoning). Dr. Williams studied in England, obtaining her medical degree from Oxford in 1923, one of the first women to do so. Later, she specialising in paediatrics and tropical nutrition and hygiene and went to work for the Colonial Medical Service. This took her to Ghana in 1929 where she identified protein deficiency as the cause of the disease kwashiorkor, when other doctors thought it was a vitamin deficiency. Later, working in Malaya finding many babies dying, she advocated against the use of sweetened condensed milk and other artificial baby milks as substitutes for human breast milk. Whilst in Malaya during World War 2, the Japanese invaded and she was placed in a Prison Camp in 1942. At the end of the war in 1945 she was found near dead and nursed back to health. In 1948 she was made the first head of the World Health Organisation’s Maternal and Child Health organisation in Geneva. Her work in Jamaica on Vomiting Sickness between 1951 and 1953 led to identification of ackee poisoning as the cause. Dr. Williams continued to work as a lecturer, advisor and speaker until she was in her 90s. In 1968, Dr Williams was made a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) by Queen Elizabeth I and the Order of Merit by the Jamaican Government in 1972. She was awarded honorary doctorates of science from The University of the West Indies in 1969 and from The University of Ghana in and in 1986.

Professor Ronald Young

Life Science

Retired Professor

Jamaica

BIO

Professor Emeritus Ronald Young, CD (Former Pro-Vice Chancellor and also Dean Faculty of Science and Technology) is a physiologist specialising in neurophysiology. His B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees were in chemistry and biology from The University of the West Indies. He was awarded his Ph.D. in Neuroscience (the study of the nervous system and how it works) from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland in 1973. He became a lecturer in the Department of Physiology and later was head of the department. In 1996, when the Department of Basic Medical Sciences was formed by the merger of the Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Physiology, he became the first head of this new department in the Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences, at the time. Professor Young was appointed Professor of Physiology in 1991 and later served as Dean of the Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences. He was appointed Professor of Human & Comparative Physiology in 2000 and Professor Emeritus in 2013. Professor Young served as Pro Vice Chancellor (Graduate Studies) until he retired. Professor Young has served on numerous national boards including as Chairman for example with the Scientific Research Council and the Natural History Museum of Jamiaca. In 2022 he was awarded the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander for his work in the field of physiology and neurophysiology in particular. He continues to serve on a variety of committees and board and is known for his passion for science education.

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