The University of the West Indies, Mona is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Mitko Voutchkov, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics, Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences, Mona to the rank of Professor

Mitkco Voutchkov holds the Bachelor of Science with Honours in Physics and the M.Ed in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as well as the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Nuclear Physics from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, in Sofia, Bulgaria. He also received postgraduate training in nuclear radiochemical methods and advanced X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy at Argonne National Laboratory and is a Licensed Operator-1 of the Slowpoke 2 Nuclear Reactor.

Dr. Voutchkov joined the staff of The UWI, Mona in 1993 as a Research Fellow at the International Centre for Nuclear & Environmental Sciences (ICENS), dedicating himself to promoting nuclear science to solve problems of agriculture, industry and health in Jamaica. He was responsible for expanding the analytical capability of the Centre, securing local and international grants which facilitated the upgrade and expansion of the nuclear analytical facility with fully automated X-Ray Fluorescence and Neutron Activation Analysis systems. As Head of the Nuclear Analytical Laboratory,  he led a team of scientists that were on-site trained and worked on the development of methodologies for analyses of new materials and elements such as   plants, food, animal and human tissues.

Professor Voutchkov has developed an international reputation in the field of Applied Nuclear and Health Physics. He has engaged in several collaborative research projects related to Heavy Metal (HM) transfer to humans through the soil-plant-food chain. The research outcomes included investigation and mitigation of lead poisoning of children, cadmium in the soil-yam-food chain, mercury in fish and placenta, chromium and selenium in diabetic patients, and heavy metals in bauxitic soils. Further research outcomes include assessment of HM in bovine kidney and liver, composition of Jamaican foods, trace elements in prehistoric Taino artifacts, rare earths in bauxites and gold exploration in Jamaica, radon in soils and occupational exposure of nuclear reactor operators.

 These research findings provided a sound scientific basis for environmental and health management and policy-making of HM poisoning in Jamaica. The finding that the backyard lead smelting of used car batteries is the primary source of lead-poisoning in Jamaica impacted the policy makers, resulting in the June 2005 launch of the National Used Lead-Acid Battery campaign. The lead research programme also contributed to the development of local leadership capacity for the management of lead hazards.

 Professor Voutchkov serves as Postgraduate Coordinator of the Department of Physics, and is Leader of the Materials & Medical Physics Research Group. He was instrumental in the relaunch of the Major in Materials Science and in the 2008-09 academic year introduced a new Major in Medical Physics & Bioengineering. 

He  has a history of original research, having published articles in applied nuclear and health physics journals, including 57 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 34 papers in published conference proceedings, 2 patents, 1 book and 3 book chapters. The chapter “Inorganic and Organic Geochemistry Techniques” in the Medical Geology book received the Principal’s Research Award for “Best Publication” in 2006, while the book was awarded the 2005 British Medical Association Award in the Public Health Category and the 2006 Award of the Association of American Publishers for Excellence in Professional and Scholarly Publishing.

Locally, he is a member of several governmental and national scientific committees. Internationally, he has served as a National Consultant and TC-Expert in Applied Nuclear and Health Physics of IAEA, carried out over 15 Expert Missions worldwide, served as Member of the IDRC (14th World Heath Congress, Brazil) Panel “Ecosystem Approach to Environmental Pollution and Public Health” and a participant of the International Consortium on Sustainable Use of Lead, McMaster University, Canada.