Dr Andrea Goldson-Barnaby, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, has been appointed Secretary of CAS, the Caribbean Academy of Sciences following her election at the 24th Biennial Conference and CAS Executive Meeting, held in Barbados in 2025. Her appointment reflects the confidence placed in her leadership and her long-standing contributions to scientific development and regional collaboration.
The CAS Biennial Conference brought together scientists, researchers, and academic leaders from across the Caribbean to address priority scientific issues, strengthen regional partnerships, and shape the future direction of the Academy. In her role as Secretary, Dr Goldson-Barnaby will play a central role in supporting the governance, coordination, and strategic activities of the organisation.
Dr Goldson-Barnaby’s leadership has also been recognised through her recent appointment as a Fellow, an honour that acknowledges her sustained contributions to science, mentorship, and capacity building within the Caribbean scientific community.
In addition to her election to the CAS Executive, Dr Goldson-Barnaby recently represented Jamaica at the 3rd ACS LATAM+C (Latin America and the Caribbean) Meeting for ACS Faculty Advisors, held in Lima, Peru, from November 21–24, 2025. The meeting brought together participants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and the United States, and focused on strengthening collaboration among ACS student chapters across the region, as well as highlighting funding opportunities available through the American Chemical Society.
Through her service to regional scientific organisations and active engagement in international forums, Dr Andrea Goldson-Barnaby continues to make a meaningful contribution to the advancement of science in the Caribbean and beyond.
On September 30, 2025 the Water Chemistry Laboratory welcomed two distinguished visitors: Ms. Carla Cueva, the newly appointed Programme Management Officer in the Technical Cooperation Division of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Ms. Lisa Sinclair from the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
The visit served as an important opportunity to review the impact of IAEA-donated equipment and to discuss the ongoing and future work of the laboratory. Discussions were held with Dr. Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith, who provided an overview of how the IAEA’s support has significantly enhanced the lab’s capacity to conduct critical water quality assessments and contribute to national and regional research. Also present during the visit were Mr. Andrew Green and Mr. Daniel Gillings, both of whom are actively engaged in the execution of ongoing water quality and monitoring projects. Their presence helped illustrate the hands-on application of the IAEA-supported equipment in real-world environmental challenges.
This visit highlighted the vital role of international partnerships in building local scientific capacity and advancing Jamaica’s national development goals in water resource management. The Department is grateful for the continued support of the IAEA and PIOJ and remains committed to leveraging these collaborations to address pressing environmental issues
The Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) extends heartfelt gratitude to the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) for their timely and impactful support in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. In an effort to assist students affected by the storm, the SLB generously provided care packages filled with essential items, offering much-needed relief during a challenging period.
The distribution of the care packages was thoughtfully coordinated by Dr Gallimore, Associate Dean for Student Experience, whose dedication ensured that assistance quickly reached the students who needed it most. We also acknowledge Ms. Yvette Hendrick from the Students’ Loan Bureau, whose leadership and organisation made this partnership possible.
This collaborative effort highlights the strength of community, compassion, and shared purpose. FST deeply appreciates the continued partnership with the SLB, and we remain committed to supporting our students as recovery efforts continue.
Chemistry Honours Society Recognizes Outstanding Students for Academic Year 2024–2025
The Chemistry Honours Society (CHS) in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies (The UWI Mona), hosted its annual Awards and Induction Ceremony on October 2, 2025, celebrating students who demonstrated exceptional academic performance in Chemistry during the 2024–2025 academic year.
Established in 2014, the CHS was created to recognize and inspire excellence among Chemistry students. The Society encourages its members to strive for distinction, with the ultimate goal of graduating with First Class or Upper Second Class Honours. Eligibility for induction requires students to maintain a strong semester GPA and achieve A– grades or higher in at least nine (9) credits of Chemistry courses.
Membership within the Society is ranked based on the number of times a student has been inducted:
CHS Inductees for Academic Year 2024–2025
Preliminary Awardees: The top three students in Preliminary Chemistry (CHEM0901 and CHEM0902) who earned A– or higher and continued to pursue Chemistry:
Introductory (Level I) Awardees: The top performers in Level I Chemistry (CHEM1810, 1811, 1820, 1910, 1911, 1920) with A– or higher who continued in the field:
Advanced Awardees (Semester 1): Students achieving a GPA of 3.40 or higher, earning A– or above in at least nine (9) credits of Advanced Chemistry (with a minimum of six lecture-based credits) and maintaining a clean record with no failed Chemistry courses were honoured as follows:
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Silver
Gold
Diamond
The Faculty extends congratulations to all awardees and wishes them all the best.
Photo caption: Chemistry Honours Society Inductees for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Published on 06 Nov, 2025
(L-R): Professor Michael Taylor, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), The UWI Mona; Dr. Tomlin Paul, Deputy Principal, The UWI Mona; Ms. Kellon Williams, Marketing Manager, Juici Patties; Dr. Donna Minott Kates, Head, Department of Chemistry, FST, The UWI Mona; Dr. Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot, Lead Scientist and Founder of CrXstal and Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, The UWI Mona; Professor Michele Zema, Representative, LAAAMP and Co-founder, CrXstal and Professor Emeritus Robert Lancashire, Department of Chemistry, The UWI Mona.
The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona Campus, celebrated a significant milestone on October 3, 2024, with the launch of the crXstal Caribbean Regional X-ray Science Toward Advancement Laboratory and the commissioning of the state-of-the-art Bruker D8 Quest Eco Single Crystal Diffractometer (SC-XRD). This premier research facility, equipped with advanced X-ray diffraction technology, marks a groundbreaking achievement for the English-speaking Caribbean. The SC-XRD enables researchers to "see" atoms and determine 3D structures at the atomic and molecular level, revolutionizing scientific research in the region.
Our 7 faculties and 12 professional schools offer more than 200 programmes to some 18,000 graduate, undergraduate and continuing studies students.
The UWI, Mona ranks first in Jamaica among accredited tertiary-level programmes. In 2012, the University was again one of Jamaica’s Top 100 Employers.
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