Close Menu

Prizes and Scholarships

Chemistry Awards & Prizes

The Cedric Hassall Scholarship

The Cedric Hassall Prize is the premier award in the Department of Chemistry. It was first awarded as a prize in 1971 and was given to the Chemistry student who had shown the best overall performance in the examinations associated with the first year of advanced Chemistry courses. This prize has been upgraded to a Scholarship and is awarded to a final year student majoring in Chemistry who satisfies the above criteria. The scholarship is named in honour of Professor Cedric Hassall (1919-2017), the first Professor of Chemistry at the University and former Head of the Department of Chemistry (1948-1957), who delivered the inaugural lecture to the original batch of medical students. It is intended to foster and encourage students to achieve standards of excellence which Professor Hassall insisted should be the hallmark of students pursuing courses in Chemistry. The prize was established largely through the initiative of Professor Gerald Lalor during his tenure as Head of the Department

The Bert Fraser-Reid Award

Bertram Fraser-Reid is a synthetic organic chemist who has been recognized worldwide for his work in carbohydrate chemistry and his effort to develop a carbohydrate-based malaria vaccine. He earned his BSc and MSc degrees at Queen's University in Canada and a PhD at the University of Alberta in 1964 before doing post-doctoral work with Nobel Laureate, Sir Derek Barton from 1964-1966. In 2007, the Institute of Jamaica awarded the Musgrave Gold Medal to Prof. Fraser-Reid for his outstanding work in Chemistry. Apart from his interests in science, he is an accomplished musician who has given piano and organ recitals at several notable venues. The Bert Fraser-Reid Award is given to a student with the second best academic performance in the advanced Organic Chemistry courses. The awardee should not simultaneously hold any other Chemistry Department prize.

The Willard Pinnock Prize

Willard Pinnock served the Department of Chemistry for more than 29 years and retired as a Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry in 2011. He is known for his outstanding contribution to teaching and to student guidance and welfare and has been recognized several times by the Faculty for his high scores on the student assessment surveys. He was the first recipient of the Guardian Life Premium Teaching Award at Mona in the academic year 2003/04 and later that year he also received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. A UWI alumnus, he earned both BSc (Chemistry and Physics) and MSc (Atmospheric Physics) degrees from the University of the West Indies and holds a PhD degree in Medical Bio-Physics from the University of Dundee. The Willard Pinnock Prize is awarded to a Chemistry Major who has the best academic performance in the physical chemistry core courses CHEM2310 and CHEM3310 and who is pursuing a major in chemistry. The awardee should not simultaneously hold any other Chemistry Department prize.

The Wilfred Chan Award

Wilfred Chan completed the requirements for the BSc degree in 1952 and then went on to pursue research under the direction of Prof. Cedric Hassall. He completed his research in 1956 and was the first West Indian to receive the PhD degree at Mona. In 1959 he was appointed Lecturer and began a vigorous research programme and rose through the ranks to become the first West Indian to be promoted to a personal chair (1971). In 1966 the Chemistry Department hosted the first Mona Symposium (on Natural Products Chemistry) with him as its Organizing Secretary. Prof. Chan later served as Head of the Chemistry Department at Mona from 1972 to 1975. In 1979, he moved to the St. Augustine Campus to boost research efforts in its young Chemistry Department. He retired from St. Augustine in 1997, having served as Head and Dean during his tenure there. Prof. Chan’s contributions over the years to natural products chemistry are internationally recognized. The Wilfred Chan Award was first made in 2000 and is for a student who has the best academic performance in the advanced Organic Chemistry core courses and who is pursuing a major in Chemistry. The awardee should not simultaneously hold any other Chemistry Department prize.

The Garfield Sadler Award

Garfield Sadler graduated from the Chemistry Department of the University of the West Indies, Mona, with a degree in Special Chemistry in 1980. He then pursued doctoral studies in Inorganic Chemistry under the supervision of Professor Tara Dasgupta and graduated three years later with a PhD degree, having specialized in the study of Reaction Mechanisms. In 1983 Dr. Sadler joined the staff of the Department as a Lecturer of Inorganic Chemistry. This marked the start of a vibrant career in teaching and research. His contribution, however, to the development of Chemistry was short-lived as he died tragically in 1991. The Garfield Sadler Award, which is a tribute to the life and work of Garfield Sadler, is presented to the student with the best academic performance in the inorganic chemistry core courses CHEM2110 and CHEM3110 and who is pursuing a major in chemistry. The awardee should not simultaneously hold any other Chemistry Department award.

The Leonard J. Haynes Award

Professor Leonard J. Haynes joined the staff of the Chemistry Department, University College of the West Indies, in 1956. A Natural Products Chemist by training, he was instrumental in launching the Mona Symposium in 1966 and it remains the longest running conference of its kind within the Caribbean. He served the Department as Professor, carrying out research and lecturing in Organic Chemistry, and was the second Head of Department, leaving in 1968. The award named in his honour is presented annually to the student with the best academic performance in the Introductory Level Chemistry courses and who is proceeding to Level II courses. Seed funding for the award came from a donation made by his widow, Mrs. Mary Haynes, in January 1994, and the award was first handed out in 1998. The awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.

The Pavelich/Honkan Prize

Michael Pavelich, Professor of Chemistry at the Colorado School of Mines, U.S.A., spent a year as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Chemistry as a sabbatical replacement for Professor Tara Dasgupta during 1984-85. At the end of his stay he donated funds towards a prize to recognize scholarship and excellence among Level I students. Dr. Vidya Honkan completed her PhD degree in organic chemistry in 1980 under the supervision of Professor Wilfred Chan and Dr. Basil Burke. While visiting the U.S.A. she died in a tragic automobile accident. Her husband later visited the Department and made a donation to establish an award in commemoration of his wife’s love for Chemistry. The Pavelich/Honkan Prize, named in honour of Prof. Michael Pavelich and Dr. Vidya Honkan, is awarded to a student who has the third best academic performance in the Introductory Level Courses in Chemistry and who is proceeding to Level II courses. The awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.

The Food Chemistry Prize

The Food Chemistry Prize was first awarded in 2016. It is awarded to a final year student who is currently enrolled as a Food Chemistry Major and who has the best academic performance in the courses comprising the major. The awardee should not simultaneously hold any other Chemistry Department prize.

The Chemistry Department Prize

 Department of Chemistry - The Chemistry Department Prize is awarded to a student who has the second best academic performance in the Introductory Level Courses in Chemistry and who is proceeding to Level 2 Chemistry courses. The awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.

The Kenneth E. Magnus Applied Chemistry Prize

Kenneth Magnus was a member of the first batch of students who graduated from the then University College of the West Indies. He completed a Masters and a PhD in the Department of Chemistry at UWI. He subsequently lectured in the Department retiring as Professor of Applied Chemistry. During his tenure at the UWI, Professor Magnus served in the capacity as Head of the Department of Chemistry (1977-1986) and Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Applied Chemistry Programme in 1969 and subsequently the Food Chemistry Programme in 1982. The Kenneth Magnus Prize is awarded to a final year student who is currently enrolled as an Applied Chemistry Major and who has the best academic performance in the courses comprising the major. The awardee should not simultaneously hold any other Chemistry Department prize.

Top of Page