Noel Ellis, a proud alum of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona, has always embraced challenges with determination and a strong work ethic. During his undergraduate studies, Noel balanced academics, athletics, and his early research ambitions with remarkable success. He graduated with First Class Honours, won a 5000-metre National Championship, and laid the groundwork for a publishable research paper—achievements that exceeded even his own expectations.
Driven to build on this foundation, Noel pursued a Master of Science in Animal Behaviour: Applications for Conservation at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, United Kingdom, supported by an International Postgraduate Scholarship. There, he applied the same dedication and mindset that had served him so well at FST. Over the course of his MSc, Noel honed his technical research skills while actively engaging with the environmental and wildlife communities in Cambridge.
Even while abroad, Noel maintained close connections with his supervisors at UWI, who encouraged him to pursue publication of his undergraduate research. His project explored interactions between native and invasive parrots and parakeets on the Mona campus, a study that highlighted the delicate balance of local ecosystems. Transforming an undergraduate project into a journal-worthy paper was challenging, particularly while managing his MSc coursework, but Noel credits his UWI supervisors for their patience, guidance, and invaluable feedback throughout the process. He is confident that their mentorship will see him through to publication and support his ongoing contributions to protecting Jamaica’s native species, ecosystems, and agriculture.
In Cambridge, Noel also engaged in impactful conservation research with local authorities. He learned of a unique local situation, where water voles, an endangered species in England, have somehow begun living in city streams despite rats traditionally being known to take over vole burrows and even kill them. Working with the Cambridge City Council and many smaller environmental groups, he mapped out strongholds for water voles and rats, then investigated what happened when they overlapped, learning what plants and water conditions helped the endangered voles live alongside urban rats. This work has already been applied to guide stream restoration work by the city council, and I am scheduled to present the findings at a conservation conference in April 2026.
Noel’s exceptional performance and community involvement earned him the honour of delivering the Vote of Thanks at his MSc graduation ceremony, a proud moment representing Jamaica on an international stage.
Reflecting on his journey, Noel emphasises the lasting impact of his time at UWI FST: “As I continue working toward a career studying wildlife wherever that takes me, I will always be proud to have been a part of the UWI FST family."
