Professor Michael Taylor awarded for Outstanding Research   Accomplishments

Professor Michael Taylor’s general areas of academic specialisation are environmental physics, climate variability, climatology and climate change. He is well known for undertaking the study of Caribbean climate variability and climate change at a time when studies devoted to the region were largely led by persons outside the region. Among his wide   repertoire of publishing accomplishments, is a book authored earlier this year titled, Why Climate Demands Change. His UWI grantsmanship record totals several million dollars. In May 2015, he played the lead role in securing a US$10.4 million grant for the Mona Campus. Although his scholarly work has reached regional and international impact, his personal philosophy is that research is as much about the people whose lives you interact with in the course of doing so.

Professor Byron Wilson awarded for Research Accomplishments and Public Service

All-round Excellence in two or more core areas (Research Accomplishments and Public Service). While Professor Byron Wilson has a proven record of leadership in research, his efforts to document and conserve Jamaica’s biodiversity also constitute an exceptional contribution to public service. Over the last five years, Professor Wilson has displayed outstanding productivity in all categories of research output: authorship of books and journals, special issues, editor/series editor and conference presentations. His   research and service activities also positively impact the island’s unique biodiversity. Since 2009, he has earned over US$900,000 in local and   international research funding; a total of about US$1.5 million since joining the Department in 2001.