The Faculty of Science and Technology highlights and rewards the academic excellence of students across all programmes in the Faculty. Students are eligible for consideration of the awards within their respective departments as well as at the Faculty level.

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Department of
Chemistry

Department of
Computing

Department of Geography
and Geology

Department of
Life Sciences

Department of
Mathematics

Department of Physics

Faculty Awards

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

The Leonard J. Haynes 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 CHEM1901/1902 and who is proceeding to Level 2 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.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Top academic performance in Introductory Level Chemistry course CHEM1901/1902 and who is proceeding to Level 2 courses.
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Chemistry Department Prize

The Chemistry Department Prize is awarded to a student who has the second best academic performance in the Introductory Level Courses CHEM1901/1902 in Chemistry and who is proceeding to Level 2 courses. The awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Second best academic performance in Introductory Level Chemistry course CHEM1901/1902 and who is proceeding to Level 2 courses.
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

The Pavelich/Honkan Prize

The Pavelich/Honkan Prize was named in honour of Prof. Michael Pavelich and Dr. Vidya Honkan. Professor Michael Pavelich was a 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 the Late Professor Tara Dasgupta during 1984-85. At the end of his stay he donated funds towards a prize to recognize chemistry. Dr Honkan completed her PhD in 1980 under the supervision of Professor Wilfred Chan and Dr. Basil Burke. After her sudden passing, a donation was made to the Department in honor of her love for chemistry.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Third best academic performance in Introductory Level Chemistry course CHEM1901/1902 and who is proceeding to Level 2 courses.
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

The Wilfred Chan Award

The Wilfred Chan Award

The Late 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 have been internationally recognized. The Wilfred Chan Award was first made in 2000.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in Advanced Organic Chemistry Core courses (i.e. CHEM2210 and CHEM3210) and who is pursuing a major in Chemistry.  
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

The Bert Fraser Reid Award

The Late Bert Fraser-Reid was a synthetic organic chemist who was 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 was an accomplished musician who gave piano and organ recitals at several notable venues.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Second best academic performance in Advanced Organic Chemistry Core courses and who is pursuing a major in Chemistry.  
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

The Cedric Hassall Scholarship

The Cedric Hassall Scholarship was named in honour of the Late Professor Cedric Hassall, the first Professor of Chemistry at the University and 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 Cedric Hassall Prize was awarded in the past to a student in Chemistry who, in the opinion of the Examiners, has shown the best performance in the Examinations associated with the first year of advanced Chemistry courses. The Cedric Hassall Prize was recently upgraded to a Scholarship to be awarded to a final year student who is currently majoring in Chemistry and satisfies the above criteria.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in the examinations associated with the first year of advanced Chemistry courses.
2. Student must be in their final year of study.
3. Student must be pursuing a major in Chemistry.
4. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
5. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

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 the Late 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 is a tribute to the life and work of Dr Garfield Sadler.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Second best academic performance in Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Core courses and who is pursuing a major in Chemistry.  
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

The Willard Pinnock Prize

The Willard Pinnock Prize is a tribute to the life and work of the Late Dr Willard Pinnock who served the Department of Chemistry for more than 29 years before he retired as a Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry in 2011. He was known for his outstanding contribution to teaching and to student guidance and welfare and was 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 Chancellors 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 obtained a PhD degree in Medical Bio-Physics from the University of Dundee.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in Physical Chemistry Core courses and who is pursuing a major in Chemistry.  
2. Awardee should not be in receipt of any other Chemistry Department prize in the year of consideration.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTING

The Karl Robinson Award in Computer Science

The Karl Robinson Award is a tribute to the life and work of the late Karl Robinson who distinguished himself as an invaluable member of the then Department of Mathematics & Computer Science. This award is presented to a final year student with the best academic performance in Computer Science.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest average in first year, second year and Semester I of the third year Computer Science courses.
2. In case of a tie, the award will be split equally among the eligible students.   
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY & GEOLOGY

The Geological Society of Jamaica Scholarship

The Geological Society of Jamaica Scholarship was inaugurated in 1981 to identify outstanding students in the undergraduate Geology programme and to single out such talent for recognition and support. This award is made to a student who possesses outstanding scholastic abilities and has secured excellent grades at two successive University Examinations.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest average in first year, second year and Semester I of the third year Computer Science courses.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus

The Geological Society of Jamaica sponsors a number of other prizes in the Department of Geology and Geography. Geology students are eligible for the following awards:

The Level 1 Geology Prize

This prize is awarded to the Geology student with the best academic performance in Level 1 courses.

The Level II Geology Prize

This prize is awarded to the Geology student producing the best geology field map in GEOL2204 – Field Techniques for Geology.

The Level III Geology Prize

This prize is awarded to the Geology student producing the best final year research project.

DEPARTMENT OF LIFE SCIENCES

The Don Skelding Prize

Professor Arthur Donald Skelding, D.Sc. was the second Professor of Botany at the University of the West Indies, Mona from 1955 to 1973. When he returned to Jamaica in June 1985 in his capacity as External Examiner for the B.Sc. in Botany, he made a donation to the Botany Department which the then Professor of Botany invested. The Don Skelding Prize was thus named as tribute to his life and work and his donation to the department. 

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in Preliminary Biology.  
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Sasikala Potluri Prize

Dr. Sasikala Potluri joined the then Department of Botany, now Life Sciences, in 1980. She had served as a Demonstrator, Teaching Assistant and finally a Lecturer, until her resignation in August 2004. Dr. Potluri has contributed significantly to the Department’s teaching programme at all levels with great success as well as providing a thrust in Horticulture and Tissue Culture. The award named in her honor is presented annually to the student with the best performance in her discipline.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in the course, Seed Plants - BOTN2011.   
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Lloyd B. Coke Award

The late Dr. L.B. Coke, former Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Botany, taught Plant Physiology for fifteen years. The Department of Botany has instituted the prize in his honor after his sudden death on 31 December, 1990. This prize is awarded every year to the student who obtains the highest mark in Plant Physiology.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in the course, Plant Physiology - BOTN2402.   
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Charlotte Goodbody Prize

Charlotte Goodbody was employed as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Zoology with responsibility for the first year classes (Cell Biology and Animal Diversity). She conducted laboratory classes and occasionally gave lectures. Her fascination with experimental Biology and Zoology made her an invaluable resource to the first year students, demonstrators and lecturers for many years. She retired in 1989 and now lives in Aberdeen. The award named in honor of Mrs. Charlotte Goodbody, made for the first time in 2011, is a book grant to be given to the best student in the first year (first semester) courses.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in the first year, first semester courses of Life Sciences. 
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Avinash Potluri Prize

The prize has been established by Dr. Devi Prasad and Dr. Sasikala Potluri, former Senior Lecturer and Lecturer respectively in the Department of Life Sciences, in memory of their late son, who did Animal Diversity during his undergraduate years at the University and stated it to be a turning point in his life.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in the first year, Animal Diversity (Living Organisms II – BIOL1263). 
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Devi Prasad Prize

The Devi Prasad Prize Dr. Devi Prasad joined the then Department of Botany, now Life Sciences, in October 1979. He was a former Head of the Department of Botany. Dr. Devi Prasad had served the University for 23 years, when he resigned in August 2003 as Senior Lecturer. He has done extensive research in Algal Physiology, Marine Plants, Natural Products and Water Pollution. The award named in his honour was awarded for the first time in 2007.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in the first year, Plant Diversity (Living Organisms I – BIOL1262). 
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Vincent McKie Prize in Zoology

Vincent Hugh Wilson McKie, in addition to being a Zoologist, was President of the Guild of Undergraduates, Hall Chairman for Taylor Hall, President of the UWI Drama Club, and President of the UWI Camera Club and of the Tennis Club while attending the UWI. He achieved excellence as a science teacher and was awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal for his work in the Sciences, Education and the Fine Arts. This Award in his honour is not based on academic excellence alone, but also takes into account participation in extra-curricular activities.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in Level 2 Zoology courses.   
2. Student must be engaged in extra-curricular activities.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

The Department of Mathematics Prize

The Department of Mathematics was pioneered by the Department to encourage and reward students for outstanding performance.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in second year Pure Mathematics.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The Merville Campbell Prize (Level I and II)

The Merville Campbell Prize was established by the Mathematics and Computer Science Department in 1995 in memory of Merville Campbell who had served the Department of Mathematics for several years.

ELIGIBILITY (Level I)

1. Best academic performance in MATH1140 & MATH1150.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

ELIGIBILITY (Level II)

1. Best academic performance in Level II Mathematics.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

The University Lodge/Leslie Robinson Prize The Euclid King/Lodge Prize

The University Lodge/Leslie Robinson Prize The Euclid King/Lodge Prize was established by the University Lodge of the West Indies, as a book grant to a Level I student in honor of their members, the late Euclid King who was a lecturer in the department as well as Professor Leslie Robinson. Each year the grant is awarded in memory of Messrs. King and Robinson alternately.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in Level I (first year) Mathematics.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

John Lodenquai Physics Bursary

The John Lodenquai Prize has been established by the family of the late Prof. John Lodenquai, a former Professor in Astro-Physics and a graduate of the University of the West Indies. It is to be presented to the student with the best performance in Level I.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in Level I Physics.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

Michael Tharmanahthan Memorial Bursary

Dr. Ponnambalam, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physics, made a donation to the Department of Physics in memory of his late father, Michael Tharmanahthan, to provide bursaries for students reading Physics at the Mona Campus. The Bursary is intended to ensure that financial need does not stand in the way of academic achievement.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best academic performance in Level II Physics.
2. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

Level II Departmental Prize

The Department has been awarding prizes for many years to students who do well in the "2000" level examinations. The purpose is to reward and encourage, and so only those students who go on to "3000" level Physics qualify. It is possible, in any case, that no prize is awarded if no student gains a good enough grade, B+ and better. The two (2) students with the highest marks are awarded prizes.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Highest academic performance in Level II.
2. Final grade must be a B+ or greater.
3. Student must be enrolled under the Faculty of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

THE PHYSICS HONOURS SOCIETY

This is a prestiguous community within the Department of Physics which you can join based on semester by semester performance in Physics courses. The Physics Honours Society was created as a way to encourage Physics students to aim higher and achieve more. The society's main goal is for its members to graduate with honours (first class or upper second).

ELIGIBILITY

• The Physics Honours Society is open to Advanced Level students majoring in Physics.
• New advanced level students are selected based on their Level I grades in Physics (B+ or better).
• Returning students are selected based on their performance in completed advanced level courses .
• Membership is revised every semester, is based on academic performance, and can be revoked if Physics grades fall below a B average.

BENEFITS OF BEING A MEMBER

• Recognition within the Department
• Personal physics mentor
• Invitation to attend weekly colloquium
• Participation in Research Groups (final year students only)
• Four weeks summer employment with a research group in the department (after 2 successive semester in PHS)
• Monthly breakfast seminar

FACULTY AWARDS

Academic Commendation

The Academic Commendation recognizes undergraduate students for their outstanding academic performance in a given semester during an academic year; that is during either Semester 1 and Semester 2.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Student must have earned a GPA of 3.6 and above for the applicable semester with no course grade below B+. Performance during the Summer Semester (Semester 3) or Summer School is not considered.
2. Student must be enrolled either full-time or if part time must pursue no less than three (3) courses). 
3. Student must not have any incomplete or failing course grades.
4. Student must have no disciplinary actions taken or pending against them.

Conditions apply as it relates to the courses that are pursued

Dean's List

Dean's Honour Roll recognizes undergraduate students for their outstanding academic performance for an academic year.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Student must have earned a GPA of 3.6 and above with no course grade below B+ in both Semester I & II of the applicable academic year. Performance during the Summer Semester (Semester 3) or Summer   School is not considered.
2. Student must be enrolled either full-time or if part time must pursue no less than three (3) courses). 
3. Student must not have any incomplete or failing course grades.
4. Student must have no disciplinary actions taken or pending against them.

Conditions apply as it relates to the courses that are pursued

Foundation Course Award

The Faculty awards the academic achievement of students who pursue the Foundation course hosted by the Faculty, FOUN1201: Science, Medicine and Technology in Society. Each year the student who attain the highest grade in Semester I and II are awarded at the Faculty’s Award ceremony.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Best Academic performance in the FOUN1201 course in a given semester.
2. Must have pursued the full course at Mona campus, that is, be registered for the M11-M14 Stream.