Deneikah Jackson-Wray was recently awarded a PhD in Chemistry from the Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona.

Deneikah has always been captivated by Chemistry, finding it both fascinating and intellectually challenging. Initially, she was unsure about pursuing a career in Chemistry, but her passion blossomed after completing introductory courses during her first year at university. Encouraged by her lecturers, this newfound passion led her to major in Food Chemistry, supplemented by minors and electives in General Chemistry, along with engagement in summer research projects. After completing her undergraduate studies in 2017, she felt her journey was far from complete and decided to enroll in the MPhil programme. In 2020, she upgraded to the PhD programme under the guidance of Dr. Peter Nelson.

Her dissertation, entitled “Development and Characterization of Some High-Sensitivity Lead Ion Selective Electrodes Based on Dibenzo-18-Crown-6 Derivatives,” provided her with extensive knowledge across multiple disciplines, including thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and organic synthesis. Her work resulted in four research publications and one review paper, for which she is deeply grateful.

Deneikah also had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies. These collaborations, made possible through research funding, enhanced her networking skills and broadened her academic horizons.

Reflecting on her journey, Deneikah acknowledges that it was both challenging and rewarding. She looks forward to continuing her pursuit of Chemistry in areas such as electrochemistry (sensor and coating technology), computational chemistry, and chemistry education.

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