Born in October 1993, Leaford Nathan Henderson (Nathan) is a passionate lover of the sciences and nature, and a proud Jamaican. The eldest of two children who were both homeschooled up to the secondary level, Nathan started his undergraduate studies in 2009 at age fifteen in the Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona where he completed a BSc in Physics and Chemistry (Double Major) with First Class Honours in 2012. He immediately went on to pursue a MPhil in Applied Physics from the same University. His MPhil project investigated the effect of rare-earth metal ions on the electrical behaviour of dye-sensitized solar cells, a type of low-cost, easy to manufacture photovoltaic device.
During Nathan’s tenure at the University of the West Indies, he served in various extracurricular roles, including Vice-President of the Electronics and Amateur Radio student clubs, and Projects Manager for the UWI, Mona Alternative Energy Club. He was also the recipient of several awards in the Faculty including the Dean's List (2009/2010), Chemistry Department Level II Prize (2009/2010), Physics Department Level II Prize (2009/2010), UWI Mona Academic Bursary (2010/2011), UWI Mona Graduate Scholarship (2013/2015), and UWI Student Award for Excellence in (Extracurricular) Leadership (2014/2015). He is also an avid astronomer, having served as President of the Astronomical Association of Jamaica, the island's official group for science enthusiasts interested in the night sky (2018-2020) and also having represented the island at the William Hrudey Caribbean Astronomical Conference (2018).
Prior to beginning studies overseas, Nathan served as a Senior Technical Officer and later Special Instructor in the Department of Physics, The UWI, Mona. He is currently a PhD student and Fulbright Scholar in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Central Florida, Orlando. Outside of academics, some of his other interests include finance, photography, and playing the piano.
His advice to current FST students: "Don't be afraid to set ambitious goals, and even more importantly, pursue them rigorously. Success is excellence in action - never settle for less. Ensure to network effectively, and remember: UWI is your place to shine!"
Date Published: September 16, 2020
Our 7 faculties and 12 professional schools offer more than 200 programmes to some 18,000 graduate, undergraduate and continuing studies students.
The UWI, Mona ranks first in Jamaica among accredited tertiary-level programmes. In 2012, the University was again one of Jamaica’s Top 100 Employers.
