Santana Monique Lewis was recently awarded the MPhil in Applied Physics (2025) from the Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies, Mona, following a deep-rooted passion for physics that began in high school. Her early interest in renewable energy and environmental sustainability led her to pursue a BSc in Energy and Environmental Physics, which later inspired her transition into graduate-level research in applied physics.

Her MPhil thesis, supervised by Dr. Randy Koon Koon and Dr. Arpita Mandal, was titled “An Investigation into Shallow Ground Source Cooling Systems Using COMSOL Multiphysics Software and Data from Shortwood Teachers’ College Automatic Weather Station, Jamaica.” The research explored the potential of using shallow ground temperatures as a sustainable cooling source for buildings in Jamaica’s tropical climate, supporting regional efforts to decarbonize the energy sector.

During her postgraduate studies, Santana was the recipient of the UWI Postgraduate Scholarship (2021–2023) and earned the Best Student Research Publication Award (2021/2022) at the Faculty of Science and Technology Awards Ceremony in 2023.

Outside of her academic pursuits, Santana enjoys exploring new skills and has a passion for travel, which allows her to embrace new cultures, perspectives, and experiences.

Photo caption: Santana Lewis