Olha Shyiko, originally from Ukraine, currently resides in Jamaica, where she is pursuing her dream of becoming a physicist. Her journey began at the age of 14 when she decided to dedicate herself to the field of physics, driven by her passion and innate skills. With a clear vision of becoming Dr. Shyiko, she enrolled at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, one of Ukraine's leading institutions for theoretical physics, after graduating high school in 2013.

Olha completed her Bachelor's degree in 2017, qualifying as a physics teacher. Eager to deepen her knowledge, she then pursued a Master's degree (MSc) in theoretical physics, specializing in Quantum physics. She successfully obtained her degree with honors in 2019.

After arriving in Jamaica in 2020 and working as a teacher at Wolmer’s Boys School for half a year, Olha decided to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD), starting with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Applied Physics in the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies, Mona which was awarded in June 2024. Her research focus was, "Thermodynamics of Native Defects in Beta-Silver Selenide Thermoelectric Material." Under the guidance of her supervisor, Dr. Ferhat Marhoun, she and her team identified the most stable defects in Silver Selenide, a fascinating thermoelectric material. In reminiscing on her experrience  Olha shared, “the journey of pursuing her MPhil proved to be quite challenging, especially as a single mother in a foreign country. But it was certainly an amazing journey, and I truly learned a lot.” Olha’s gratitude for her family's unwavering support, particularly her parents, who instilled in her a strong work ethic, and her sister, who brings joy and laughter into her life. She added that her daughter, Kateryna, is the central motivation in her life and is therefore determined to overcome any obstacle for her sake.

Additionally, Olha is thankful for the welcoming environment provided by her Physics faculty in Ukraine and the Department of Physics, which has enabled her to pursue her academic aspirations. Olha also cherishes the friendships she has formed in Jamaica and values the lessons learned from her students at Wolmer’s, who continually inspire her as an educator.

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