Jermaine Smith was recently awarded a PhD in Chemistry (2025) from the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona.
His academic journey began at James Rodlyn Basic School in Granville, St. James, where he was introduced to science through everyday activities, such as keeping the environment clean and promoting proper waste disposal rather than burning. He later attended Catherine Hall Primary School, Cornwall College, and Montego Bay Community College, experiences that strengthened his appreciation for the scientific method and supported his decision to pursue a BSc in Pure Chemistry (major) and Food Processing (minor) in the Department of Chemistry, FST, which was awarded in 2011. While working as a laboratory demonstrator and technician in the Department of Chemistry, he was introduced to the research of Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot on crystalline materials known as coordination polymers (CPs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). These materials have exceptionally large internal surface areas and can be used in applications such as the storage of clean fuels, including hydrogen.
Motivated by this work and guided by a strong belief in the power of education, Jermaine entered the MPhil/PhD programme under the supervision of Dr Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot. His doctoral thesis, “The Evolution of Supramolecular Interactions, including Halogen Bonding and Hydrogen Bonding, in the Self-Assembly of Lanthanide (III) Coordination Polymers and Metal–Organic Frameworks with Luminescence-Sensing Potential,” explores the synthesis, characterisation, and potential applications of lanthanide CPs and MOFs, and how their structures can be tailored using weak intermolecular interactions. His research demonstrates that halogenated and nitro-substituted aromatic linkers are valuable building blocks for creating extensive libraries of novel lanthanide CPs and MOFs by harnessing the directionality of halogen and hydrogen bonding, as well as the influence of Ln3+ ionic size on interaction strength. Building on these contributions to crystal engineering, future work will focus on using advanced techniques, including synchrotron-based methods, to better understand the formation of these materials and to expand their applications.
From his doctoral research, Jermaine has published five articles in international peer-reviewed journals. He has also presented at several local and international scientific conferences, earning multiple Best Poster awards. Passionate about teaching and learning, he is currently a Lecturer in Chemistry, and he hopes to become the first professor in his family, helping to inspire future generations.
