MONA WEBBER PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF PROFESSOR
 
The University of the West Indies (UWI) is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Mona Webber, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology at Mona to the rank of Professor with effect from January 21, 2016.
Professor Webber holds the Bachelor of Science (1985) in Marine Zoology and Botany, the Master of Philosophy (1988) degree in Marine Zoology, as well as the Doctor of Philosophy (1993) degree in Marine Zooplankton, from The UWI, Mona.
 She joined the staff of The University of the West Indies, Mona in 1990 as Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2002. She served as Associate Dean, Student Matters for the Faculty of Science and Technology from 2007 to 2010 and Head of the Department of Life Sciences from 2010 to 2013.
Mona Webber has distinguished herself in the areas of teaching, research, publication and administration. She has contributed significantly to the development and delivery of a number of courses both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Professor Webber coordinates one of the largest courses in the Department, with over five hundred and fifty students, in addition to teaching two courses at level 3.   She was also instrumental in the design of the undergraduate major in Marine Biology and the MSc in Aquatic Sciences: Marine, Estuarine and River Systems.  She has supervised or co-supervised thirty five postgraduate students to completion including six MSc, twenty four MPhil and five PhD on a range of biological topics.
 
Professor Webber has an impressive record of research focusing on   Marine Biology. She has developed an innovative model of using marine zooplankton as indicators of environmental health and quality of offshore and inshore areas as well as several Jamaican bays. This started with the exploration and identification of reliable indicators of environmental degradation in mangrove systems and has led to the restoration of mangrove forests and their valuable ecosystem functions. The impact of this research is recognized internationally by her peers.
Dr. Webber has edited one book, published over thirty two peer reviewed journal articles and one refereed book chapter. She has authored and co-authored nineteen technical reports for the Government of Jamaica, various funding agencies and the Department of Life Sciences.  She has attracted research grants totalling over US$1,000,000 from external sources and over   US$150,000.00 from University research grants.
The newly appointed professor has also contributed significantly to the life of the University, providing leadership and support by serving on   a number of committees at the Faculty and Campus level. She has served as non-professorial representative to Academic Board, Mona for three consecutive years and non-professorial representative on the Mona Campus Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GPC) which necessitated serving as Academic Board Representative on Campus Council. Mona Webber has also managed the activities of the Port Royal Marine Laboratory since 1995.
 
Professor Webber has an outstanding record of public service locally and internationally. She has served as the Marine Biologist on the Scientific Authority to the Committee for the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), member of the National Ramsar Committee, member of the National Fisheries Policy Steering Committee and UWI representative on the National Protected Area Trust Fund Board.
 
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