Today, August 17, 2020 we launch our Physics Legacy Series - a look back at the Mona Physics journey from the inception of the University College in 1948 to the Department and Family we see today.
The University began teaching in 1948 as a University College affiliated with the University of London, and became an independent University in 1962. The Physics Department was founded with the University College in 1948.
Dr. Francis Bowen was probably among the first West Indians to obtain a Ph.D. in Physics. Prior to pursuing tertiary level education Dr. Bowen was a part of the British West Indies Regiment as a Warrant Officer, Class II, 1917-1919 and served in France, Belgium and Italy.
Professor Raymond Wright attended the Queen Mary College, University of London, where he awarded a Bachelor of Science in Special Physics (1947) and the Doctor of Philosophy with Honours (1949). His thesis was entitled “The Variation of Temperature of the Hall Effect and Related Electrical Phenomenon in Semi-conductors.”
Dr. Michael Neville McMorris attended the University College of the West Indies, Jamaica (UCWI) between 1953 and 1956 as a Government Scholar where he obtained a B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics. He was the recipient of the Carnegie and Leverhulme Fellowships in Physics that enabled him to obtain B.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
Professor Geoffrey Stuart Kent attended the University of Cambridge where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (1955), Master of Arts (1959) and a Doctor of Philosophy (1959) in Physics. After obtaining his Ph.D. he lectured at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria (1959-1964). He came to the University of the West Indies in1964 and for the next seventeen years served in various capacities...
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.
