FACULTY OF PURE AND
APPLIED SCIENCES
MONA
Year ending July 31, 2003
Professor Ronald E. Young, BSc, MSc UWI, PhD St. And. – Dean
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DEAN’S OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
In the year 2002-2003 the Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciencesconcentrated primarily on the reorganisation of its course offerings at
both graduate and undergraduate levels, to make them more relevant and
more efficient in terms of enrollment. Hopefully, the effects of this will be
seen next year, since in the present year, the situation with respect to
numbers of undergraduate courses and registration per course has
deteriorated (see below). Simultaneously, we sought to carry forward our
commitment to be more engaged with the society at large and in particular
with the commercial sector in order to develop more functional
mechanisms for conversion of the expertise in and the research output of
the Faculty, into improved training and more diverse and competitive
products and processes in both public and private commercial enterprises.
Undergraduate and/or Graduate level course offerings in the
Departments of Geography & Geology, Mathematics & Computer
Science (Computer Science Section), Life Sciences and Physics were
extensively reorganized, in part in response to the Hamilton Report. The
Department of Life Sciences drafted a new MSc degree in Plant Production
and Protection, and a MSc in Water Resources Management was designed for the
Department of Geography and Geology by Professor Jasminko Karanjac.
Both have been approved for start-up in September 2003. Professor
Karanjac also conducted a short course on “Mathematical Modelling of
Ground Water Flow and Fate of Solute Using Visual MODFLOW” on January
6-11, 2003.
HIGHLIGHTS
Professors Gerald Lalor and Leslie Robinson were appointed
Professors Emeritus in the Departments of Chemistry and Mathematics &
Computer Science. Dr. Robert Lancashire and Dr. Paul Reese were
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promoted to Professorships in Computational Chemistry and in Bio-
organic Chemistry respectively, and Drs. Peter Vogel and Dale and Mona
Webber to Senior Lectureships in the Department of Life Sciences.
The Faculty lost the highly respected Head of the Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science, and Professor in the Physics
Department, Professor John Lodenquai, on the 9th January, 2003, after a
sudden and brief illness. Dr. Earl Wright a stalwart in the Department of
Geography & Geology also died on 14th November, 2002. The Faculty
offers condolences to their families and friends.
Resignations were received from the former Head of Mathematics &
Computer Science, Professor Johannes Reichgelt, and from Dr. Nikolai
Dokuchaev (Mathematics) and Mr. Horace Jones (Actuarial Science) of
the same Department. Dr P.V. Devi Prasad (Department of Life Sciences)
also resigned his Senior Lectureship in Botany.
Professor Jerrel Wilkens, Professor Emeritus in the Department of
Life Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada, was appointed Visiting
Professor in the Department of Life Sciences between November, 2002
and January 2003. In addition to his research activities, he held a one day
seminar on January 9th for the Graduate Students in the Faculty on
“Strategies for Surviving as a Graduate Student.” Professor C.N.R. Rao, Linus
Pauling Research Professor and Honorary President of the Jawaharlal
Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Banglore, India, and
President of the Third World Academy of Sciences since 1998, visited the
Faculty in February and gave two lectures on “Science in Our Future and
National Development” and on “Nanotubes and Nanowires.” A high-level, 7-
member delegation from Anhui Province, China, headed by the Vice
Governor of the Province visited the Faculty to discuss the potential for
collaborating in areas such as the development of nutraceuticals and the
promotion of Alternative Medicine. The team also met with the Director
of JAMPRO and with various Ministers of Government, and liaised with
Mr. Sam Wong Chew Onn, who accompanied the delegation to the
Faculty. In an effort to improve our success rate in applying for research
funding, Dr. David Smith, Programme Specialist at UNDP and Board
Member at the EFJ was invited to address the Faculty Board in May on the
issue of Grantsmanship. Members found his presentation enlightening
and useful.
At the invitation of the Deputy Principal, Professor Geoffrey
Grimmett, Head of the Department of Pure Mathematics &
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Mathematical Statistics, Cambridge University, visited the Department of
Mathematics & Computer Science in March/April and submitted a brief
review of the Mathematics Section. He recommended, as a matter of
urgency, a number of changes, including strengthening of the Academic
leadership of the sub-department through appointment of a Professor and
Section Head, reform of curriculum and assessment practices, peer review
of lecturers and regular Departmental meetings.
SYMPOSIA & WORKSHOPS
The Biotechnology Centre and the Natural Products Institute,
in collaboration with Blue Cross, staged an International “Scientific Forum
on Caribbean Ethnomedicine and Medicinal Plants” in Montego Bay on
December 6-7, 2002. The NPI on April 24-26, 2003 put on a very
successful workshop on the “Utilization and Management of Agricultural and
Agro-Industrial Waste” at the Visitors' Lodge, featuring lectures by
Professor Agamuthu Periathamby of the University of Malaya. The
Faculty collaborated with the Mona School of Business to host, on
February 25, 2003, a symposium on “Commercializing Science & Technology
Development” also at the Visitors’ Lodge, followed by a workshop in the
Faculty. Guest speakers included visitors from the Keck Graduate
Institute of Life Sciences, Claremont Colleges, the School of Engineering
and the Marshall School of Business of the University of South California,
and from Global Bridges Consulting, all located in Southern California.
The UWI (FPAS) and the University of Technology jointly sponsored the
3rd Annual General Meeting of CARISCIENCE at the Technology
Innovation Centre, University of Technology, on October 5-6, 2002, on
the theme “Caribbean Science-Industry Partnership.” The Centre for Marine
Sciences, with the support of DFID, put on a multidisciplinary
Workshop and Seminar entitled “Impact and Amelioration of Sediment and
Agrochemical Pollution in Caribbean Coastal Waters” on June 13 and 26, 2003.
The 6th Biennial Research Conference of the Faculty, held on March
18-20, attracted 104 papers (40 oral and 64 posters). Six of the orals and
three posters were from other campuses, mainly from Cave Hill. The Best
Poster award went to Miss Debbie Ramsay (Chemistry, Mona) for her
poster entitled: “Groundwater Nutrient Fluxes to Discovery Bay, Jamaica.” The
award for Best Oral Presentation went to Miss Anginette Murray (Life
Sciences, Mona) for her presentation “Fishing activities and fishable resources
exploited by Whitehouse fishers, Westmoreland.” The Department of
Geography & Geology used the occasion to unveil the reconstructed
fossil skeleton of the 50 million year old sea cow Pezosiren portelli
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discovered in 1994 near seven rivers, Montego Bay by Roger Portelli of
the Florida Museum of Natural History. This ancestral species, unlike the
modern sea cow, had legs.
Dr. Dwight Robinson, Department of Life Sciences, ran, in
December/January, a series of workshops on “Scouting Techniques for Pests”
for the Jamaica Agricultural Development Foundation, to educate farmers
who were experiencing difficulties in identifying pests. The Better
Process Control School, Department of Chemistry, under the direction
of Dr. Donna Minott with the collaboration of the Bureau of Standards,
ran its annual course on January 6-10, 2003 for 30 participants from food
processing companies and regulatory agencies across the island. On
January 7-10, Dr. Novelette Sadler-McKnight organized, in response to
requests from schools doing CAPE Chemistry, a successful workshop on
“Chromatographic Techniques” and “Spectroscopic Methods of Analysis.” The
workshop was attended by 260 students and 106 teachers from across the
island. She also ran a workshop for teachers in collaboration with the
Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture on July 16-17.
OUTREACH
The Faculty participated in the Department of Management Studies
conference on the “Role of Government in Tourism” held at the Visitors’
Lodge on the 25-28 September, 2002; in the Proclamation Ceremony for
the launch of Science & Technology Month at King's House on
November 1, 2002; in the Department of Management Studies/Mona
School of Business Colloquium on “Ethics in Caribbean Business –
Philosophical Social and Political Perspectives” on February 22-23, 2003; and in
the Medical Association of Jamaica “Wellness Symposium 2003” at the
Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on April 4-6, 2003. Of the38 oral presentations at
the Scientific Research Council's 16th Annual National Conference on
Science & Technology, on the theme “Science & Technology for Economic
Development: Towards Health, Wealth and Knowledge” held at the Knutsford
Court Hotel on November 28-30, 2002, 11 originated from the Faculty of
Pure & Applied Science and 17 from the UWI in general. The Faculty also
won the Best Display award at the Northern Caribbean University's
conference on “Inventors, Researchers and Entrepreneurs” on April 5-8, 2003.
PUBLICATIONS
Compared with 2001/2002, output rose in all forms of publication.
Refereed publications were up 48% from 66, with the per capita output
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rising to 0.96 compared with 0.69 last year. Non-refereed and conference
presentations together also rose by 45% from 104 last year to 151. All
Departments contributed to this increase in productivity, but the
Department of Geography & Geology must be commended for having
attained the average of 2 refereed papers per academic staff member, and
for having produced two books as well.
Department No. Refereed Non-Refereed Conference
Acad. staff Publicatons Publications Presentations
Biotechnology 5 5 1 25
Centre
Chemistry 23 28 6 13
Geography & 12 24 + 2 books 10 42
Geology
Life Sciences 19 9 8 25
Math & Comp 21 15 – 9
Science
Physics 14 7 – 16
CMS 3 6 4 14
EM Unit 2 1 – 4
NPI/MIAS 3 1 – 3
TOTAL: 102 98 29 151
It might well be noted that this department also puts out two peer-
reviewed, independently self-financing journals, Caribbean Geography
(two issues per year) and Caribbean Journal of Earth Science (one issue
per year).
UNDERGRADUATE
In 2002/2003 the Faculty registered a total of 1280 students, an
increase of 4.6% over the intake in 2001/2002, when 1224 students were
on the register (data from the Student Records System). The Campus
overall showed a 7.5% increase in total student number. Of this number,
621 were newly admitted students, an increase of 19.5% over the intake of
new students (512) in 2001/2002. The Campus overall showed a 9.9%
increase in intake of new students (4365 in 2002/03 vs 3971 in 2001/02).
The Table below shows the number of individual courses and total
registrations in these courses. It indicates that the number of courses
offered in all departments reporting had remained constant or increased
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(Physics), despite the push to reduce the number of courses offered.
There were in general, no meaningful changes in the mean number of
students per course.
Department No. of Mean number Course/Staff
Courses /Course Member
Chemistry 24 60.2 1.0
Geography/Geology:
Geog 16 43.6 2.7
Geol 17 17.9 2.8
Life Sciences 38 43.9 2.0
Math & Comp Sci:
CSci 15 86.5 1.7
Math 28 59.1 2.3
Physics 25 33.6 1.8
TOTAL: 163 48.5 1.6
The situation in Geology, however, continues to be of great concern.
This year the sub-department offered 17 instead of 18 courses, but the
total registration fell from 420 to 305, so that mean number of students
per class fell from 23 to 18. The Department will have to address this
dyseconomical state of its teaching effort.
2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003
Level of Degree N % N % N %
First 22 7.2 32 10.9 27 9.4
Upper Second 80 26.0 92 31.4 87 30.4
Lower Second 77 25.1 88 30.1 90 31.5
Pass 73 23.8 32 10.9 37 12.6
Fail 55 17.9 49 16.7 46 16.1
Total Sitting 307 100.0 293 100.0 287 100.0
Total Registered 1208 1224 1280
Failure rate in the final examinations seems to be holding at about
16%, while the percentage of First Class Honours appears to have steadied
at around the 10% mark, a level which seems quite acceptable.
GRADUATE
In 2002/2003 the Faculty registered a total of 324 graduate students
in various programmes, compared with 306 in 2001/2002, an increase of
about 6%. It is disconcerting to note that the MSc registrations have
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fallen, but the marked increase in PhD registrations is noteworthy. There
was very little change in the number of MSc students graduating, but the
combined number of MPhil and PhD graduating students increased.
REGISTERED GRADUATING
1999 2000 2001 2002 1999 2000 2001 2002
MSc 86 96 86 82 24 21 21 23
MPhil 157 168 178 181 6 10 12 14
PhD 40 38 42 61 9 3 5 10
Total: 283 302 306 324 39 34 38 47
This year we include for the first time in our report, statistics on the
registration in Graduate Courses. The Geology sub-department, in spite
of the relatively low undergraduate enrollment and teaching loads,
continues to resist the introduction of taught Graduate level courses. In
most other disciplines, the engagement in Graduate teaching is relatively
low (mean Courses/Staff member = 0.73) except in the case of Computer
Science, in which there were 2.4 courses per staff member with a mean
enrollment of 36 students per course.
Department No. of Mean No. Courses/Staff
Courses /Course Member
Chemistry 7 8.4 0.3† 1.3*
Geography/Geology:
Geog 5 23.4 0.8 3.5
Geol 0 n/a n/a 2.8
Life Sciences 9 5.2 0.5 2.5
Math & Comp Sci:
CSci 22 36.3 2.4 4.1
Math 9 1.6 0.75 3.1
Physics 4 12 0.75 2.1
TOTAL: 56 18.6 0.73 2.3
†This column indicates mean number of courses for graduate level only
*This column indicates mean number of courses including both graduate and undergraduate levels
The Computer Science sub-department clearly has focused on
graduate training. They offer a total of 22 graduate courses over Semesters
I & II, more than the number offered in the undergraduate programme. It
is of concern, however, that although the mean registration per graduate
course is high, 9 of the 22 courses had less than 10 students and 7 had less
than 5 students registered. Clearly the reason for this odd distribution of
effort needs to be determined, and the course offerings have to be
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rationalized, particularly in the face of constant complaints by staff
members of excessive teaching loads.
GRANTS
Grants (and other earnings) reported to have been brought in from
external sources increased considerably by 182% to J$79,853,845 from last
year’s J$ equivalent of $29,350,880. The total number of external grants
increased from 14 to 46 (3.3x).
Department Internal* No. External No.
(J$eqlt) Grants (J$ eqlt)
Grants Grants
Chemistry $1,393,440 5 $47,217,495 17
Geography & Geology $4,823,273 10 $16,230,565 18
Life Sciences $5,478,048 3 $7,581,265 6
Math & Computer Science – – – –
Physics – – $800,000 2
Biochem/Biotechnology $2,033,000 2 $8,024,520 1
Centre Marine Sciences – – $3,000,000 2
TOTAL: $13,727,761.00 20 $82,853,845.00 46
*Includes financial inputs from non-grant sources as well. Commission @ US$ = J$53.5
Internal grants (plus other funding sources) reported, also rose
considerably from 9 to 20, with the total sum obtained increasing from
$3,276,180 to $13,727,761, an increase of over 4 times. The Departments
that contributed to this marked improvement in performance have to be
commended. This increase is likely to be largely due to increased and
more systematic reporting, but may also reflect an increase in funds being
made available to support research.
CONCLUSION
The Faculty has enjoyed a quite productive year, although there are
many issues that still need addressing. Both academic output and
monetary intake from grants and other sources of revenue, have increased
markedly. To the extent that the increase in revenue is due to an actual rise
in intake rather than simply an increase in reportage, this is commendable;
but even if the rise is due only to better reportage, this is still a good sign.
On the down side, it remains clear that our taught Masters programmes
are not, in general, attracting sufficient numbers of students, although
some do have satisfactory registrations. We still need to focus at all levels,
on weeding out poorly subscribed programmes/courses wherever
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possible, and introducing ones that will be more sought-after.
Departments also need to pay great attention to rationalizing the balance
between teaching effort in the Graduate and Undergraduate programmes.
We must be particularly careful that persons, in order to reap financial
rewards, do not place undue emphasis on teaching in non-UGC courses
which overall are not economical, whilst jeopardizing the undergraduate
teaching and the success of the overall academic enterprise.
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DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
Professor Ishenkumba A. Kahwa, BSc (Hons), MSc Dar es Salaam,
DPhil Louisiana State – Head of Department
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
The academic year 2002/2003started out with Professor
Ishenkumba Kahwa assuming office
as the new Head of Department. He
succeeded Professor Tara Dasgupta
who served in that capacity for ten
years and who was duly recognized for
his outstanding service to the
Department in an appreciation
ceremony held on October 5, 2002.
Professor Kahwa immediately set
out and conducted a series of meetings
with the different categories of staff
and shared his intention of how and in what direction he intended to lead
the Department. This resulted in the assignment of several members of
staff to specific leadership roles.
The Head initiated the first Department Retreat which was held at
the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort, Ocho Rios from November 29-
December 1, 2002. All except two members of the academic staff
attended. The objective of the Retreat was to examine, assess and
formulate policies which would address the Department's Strategic
Mission and articulate it to that of the UWI.
One of the main areas of focus for the new head was the broadening
and deepening of the scope for postgraduate research programmes for
students, as well as to entrench the recognition of and emphasis on the
centrality of research and publication in academia.
In an effort to enhance this development process, the Department
hosted a number of Public Lectures, Seminars and Workshops which
sought to develop a basic framework for achieving higher research and
publication output in high impact journals. A total of twenty seven such
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events were held for the year which saw several international, external and
local presenters.
Two such Public Lectures were held on February 26 & 27, 2003 in
the Department by Prof. CNR Rao. The Department in collaboration
with the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and ICENS and with
assistance from the Principal, Graduate Studies and Research and The
National Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology
hosted this Distinguished Scientist, Professor CNR Rao, FRS, President
of the Third World Academy of Sciences and Linus Pauling Research
Professor, CSIR Centre of Excellence in Chemistry, Bangalore, India.
This event was followed shortly after with a visit by Professor
Malcolm Chisholm of the University of Ohio, on March 19-23, 2003, who
is the Department's Inorganic External Examiner. In addition to carrying
out his duties as an External Examiner, Professor Chisholm facilitated a
successful workshop on modern research agendas, grants and publishing
(in high impact journals).
The Department in collaboration with Bruker BioSpin, Germany
and Bruker Optics, USA conducted a Workshop on Application of
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Infra-red and Near Infra-red Spectroscopy
in Product Development and Research. The workshop focused on the
use of state of the art instrumentation and techniques to solve chemical
problems and increase output in organizations.
With the acquisition of new state of the art instruments in the
Department, the need to have qualified personnel to operate them in
order to maximize their use, a decision was taken to offer in-house training
to the Laboratory Technicians with the different instruments. Hence, a
series of training sessions were conducted on Thursday afternoons from
October 31 to December 19, 2002. The training covered a number of
instruments from the relatively simple to the most sophisticated
equipment in the Department. In addition to these seminars, three
graduate students and a Scientific Officer attended a Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) Workshop at the Department of
Biological and Chemical Sciences, UWI, Cave Hill from May 19-23, 2003.
The facilitator at the Workshop was Professor William F. Reynolds from
the Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada who is a
known expert in the field of NMR Spectroscopy.
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The Better Process Control School (BPCS) was held in the
Department from January 6-10, 2003 and was a major success; a record
number of participants attended. The Department, which has been
approved as the sole certifying BPCS institution in the region for some
time now, was this year instrumental in having the Bureau of Standards
(Jamaica) recommended for provision of the required independent
monitoring service for future Better Process Control Schools instead of
the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The outreach aspect of the Department also played its part in its
offerings to the wider chemical society. A team of seven lecturers from
the Department headed by Dr. Novlette Sadler-McKnight conducted a
series of workshops for High School teachers and students who were
preparing for Chemistry examinations at the CAPE level. Dr. McKnight
was also instrumental in getting the Ministry of Education to join in
partnership for one of the workshops. One workshop series took place
January 6-10, 2003 while another was held July 16-17, 2003; both
workshops were considered successful as they broadened and improved
the delivery of chemical education in High Schools.
The overall performance of the Department for the year is
encouraging based on the number of outstanding achievements. Among
the staff were the promotions of two Senior Lecturers to the level of
Professors, the appointment of a senior staff member to lead a new
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry taskforce, the
elevation to the highest rank accorded to accomplished members of the
Royal Society of Chemistry the "Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry"
(FRSC). The Head of the Department was appointed member of a cross-
faculty Task Force to identify the challenges facing the UWI, Mona
Campus and to make recommendations regarding how the campus should
respond to the challenges so identified.
A Chemistry graduate student (Dr. Danielle Aquart) won the
prestigious award for the "The Most Outstanding Thesis for 2001-2002:"
while another (Ms. Keisha Lambert) received a Travel Grant from the
Commonwealth Science Council to attend the Conference of the Institute
of Food Technology in the USA. Four members of staff were recipients
of Research Day 2003 Awards for Best Publication (Dr. Yvette Jackson),
Distinguished Researcher (Prof. Paul Reese), The Most Successfully
Commercialized Research Project (Prof. Robert Lancashire) and Project
Attracting the Most Research Funds (Dr. Jose Jackson).
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The Department ended the academic year 2002/2003 with five
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and four Masters of Philosophy (MPhil)
candidates meeting requirements for graduation. Our total undergraduate
student enrolment (1398 in 24 courses) was a bit lower than in 2001/2002
(1462 for 24 courses) but postgraduate intake rose from 9 to12 research
students. Our publications (28) were up by 17% over 2001 while about 17
grants/earning activities secured J$48.6 million; i.e. the Department
earned 43 cents on each dollar it got from UWI funds. Our staff continued
to be active on both the local and international scenes – five of them
performed peer review services for national, regional and international
journals and served on editorial boards; ten served on national and civic
society committees and boards; one is the Vice-President of the Mona
Non-Academic Staff Association (MONASA) while another is the
District Grand Master of the Jamaica District Grand Lodge.
STUDENT ENROLMENT
LEVEL 2000/2001 2001/2002 2002/2003
Preliminary 135 148 314
Introductory 203 203 471
Advanced 822 775 766
STAFF MATTERS
Dr. Danielle Aquart was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Inorganic
Chemistry.
Ms. Keisha Lambert was appointed Teaching Assistant in Food
Chemistry.
Mr. Glenroy Martin was appointed Teaching Assistant in Organic
Chemistry.
Dr. Dwight Ramdon was appointed Assistant Lecturer in Inorganic
Chemistry.
Dr. Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot was appointed Assistant Lecturer in
Inorganic Chemistry.
Mr. Norman Townsend was appointed Teaching Assistant in
Organic Chemistry.
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Dr. Robert Lancashire and Dr. Paul Reese were promoted to
Professors.
Dr. Yvette Jackson was elevated to Fellow of the Royal Society of
Chemistry.
Professor Tara Dasgupta was on one year Sabbatical Leave.
Dr. Anthony Greenaway was granted Research Study Leave for
another year.
STUDENT MATTERS
Undergraduate Awards
A total of seven undergraduate students from the Department
received awards ranging from $10,000 to $60,000 for their academic
achievements in Chemistry.
Postgraduate
Five (5) graduate students completed their Doctor of Philosophy
while another four (4) completed their Master of Philosophy degrees.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY
1. CHRISTIAN, Omar 1. BLAKE, Orane
2. LAMM, Andrew 2. BURKE, Sharon
3. MARTIN, Glenroy 3. GORDON, Junior Noel
4. SINGH-WILMOT, Marvadeen 4. LAMBERT-CHRISTIAN, Keisha
5. TOWNSEND, Norman
RESEARCH GRANTS
Dr. Anthony Greenaway and Dr. Michael Coley received grants
of J$2,304,500 from West Indies Alumina Company (WINDALCO) to
fund a research project entitled: “Boehmite in Bauxite, characterization,
quantification and its effects on extraction of alumina from Bauxite”.
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Professor Tara Dasgupta signed a new contract with the Jamaica
Racing Commission to the tune of $25M.
Dr. Henry Ellis received US$2,000 from Research and Publications
Dr. Yvette Jackson received US$2,000.00 from Research and
Publications
Professor Helen Jacobs with Dr. J. Jackson received US$3,265.00
for a New Initiative Project.
Dr. Sandra Jarrett received US$12,968.00.
Prof. I. A. Kahwa received grants for:
1. National Hazardous Materials and Waste Inventory and
Management Policy Options – Environmental Foundation of
Jamaica (EFJ) J$5.427M
2. Development of Occupational and Environmental Safety and
Health Courses at UWI - EFJ $1.392M (with Mr. Milton
Pinnock (Community Health and Psychiatry) and Prof.
Neville Ying (Labour Studies).
3. Research and Publications US$4,991
4. Research grants proposals and publishing Departmental
workshop (CARISCIENCE) – US$500
Prof. R.J. Lancashire received US$20,000 from MDL Information
Systems, Inc to support their joint project on spectroscopic software.
Dr. Donna Minott received a grant of US$1,950 for research
student from Research and Publications.
Dr Willard Pinnock received US$2,000.00 for his research student
from Research and Publications.
Professor Paul Reese and Dr. Roy Porter received US$18,500.00
from WINCORP for research on the isolation of anti-microbial
compounds from Jamaican plants.
Professor Paul Reese received J$100,000 for student research from
the Board for Graduate Studies.
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Dr. Marvadeen Singh-Wilmot received a grant of US$1,500 from
CARISCIENCE.
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Coley, M.
– Characterization and the processability of bauxite to determine
the impact of boehmite content on gibbsite extraction
efficiency.
Dasgupta, T. P.
– Mechanisms of electron transfer and substitution reactions in
inorganic complexes.
– Syntheses, characterization and reactivity of nitric oxide
releasing compounds and their vasodilating properties.
– Syntheses, structure, reactivity and insulin mimicking properties
of vanadium (IV/V) complexes.
– Dynamics of pesticide degradation and analysis of ultratrace
pesticides and their metabolites.
Ellis, H. A.
– Thermotropic and lyotropic phase transitions in metal soaps
– Metal ion adsorption on water soluble polymers
Greenaway, A. M.
– Nutrient pollution in Jamaican coastal waters.
– Nitrogen and Phosphorus concentrations in ground and
surface waters and their fluxes to the coastal zone.
– Alumina extraction efficiencies in the Bayer process (the
process to extract alumina from bauxites).
Jackson, Y.
– Synthesis and chemistry of some pharmacologically active
heterocyclic compounds and their analogues.
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Jacobs, H.
– Natural products from selected species of endemic Jamaican
flora.
Jarrett, S.
– The synthesis of 2-amino-4-vinylthiazoles, a route to
benzothiazoles and other Fused Ring systems
Kahwa, I.
– Syntheses, structure and luminescence spectroscopy of rare
earth nanoclusters, their interactions with quantum dots,
potential applications in diagnostic and therapeutic biomedicine
and catalysis.
– Hazardous waste and materials Jamaica/Caribbean: Public,
occupational and environmental health impact and policy
lessons.
– Science-technology-innovation policies.
Lancashire, R.J.
– Chemical applications of the Internet.
– The JCAMP-DX spectroscopic data format and distribution of
scientific data via the WWW.
Maragh, P.
– Electron transfer reactions with Di-nuclear Iron (III) cyano-
bridged complex with sulfite, ascorbic acid and other reducing
agents
– Synthesis and structure determination of sulfito-Chromium
(III) macrocyclic complexes.
Minott, D.
– Changes of hypoglycin content in ackee during maturation and
with different ackee varieties.
– Comparison of the nutritional and anti-nutritional components
of several transgenic papaya lines with a non-transgenic variety.
– Chemistry of the water from different varieties of coconuts
grown in Jamaica and determination of the factors affecting the
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production of pigments in processed coconut water.
Mulder, W.
– Phase transitions in monolayers at electrified interfaces.
– Theory of electro-wetting phenomena.
– Structural and thermodynamic properties of electronically
excited molecules in solution.
– Electrochemical oscillations at modified electrodes.
Pinnock, W.R.
– Development and use of passive monitors for Air Pollution
Monitoring in Jamaica and developing countries.
– Producing useful materials from Red Mud. In an advanced
stage is the investigation of effects of adding red mud as
pozzalana to standard concrete.
– Developing a standard for radioactivity in Building Materials
based on measured and modelled doses in actual building
(model house)
Porter, R.
– Investigation, characterisation and identification of secondary
metabolites from several folklore medicinal plants.
– Extraction and characterisation of constituents of essential oils
from local aromatic plants.
Ramdon, D.
– Use of electrochemistry equipment to study paraquat redox
activity.
Reese, P.
– Medicinal Plants. Plants, mainly from the Labiatae,
Scrophulariaceae and Capparaceae families, are being examined
to isolate and characterise the major natural products.
– Microbial transformations. Natural products of agricultural and
pharmaceutical interest are structurally modified by selected
strains of fungi in an effort to produce a range of new analogues
with enhanced bioactivity.
290
Singh-Wilmot, M.
– Lanthanide-based dendritic nanodevices
– Collaborative work on single crystal and powder X-ray
diffraction
PAPERS PRESENTED
Dr. Danielle Aquart
• “Mechanism of nitric oxide release from the potent
nitrovasodilator S-nitrosocaptopril: redox and transnitrosation
reactions”. (poster) 224th American Chemical Society National
Meeting and Exposition in Boston MA.
Dr. Anthony Greenaway
• “Nutrient Dynamics in Tropical Marine Environments”. UNEP
Workshop on Nutrient Removal Technologies in Trinidad and
Tobago
Dr. I. Hassan
• “Magnesioferrite: variation of cation ordering with pressure and
temperature”. COMPRESS Meeting held in Santa Cruz,
California
• “Thermal Analyses of Magnesioferrite”. AGU Fall Meeting, San
Francisco, California.
Dr. Yvette Jackson
• “Approaches to the Synthesis of Analogues of Shermilamine B”.
Royal Society of Chemistry Symposium on Heterocyclic
Synthesis, Grasmere, Lake District, UK.
Professor I. Kahwa
• “Implications of Science R&D and Occupational and
Environmental Safety and Health Issues to Decent Work”. First
Caribbean Labour Conference, UWI Mona
291
• “Ethical Dynamics in the Physical Sciences”. 3rd Annual
Research Colloquium of the Department of Management
Studies, UWI
• “Publish or Perish: Quantity vs Quality”. University of
Technology Research Grants and Publishing Workshop
• “Asbestos Pollution: Lessons and Perspectives from Jamaica”.
Jamaica Institute for Environmental Professionals
Professor R. Lancashire
• “The development of interactive pages using MDL CHIME,
JAVA and JavaScript” The Department of Chemistry, University
of the South Pacific, Fiji, The Department of Chemistry,
University of Western Australia, The Department of Chemistry,
University of Sydney, Australia
Dr. W. Mulder
• “The possibility of spontaneous electrochemical oscillations at
wired enzyme electrodes.” Seminar at the Departamento de
Química Fisica, University of Sevilla, Spain
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed
* M. Bakir, ‘fac-Tricarbonyl[hydroxybis(2-pridyl)-methanolato-
k3N,O,N]rhenium(I)’, Acta Crystallographica 2002, C58, m74.
* M. Bakir, ‘Synthesis, Characterization and Structural Studies
on the First Rhenium Complex with Di(2-pyridyl)Ketone 2,4-
Dinitrophenylhydrazone (dpkdnph), fac-Re(CO)3(dpkdnph)Cl’.
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 2002, 481.
* M. Bakir and Colin Gyles, ‘Optosensing properties of fac-
Re(CO)3 (dpknaph)Cl (dpknph. = di-2-pyridyl ketone p-
nitrophenyl hydrazone)’. Talanta, 2002, 56, 1117.
* M. Bakir and O. Brown, “Molecular structure and optosensing
behaviour of di-2-pyridyl ketone benzoylhydrazone in non-
aqueous solvents” Journal of Molecular Structure 2002, 609, 129.
292
* M. Bakir, ‘Optical, electrochemical and structural studies on
the first rhenium compound of di-2-pyridylketone-
phenylhydrazone (dpkphh), fac-Re(CO)3(dphphh)Cl’, Inorganica
Chimica Acta 2002, 332, 1.
* M. Bakir and Orville Green, ‘The structure of di-2-
pyridylketone p-aminobenzoylhydrazone water solvate
(dpkabz.H2O)’. Acta Crystallographica 2002, C58, 0263.
* M. Bakir and O. Brown, ‘X-ray crystallographic and
optosensing studies of di-2-pyridyl ketone p-nitro-
phenylhydrazone (dpknph) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)’,
Journal of Molecular Structure 2002, 641, 183.
* M. Bakir and C. Gyles, ‘Structural, Electrochemical and
Optical Properties of dpkfah’. Journal of Molecular Structure 2003,
649, 133.
* M. Bakir, I. Hassan and O. Green, ‘Manganese Carbonyl
Compounds of N,N-bidentate di-2-pyridylketone (dpk) and
N,O,N-tridentate hydroxybis(2-pyridyl) methanolato (dpkO,
OH)’. Journal of Molecular Structure 2003, 657, 75.
* T. P. Dasgupta and J. N. Smith, “Reactions of S-nitrosothiols
with L-Ascorbic Acid in Aqueous Solution”. Methods in
Enzymology 2002, 359, 219.
* T. P. Dasgupta, D. Ragoobirsingh and D. McGrowder. ‘The
effects of S-nitrosoglutathione in insulin. Receptor Behaviour
on Erythrocyates in an Animal Model’. Diabetologic Croatica
2003, 32-2, 65.
* H. A. Ellis, N.A .White, I. Hassan and R. Ahmad, A room
temperature structure of anhydrous lead (II) decanoate. Journal
of Molecular Structure 2002, 642, 71.
* I . Hassan, S.M. Antao and A. A. Hersi, ‘XRD, TEM, DTA,
and DSC studies of the satellite reflections in nepheline’.
Canadian Mineralogist 2003, 41, 759.
* S.M. Antao, M. J. Duane, and I. Hassan, ‘DTA, TG, and XRD
studies of sturmanite and ettringite’ Canadian Mineralogist 2002,
40, 1403.
293
* S.M. Antao and I. Hassan, ‘Thermal behaviour of scapolite
Me79.6 and Me33.3’ Canadian Mineralogist 2002, 40, 1395.
* S. M. Antao and I. Hassan, ‘Thermal analyses of sodalite,
tugtupite, danalite, and helvite’. Canadian Mineralogist 2002, 40,
163.
* Y. A. Jackson, and Karla-Sue Marriott, ‘A Novel
Photochemical Route to Dibenzo-naphthyrones’. Heterocycles
2002, 57(10), 1897.
* Y.A. Jackson, D. Rajagopal, J. Bendolph, M. Guillory, M.V.
Lakshmikantham, J, Yang and M.P. Cava, ‘Thiophene Isosteres
of 9, 10-Dithioanthraquinone’, Organic Letters 2003, 5(11),
1883.
* Y. Morimoto, M. Takaishi, T. Iwai, T. Kinoshita and H.
Jacobs, ‘Complete assignment of the stereostructure of a new
squalene-derived epoxy tri-THF diol from Spathelia glabrescens by
total synthesis’. Tetrahedron Letters 2002, 43, 5849.
* N. P. Seeram, L. S. Francis, O. L. Needham, H. Jacobs, S.
McLean and W. F. Reynolds, ‘Drimane and bisabolane
sesquiterpenoids from Cinnamodendron corticosum (Canellaceae)’.
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 2002, 31, 637.
* S. J. Burke, H. Jacobs, S. McLean and W. F. Reynolds,
‘Structural and spectral assignment by 2D NMR of a new
prenylated benzopyrancarboxylic acid and structural
reassignment of a related compound’. Magnetic Resonance in
Chemistry 2003, 41, 145.
* H. Jacobs, ‘Comparative phytochemistry of Picramnia and
Alvaradoa, genera of the newly established family
Picramniaceae’. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 2003, 31 (7),
773.
* L. V. Harris and I. A. Kahwa (as Guest Editors) ‘Asbestos:
Old Foe in 21st Century Developing Countries’ Journal of the
Total Environment 2003, 307, 1.
* M. K. Thompson, A. J. Lough, A. J. P. White, D. J. Williams and
I. A. Kahwa ‘Formation of two diverse classes of poly(amino-
294
alkoxide) chelates and their mononuclear and polynuclear
lanthanide(III) complexes’. Inorganic Chemistry 2003, 42, 4828.
* R. C. Howell, S. H. Edwards, A. S. Gajadhar-Plummer, I. A.
Kahwa, G. L. McPherson, J. T. Mague, A. J. P. White and D. J.
Williams. ‘Phthalimides: Supramolecular Interactions in
Crystals, Hypersensitive Solution 1H NMR Dynamics and
energy transfer to europium(III) and terbium(III) states’.
Molecules 2003, 8, 565.
* R. U. Richards-Johnson, A. J. Lough and I. A. Kahwa
‘[Aqua(N, N', N", N'''-tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,4,7,10-
tetrazacyclodode-cane)praseodymium(III)]
hexanitratopraseodymate(III) dehy-drate’ Acta Crystallographica
2003, E59, 742.
* W. H. Mulder and C. Párkányi, ‘Theory of the salt effect on
solvatochromic shifts and its potential application to the
determination of ground-state and excited-state dipole
moments’. Journal of Physical Chemistry A 2002, 106, 11932.
* W.H. Mulder, ‘The use of size distributions of circular
domains in Langmuir monolayers for determining physical
parameters of surfactants’. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
2003, 264, 558.
Non-Refereed
* M. Coley, Introductory Chemistry 1: Part IV, Analytical Chemistry:
The University of the West Indies Distance Education Centre
(UWIDEC, 2002)
* H.E. Ellis, Molecular Structure, Physical Chemistry, The University
of the West Indies Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC,
2002)
* S. Jarrett and R. Porter, Introductory Chemistry 1: Part III,
Organic Chemistry; The University of the West Indies,
Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC, 2002)
* R. J. Lancashire, Editor of the Proceedings of the Sixth
Conference, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University
of the West Indies, Mona, 18-20 March, 2003, ISBN 976-41-
0087-2.
295
* P. Maragh, Introductory Chemistry 1: Part I, Physical Chemistry,
Unit 1: Atomic Structure, The University of the West Indies
Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC, 2002).
PUBLIC SERVICE
Professor Tara Dasgupta
– Chief Editor, Jamaican Journal of Science and Technology
– Member, Agricultural Support Service Committee
– Director, Mona Institute of Applied Sciences
– Executive Member, Natural Product Institute
– Editorial Board, Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms
– Chairman, Electronics Unit Advisory Committee
– Head, Jamaica Racing Commission Laboratory and Member of
Equine Drug Testing Committee
Dr. A. Greenaway
– Member, National Ozone Commission
– Associate, Centre for Marine Sciences
Dr. Y. Jackson
– Foreign Research Mentor, Minority International Research
Training Programme, Barry University, Florida
– Member, Board of Governors, Hampton High School, St.
Elizabeth
– Member, Board of Governors – Institute for Theological
Leadership and Development (ITLD).
Professor I. A. Kahwa
– Member, Asbestos Task Force, National Environment and
Planning Agency
– Member, Board of Directors, International Centre for the
Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS)
– Member, Intellectual Property Rights Committee, UWI.
– Member, CHEMLAB Project Committee, Journal of Chemical
Education, American Chemical Society
296
– Member, Board of Governors, Zenith Preparatory and
Learning Centre
– Regional Editor: Molecules
– Vice President, Jamaica Society for Scientists and Technologists
Professor R. Lancashire
– University Representative, Board of the Jamaica Computer
Society Education Foundation
– Executive Member, Jamaica Society of Scientists and
Technologists
– Leader, IUPAC Task Group on EMR data structures
Dr. P. Maragh
– Member, National Industrial Safety Committee – Bureau of
Standards
– Member, Museums Advisory Board – Institute of Jamaica
– Faculty Representative, FPAS on WIGUT Executive
– Treasurer, National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica.
Dr. D. Minott
– Member, Jamaica Bureau of Standards – Coconut Water
Technical Committee
– Member, Agro-Processing Resource Network
– Member, Scientific Research Council Board's Sub-Committee
for the Food Technology Institute
– Member, National Agricultural Health and Food Safety
Coordinating Committee
– President, WIGUT (Jamaica)
– Director, Better Process Control School (certification for the
food industry)
– Member, Advisory Board – Guiding Light
Dr. W. Pinnock
– Member, National Radiation Safety Council, Ministry of
Health, Government of Jamaica.
297
– Member, Steering Committee for Food Irradiation, National
Commission of Science and Technology, Office of the Prime
Minister.
Dr. R. Porter
– Member, Working Group (under the directive of PIOJ) to
investigate the feasibility of commercialization of products
from ten local plants.
Dr. D. Ramdon
– Member, Organizing Committee for Caribbean Advanced
Proficiency (CAPE) Workshop 2003-2004.
Professor P. Reese
– Member, Equine Drug Testing Committee
– Vice President, WIGUT (Jamaica)
– WIGUT Representative on (i) Negotiating Team for 2002-2005
Salary Claim (ii) Car, House and Consumption Loan
Committee; and (iii) Sabbatical Leave Committee
– Organising Secretary, Mona Symposium 2004: Natural
Products & Medicinal Chemistry.
Dr. N. Sadler-McKnight,
– Member, Board Natural Resources Conservation Authority.
– Member, Technical and Finance Committee of the Scientific
Research Council
– Council Member, Jamaica Society for Scientists and
Technologists
– Executive Secretary, Alumni and Friends of the Department of
Chemistry, UWI, Mona (CHEMSAF).
Dr. M. Singh-Wilmot
– Member, Committee of Board of Teacher Education and UWI
for Double Option Science for Teachers’ Colleges.
– Member, Organizing Committee for Caribbean Advanced
Proficiency (CAPE) Workshop 2003-2004.
298
VISITORS TO THE DEPARTMENT
Professor Malcolm Chisholm, Inorganic Chemistry External
Examiner and Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and
Physical Sciences of the University of Ohio
Professor Delroy Baugh, from the Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angles, CA (Guest
Lecturer in Physical Chemistry)
Dr. Ian Lambert, Food Science, UWI St. Augustine (Guest
Lecturer in Food Chemistry)
Professor CNR Rao, FRS, Linus Pauling Research Professor,
CSIR Centre of Excellence in Chemistry and Physics of Materials
Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research,
Jakkur, Bangalore, India.
Professor David Williams of Imperial College, London,
Professor of Chemical Crystallography
Dr. A. John Alcock, FRSC, Principal Research Office, Institute
for Microstructural Sciences, National Research Council of
Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
Mr. J. Anthony Clarke, Manager, University Branch, Bank of
Nova Scotia Jamaica Limited.
Dr. Lyndon Johnson, Managing Director, Technosol Limited,
Kingston
Mr. Gladstone Ivey, Chief Chemist, Petroleum Company of
Jamaica (Petrojam)
Dr. Romola Rodriques, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of
Kansas
Mr. Ramesh Sujunani, Gemmologist, Ocho Rios
Mr. Compton Beecher, Chief Forensic Officer, Forensic
Laboratory
Mrs. Joy Spence, General Manager, Quality Division, Wray &
Nephew Limited.
Dr. Ronald Lee, Ryder Eminent Scholar, College of Business,
Florida International University.
299
DEPARTMENT OF
GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY
Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope, MA Aberdeen, MS Penn State,
DPhil Oxon – Head of Department
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
The Department had manysuccesses over the past year, but
there was also one sad event in
November 2002 with the tragic death
of Mr Earl Wright, a graduate of the
Department and former part-time
lecturer in Geology. We were deeply
shocked by his death and we remember
him with affection.
Mr Remy Sietchiping joined the
Department as Temporary Lecturer in
Geography.
The inaugural lectures of two recently-appointed professors were
presented during the year: Professor Trevor Jackson on “Tracing
Geochemical Signatures in Hot Rocks across the Caribbean” on August
14, 2002, and Professor Wilma Bailey on “Family Planning,
Reproductive Health and the Health of Communities” on October 23,
2002.
Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope was awarded a Mona
Research Fellowship to conduct research into “Environmental
Management in Economic Performance in the Caribbean.” Mrs Adonna
Jardine-Comrie was appointed Junior Research Fellow on the project.
Two lecturers who joined the Department in the previous year were
awarded UWI Special Initiative Grants: Dr Susan Mains, to work on
"Mobility and Migration: Exploring Transnationalism in the Context of
Jamaica," and Dr Faisal Butt, to work on “Modelling Groundwater Flow
in the Alluvial Aquifer of the Lower Yallahs Basin, St Thomas.”
300
The main focus of the Department's activities on the University's
Research Day, January 30, 2003, was the formal opening of the new
exhibit of the cast of the fossil sea cow, Pezosiren portelli, in the Geology
Museum. The fossil is the oldest sea cow ever discovered in Jamaica. Dr
Simon Mitchell and Dr Thomas Stemann were members of the
international team of scientists who worked on the excavation of the fossil
in St James. Funding for the project was provided by the National
Geographic Society and by Barbara and Reed Toomey. The opening of
this exhibit received considerable media coverage, and it remains an
important feature of the Geology Museum’s collection.
At the University's Research Day annual award ceremony, two
members of the Department were recognized for their work. Professor
Wilma Bailey was recognized as a Distinguished Researcher for her work
with colleagues in the Faculty of Social Sciences on “Family and the
Quality of Gender Relations: A Situational Analysis of Reproductive
Health in the Caribbean.” Dr Faisal Butt won an award for Best
Publication in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, for his paper
(with non-UWI collaborators) on “Modelling Late Cenozoic isostatic
elevation changes in the Barents Sea and their implications for oceanic and
climatic regimes: preliminary results.”
Dr Butt also won the 2002 START [System for Analysis, Research
and Training] Young Scientist Award.
Professor Wilma Bailey received an award for more than twenty
years of continuous service to the Caribbean Examinations Council
(CXC) on the occasion of the Council's thirtieth anniversary.
Mr Rafi Ahmad was recognized by the International Landslide
Research Group (ILRG) for his years of leadership in landslide hazard
reduction in the Caribbean, and was presented with a certificate and a
citation by Dr Earl Brabb, ILRG President, in July 2003.
Professor Trevor Jackson was elevated to a Fellow of the
Caribbean Academy of Sciences in August 2002.
Dr Balfour Spence represented UWI as a regional team member on
the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded Caribbean
Disaster Management (CADM) project. The project is intended to
promote flood hazard loss reduction in the Caribbean through the
development of flood hazard maps which will be used to inform
community disaster management planning. To promote the research
301
capacity of the Unit for Disaster Studies, Dr Spence has obtained approval
of a research grant valued at nearly US$50,000 from JICA to conduct two
technical research activities. Collaborating with Dr Spence are Dr Faisal
Butt and other members of the Department, as well as the Caribbean
Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA).
Dr. Thomas Stemann is a co-investigator on two grants from the
National Geographic Society. The first is to study “The Pliocene reefs of
Jamaica: implications for biodiversity and faunal turnover,” covering
work on the Hopegate Formation of Jamaica, in association with principal
investigator Dr. S.K. Donovan (National Natuurhistorisch Museum,
Leiden, The Netherlands), and R. Portell (Florida Museum of natural
History, Gainsville, Florida). The second project is entitled “Dawn of land
and sea mannals in the West Indies: Seven Rivers, Jamaica,” covering
fieldwork excavating fossil manatees and other vertebrate material, in
association with principal investigator Dr. Daryl Domning (Howard
University).
Dr Susan Mains was co-chair and co-organizer for a series of
Geographic Perspectives on Women/Latin American/Qualitative
Geography Specialty Group sponsored sessions on “Caribbean Stories:
‘Representing’ Voices from the Margins?” at the Annual Meeting of the
Association of American Geographers, New Orleans, March 2003.
Three postgraduate students, Corin Bailey (Geography), Thérèse
Ferguson (Environmental Management), and Gavin Gunter (Geology),
returned to the Department from their year in the United Kingdom at the
Universities of London and Liverpool as recipients of Commonwealth
Split-Site Awards. Another two postgraduate students, Sherene James
(Geology) and Karen Thomas (Geography), have won these awards for
September 2003, and will be proceeding to the University of Liverpool.
Fifteen students graduated in November 2002 with the MSc degree
in Integrated Urban and Rural Environmental Management, and in the
current year 21 students are registered in this programme, which is
coordinated by Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope in the
Environmental Management Unit.
Seventeen students, including four from Appalachia State University
(USA), registered for the summer course GL30D: Analysis and
Management of Geohazards and Risks, which was once again run by Mr
Rafi Ahmad. As part of this course, Mr Ahmad organized a Debris Flow
302
Workshop, sponsored by the Caribbean Cement Company and the
International Consortium on Landslides.
The Sedimentary Basin Resource Assessment (SEBRA) Project,
directed by Dr Simon Mitchell and supported by a grant from the
Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, moved into its second year;
detailed data have now been collected from the Rio Minho.
The Department hosted a visit from Dr Desa Djordjevic Milutinov,
Curator of Palaeobotany, Natural History Museum, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
He examined the Geology Museum's collection of plant fossils and
established names for specimens previously identified. He also presented a
collection of Miocene plant fossils from Serbia to the Museum.
The Department also welcomed Dr Duncan McGregor, Royal
Holloway College, University of London, who, as external examiner for
Physical Geography, spent one week reviewing examination materials and
course structures and holding discussions with staff and students.
The Department continued to administer the Earthquake Unit, the
Unit for Disaster Studies, and the Environmental Management Unit.
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Mr Rafi Ahmad
– Neotectonics;
– Landslide processes and hazards;
– Structural and lithological controls on the evolution of
landforms;
– Mapping and assessment of natural hazards;
– Preparation of hazard maps.
Dr Benedict Arimah
– Measuring and explaining the provision of infrastructure in
African cities;
– Human development and poverty alleviation in Africa.
303
Professor Wilma Bailey
– An atlas of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean;
– Climate and dengue in the Caribbean.
Dr David Barker
– Alternatives to the traditional yam stick method of staking
yams.
Dr Faisal Butt
– Modelling groundwater flow in the alluvial aquifer of the lower
Yallahs basin, St Thomas, Jamaica;
– The influence of climatic and tectonic changes on high erosion
rates during the Cenozoic - examples from a polar margin;
– Relief changes in the Barents Sea and the Mid-Pleistocene
climate shift.
Professor Trevor Jackson
– Volcanic petrology of pre-Soufrière rocks, St Vincent;
– Geochemistry of the Miocene bentonites of Jamaica;
– Mineralogy of the black sands of the south coast of Jamaica;
– Mineralogy of the volcaniclastic turbidites of the Grand Bay
Formation, Carriacou;
– Chemistry and mineralogy of Jamaican agates.
Dr Susan Mains
– Diaspora dreams and stories of Jamaican migration.
Dr David Miller
– Review of the karst geomorphology of the White Limestone
Group, Jamaica;
– Ridge, cone and tower karst geology and geomorphology in
southern St Elizabeth, Jamaica;
– Palaeokarst in southern St Elizabeth, Jamaica;
304
– The geomorphological legacy of Quaternary environmental
change, south central Jamaica;
– The palaeoenvironmental significance of solifluction deposits
and cryoplanation terraces in southwest England.
Dr Simon Mitchell
– Sedimentology of Recent carbonate beach sediments in
Jamaica;
– Lithostratigraphy and sedimentology of the Yellow Limestone
Group, Jamaica (with Dr R. Maharaj, Institute of Marine
Affairs, Trinidad);
– Lithostratigraphy and palaeogeography of the White Limestone
Group, Jamaica;
– Sedimentology and palaeontology of the Red Chalk (with Dr
C.J. Underwood, Birkbeck University, UK);
– Geology and stratigraphy of the Central Inlier, Jamaica;
sustainable development of sand mining and sediment budgets
in Jamaican rivers (SEBRA Project);
– Palaeokarst in Jamaica (with Dr D.J. Miller, Department of
Geography and Geology, UWI);
– Origins of sea cows (with Dr D. Domning, Howard University,
USA);
– Cretaceous and Eocene echinoderms (with Dr S.K. Donovan,
Leiden, Netherlands);
– Taxonomy and biostratigraphy of rudist bivalves;
biostratigraphy and palaeoecology of Jamaican Cretaceous
ostracodes;
– Taxonomy and evolution of the coleoidea; palaeontology of
sharks (with Dr C.J. Underwood, Birkbeck University, UK);
– Geoarchaeology of Taino settlements in Jamaica (with Dr P.
Allsworth-Jones, Department of History and Archaeology,
UWI);
– Geology and geochemistry of dolomite in the Caribbean;
305
– Sedimentation in active strike-slip fault systems - a case example
from southeastern Jamaica;
– Strontium isotope stratigraphy of Late Cretaceous rudists (with
Dr T. Steuber, Ruhr-Universitat, Germany).
Professor Emeritus Edward Robinson
– Constructing a larger foraminiferal zonation for the Tertiary
rocks of Jamaica;
– Strontium isotope ratio dating for the Eocene-Miocene
limestones of Jamaica.
Mr Remy Sietchiping
– Spatial analysis of HIV/AIDS/STI in Jamaica;
– Monitoring urban growth of the Kingston region - GIS, GPS
and remote sensing perspectives;
– Fusion of IKONOS and Landsat images to discriminate land
use change in Kingston;
– Using remote sensing data to investigate land degradation and
sedimentation in the Péligre dam, Haiti.
Dr Thomas Stemann
– Extinction and speciation patterns in reef corals from the
Hopegate Formation (Late Pliocene), Jamaica;
– Study of reef coral biodiversity in the Late Cretaceous of
Jamaica (with Gavin Gunter and Simon Mitchell);
– Statistical analysis of Eocene foraminifera (with Georgette
D'Aguilar and E.R. Robinson);
– Fossil vertebrates of the Jamaican Eocene (with Daryl
Domning, Howard University).
Professor Elizabeth Thomas-Hope
– Biodiversity and environmental management;
– Caribbean international migration;
– Poverty and the urban environment;
– Children’s perception of the environment;
306
– Social and educational aspects of disaster planning.
PAPERS PRESENTED
• R. Ahmad. “Damaging landslides related to the intense
rainstorm of 27 October – 8 November 2001, Portland, Jamaica.”
Tenth International Conference and Field Trip on Landslides,
Poland, September 6-16, 2002.
• R. Ahmad. “Structural and lithological controls on landslides in
the northern Caribbean Plate Boundary Zone: Jamaican
example.” Tenth International Conference and Field Trip on
Landslides, Poland, September 6-16, 2002.
• R. Ahmad & B. Lawrence. “Assessment of rainfall
characteristics and landslide hazard in Jamaica.” Sixth
Conference, Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona,
March 18-20, 2003.
• R. Ahmad & D. Rowe. “Deep-seated gravitational block-type
slope movements in the Scotland District, Barbados.” Sixth
Conference, Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona,
March 18-20, 2003.
• R. Ahmad, D. J. Miller & D. Rowe. “Landslides related to
precipitation in eastern Jamaica.” Sixth Conference, Faculty of
Pure & Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• R. Ahmad. “Natural hazard maps in Jamaica: foundation for
sustainable development.” National Scientific Conference on the
Environment, Kingston, Jamaica, April 9-10, 2003.
• R. Ahmad. “Hurricane Preparedness Workshop”, sponsored by
the Insurance Company of the West Indies Group Foundation,
Kingston, Jamaica, June 6, 2003.
• W. Bailey. “Trainers Workshop, UWI HIV/AIDS Response
Programme”, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, May 3-6, 2003.
• W. Bailey. “Adaptive capacity and dengue fever in Jamaica.”
First Latin American and Caribbean Regional Workshop on
Climate Change, San Jose, Costa Rica, May 26-30, 2003.
307
• W. Bailey. “WHO/UNESCO Training Workshop on Methods
for HIV/AIDS Estimates and Projections”, Ocho Rios, Jamaica,
July 21-24, 2003.
• D. Barker & C. Beckford. “The yam stick problem in Jamaica:
using farmers’ knowledge in the search for sustainable solutions.”
Annual Conference of the Association of American
Geographers, New Orleans, March 2003.
• I.C. Brown, S.F. Mitchell, D.P. Domning, R.W. Portell & S.K.
Donovan. “New fossil sea cow exhibit at the Geology Museum,
University of the West Indies.” Sixth Conference, Faculty of Pure
& Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• S.K. Donovan, I.C. Brown, T.A. Jackson & S.J. Wood. “Small
is beautiful? Progress at the Geology Museum, UWI, Mona since
1988.” International Cultural Heritage in Geosciences, Mining
and Metallurgy: Libraries-Archives-Museums: Museums and
their Collections, Leiden, The Netherlands, June 2003.
• J. Karanjac. “Leaky underground storage tanks (LUST):
Simulating the fate of benzene and other contaminants in
groundwater systems. Case studies: Waycross, Georgia; East
Village, Alabama; and a site in Minnesota.” Environmental
Management and Regulation of Petroleum Storage Facilities,
Kingston, Jamaica, October 2002.
• J. Karanjac. “Groundwater information systems as decision-
making tools. Case study: Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.”
CWWA/CEF 2002 Conference.
• S.P. Mains. “Mobility and exclusion: towards an understanding
of migration in the context of Jamaica.” UN WIDER Conference
on Poverty, International Migration and Asylum, Helsinki,
Finland, September 2002.
• S.P. Mains. “Terror and traveling: media maps and
undocumented immigration at the US-Mexico border.” Border
Cities/Border Cultures Conference, University of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee, November 2002.
308
• S.P. Mains. “Life and debt in a small place.” Annual West Indian
Literature Conference: Caribbean Currents, University of Miami,
Coral Gables, Florida, March 2003.
• S.P. Mains. “Passages: transatlantic border crossing between the
West Indies and the UK.” Annual Meeting of the Association of
American Geographers, New Orleans, March 2003.
• S.F. Mitchell. “Morphology, microstructure and stratigraphy of
some small, Late Cretaceous radolitid rudists from Jamaica.”
Sixth International Congress on Rudists, Rovinj, Croatia,
September 29-October 5, 2002.
• S. Khan & S.F. Mitchell. “Possible source of a major sediment
producer on tropical carbonate beaches – amorphous grains.”
Sixth Conference, Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences, UWI,
Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• S. James & S.F. Mitchell. “Incised fan delta deposits, west side
of the Port Morant harbour.” Sixth Conference, Faculty of Pure
& Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• E. James & S.F. Mitchell. “Dolomite textures in Eocene
limestones of central Jamaica.” Sixth Conference, Faculty of Pure
& Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• G.C. Gunter, J.D. Marshall & S.F. Mitchell. “Palaeotemperature
estimates for the Upper Cretaceous (Late Maastrichtian) of
Jamaica.” Sixth Conference, Faculty of Pure & Applied Sciences,
UWI, Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• S.F. Mitchell. “Timing of tectonic episodes based on a new Late
Cretaceous Caribbean rudist biostratigraphy.” GeoMin 2003,
Cuban Geological Society, Havana, Cuba, March 24-29, 2003.
• R. Sietchiping. “Geographic Information Systems and public
health.” Jamaica Association of Public Health Inspectors,
Spanish Town, Jamaica, November 2002.
• R. Sietchiping & V. Grant. “GIS and remote sensing: an answer
for Jamaica in comprehensive disaster management.” National
Scientific Conference on the Environment, Kingston, Jamaica,
April 9-10, 2003.
309
• R. Sietchiping. “GIS and cellular automata for urban
dynamics.” Sixth AGILE Conference on Geographic
Information Science, Lyon, France, April 24-26, 2003.
• T.A. Stemann. “Were there coral communities in the Caribbean
during the Eocene?” Geological Society of America Annual
Meeting, Denver, Colorado, October 27, 2002.
• G. D’Aguilar, E.R. Robinson & T.A. Stemann. “Larger
foraminiferal associations in the Eocene limestones of the
Caribbean.” Sixth Conference, Faculty of Pure & Applied
Sciences, UWI, Mona, March 18-20, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope. Discussant on “The potential of the school
system in educating the Jamaican public about natural hazards.”
International Hurricane Center, Florida International University,
Miami, USA, September 15-16, 2002.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Global migration management and the
socio-economic integration of migrants.” Technical Secretariat
on the Social Dimension of Globalization, International Labour
Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, September 18-19, 2002.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Irregular migration and asylum seekers in
the Caribbean.” United Nations Conference on Poverty,
International Migreation and Asylum, World Institute for
Development Economics Research, Helsinki, Finland,
September 27-28, 2002.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Return of qualified migrants and new
initiatives in international migration programmes in the
Caribbean region.” International Migration Policy Seminar,
International Organization for Migration, Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic, October 29, 2002.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Labour migration: global standards and
local characteristics in the Caribbean.” International Migration
Policy Seminar, International Organization for Migration, Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic, October 31, 2002.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Human rights of migrants and trafficking in
the Caribbean.” United Nations Economic Commission for
310
Latin America and the Caribbean, Santiago, Chile, November 19-
22, 2002.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “The development of a culture of disaster
mitigation: the programme in disaster studies in the Department
of Geography and Geology, University of the West Indies.”
Seminario Fuerzas Aliadas Humanitarias 2003, Managua,
Nicaragua, February 24-28, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Skilled returnees to Jamaica and current
migration theory.” Annual Conference of the Association of
American Geographers, New Orleans, USA, March 5-10, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Land management research at Mona.
Workshop on Land Administration and Management in the
English-Speaking Caribbean”, Port of Spain, Trinidad and
Tobago, March 19-21, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope & B. Spence. “Biodiversity in sustainable
agricultural practices: implications for agrochemical usage in
Jamaica.” National Scientific Conference on the Environment,
Kingston, Jamaica, April 9-10, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope & B. Spence. “Placing a value on the
environment.” The National Environment & Planning Agency
(NEPA) Conference of Puisne Judges and Resident Magistrates,
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, May 17, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Mechanisms and policy recommendations
for sharing the gains of migration.” International Institute for
Labour Studies Conference on the Migration of the Highly
Skilled, Geneva, Switzerland, May 26-27, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope. “Caribbean migration and the trans-
nationalization of social capital.” Conference on The Caribbean
World: Challenges and Prime Movers, Université de Montaigne,
Bordeaux, France, June 1-6, 2003.
• E. Thomas-Hope & B. Spence. “Methods for calculating
environmental values, deterrents and penalties.” The National
Environment & Planning Agency (NEPA) Conference of
Appellate and High Court Justices, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, June 22,
2003.
311
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed
* H.A. Ellis, N.A. White, I. Hassan & R. Ahmad. “A room
temperature structure for anhydrous lead (II) decanoate.”
Journal of Molecular Structure, 642, pp. 71-76.
* R. Ahmad. “Primer on earthquake hazards and disasters in
Jamaica.” Caribbean Geography, 10(2), 2002, pp. 124-136.
* D. Barker. “Into the new millennium with a website for
Caribbean Geography.” Caribbean Geography, 11(1), 2000, pp. 1-
7.
* D. Barker & C. Beckford. “Yam production and the yam stick
trade in Jamaica: integrated problems for resource
management.” In D. Barker & D.F.M. McGregor (eds.),
Resources, Planning and Environmental Management in a Changing
Caribbean. Kingston: UWI Press, pp 57-74.
* D.F.M. McGregor & D. Barker. “Environment, resources, and
development: some reflections on the Caribbean research
agenda.” In D. Barker & D.F.M. McGregor (eds.), Resources,
Planning and Environmental Management in a Changing Caribbean.
Kingston: UWI Press, pp. 1-10.
* I.C. Brown & D.M. Langner. “Type and figured specimens in
the Geology Museum, University of the West Indies, Mona
Campus, Jamaica.” The Geological Curator, 7(8), pp. 299-304.
* F.A. Butt, H. Drange, A. Elverhoi, O.H. Ottera & A. Solheim.
“Modelling Late Cenozoic isostatic elevation changes in the
Barents Sea and their implications for oceanic and climatic
regimes: preliminary results.” Quaternary Science Reviews, 21, 2002,
1643-1660.
* A. Elverhoi, F.V. de Blasio, F.A. Butt, D. Issler, C. Harbitz, L.
Engvik, A. Solheim & J. Marr. “Submarine mass-wasting on
glacially influenced continental slopes: processes and
dynamics.” In J.A. Dowdeswell & C.O. Cofaigh (eds.), Glacially-
Influenced Sedimentation on High-Latitude Continental Margins,
Geological Society of London Special Publication, 203, 2002,
73-87.
312
* R.N. Abbott Jr., B.R. Bandy, T.A. Jackson & P.W. Scott.
“Blueschist-greenschist transition in the Mt Hibernia schist,
Union Hill, parish of St Thomas, Jamaica.” International Geology
Reviews, 45, 2003, 1-15.
* J. Karanjac. “Groundwater information systems as decision-
making tools. Case study: Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.”
Caribbean Environmental Management Journal, 1, 2002.
* S. Mains. “Making news in southern California: representing
national identity, borders, and migration.” Hagar: International
Social Science Review, 2, pp. 271-298.
* S. Mains. “Maintaining national identity at the border: scale,
masculinity, and the policing of immigration in southern
California.” In A. Herod & M. Wright (eds.), Geographies of Power:
Placing Scale. London: Blackwell, 2002, pp. 192-214.
* S. Mains. “The future of multi-ethnic Britain: media, diversity,
and regional identity.” In S. Ralph, H. Manchester & C. Lees
(eds.), Diversity or Anarchy, Luton: University of Luton Press,
2003, pp. 225-232.
* D.J. Miller & S.F. Mitchell. “Palaeokarstic surfaces in the
Guinea Corn Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Jamaica.”
Cretaceous Research, 24, 2003, pp. 119-128.
* S.F. Mitchell. “Palaeoecology of corals and rudists in mixed
volcaniclastic-carbonate small-scale rhythms (Upper
Cretaceous, Jamaica).” Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology,
Palaeoecology, 186, 2002, 237-259.
* T. Steuber, S.F. Mitchell, D. Buhl, G. Gunter & H.U. Kasper.
“Catastrophic extinction of Caribbean rudist bivalves at the
Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary.” Geology, 30, 2002, 999-1002.
* S.F. Mitchell & G.C. Gunter. “Biostratigraphy and taxonomy
of the rudist Chiapasella in the Titanosarcolites limestones
(Maastrichtian) of Jamaica”. Cretaceous Research, 23, 2002, 473-
487.
* G.C. Gunter, E. Robinson & S.F. Mitchell. “A new species of
Omphalocyclus (Foraminiferida) from the Upper Cretaceous of
313
Jamaica and its stratigraphical significance.” Journal of
Micropalaeontology, 21, 2002, 149-153.
* E. Robinson. “Upper Paleogene larger foraminiferal
succession on a tropical carbonate bank, Caribbean region.” In
D.R. Prothero, L.C. Ivany & E.A. Nesbitt (eds.), From
Greenhouse to Icehouse: The Marine Eocene-Oligocene Transition, 2003,
294-302.
* R. Sietchiping. “Evolution de l'espace urbain de Yaoundé, au
Cameroun, entre 1973 et 1988 par télédétection.” Télédétection, 3
(2-3-4), 2003, 137-144.
* E. Thomas-Hope. Irregular Migration and Asylum Seekers in the
Caribbean. World Institute for Development Economics
Research, United Nations University, Helsinki, 2003, DP48, p.
20.
* A. Acuna, E. Cervantes, G. Garland, G. Gonzalez, E. Horna, C.
Monteiro Neto, B. Ratter, B. Ruiz & E. Thomas-Hope.
“Inter-university cooperation in the field of integrated coastal
zone management.” In M. Foth et al. (eds.), Ten Years after Rio:
Steps towards Sustainable Use and Development of Coastal and Marine
Areas. Bremen, Germany: Internationale Weiterbildung und
Entwicklung gGmbH, 2002.
* A. Alves, J. Brown, W. Ekau, H. Govan, A. Kunzmann, G.
Liebezeit, A. Muhlig-Hofmann, L. Muoro-Wilson, E.
Thomas-Hope & L. Weitzel. “Bismarck-Solomon Seas and
Solomon Islands integrated coastal zone management pilot
project.” In M. Foth et al. (eds.), Ten Years after Rio: Steps towards
Sustainable Use and Development of Coastal and Marine Areas.
Bremen, Germany: Internationale Weiterbildung und
Entwicklung gGmbH, 2002.
* E. Thomas-Hope. “Resource valuation techniques in
promoting the sustainable use of coastal resources: the case of
Ocho Rios, Jamaica.” In M. Foth et al. (eds.), Ten Years after Rio:
Steps towards Sustainable Use and Development of Coastal and Marine
Areas. Bremen, Germany: Internationale Weiterbildung und
Entwicklung gGmbH, 2002.
314
Non-Refereed
* D. Barker & D.F.M. McGregor (eds.). Resources, Planning and
Environmental Management in a Changing Caribbean. Kingston: UWI
Press, 2003 (281 pp.).
* E. Thomas-Hope. Caribbean Migration. Kingston: University of
the West Indies Press, 2002, 184 pp. (Reprint of Explanation in
Caribbean Migration: Perception and the Image, Jamaica, Barbados
and St Vincent.)
* C. Beckford & D. Barker. “An evaluation of field trials of live
yam sticks in Litchfield, south Trelawny.” Technical Paper #3.
* S. Mains. “Mobility and exclusion: towards an understanding
of migration in the context of Jamaica.” UN WIDER
conference report on Poverty, International Migration and
Asylum, 2002.
* S. Mains. Geographic Perspectives on Women Specialty Group of the
Association of American Geographers Newsletter, December 2002.
* S. Mains. Review of S. Saldivar-Hull, Feminism on the Border:
Chicana Gender Politics and Literature. In Gender, Place and Culture,
9(3), 2002, pp. 307-309.
* S. Mains. Geographic Perspectives on Women Specialty group of the
Association of American Geographers Newsletter, February 2003.
* R. Sietchiping & V. Grant. “GIS and remote sensing: an
answer for Jamaica in comprehensive disaster management.”
Proceedings of the National Scientific Conference on the Environment,
Kingston, Jamaica, April 9-10, 2003.
* R. Sietchiping. “GIS and cellular automata for urban
dynamics.” Proceedings of the Sixth AGILE Conference on Geographic
Information Science, Lyon, France, April 24-26, 2003, 389-399.
* E. Thomas-Hope. “Trafficking in the Caribbean and the
human rights of migrants.” Proceedings of the Conference of the United
Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbeann,
Santiago, Chile, 2002.
* E. Thomas-Hope. “Race and migration in the Hispanic
Caribbean: the reception of West Indians in Panama, Costa Rica
315
and Cuba (1840-1940).” In A. Insanally (ed.), The Socio-Economic
and Cultural Impact of West Indian Migration to Costa Rica (1870-
1940). Kingston: The Latin American-Caribbean Centre, Third
in Seminar Series on Intra-Regional Migration, UWI, 2003, pp.
46-57.
* E. Thomas-Hope & B. Spence. “Biodiversity in sustainable
agricultural practices: implications for agrochemical usage in
Jamaica.” Jamaica Institute of Environmental Planners (CD-ROM).
PUBLIC SERVICE
R. Ahmad
– Member, National Damage Assessment, Recovery and
Rehabilitation Subcommittee, Office of Disaster Preparedness
and Emergency Management, Jamaica;
– Member, Peer Review Panel, Guidelines for Integrating Climate
Change and Natural Hazards in Environmental Impact
Assessments, Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean
(ACCC)
– Caribbean correspondent, International Landslide Research
Group;
– Member, Board of Representatives, International Consortium
on Landslides (Coordinator, ICL Events Committee, and
Assistant to ICL President);
– Fellow, Geological Society London.
W. Bailey
– Chairman, Mona Campus Committee on Examinations;
– Member, UWI HARP Subcommittee on KAPB Studies;
– Chairman, UWI HARP Subcommittee on Research;
– Faculty representative, Board of Gender Studies, UWI;
– UWI alternate representative, Board of the Environmental
Foundation of Jamaica;
– Chief Examiner, CAPE Geography;
– Convenor of the Geography Panel, CAPE.
316
D. Barker
– Editor, Caribbean Geography;
– Chairman, Aqueduct newsletter subcommittee, SCR Club;
– Member, Management Committee, SCR Club.
F. Butt
– External examiner, University of Oslo;
– External examiner, Council of Community Colleges in Jamaica;
– Member, Caribbean Academy of Sciences;
– Member, Geological Society of Jamaica.
T. Jackson
– Fellow, Caribbean Academy of Sciences;
– Honorary member, Geological Society of Jamaica;
– Member, Geological Society of Trinidad & Tobago;
– Member, American Geophysical Union; Member, Association
of Geoscientists for International Development;
– Member, International Liaison Group on Gold Mineralization;
– Member, Geological Society of America;
– Member, Yorkshire Geological Society.
S. Mains
– Board member (program director), Cultural Geography
Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers;
– Board member, Geographic Perspectives on Women Specialty
Group of the AAG;
– Editor, Geographic Perspectives on Women Specialty Group of the AAG
Newsletter;
– Manuscript reviewer, GeoJournal;
– Manuscript reviewer, South Eastern Latin Americanist;
– Member, fundraising committee, Women in Film and
Television - Jamaica.
317
D.J. Miller
– Book review editor, Caribbean Geography;
– Secretary, Jamaican Association of Geomorphologists.
S.F. Mitchell
– Chairman, Commission on Jamaican Lithostratigraphy;
– Member, Technical Working Group on Jamaican Beach Policy;
– Council member, Geological Society of Jamaica;
– Editor, Caribbean Journal of Earth Science;
– Editor, Contributions to Geology (UWI).
T.A. Stemann
– Vice-President, Geological Society of Jamaica;
– Chairman, Field Trip Subcommittee, Geological Society of
Jamaica;
– Member, Earth Science Week Subcommittee, Geological
Society of Jamaica;
– Coordinator, Department of Geography and Geology Brown
Bag Seminars.
E. Thomas-Hope
– Chair, Board of the Jamaica Sustainable Development
Network;
– Member, Tribunal for the NRCA Act of the Ministry of Land
and Environment;
– Member, Board of Directors, Jamaica Engineers Foundation;
– Member, Children's Coalition, UWI;
– Member, Board of Management, Commonwealth Institute,
University of London;
– Director, Luis Fred Kennedy Environmental Foundation;
– Member of the editorial advisory boards of The Caribbean Journal
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, The International Journal of
Disability Studies, and Progress in Development Studies;
318
CATEGORIES OF STUDENTS
Undergraduates: Geography
Course Regd Sat Passed % Passed
GG10A Introduction to Human
Geography 95 92 77 81
GG10B Introduction to Physical
Geography 90 90 54 60
GG20C Geography of the Caribbean 46 46 42 91
GG21A Urban Geography 43 43 43 100
GG21B Geography & Development 34 34 32 94
GG22A Geosphere & Hydrosphere 52 52 32 62
GG22B Atmosphere & Biosphere 47 47 41 87
GG31C Tropical Agricultural Systems
& Development 30 30 28 93
GG31D Global Structure &
Political Order 16 16 14 88
GG32A Geomorphic Processes &
Landforms 20 20 18 90
GG32D Health & Society 28 28 26 93
GG33B Urban & Regional Planning 33 33 33 100
GG33F Introduction to Geographical
Information Systems 27 27 27 100
GG33G Disaster Management 40 38 34 89
GG33H Environmental Resource
Management 40 40 40 100
GG360 Research Paper 57 56 49 88
Undergraduates: Geology
Course Regd Sat Passed % Passed
GL10A Introduction to Earth
Sciences I 63 62 53 85
GL10B Introduction to Earth
Sciences II 37 37 24 65
GL21A Palaeontology 23 23 22 96
GL22A Sedimentology 23 22 22 100
GL23B Igneous Petrology 19 19 18 95
GL24B Metamorphic Petrology 22 22 20 91
GL25A Geological Mapping &
Map Interpretation 18 18 18 100
GL30D Analysis & Management of
Geohazards & Risks 17 17 17 100
GL311 Field Geology 11 11 11 100
GL32A Caribbean Geology 9 9 8 89
GL33A Engineering Geology &
Hydrogeology 12 12 10 83
319
GL34A Advanced Sedimentology &
Fossil Fuels 14 14 14 100
GL35A Advanced Palaeontology 4 4 4 100
GL36A Applied Geophysics 7 7 7 100
GL38B Economic Geology 9 9 9 100
GL39B Plate Tectonics & Structural
Analysis 7 7 7 100
GL39L Environmental Geology &
Management 10 10 10 100
Undergraduate Prizes Awarded
The Barry Floyd Prize for the best student in Level I Geography
was awarded to Soyini Ashby.
The Geological Society of Jamaica Scholarship was awarded to
Angela Munroe.
The Harry Kuarsingh Memorial Bursary (Geology) was
awarded to Ryan Ramsook.
Postgraduates: Environmental Management
Twenty-one students were registered for the MSc degree in Natural
Resource Management – Integrated Urban and Rural Environmental
Management.
Research Postgraduates
R.E.A. Robertson was awarded the PhD degree in Geology for his
dissertation on “The Volcanic Geology of the Pre-Soufrière Rocks on St
Vincent, West Indies.” He was supervised by Professor Trevor Jackson.
320
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
Professor Rick Abbott, Appalachia State University, USA.
Dr Earl Brabb, Scientist Emeritus, US Geological Survey, USA.
Mr James Jacobs, Hydrogeologist and Senior Fulbright Specialist,
USA.
Dr Duncan McGregor, Royal Holloway College, University of
London, UK.
Dr Desa Djordjevic Milutinov, Natural History Museum,
Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
Mr Doug VanDine, VanDine Geological Engineering Ltd.,
Canada.
321
DEPARTMENT OF LIFE SCIENCES
Ralph D. Robinson BSc, PhD Belfast – Head of Department
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
Having undergone considerablerestructuring of our under-
graduate program, viz. removal of
undersubscribed courses and amalga-
mating several others to produce new
offerings in the 1999-2001 academic
years, this year saw stabilization of
enrolment of students in the
established BL10L Animal Diversity
and BL10M Plant Diversity courses
(Figure) and increased enrolment in
BB10A Cells, Biomolecules and
Genetics and BB10B Introductory
Microbiology courses. The latter two
courses were pioneered and taught
jointly by the Department of Life Sciences and the Biochemistry Section
of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences. The partnership, which has
operated for the last three years, augers well in maintaining optimal
student numbers in our courses and ensures that all students reading for
majors in biological and biochemical subjects receive the same solid
academic grounding.
322
The Department of Life Sciences has now settled firmly on 4
undergraduate majors – Botany, Environmental Biology, Experimental
Biology and Zoology – and 2 Minors – Botany and Zoology – as its
primary B.Sc. offerings. Enrolment in the Environmental Biology degree
over the past 2 years has been particularly encouraging, and is probably a
function of the expertise and enthusiasm of staff researching and teaching
environmental disciplines. The new major in Experimental Biology brings
together our laboratory-based courses and will provide students with
increased exposure to instrumentation and measurement.
The first phase of teaching in the BEd. Secondary (Distance)
program that involved the Department saw the hosting of BL10M Plant
Diversity in the summer. Two post-graduate students from the
Department of Life Sciences and The Centre for Marine Sciences, Ms
Josette LaHee and Mr Peter Edwards, respectively, delivered the
course. Dr Ralph Robinson is the Subject Coordinator for the Biology
component of the program on the Mona Campus, and he was recently
appointed to the Steering Committee for the project.
For the first time in the history of the Department, a taught M.Sc.
was hosted in September 2002. This program, entitled “Biological
Approaches in Ecosystem Management” is coordinated by Dr Peter
Vogel and offered by the Department under the Natural Resource
Management umbrella. Designed specifically to provide the biologist with
the necessary tools to conduct specific tasks in a team of environmental
managers, 3 students are expected to graduate with the MSc. With
improved advertisement and marketing, and resort to part-time
registration, this year the program has attracted more than a dozen
applications for its second running. During the year, the program was
renamed M.Sc. Tropical Ecosystems Assessment and Management.
Another MSc, “Plant Production and Protection”, received approval
of the University and will be offered in September 2003. The MSc will be
coordinated Dr Phyllis Coates-Beckford and has so far attracted also
more than a dozen applications.
Several members of staff and graduate students benefited from
multimedia workshops run by the INFOCOM Centre, and Staff
Development workshops offered by the Instructional Development Unit.
323
Plant and vehicles
The Department received 40 new slim-line Pentium-IV computers
from the Mona Information and Technical Services – Educational
Technology Fund. They replace the 40 or so Pentium I computers
received with the new IDB-funded Biology Building 4 years ago. As has
happened in the past, the equipment was quickly put to good use in our
teaching, research and outreach programs.
The telephone system for the Department was rationalized during
the year such that persons working in different parts of the Department
(e.g. the old Botany or Zoology sections) can access individuals directly by
telephone rather than going through the administrative staff in the main
office for reconnection. The work was paid for by the Department.
Work that had begun in the old pantry area in the Department last
year was completed over the summer, and a purpose-designed
Freshwater Ecology Laboratory is the result. The refurbishment, which
was paid for from Campus funds, constitutes dry and wet laboratory
facilities that are physically linked with the existing aquarium room which
also received sprucing up. The facility comes under the supervision of Dr
Eric Hyslop, our freshwater ecologist. The Parasite Research
Laboratories also received a facelift viz. floor tiling and repainting. This
small project was funded by the Department.
The Department benefited from refurbishment of sanitary facilities
that began 3 years ago in the Faculty. However, several facilities remain in
need to attention. Over the year, several doors and other wooden
installations in the Department had to be renovated or replaced resulting
from (frankly) shoddy workmanship.
Insurance funds to replace Beröe, a 20-feet hull # PR574 with 2
Johnson outboard motors, that was stolen from Port Royal Marine
Laboratory (PRML) in November 2001, were used to purchase a new 25
feet hull which is yet to be named. Several exercises saw the refurbishment
of doors, windows and roofing at the Laboratory paid for by The
University under the supervision of Dr Mona Webber who coordinates
activities at PRML on behalf of the Department. Although the
arrangements under which the UWI Shrimp Project uses PRML were
clarified two years ago, landscaping of the site agreed with the Office of
Finance at that time has still not begun. Unfortunately, the Mitsubishi twin-
cab pickup, that normally serviced PRML and the Department, was stolen
324
from a location nearby the Campus. The vehicle was insured through The
University, and it is hoped that we will be able to replace the vehicle soon.
Staff Matters
Sincere condolences were extended to Dr Sasikala Potluri and Dr
P.V. Devi Prasad following the tragic death of their son Avinash during
the year. Following a period of Compassionate Leave, Dr P.V. Devi
Prasad, resigned his Senior Lectureship in the Department. Dr Devi
Prasad is a former Head of the Department of Botany and an influential
researcher; he will be missed by his colleagues and students alike, and
carries with him the best wishes of us all. Dr Potluri was granted
Compassionate Leave which lasted for most of the teaching year.
Dr Dunbar Steele, the first Head of the Department of Life
Sciences, and former Head of the Department of Zoology continued his
service to University through the Dean’s Office as a researcher to oversee
the pilot project involving mariculture of Jamaican red hybrid tilapia. He
also oversaw Summer School in the Faculty.
Dr Dale Webber, Dr Mona Webber and Dr Peter Vogel were all
promoted to Senior Lectureships in the Department in recognition of
their professional accomplishments and commitment to their respective
fields of study and the Department.
Mr Karl Aiken and Dr Dale Webber returned from sabbatical leave
taken during the year. Whilst on leave, Mr Aiken conducted research
associated with the Queen Conch Abundance Survey. The work showed
that the Queen conch, though poached by foreign vessels, is still robust,
but is in need of continued management by continued annual gradual
reduction of the National Quota. Mr Aiken also brought to a conclusion
his two-year study of The Whitehouse, Westmoreland Fishery which he
conducted with his MPhil student, Miss Anginette Murray. During the
course of the year, Mr Aiken also submitted for examination a doctoral
thesis that is based on the use of otoliths (earstones) for aging fishes. Dr
Webber conducted research of coastal wetlands and put much effort into
formally publishing research conducted by himself and his graduate
students over the past 5 years, particularly the internationally recognized
research efforts on Kingston Harbour.
Dr Paula Tennant visited the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural
Research Center, Hilo, Hawaii (May 20-July 12, 2003) and assisted with a
325
USAID project on setting up international protocols on the deregulation
of transgenic papaya for lesser-developed countries.
Dr Mark Thomas embarked on Special Leave for one year to read
for an MSc degree, related to his research, at The University of London.
He was replaced by Mrs Alicia Lyn-Sue Chin, formerly Principal
Scientific Officer in the Department, who brought considerable
professionalism and expertise to the course. Prof. Brian Freeman taught
BT21A Seed Plants during the period Dr Portluri was on leave, and
contributed teaching in BL10L Animal Diversity whilst Mr Aiken was on
Sabbatical leave.
Vacancies in the teaching establishment were filled using temporary
staff. Mr. Frederick Boyd taught as a temporary replacement for Dr PV
Devi Prasad. Miss Metz Peterkin and Mrs Celia Jackson were re-
appointed as Teaching Assistants to work with large first year classes, and
Mr Hugh Lounges operated as Systems Manager in the Department. Mr
Carlton Allen, a MSc graduate in Agriculture Diversification, UMPHU,
Dominican Republic, was employed, temporarily, as a Technician
attached to the busy Botany Laboratory #2. Additionally, Ms Stacey
McKoy and Mr Jahsen Levy were employed on a temporary basis as
Laboratory Technicians in the demanding Level II Zoology and Aquatic
Laboratory facilities in the Department.
Awards
Dr Wayne Forbes (a former graduate student), Dr Ralph
Robinson of the Department of Life Sciences and Professor Paul Reese
from the Department of Chemistry were formally recognized at the
Principal’s Research Day in January 2003 as Distinguished Researchers
in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences for their invention
“MEDICAMENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF STRONGYLOIDES
STERCORALIS INFECTIONS” and for which they have received
Letters Patent as inventors.
At a meeting of the Association of Marine Science Laboratories of
the Caribbean held in Trinidad in July 3003, Emeritus Professor Ivan
Goodbody was honoured for his past services to the association by
appointment to Honorary Life membership and the initiatiation of a new
prize named the Ivan Goodbody Prize for the best poster presentation by
a student at the regular scientific meeting of the association. During the
meeting, Professor Goodbody was presented with a plaque recognizing
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his contributions to the association and he in turn made the presentation
to the first student to win the prize.
Congratulations are extended to Miss Anginette Murray (MPhil
Zoology candidate) who won the prize for best oral presentation by a
student at the Sixth Biennial Conference of the Faculty of Pure and
Applied Sciences in March 2003.
Drs Dale Webber and Mona Webber were the joint recipients of
the Principal’s New Initiative Funding of US$9000 for publication of
work on “The Kingston Harbour Project 1992-2002”, which pulls
together ten years research on Kingston Harbour and details problems
and solutions for management. Dr Eric Garraway was awarded a
University Research Fellowship to study the taxonomy and
biodiversity of Jamaican invertebrate fauna. The project will augment
traditional morphometric approaches with modern, molecular (DNA)
technologies that strongly complement the Department’s investment in
senior technical staff and two modern laboratories dedicated to teaching
and molecular biology research.
Workshops / Symposia
The Department hosted several training courses and workshops
during the year. The Jamaica Ornamental Fish Farmers Association, in
association with CIDA and the Jamaica Agricultural Development
Foundation, presented two, two-day workshops in the Department.
In addition, The Nature Conservancy (USA) hosted a workshop in
the Department that was dedicated to the use of Geographical
information Systems in biodiversity conservation.
The Department actively participated in a workshop that was
organized by the Faculty on developing and organising strategies for
effective partnership and collaboration with industry and the private
sector.
RESEARCH
The Department actively supported research work conducted by
academic staff and graduate students, with several projects receiving
international or local funding as well as support from The Board for
Graduate Studies and Research and The University. The major research
topics in the Department were of an applied nature.
327
The number of original, refereed articles published by staff and
graduate students in the Department tripled compared with last year’s
output. However, the current rate of about 0.5 papers per staff member
per year is still below par for the life sciences. The high, possibly excessive,
amount of face-to-face teaching undertaken in the Department
unfortunately restricts the time otherwise available for independent
research that should culminate in publication of outcomes in high impact
journals.
The Department actively participated in the Principal’s Research Day
(January 30-31) which was held in January 2003 through a series of posters
and multimedia displays in the Assembly Hall and hosting an “open day”
in the Department itself. Here, we highlighted particularly collaborative
research projects that the staff and graduate students in the Department
are engaged in.
A one-day, in-house seminar allowed graduate students to made oral
presentations of their work to the Department and, as usual, the
Department contributed several posters and displays at meetings of
several Community-based Conservation groups across the island.
Staff and graduate students in The Department participated by way
of oral and poster presentations in the 6th Conference of the Faculty of
Pure and Applied Sciences.
Research Funding
Mr Karl Aiken – J$ 2,573,890 Environmental Foundation
of Jamaica
Dr Jane Cohen – J$ 34,548 Graduate Studies and Research
Fund
Dr Dwight Robinson – J$ 2,637,500 Jamaica Agricultural
Development Fundation
Dr Paula Tennant – J$ 1,875,000 Jamaica Agricultural
Development Fundation
Dr Byron Wilson – US$ 1500 Audubon Zoo
– US$ 4000 International Iguana
Foundation
– US$ 3750 Miami Metrozoo
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– J$ 43,500 UWI Research & Publications
Fund
Dr Dale Webber )
Dr Mona Webber ) – US$ 9,000 Principal’s New Initiative
Fund
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Mr Karl Aiken
– use of otoliths in aging selected species of commercial marine
fishes
– assessment of wetland fisheries
– management studies of Queen conch
Dr Jane Cohen
– tree-crop interactions and soil conservation in contour
hedgerow agroforestry systems
– mulches as weed management strategies in organic farming
– herbicidal effectiveness of household disinfectants (with Mr D.
Hutton)
– floristic survey of isolated limestone landforms in central
Jamaica (with Dr D. Webber)
Prof. Brian Freeman
– insect biodiversity of temperate woodlands
– the population dynamics of bark beetles
– bionomics of the lane snapper
Dr Eric Garraway
– ecology and conservation of Jamaican butterflies
329
– the ecology of the brown citrus aphid and citrus leaf miner
– conservation of Jamaican manatees
– taxonomy and biodiversity of Jamaican moths, aphids, carabid
beetles, land snails and millipedes
Emeritus Professor Ivan Goodbody and
Mrs Charlotte Goodbody
– studies of Caribbean Ascidiacea
– documentation of a collection of deep-sea animals in the
Department
– provision of electronically formatted underwater photographs
for use by researchers and students to identify specimens they
may encounter in their work
Dr Eric Hyslop
– effects of pollutants, land use and anthropogenic disturbances
(e.g. bed disruption) on benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of
Jamaican rivers
– application of the concept of longitudinal zonation of benthic
macroinvertebrate fauna and the River Continuum Concept to
Jamaican rivers
– effect of bedrock composition on benthic macroinvertebrate
fauna of Jamaican rivers
– biology of Jamaican fishes
– biology and taxonomy of the Neritidae (Gastropoda:
Prosobranchia) in Jamaica
– existence of estuaries and the temporal succession of benthic
macroinvertebrates after a flood event
– definition of Gambusia species of Jamaican rivers using
molecular and morphological techniques
– macro-invertebrate fauna of the freshwater systems and caves
of the Cockpit Country
– biology of Trichoptera in Jamaican rivers
Dr Kurt McLaren
330
– management and restoration of biodiversity in the limestone
forests of Jamaica
– changes in regenerative strategies along a rainfall gradient in
Jamaica
Dr Dwight Robinson
– transmission and management of the Pink Bollworm of West
Indian Sea Island Cotton
– nutrition, weed and pest management practices for organic
agriculture
Dr Ralph Robinson
– interactions between seawater-cultured tilapia and infections
with Neobedenia melleni
– immuno-epidemiological studies of human Toxocara canis
infections
– molecular characterisation of hookworms from dogs
– epidemiology of rat lung worm infections (Angiostrongylus
cantonensis) that may result in meningitis in humans
Dr Dunbar Steele
– biological, environmental and economic feasibility of tilapia
mariculture
– the biology of the invasive Indo-Pacific green mussel Perna
viridis in Kingston Harbour
– settlement and growth of post-larvae of the spiny lobster
Panulirus argus in Jamaica
Dr Paula Tennant
– environmental bio-safety assessment of transgenic papaya
carrying the Papaya Ringspot Virus coat protein and marker genes
– pathology of citrus diseases: citrus replanting project
– development of transgenic West Indian Sea Island Cotton with
resistance against insect pests
Dr Mark Thomas
331
– investigations of embryonic exposure and levels of growth
factor in oxidative stress
– the physiology of violence
Dr Kisan Vaidya
– genetic studies to produce photoperiod-insensitive and high
yielding cultivars of sorrel
– genetics of morphological mutations in roselle (sorrel)
– genetic studies in mothbean (Vigna aconitifolia), mungbean
(Vigna radita) and blue pea (Clitoria ternatea)
Dr Peter Vogel
– ecology and conservation of Jamaica’s terrestrial vertebrates
and their habitats
– studies of bird composition along gradients of habitat
disturbance
– impact of an exotic predator on Jamaica’s dry forest
herpetofauna
– conservation of the Jamaican Iguana
– ontogeny of predation in anoline lizards
– management of columbid game birds
– assessment of Jamaica’s important bird areas
Dr Dale Webber
– oceanography and coastal water quality assessments
– environmental management planning
– impact and amelioration of sediment and agrochemical
pollution
– assessment of phytoplankton and the microbenthos associated
with the conch industry of Jamaica
Dr Mona Webber
– development of appropriate standards and techniques for the
assessment of mangrove lagoons and related systems
332
– water quality monitoring in mangrove lagoons using plankton
and traditional indices
– biodiversity in Mangrove Lagoons
– zooplankton secondary production in Discovery Bay
– effects of anthropogenic stress on mangrove forests, and deep
and shallow reefs off Discovery Bay
– zooplankton and larvae at Pedro Banks
Dr Byron Wilson
– ecology and conservation of the Jamaican Iguana and other
lizards
– effects of exotic predators on Jamaican fauna
– biological assessments of Jamaica’s last remaining natural
habitats
– social structure and movement patterns of the introduced
Indian mongoose
– herpetofaunal assessments of the Cockpit Country
PAPERS PRESENTED
• Davis H. & Vogel P (2002). Effects of forest degradation on bird
communities in the Cockpit Country, a limestone karst region of
Jamaica. Third North American Ornithological Conference, 24 -
28 September 2002 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Douglas L, Sherry T & Vogel P (2002). Impact of habitat
degradation on birds breeding in the life zone of tropical dry
forests of southern Jamaica. Third North American
Ornithological Conference, 24 - 28 September 2002 in New
Orleans, Louisiana.
• Elliott, T & Webber, MK (2003). Temporal changes in mangrove
root communities contrasting habitats of the Port Royal
mangroves. 31st Scientific Meeting of the Association of Marine
Laboratories of the Caribbean.
333
• Powell M, Wheatley A, Tennant P, Omoruyi, Gonsalves D,
Asemota H & Ahmad, MHW (2002). The effects of consumption
of coat protein transgenic papaya (Carica papaya L.) on liver and
kidney enzyme functions in rats. West Indian Medical Journal
Supplement 51 (4): 18
• Roberts M, Minott D, Tennant, P & Jackson C (2003).
Comparison of selected nutritional and anti-nutritional
components of transgenic and nontransgenic papaya fruit (Carica
papaya L.) in Jamaica. Institute of Food Technologists’ Annual
General meeting, Chicago, Illinois, July 12-13, 2003
• Small H, Lue D, Webber DF & Webber MK (2003). Water
quality of the Conch Fishery area at Pedro Bank, South of
Jamaica. 31st Scientific Meeting of the Association of Marine
Laboratories of the Caribbean.
• Vogel P (2003). West Nile Virus and Neotropical Bird Diversity.
Pan American Health Organization, Ministry of Health and
Canadian High Commission: National Conference on West Nile
Virus, 21 January 2003, Kingston, Jamaica.
• Waugh CA Lindo, JF, Myrie C, Ashley D, Eberhard M &
Robinson RD (2002). Wild rats as reservoirs of Angiostrongylus
cantonensis in Jamaica. Proceedings of the 16th Annual
Conference of the Scientific Research Council of Jamaica,
Kingston, Jamaica.
• Webber DF, Webber MK, Bigg GR & Williams D (2003). The
importance of tidal activity, meteorological vents and coasrline
changes to water circulation in Kingston Harbour. Jamaica
Institute of Environmental Professionals 1st Conference of the
Environment.
• Webber MK, Webber DF, Ranston E, Dunbar F, Simmonds R &
Galbraith A (2003). Changes in Kingston Harbour after 20 years
of continued eutrophication: identification of monitoring tools
for efficient management. Jamaica Institute of Environmental
Professionals 1st Conference of the Environment.
334
Proceedings of Sixth Conference of The Faculty of Pure and
Applied Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona (March
18-20, 2003). ISBN 976 41 0087 2.
• Bennett CE, DeSalle R & Wilson BS (2002). “Preliminary review
of the population structure of an exotic invasive carnivore,
herpestes javanicus, in the West Indies”.
• Bennett K-A.L & Hyslop EJ (2003). “A study of the taxonomy of
Gambusia spp. Poey 1854 in Jamaican rivers using molecular and
morphological techniques”.
• Cohen JE & Hutton DG. (2003) “Herbicidal effectiveness of
three household disinfectants – preliminary findings”.
• D’Andrea ME & Hyslop EJ (2003). “A survey of the freshwater
fauna of the Cockpit country, Jamaica”.
• Fender AB & Hyslop EJ (2003). “Evaluation of the benthic
macroinvertebrate fauna of the Rio Cobre and selected tributaries
with special emphasis on the family Thiaridae”, Gastropoda.
• Lawson CA & Hyslop EJ (2003). “Selected factors affecting the
benthic macroinvertebrates of the lower Rio Minho”, Clarendon.
• Leiba NS & Hyslop EJ (2003). “The effects of a salinity gradient
on benthic macroinvertebrates in Spanish and Buff Bay rivers and
the recovery of these organisms from major flooding and
dredging events”.
• Martin TR, Wolf K & Hyslop EJ (2003). “Habitat partitioning
and radular structure of Neritina punctulata, Bussu, in two Portland
rivers”.
• McKoy S, Hyslop EJ & Robinson RD. “Digenean trematodes at
the Mona Reservoir with special emphasis on Thiara granifera
(prosobranchia)”.
• Montague K & Hyslop EJ (2003). “The effect of urban and
agricultural impacts on macroinvertebrate communities in the
upper Rio Minho”.
335
• Powell M, Wheatley A, Tennant P, Omoruyi F, Asemota H,
Gonsalves D, Morrison, E & Ahmad MH (2003). “Effects of
consumption of transgenic papaya (Carica papaya L.) on rat
intestinal disaccharidases”.
• Roberts M, Minott D, Tennant P, Jackson-Malete J & Gonsalves
D (2003). “Comparative evaluation of transgenic and
nontransgenic papaya (Carica papaya L.) fruit developed for the
control of Papaya ringspot virus in Jamaica”.
• Todd SR, Warner GW & Hyslop EJ (2003). “The impact of the
introduced red-claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (von
Martens 1868) in two Jamaican rivers”.
• Townsend S, Maxam AM & Webber DF (2003). “The dispersal
of phytoplankton in and along coastal embayments, hellshire
coastline, St. Catherine Jamaica”.
• Waugh CA, Lindo JF, Cunningham-Myrie C, Eberhard M &
Robinson RD (2003). “Angiostrongylus infections in rats and
snails in Jamaica”.
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed
* Aiken KA, Morris D, Hanley FC & Manning R. (2003).
Aquaculture in Jamaica. Naga, World Fish Centre Quarterly 25 (3):
10-15.
* Lindo JF, Waugh CA, Hall J, Cunningham-Myrie C, Ashley D,
Eberhard M, Sullivan JJ, Bishop HS, Robinson DG, Holtz, T &
Robinson RD (2002). Enzootic Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rats
and snails, following an outbreak of human eosinophilic
meningitis, Jamaica. Emerging Infectious Diseases 8(3): 324-326.
* Mansingh A, Robinson DE & Dalip KM (2003). Use, fate and
ecotoxicity of pesticides in Jamaica and the Commonwealth
Caribbean. In Pesticide Residues in Coastal Tropical
Ecosystems. Eds. M. D. Taylor, S. J. Klaine, F. P. Carvalho, D.
Barcelo and J. Everaarts. Pub. Taylor and Francis; London and
New York. ISBN 0-415-23917-6. p 425 - 463.
336
* McLaren KP & McDonald M. (2003). Coppice regrowth in a
disturbed tropical dry limestone forest in Jamaica. Forest Ecology
and Management 180: 99-111
* McLaren KP & McDonald M (2003). Seedling dynamics after
different intensities of disturbance in a tropical dry limestone
forest in Jamaica. Journal of Tropical Ecology 19: 567-578
* McLaren KP & McDonald, MA (2003). The effects of light and
moisture on seed germination and seedling survival in a
Tropical Dry Forest in Jamaica. Forest Ecology and Management
183: 61-75
* Robinson DE, Henry C & Mansingh A. (2002). Ecotoxicity
studies in Jamaican environment. II. Toxicity, bioaccumulation,
elimination and tissue partitioning of dieldrin by the shrimp,
Macrobrachium faustinum. Environmental Technology 23 (11) 1275-
1284.
* Tennant P, Ahmad MH & Gonsalves D (2002) Transformation
of Carica papaya L. with viruscoat protein gene for studies on
resistance to Papaya ringspot virus from Jamaica. Tropical Agriculture
(Trinidad) 79: 105-113
* Vaidya KR & Jain SK (2002). Genetic variation in amaranth
landraces from India. Journal of Genetics and Breeding 56: 193-204.
Non-refereed
* Vogel P (2002). West Nile Virus has arrived in Jamaica – birds
likely to be the primary victims. Broadsheet BirdLife Jamaica 79: 10-
14.
Articles
* Robinson RD (2002). What to Look for Under the Sea. In: A
Tapestry of Jamaica. Macmillan Caribbean Publishers. 5pp.
* Tennant P (2003) Agricultural Biotechnology: Overview of
public perception. In: The Gleaner. Thursday, February 13, 2003,
pp B6
* Tennant P (2003) Crops of Agricultural Biotechnology (part 2).
In: The Gleaner. Thursday, February 6, 2003, pp D12
337
* Tennant P (2003) Crops of Agricultural Biotechnology: Safety
questions and answers. In: The Gleaner. Thursday, January 30,
2003, pp B4
* Tennant P (2002) Agricultural Biotechnology in 2001: A review.
Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences Newsletter, 14 (4): 10
* Tennant P (2002) Crops of Agricultural Biotechnology: How
are they developed? In: The Gleaner. Thursday, November 7,
2002, pp B10
* Tennant P (2002) Crops of Agricultural Biotechnology: Just the
RoundUp ready soybean? In: The Gleaner. Thursday, May 2,
2002, pp D8
PUBLIC SERVICE
Mr Karl Aiken
– Member, Board of Directors, Caribbean Coastal Area
Management Foundation
– Member, Scientific Authority, Convention and International
Trade in Endangered Species of Flora & Fauna, Jamaica
– Member, Fisheries Advisory Committee, Fisheries Division,
Ministry of Agriculture
Dr Jane Cohen
– Advisor, Banana Board Research Department
Dr Eric Garraway
– Member, Advisory Board of Natural History Division, Institute
of Jamaica
– Member, Butterfly Conservation Board, NEPA.
– Member, Scientific Authority
– Caribbean Representative, Association of Tropical Lepidoptera
Dr Dwight Robinson
– Chair, Technical Committee, National Pink Mealybug Task
Force, Ministry of Agriculture
338
– Chair, Technical Advisory Committee, Biological Control of
Coffee Berry Borer, Caribbean Agriculture Research
Development Institute.
– Technical Advisor, Efficacy of Biorationals against Coffee
Berry Borer, Coffee Industry Board, Jamaica
Dr Ralph Robinson
– Member, Board of Directors, Jamaica Agricultural
Development Foundation.
Dr Dunbar Steele
– Chairman, Academic Committee, The Caribbean Maritime
Institute
– Member, Board of Directors, Caribbean Maritime Institute
Dr Kisan Vaidya
– Member, Gene Bank Committee, Jamaica
Dr Peter Vogel
– Member of Board, Scientific Authority
– Chairman, Jamaican Iguana Research and Conservation Group
– Member, Alien Invasive Species Working Group
– Member, IUCN West Indian Iguana Specialist Group
– Member, Executive Committee BirdLife Jamaica
– Member, NRCA Game Bird Committee
– Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Blue and John Crow
Mountains National Park
Dr Dale Webber
– Member, Editorial Board of the Jamaica Institute of
Environmental Professionals National Scientific Conference
on the Environment
– President, Mona Preparatory School Parent Teachers
Association
339
– Member, Editorial Board of the Jamaican Journal of Science
and Technology
– Chairman, CL Environmental Company Limited
– The University of the West Indies Representative on Ministry
of Education and Culture Overseas Examination Board
– Member, Operations Sub-Committee, Overseas Examination
Board
– Member, Science and Technology Advisory Committee of the
National Commission for UNESCO
Dr Mona Webber
– Advisor, Institute for Excellence in Environmental Education
– Member, Steering Committee, Sea Turtle recovery Network,
Hope Zoo
– Associate, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
CATEGORIES OF STUDENTS
Undergraduate
A breakdown of Bachelor of Science degrees:
First Class Honours 2
Upper Second Class Honours 17
Lower Second Class Honours 14
Pass 2
Performance in courses:
Course Code & Name No. Reg No. Sit No. Pass % Pass
BB10A Cells, Biomolecules
and Genetics 231 229 179 77
BB10B Introductory Microbiology 236 231 198 84
BL05A Preliminary Biology I 153 148 122 80
BL05B Preliminary Biology II 135 133 94 70
BL10L Animal Diversity 122 120 107 88
BL10M Plant Diversity 136 134 130 96
BL20M Mycology 11 11 10 91
340
BL20N Ecology 61 61 60 98
BL20J General and Molecular
Genetics 44 43 43 98
BL20K Population Genetics &
Evolution 63 62 62 98
BL20L Diving Technology for
Aquatic Scientists 5 5 5 100
BL31A Coastal Management 21 21 21 100
BL31E Biological Oceanography 23 23 23 100
BL31F Marine Benthic Communities 22 22 22 100
BL33D Freshwater Ecology 25 25 23 92
BL38A Virology 15 15 14 93
BL39A Statistics for Biologists
BL39C Research Project 6 4 4 67
BL39D Caribbean Biodiversity 22 22 20 91
BL39E Conservation Biology 16 15 14 88
BT21A Biology of Lower Plant
Groups 13 13 11 85
BT21B Seed Plants 44 44 40 91
BT22A Plant Physiology 28 28 28 100
BT31A Phycology 9 9 9 100
BT31C Biology of Coastal Plant
Communities 14 13 11 79
BT33A Ecology, Agroforestory and
Sustainable Development 13 13 11 85
BT34A Principles of Plant Breeding 9 9 9 100
BT37Q Plant Health
BT38B Plant Biotechnology 9 9 9 100
Z20C Functional Organization of
Animals 62 62 58 94
Z30A Sensory and Neuromuscular
Physiology 20 20 20 100
Z30B Metabolic Physiology 14 14 14 100
Z30G General Parasitology 20 19 14 70
30M Immunology 27 26 24 89
Z31C Fish Biology 12 12 12 100
Z31F Fisheries & Aquaculture
Technology 9 9 9 100
Z32C Insect Biology & Systematics 8 7 7 88
Z32G Pest Management 12 12 12 100
Prizes Awarded
341
The following students were formally recognised for quality
academic performance:
Prelimininary Biology Rosanna Maria Chen
Introductory Biology Anika Djenba Mitchell
Marc Errol Phillpotts
Level II Zoology Shaun Marie Wilson
Lloyd B. Coke Prize Shaun Marie Wilson
(Plant Physiology)
The Vincent Hugh Wilson
McKie Prize in Zoology Tamika Patrice Valentine
Graduate student registration:
MPhil program 38 full time; 25 part time
PhD program 7 full time; 4 part time
Award of Higher Degrees
MPhil Botany
Shakira Azan Supervised Dr Dale Webber
Josette LaHee Supervised by Dr Eric Hyslop and
Dr Dale Webber
Lois Morgan Supervised by Dr Jane Cohen
MPhil Zoology
Kimberly John Supervised by Dr Eric Hyslop and
Dr Dale Webber
Andrea Fender Supervised by Dr Eric Hyslop
Alison Watson Supervised by Dr Eric Garraway
342
Cesna McCain Supervised by Dr Mona Webber
Leo Douglas Supervised by Dr Peter Vogel
Delano Lewis Supervised by Dr Peter Vogel
Sharon McDonald Supervised by Prof. Ajai Mansingh
Keisha Singh Supervised by Dr Ralph Robinson
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
Prof. J. Wilkens, University of Calgary, Canada
Dr Coastas Zachariades, Agricultural Research Council of South
Africa
Ms Lorraine Strathie, Agricultural Research Council of South
Africa
Ms Alana den Breeyen, Agricultural Research Council of South
Africa
Mr. Stuart Reeves, Principal, Jamaica College
Mr. Radley Reid, Headmaster, Champion College
Dr Fred Hanley, Jamaica Broilers Group
Mr Carlos Browne, Ministry of Education Programme
Monitoring & Evaluation
Dr Joe Lindsay, Chairman, Jamaica Organic Agriculture
Movement
Mr Leo Wilson, Ridge to Reef Programme
Mr Sataya N. Nadan, Secretary General, International Seabed
Authority
Ms Tracy Commock, Institute of Jamaica
Dr. David Smith, United Nations Development Programme.
Ms Chanda Bennett, Columbia University, New York
Dr Scott Michael, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
Mr Dino Ferri, Audubon Zoo, Nashville, USA
Mr Dale McGinnity, Nashville Zoo, Nashville, USA
343
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Professor Mervyn Curtis, BSc Leics, PhD Nott
– Head of Department
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
During the year Dr NickolaiDokuchaev, Mr Horace Jones
and Professor Han Reichgelt left the
Department. Mr Samuel McDaniel
went to the United States of America to
carry out a PhD in Biostatistics. Ms
Patryce Allen and Mr Timothy Stitt
joined the Computer Science section.
Sadly in January 2003 Professor
John Lodenquai died. Shortly after
John's death Professor Mervyn Curtis
took up the headship.
During the year a new BSc in
Computer Science programme was
presented and accepted for implementation. This new programme will
seek accreditation from the British Computer Society to give international
status to our degree
Professor Geoffrey Grimmett, Head of the Department of Pure
Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Cambridge in the UK came
to carry out a review of the Mathematics section and produced a report
which is currently being implemented.
STUDENT MATTERS
The Department had an enrolment of 1655 undergraduates in
mathematics and 1297 undergraduates in Computer Science. There were
15 MPhil/PhD students within the Computer Science section and 2
MPhil/PhD students within the Mathematics Section.
344
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Dr D Coore
– Amorphous Computing: simulation techniques, parallel
language design and algorithm design and implementation.
– Cardiac surgeon trainer.
Prof. M Curtis
– A cricket batting analysis/training system.
– A physiological monitoring system for cricketers.
– Visualisation through obscuration noise using the n-tuple
technique.
– A virtual cricket ground: a mixed reality environment.
– A virtual Jamaica
– Face recognition using Fractals
Dr R McEachin
– Problems related to Schur multiplication
Dr E Mugisa
– Re-usable software
PAPERS PRESENTED
Dr D Coore
• (with Michael Craven, Somara Newman, Maurice Fletcher, Brian
Silvera, Neil Forbes, Paul Ramphal), “Cardiac training simulator
using pump with electronic pressure sensor to trigger ventricular
fibrillation”, IEEE SouthEastCon, April 2003
• (with Dean Holness, Richard Lawson, Howard Nation), “Design
and Implementation of A Simulator for An Amorphous
Computing Environment”, SouthEastCon, April 2003
Prof K M Curtis
• (with Neil G), “A Hybrid Fractal/DCT Image Compression
Method”, IEEE 14th International Conference on Digital Signal
Processing, July 2002.
345
• (with J.D. Burniston), “A Hybrid Neural Network/Rule-Based
Architecture for Analogue Function Approximation”, IEEE
SouthEastCon, April 2003
• (with M.G. Kelly, and M.P. Craven), “Fuzzy Recognition of
Cricket Batting Strokes Based on Sequences of Body and Bat
Postures”, IEEE SouthEastCon, April 2003
Dr K. Mugisa
• “A Reuse Triplet View of UML”, IEEE SouthEastCon, April
2003
Dr A Rodkina
• (with O'Neil L). Almost Surely Bondedness of Solution to
Modified Stochastic Approximation Procedure. Sixth
Conference of a Faculty of Pure and Applied Science. UWI.
Mona, March 18-20, 2003. P.31.
• (with Nosov V). On Stability of Stochastic Delay Cubic
Equations. Fourth International Conference on Dynamic
Systems and Applications, May 21-24, 2003, Morehouse College,
Atlanta, USA. pp. 27-28.
• On Stability of Stochastic Non-Autonomous Nonlinear Systems
with Delay}. The International Conference on Differential
Equations “Equadiff 2003”. Hasselt, Belgium, August 22-26,
2003.
PUBLICATIONS
Prof K M Curtis
* (with Kelly M, and Craven M P), “Fuzzy Sets and Cricket
Batting”, Recent Advances in Simulation, Computational
Methods and Soft Computing, Electrical and Computer
Engineering Series, Edited by N E Mastorakis, WSEAS Press,
ISBN 9608052505, 2002, pp 203-207.
Dr A Rodkina
* (with Nosov V). On Stability of Discrete Kiefer-Wolfowitz
procedures. Functional Differential Equations. Vol. 9, No 3-4,
2002, pp. 577-593.
346
* On Stabilization of Hybrid Stochastic Equations. Dynamics of
Continuous, Discrete and Impulsive Systems. Series A:
Mathematical Analysis. Watam Press. Vol. 10, No 1-3. 2003. pp.
117-126.
* On Stability of Stochastic Nonlinear Systems. In the book of
Abstracts of The International Conference “Kolmogorov and
Contemporary Mathematics”. Moscow, Russia, June 16-22,
2003. pp. 534-544.
* On Asymptotic Normality of Generalized Discrete Robbins-
Monro Approximation Procedures. Proceedings of The
International Conference “Modern Problems of Functional
Analysis and Differential Equations”. Voronezh, Russia, June
30-July 4, 2003, pp. 26-44.
Mr T Stitt
* (with Scott MP, Scott NS and Burke PG), “On the single
differential cross section for electron impact ionization of
atomic hydrogen near threshold.”, J.Phys.B:At.Mol.Opt.Phys.
35 L323-L329 (2002) ISSN 0953-4075
* (with Bartschat K, Scott MP, Burke PG, Scott NS, Grum-
Grzhimailo AM, Riordan S, Ver Steeg V and Strakhova T I),
“Convergence of the energy-differential ionization cross
sections obtained from a T-matrix approach with R-matrix
wavefunctions.”, Phys. Rev. A65, 062715-1:6 (2002) ISSN
1094-1622
* (with Scott N Stan, Scott M Penny and Burke Phil G), “2-D R-
matrix propagation: a large scale electron scattering simulation
dominated by the multiplication of dynamically changing
matrices”, High Performance Computing for Computational
Science:VECPAR 2002, JMLM Palma et al (Eds), Lecture
Notes in Computer Science 2565, p354-367 (2003) ISSN 0302-
9743 ISBN 3-540-00852-7
* (with Scott NS, Scott MP and Burke PG), “2-D R-matrix
propagation: a large scale electron scattering simulation
dominated by the multiplication of dynamically changing
matrices”, VECPAR 2002 5th International Meeting on High
Performance Computing for Computational Science,
Conference Proceedings Vol III, p617-630, Portugal, (2002 )
347
* (with Scott M P, Scott NS and Burke P G), “Electron impact
ionization using an R-matrix approach”, Proceedings of the
International symposium on (e,2e), Double Photoionization
and Related Topics and the XI International Symposium on
Polarization and Correlation in Electronic and Atomic
Collisions, Rolla, Missouri (July 2001), AIP Conference
Proceedings 604, Correlations, polarization, and Ionization in
Atomic Systems, Eds D H Madison and M Schultz, 604 (2002)
82-89 (ISSN 0-7354-0048-2)
* (with Atkinson M, “Restricted permutations and the wreath
product” Discrete Math. 259 (2002), 19-36.
* (with E. J. Kontoghiorghes) Handbook of Parallel Computing
and Statistics.
* Statistics: Textbooks and Monograph Series, December 2002.
Marcel Dekker, Inc.
Dr WB Zhang
* “A Central Limit Theorem of the Distinct Degrees of Prime
Factors in Additive Arithmetic Semigroups”, Number Theory
for the Millennium, Proceedings of the Millennium Conference
on Number Theory, M A Bennett et al Eds, Vol III, A K Peters,
2002, 437-450.
* “Probabilistic Number Theory on Additive Arithmetic
Semigroups”, III, Ramanujan Journal, 6, 2002, 387-428.
* “Mean-value Theorems for Multiplicative Functions on
Additive Arithmetic Semigroups via Halsz's Method”,
Monatsh, Math, DOI, 10.1007, 2002, 1-35.
348
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Donald Walwyn, BSc, PhD UWI – Head of Department
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT
Teaching
The re-organised curriculum for theundergraduate programme was
fully implemented, with the teaching of
the full complement of level 3 four-
credit courses. The additional flexibility
– arising from the change from 8 to 4-
credit courses resulted in increased
overall enrolment in the Department's
advanced level courses.
The general pass rate for the
undergraduate courses was satisfactory.
The student assessment was good or satisfactory for all but one course.
The death of Professor John Lodenquai resulted in significant
dislocation in the Department's teaching programme in the second
semester. A second semester level 3 course, which is a compulsory
component of the General Physics Major, had to be cancelled. A special
waiver was obtained from the Board for Undergraduate Studies to
substitute any non-compulsory level 3 Physics or Electronics course in its
place for affected students.
Research
The Department's research activities continued to be led by the work
of the Climate Modeling Group. The Group continued projects involving
(i) The Threat of Dengue Fever - Assessment of Impacts and Adaptation
to Climate Change in the Caribbean, (ii) Diagnostics and Prediction of
Climate Variability and Human Health Impacts in the Tropical Americas,
(iii) Developing the Caribbean El Nino News Network - CENNN and (iv)
The structure and properties of synoptic systems that affect the
Caribbean.
349
Research directed at developing solutions for GPS tracking, based on
features of the GSM cellular network, operating in Jamaica, became more
focused – concentrating on innovative approaches to error correction.
The GPS Group won award for “Best Technological Display” at IRAE
Exposition and Conference, NCU, Mandeville, April 2003 and the Group
participated in the Exposition at the IEEE Conference, Ocho Rios, April
2003.
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Dr. A Amarakoon and Mr. V. Douse
– Investigation of skid resistant aggregates occurring in Jamaica.
Dr. A. Amarakoon and Miss J. Minott
– Work is continuing on Enso effects on sugar cane yields in
Jamaica
– Digital maps have been produced to give wind speed and power
capabilities for the island. The work is being expanded to give
greater detail.
Prof. A. Chen and Mr. T. Hall
– The investigation of the downscaling of northern Caribbean
seasonal rainfall.
Prof. A. Chen, Dr. S. Rawlins, Miss C Rhoden and Miss R Stennett
– Climate and Epidemiology data are being studied to detect
linkage between climate and dengue fever.
Prof. A. Chen and Ms. T. Stephenson
– The IAI project on Analyzing and Understanding Climate
Variability in the Caribbean Islands
Dr. L. Myers and Miss D. Field
– Investigating the suitability of available photovoltaic technology
to the Jamaican environment.
Dr. L. Ngalamou and Mr. L. Buchanan
– The development of software tools for the design of
Programmable Logic Controllers
350
Dr. L. Ngalamou and Mr. C. Donaldson
– The design of a Petri Nets-to-Fuzzy Sets conversion for
Discrete Event Systems.
Dr. L. Ngalamou and Mr. D. Emanuel
– The analysis and synthesis of VHDL core libraries for a high-
speed power line transceiver
Dr. J. Skobla
– Improving the accuracy of the GPS system by using Jamaican
map software and experimental data.
Dr. J. Skobla and Mr. A. Young
– Development of GPS micro-tracking System using SMS cellular
work was completed. The system is under final field test for use
under local conditions.
Dr. J. Skobla, Messrs L. Clarke, C. Scarlett and R. Turner
– Cellular based error correction system
Dr. M. Taylor
– The inter-annual variability of Caribbean climate is being
investigated with an emphasis on determining the primary
forcing factors which drive/cause change
Dr. D. Walwyn, Miss Y. Barrett and Miss K Munroe
– Investigating the application of orthogonal frequency division
multiplexing (OFDM) to broadband wireless access problems
in the Jamaican environment.
Dr. D. Walwyn and Mr. M. Ebanks
– The propagation of microwave transmissions inside buildings
PAPERS PRESENTED
• Christopher Donaldson, Lucien Ngalamou, Leary Myers,
“Combining Petri nets and Fuzzy Sets for Discrete-Event
Controllers Design”, IEEE Southeast conference, April 2003,
Ocho Rios Jamaica
351
• Leotis Buchanan, Lucien Ngalamou, Leary Myers,
“Constraint Based Ladder Diagram Editor”, IEEE Southeast
conference, April 2003, Ocho Rios Jamaica
• M Ponnambalam, “Energy from an under-utilized Source”,
American Association of Physics Teachers Meeting, Boise, Idaho
August 2002.
• M Ponnambalam, “Damping effect on the Period of a
Pendulum”, Inter-American Conference on Physics Education,
Havana, Cuba, July 2003
• M Ponnambalam, “Teaching Symmetry's Usefulness in
Introductory Physics”, Inter-American Conference on Physics
Education, Havana, Cuba, July 2003.
• M Ponnambalam, “Physics and the Arts”, Inter-American
Conference on Physics Education, Havana, Cuba, July 2003.
• Tannecia Stephenson, Anthony Chen, “Climate variability in
the Caribbean Islands”, Latin American and Iberian Congress of
Meteorology, Havana, Cuba, March 2003
• Albert Owino, Anthony Chen, Michael Taylor, “The role of
Southwestern Caribbean in the Formation of Tropical Storms in
the Caribbean Basin”, Latin American and Iberian Congress of
Meteorology, Havana, Cuba, March 2003
• Anthony Chen, “Pilot Project for Predicting and Mitigating an
Outbreak of Dengue Fever”, 1st Latin American and Caribbean
Regional (AIACC) Workshop, San Jose, May 2003.
• Lawrence Brown, Anthony Chen, Albert Owino, “Statistical
Downscaling”, 1st Latin American and Caribbean Regional
(AIACC) Workshop, San Jose, May 2003.
• Rainaldo F. Crosbourne, Michael A. Taylor, A.M.D.
Amarakoon, “Developing a Caribbean Climate Interactive
Database”, 1st Latin American and Caribbean Regional (AIACC)
Workshop, San Jose, May 2003.
• Anthony A. Chen, Michael A. Taylor, Rainaldo F.
Crosbourne, Samuel C. Rawlins, Karen Polson, Wilma
Bailey, Charmaine Thomas-Heslop, “Epidemiology Patterns
of Dengue in the Caribbean under Climate Change”, 1st Latin
American and Caribbean Regional (AIACC) Workshop, San Jose,
May 2003
352
• Scarlett C., Clarke L., Turner R., and Skobla J., “Cellular
Based GPS Error Correcting System”, XVII IMECO World
Congress, Metrology in 3rd Millenium, Dubrovnik, Croatia, TC1,
pp 83-86, June 22-27, 2003.
• Young A. and Skobla J., “The Universal Preprocessing GPS-
SMS Communication Unit for the AVL System”, The Sixth
Conference Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona,
March 18-20, 2003.
• Scarlett C., Clarke L., Turner R., and Skobla J., “GPS
Tracking System with Error Correction”, Poster P-60, The Sixth
Conference Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona,
March 18-20, 2003.
• McFarlane G. and Skobla J., “UWI System Can Improve
Safety for the Fishing Industry In Jamaica”, Poster _-1, The Sixth
Conference Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, UWI, Mona,
March 18 - 20, 2003.
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed
* Young A. and Skobla J., “Preprocessing Communication Unit
with Short Message Service Communication Channels for AVL
Tracking”, SPIE Proceedings. Location Services and
Navigation Technologies, vol. 5084, pp 86-00, 2003.
* Young A. and Skobla J., “Robust GPS-SMS Communication
Channel for the AVL System”, IEEE Proceedings,
AEROSPACE, vol. 4, pp. 1957-1966, 2003.
* “GPS-Based Marine Vessel Tracking Device”, McFarlane G.
and Skobla J., IEEE Proceedings, AEROSPACE, vol. 4, pp.
1605-1610, 2003.
* Young A. and Skobla J., “SMS TCP/IP Interface”,
AEROSPACE, vol. 4, pp. 1597-1604, 2003.
* A. M. D. Amarakoon A. A. Chen, “Modelling of Wind Speed
and Power across Jamaica”, Jamaican Journal of Science and
Technology 12 & 13 (2003): 48-64.
353
* Taylor M. A., D. B. Enfield and A. A. Chen, “The Influence
of the tropical Atlantic vs. the tropical Pacific on Caribbean
Rainfall”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 107(C9) 3127,
doi:10.1029/2001JC001097.
* Peterson T. C., M. A. Taylor, R. Demeritte, D. L.
Duncombe, S. Burton, F. Thompson, A. Porter, M.
Mercedes, E. Villegas, R. Memexant Fils, A. Klein Tank,
A. Martis, R. Warner, A. Joyette, W. Mills, L. Alexander, B.
Gleason, “Recent Changes in Climate Extremes in the
Caribbean Region”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 107(D21)
4601, doi:10.1029/2002JD002251. Caribbean Region.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Dr. P. Chin
– Vice-Chairman, Appliance Testing and Labelling Committee,
Jamaica Bureau of Standards
– Moderator, Physics CXC
– Member, Physics Panel, CAPE Examinations
Dr. J. McTavish
– External Examiner, Physics, Joint Board for Teacher Education
Dr. L. Myers
– Member, Board of Spectrum Management Authority
– Member, Board of Scientific Research Council
Dr. L. Ngalamou
– Campus Advisor, University College and Apostolic Ministry
(UCAM)
– Coordinator, Computer Technology Training Programme,
MIAS
Dr. M. Taylor
– Member, Caribbean Climate Forum Steering Committee
354
Dr. D. Walwyn
– Jamaica's representative, Commonwealth Telecommunication
Council
Research Grants
– Grant of Microcontroller Development Systems – (Complete
Lab Equipment for a new course – Microcontroller
Application) from Atmel Inc. (valued at J$300,000)
– Grant of Computer hardware and software for GPS project
from Ericsson Inc. (valued atJ$500,000)
CATEGORIES OF STUDENTS
Undergraduate:
Course No. sat No. Pass
exam passed %
P04A Preliminary Physics A 75 61 81
P04B Preliminary Physics B 79 54 68
P14A Introductory Physics A 107 73 68
P14B Introductory Physics B 102 74 72
P23E Modern Physics 1 18 12 67
P23F Optics & Oscillations 19 16 84
P23H Electricity & Magnetism
& Solid State Electronics 16 13 81
P24F Signals and Systems 52 41 79
P24G Electric Circuit Analysis 21 16 76
P24H Communications Systems 43 42 98
P24J Analog Electronics 18 14 78
P24K Digital Electronics 49 36 73
P24L Solid State Electronic Devices 30 25 83
P25F Materials Science 1 13 12 92
P33F Astronomy & Astrophysics 13 11 85
P33G Physics of Climate 19 13 68
P33H Fluid Dynamics and Renewable Energy
P33J Electromagnetism and
Solid State Physics 7 4 57
P34F Digital Signal Processing 31 28 90
P34G EM Transmission and Propagation 15 15 100
P34K Microprocessors 28 25 89
P34H Digital Communications 29 24 83
P34J Microcontroller Applications 17 16 94
P34L Instrumentation 22 20 91
P34P Electronics Project 16 15 94
355
First Class Degrees with Majors in Electronics and/or Physics were
awarded to Mr. Godfrey Bernard, Ms Antoinette Heirs and Ms. Kahena
Munroe.
Postgraduate
Three postgraduate students completed their MPhil degrees. They
are:
Tanya Innis whose title was Development of Thin Film Electrical
Resistance Sensors for Corrosivity Monitoring in Jamaica. Her
Supervisor was Dr. Leary Myers.
Ricardo Paharsingh’s, thesis was titled Hardware Wavelet
Synthesis Cores for Image Data Compression and Decompression.
His Supervisor was Dr. Lucien NGalamou.
Jacqueline Spence’s thesis was the Effect of Concurrent Sea
Surface Temperature Anomalies on Caribbean Rainfall and her
Supervisor was Dr. Michael Taylor.
Nineteen (19) students were awarded the degree of MSc in Digital
Technology
Prizes Awarded:
The Departmental Prizes for academic performance in Level 2
courses were awarded to Mr. Godfrey Bernard and Ms. Kahena Munroe.
The Departmental Prize for academic performance in Level 1
courses was awarded to Mr. Cecil Reid.
The Francis Bowen Bursary for Physics was awarded to Ms.
Antoinette Heirs.
The Michael Tharmanahthan Memorial Bursary was awarded to Ms.
Jody-Ann Minott.
356