The Department of Chemistry

Dr. Michael M. Forde

Deputy Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology and Senior Lecturer, Materials Chemistry

Qualifications

• (Post Graduate) Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, September 2015
• PhD Chemistry, Cardiff University, United Kingdom, June 2012
• MChem (with Industrial Experience), University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, October 2008

Fellowships and Training

• Certificate in Presentation Skills with Media Briefing, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, October 2017
• I have had training in a wide variety of focal areas including materials characterisation, course development, science outreach, management

Professional Experience

• Product Development Consultant (HOS Botanicals Ltd)
• President Commonwealth Chemistry 2025-2027
• Course Development Consultant (inkling online asynchronous courses)
• Reviewer for several journals (Tetrahedron, Journal of Catalysis, Arabian Journal of Catalysis and Applied Catalysis A and Frontiers in Chemistry)
• Thesis Examiner for MPhil and PhD theses in Chemistry and OHSE

Skills

• Adept in Materials Characterisation (XRD, XPS, HR-TEM, SEM-EDS, BET Techniques, FTIR)
• Study Design and Evaluation
• Proficient in all general computing software
• AI literate

Honours and Awards

• 2016 - UWI- NGC Research Award “Principal’s Special Award for Outstanding Young Scholar”
• 2016 Commonwealth Science Conference Scholarship awarded by the Royal Society (for attendance)

UWI Service

• Chair FST Safety Committee (2025 - present)
• Member St. Augustine Campus OSHE Committee (2025-present)
• Chairs Department of Chemistry PG Committee and PG Curriculum (2024-present)
• Member FST Curriculum Committee (2021-2026, previously Chair)
• Member FST Academic Advising Committee (2021-2025)
• Member FST Assessment and Promotions Committee (2021-2023)
• Member Department Curriculum Review & Reform Committee (2021-2023, previously Chair)
• Chair FST Library Committee (2020-2023)
• Member St. Augustine Campus Library Committee (STA) (2019- 2024)
• Member of Department of Chemistry Safety Committee. (2018- 2026)

Public Service

• Member, The National TVET Research Council of Trinidad and Tobago, January 2026, 2-year term
• Chair, Local Organising Committee for the Commonwealth Chemistry Congress 2023 hosted in Trinidad and Tobago in May 2023
• Scientific Organising Committee Member, Panellist and Networking Session Chair for Commonwealth Chemistry Congress 2021 held virtually in May 2021
• Executive Board Member, Trinidad and Tobago Chemical Society, launched May 2021
• Executive Board Member, Commonwealth Chemistry (UK), appointed 2020-2025
• Chair, Regional Project Team for Paints hosted by the Trinidad & Tobago Bureau of Standards on behalf of the CARICOM region. 2019- 2022
• Founding Member, Task Group for establishment of Federation of Commonwealth Chemical Sciences Societies 2017-2020
• UWI representative on three-person team for “Consultancy for the Provision of Technical Support for the Development of Hazardous Waste Management and Lab Safety Plans” undertaken by The University of Guyana as part of a World Bank funded project 2016-2018

Professional Memberships

• American Chemical Society
• Royal Society of Chemistry
• Trinidad and Tobago Chemical Society

Courses Taught

• Level I – CHEM 1066 Introduction to Chemistry I (FE, L)
• Level II/III Core– CHEM 2170 Inorganic Chemistry I (L), CHEM 3170 Inorganic Chemistry II (L), CHEM 3670 Research Project for Chemistry Majors (L), CHEM 3671 Chemistry Research Project (FE, L)
• Level II/III Electives – CHEM 3579 Chemistry and Industry II (FE, L), CHEM 3575 Chemistry and Industry I (L), CHEM 3577 Green Chemistry (FE, L), CHEM 3578 Chemistry for Sustainable Future (FE, L)
• Definition of Roles FE-First Examiner, L-Lecturer

Graduate Students

• Dr. Nakisha Mark – research on furfural hydrogenation using ruthenium catalysts (Awarded 2023)
• Ms. Freida Kauffmann – research on levulinic acid upgrading using sustainable hydrogen
• Mr. Ahmad Mohammed – research on photocatalytic furfural hydrogenation using alcohol and water as H-donors
• Mr. Vikash Sookdeo – research on photocatalytic hydroxymethyl furfural oxidation to furan di-carboxylic acid
• Ms. Kristen Oxley – sustainable urea-based polymer production

Grants

• 2026 RSC Sustainable Laboratories Grant, ongoing ca. 9685 GBP
• 2025- IuCr-LAAAM-/IAEA grant to attend for Caribbean Crystallography School, $2200USD
• 2023 - Commonwealth Chemistry Congress, ca. $500,000USD. 3 day international scientific meeting around the Sustainable Development Goals
• 2021 - Royal Society of Chemistry Inclusion & Diversity Grant, ongoing £3050; Research on barriers to science education among mature (female) students, under execution
• 2020 - American Chemical Society Festival Grant, $3000USD; Chemistry outreach activities for secondary school science students
• 2019 - Royal Society of Chemistry Mobility Grant, £3650; Research visit to University of Edinburgh
• 2018 - GEF- Small Grants Program, completed 50,000 USD; Science in the community project in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity and Cashew Gardens Community Council
• 2017 - UWI CRP.3.MAR17.29, 6200 USD; Towards green fuel molecules - upgrading renewable feed stocks using green hydrogen
• 2017/2018- IUPAP-IUCr LAAMP award, €1818
• 2014- UWI CRP.4.NOV13.2, 11,100USD; Formation and role of alkyl hydroperoxide in the oxidation of methane under mild conditions