News Releases

UWI announces six new Professors

For Release Upon Receipt - February 26, 2009

St. Augustine


The University of the West Indies (UWI) has promoted six Senior Lecturers to the rank of Professor, three from St Augustine and one each from Mona (Jamaica) and Cave Hill (Barbados) and the Open Campus. On Monday 9th February, University Registrar and Director of Administration, Mr C. William Iton, announced that the University Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GPC) had endorsed the decision of the University Appointments Committee to promote the five Senior Lecturers.

The three St Augustine Campus Lecturers who have been promoted are Dr Terrence Seemungal from the Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Dr Chidum Ezenwaka from the Department of Para-Clinical Medical Sciences, and Dr Paul Shaw from the Department of Food Production in the School of Agriculture. Dr Seemungal has made an invaluable contribution to the study of lung health. His work with the academic group of Professor Wedzicha in London contributed significantly to the body of knowledge of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His academic contributions form a consistent body of work of high quality, originality and significance.

Dr Ezenwaka has a well-documented track record of distinguished original contribution to diabetes research, and continues to be a productive investigator. For his expertise in this area, he enjoys international recognition, and brings credit to his institution. For his service on numerous committees and in varied administrative capacities, his advancement to Professorship is appropriate and well-deserved.

Dr Shaw is a well-respected scholar in the field of environmental change, particularly in Africa. He has many publications in international, peer-reviewed journals, with generally high citation index scores. His book reviews are scholarly, his conference presentations numerous and he publishes and collaborates with a large number of senior scientists in the field of environmental change. It is as an authority on the Kalahari, which covers a huge area of southern Africa, that Dr Shaw has an international reputation which is second to none. No paper could be written to that area which did not refer to Shaw’s work.   

Promoted to Professor from the other Campuses are: Dr Jane Bryce from the Faculty of Humanities and Education in Cave Hill; Dr Marvin Reid, Director of the Sickle Cell Unit of the Tropical Medicine Research Institute at Mona; and Dr Vivienne Roberts, Deputy Principal, Open Campus. Through her work, Dr Bryce has established a strong presence in the field of African literary studies. She helped to produce the first PhD student in African literature in 2006. Her commitment to scholarship and education is noteworthy, and she is also a creative writer, believing that “a good teacher should lead by example.” Her efforts go beyond simply teaching and writing about African literature; she also works with publishers of African literatures to bring new works to the public.    

Dr Reid’s contribution to education, both as a teacher and trainer is exemplary. His ability to ask novel questions and then to explore them with his laboratory expertise have led to new and exciting opportunities to explore the impact of abnormalities in metabolism associated with sickle cell disease. He contributes significantly to undergraduate teaching of medical students, on the MSc in nutrition, on the BSc in nursing, to the supervision of PhD students and to the training of Laboratory personnel in chromatography.   

Dr Roberts writes about complex issues in a clear and accessible style, an achievement requiring considerable skill and effort. This style, which is one of the defining qualities of much of Dr Roberts’s published work, affords her the possibility of engaging a wide range of stakeholders in thinking and debate.     

The University of the West Indies is proud to announce these professorial promotions. For more information, please contact the Marketing and Communications Office at (868) 662 2002 Ext. 2013 or 2014.

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