UWI is looking to build on T&T’s success at the 2026 International Chemistry Olympiad.
Naparima College student, Reginald Mohammed, secured bronze, T&T’s first ever medal at the event.
Also representing T&T at the event were: Leon Copilah, Soren Narine and Zeeshaan Lall.
UWI collaborated with the Education Ministry in 2019 to establish the T&T Chemistry Olympiad (TTChO) to identify, challenge and develop exceptionally talented secondary school students, while preparing them to compete at the highest international level.
The International Olympiad is by invitation only, and since qualifying to participate in 2021, T&T has steadily strengthened its performance.
Dr. Nigel K. Jalsa, Coordinator of TTChO, says Mr Mohammed’s medal is an important milestone: “This medal didn’t happen overnight. It represents years of deliberately raising the standard of our programme, challenging our students beyond the secondary school curriculum and helping them realise that they can compete with the very best young chemists in the world. Today, Trinidad and Tobago has shown that it belongs on that stage.”
UWI adds that it remains committed to strengthening the national Chemistry Olympiad programme and working with its partners to ensure that even more young scientists have the opportunity to represent the country with distinction on the world stage.
Preparing students for that level of competition requires months of intensive instruction.
Following the first round of the Trinidad and Tobago Chemistry Olympiad, the country’s highest-performing students participate in an intensive programme of online and face-to-face training delivered by faculty from The UWI’s Department of Chemistry while simultaneously preparing for their CXC exams.
That training is delivered by a multidisciplinary team of faculty whose expertise spans the major disciplines of chemistry. This year’s academic team comprised:
- Dr. Nigel K. Jalsa – Chief Examiner and Organic Chemistry
- Dr. Denise Beckles – Analytical and Environmental Chemistry
- Dr. Lorale Lalgee – Physical Chemistry
- Dr. Wilson Sue Chee Ming – Inorganic Chemistry
- Dr. Ramish Pingal and Dr. Terry Mohammed – Laboratory Training
