The College of the West Indies (UWI) is mourning the lack of Professor Emeritus Sir Geoff Palmer, the trailblazing Jamaican-born scientist, educator, and champion of human rights, who handed away on June 12, 2025.
In an official statement, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, referred to as Sir Geoff “our pricey good friend, colleague, and mentor” and hailed his legacy as a “quintessential West Indian” whose work transcended disciplines and continents.
Sir Geoff was born in rural Jamaica and migrated to England as an adolescent, changing into an iconic determine of the Windrush era. In 1989, he made historical past as Scotland’s first Black professor, becoming a member of Heriot-Watt College, the place he led a distinguished profession.
He developed the barley abrasion course of—a technique that hurries up the malting of barley by gently scratching the grain’s floor to assist it take in water sooner. This innovation made beer and whisky manufacturing extra environment friendly and cost-effective for breweries. He additionally based the college’s Worldwide Centre for Brewing and Distilling, a world-leading facility that also trains brewing professionals right this moment.
“Sir Geoff, synonymous with grain science know-how, made vital contributions all through his tutorial journey,” Beckles famous within the assertion. His pioneering analysis included improvements in sorghum use as a brewing and meals useful resource in Africa, which supported meals safety efforts and small-scale farming initiatives.
Palmer was not solely a scientific trailblazer—he was additionally a daring voice for justice and fairness. “Talking boldly on the aspect of fact and justice,” Beckles stated, “he wrote extensively on the historical past of Scotland’s connection to the enslavement of individuals of African origin within the Caribbean.” He grew to become a number one public determine throughout the UK’s debates over historic reminiscence, calling for academic plaques on monuments linked to the transatlantic slave commerce moderately than their removing.
A powerful advocate for fairness in training, Sir Geoff Palmer additionally labored on enhancing tutorial outcomes for ethnic-minority youngsters within the UK and authored works like Mr White and the Ravens and The Enlightenment Abolished exploring colonialism and race.
He was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, and was knighted in 2014 for his providers to science, human rights, and charity. In 2015, The UWI awarded him an honorary Physician of Science diploma for his excellent contributions to science and society. He additionally served as Jamaica’s first Honorary Consul in Scotland from 2018 and was appointed a Commander in Jamaica’s Order of Distinction in 2020. In 2021, he grew to become Chancellor of Heriot-Watt College, a task he held till his passing.
“This son of the Jamaican soil has a legacy that extends past his tutorial achievements,” Beckles stated, noting Sir Geoff’s affect on generations of scholars and students. He additionally suggested main world manufacturers like Guinness, Heineken, and Cobra, serving to to convey science into the center of trade.
“Farewell, Sir Geoff,” the Vice-Chancellor concluded. “Flagrans veritatis studio – could our reminiscence of you proceed to burn as shiny as your zeal for fact.”
