THE University of Technology, Jamaica (UTECH) is to confer honorary degrees on revered scientist and human rights activist, Professor Emeritus Sir Godfrey Palmer and distinguished entrepreneur and philanthropist Lascelles Chin at its graduation ceremony to be held on November 12 at the National Arena in Kingston.

Sir Godfrey is Professor Emeritus in the School of Life Sciences at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. Born in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, Sir Godfrey grew up in Kingston before migrating to London to join his mother at the age of 14.

Sir Godfrey went on to earn an honours degree in botany in 1964 from Leicester University and later applied to do a joint PhD in grain science and technology at Heriot-Watt College and Edinburgh University. He holds a BSc from Leicester University, a PhD from Edinburgh University and a DSc from the Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom.

In 1968 he began his research work at the Brewing Research Foundation in Surrey, England, where he worked on the science and technology of barley from 1968 to 1977. There he discovered the Barley Abrasion Process (1969) and was the first to use the Scanning Electron Microscope to study malt production in detail. The Abrasion process was patented and used by the British and Brewing and Malting Industries. He has authored a textbook on the subject, titled Cereal Science and Technology.

In addition to his active involvement in the science and technology of cereal grain research, Sir Godfrey found it possible to help to secure better education opportunities for Black and Minority Ethnic children in the early 1970s by writing a series of articles for the Times Educational Supplement, explaining the needs of these children.

Meanwhile, Chin is founder and executive chairman of the LASCO Affiliated Companies where his pioneering work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist has earned him the admiration as one of Jamaica’s and the Caribbean’s most distinguished and honoured business leaders.

The LASCO Affiliated Companies, comprising LASCO Distributors Limited, LASCO Manufacturing Limited and LASCO Financial Services Limited, manufacture and distribute over 300 products under the LASCO brand as well as provide financial products and services. These companies, which are known for offering high quality, affordable products, also export to most of the Caribbean, Central America, the United States, Canada and England.

Chin, who was born in Bog Walk, St Catherine, has served or currently lends his leadership skills to numerous organisations. His business acumen and philanthropy, which have benefited a wide cross section of Jamaicans, have earned him a number of awards.