Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Dr Stephenson's love for math has given her the challenge and joy she seeks. - photos by Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

This year, the University of the West Indies celebrates its 60th anniversary. To pay homage to the oldest tertiary institution in the region, we dedicate this week's Flair to the institution and all its alumni as we add some Flair to how you view the university.

At the ripe old age of 30, Dr Tannecia Stephenson is a lecturer at the UWI. "I started teaching while I was doing my PhD in 2004 to 2005. I started formally last year," she revealed. She specialises in introductory physics, dealing with components such as heat and electricity. She also supervises one third-year student participating in an undergraduate research programme. And all this started from her love for physics and mathematics.

"I love the challenge. I could have done the arts but I love finding out how things work. It's the math component of physics I like."

Apart from a year at her alma mater, Alpha Academy, this is the only teaching she's done. Though not much older than most of her students, she has no problems with them.

"At first, there is shyness, so a few of them would try to press you. But they start respecting you for what you bring to the table. There's mutual respect." she says. Her biggest challenge though is, 'keeping it real'.

"You have to show them it (the lessons) goes beyond the textbook; it can be applied to real life," she explained.

With mentors and luminaries like Prof Anthony Chen (who was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize last year) to look up to, she hopes to make her own contribution in this field, having studied at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdom.