Summer Scholarship Programme Inspires Students

Summer Scholarship Programme Inspires Students

Summer is often the time for a holiday but not for some 140 Faculty of Science students at The University of Auckland.

The students will spend their summer holidays working on a wide range of research projects, many in their local communities, thanks to the Faculty's Summer Scholarship Programme.

Chosen from a large pool of applicants, the $4000 scholarships are awarded to high achieving students in the final years of their Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Technology studies.

“The Faculty of Science’s Summer Scholarships have been developed to encourage students into graduate research work,” says Dean of Science Professor Dick Bellamy.

“The students have the opportunity to spend the summer getting a taste of research work which we hope will encourage them to continue on in their studies at postgraduate level.”

Now in its third year, the programme offers scholarships on an annual basis and provides participating students with research support from the University, as well as some external institutions and companies.

Some of the projects that will be undertaken this year include: researching the social views of stepfamilies as depicted in the media, studying the use of exercise in breast cancer survivors, comparing the images of Pacific food in New Zealand with the real picture, determining the behaviour of andesite volcanoes, development of a robotic astronomical telescope system (RATS) and prenatal effects on learning and cognition.

“There is a huge variety of projects being undertaken. Students have really embraced the concept of gaining practical research experience in an area that interests them and enables them to continue with their studies,” Professor Bellamy says.

© Scoop Media