Summer research opportunities at UC

Summer research opportunities at UC

The University of Canterbury has more than doubled the number of its Summer Research Scholarships and, for the first time, is making them available to students from throughout New Zealand and overseas.

Dean of Postgraduate Studies at UC, Professor Steve Weaver, says the University has approved 30 projects from a range of disciplines. Details of the projects can be found at http://www.research.canterbury.ac.nz/summerscholarship.shtml

"We're inviting students to have a look at the research projects on the website, and if they find something that interests them they should apply for a scholarship," Professor Weaver says.

Each scholarship is worth $4,000 and will allow students to spend 10 weeks on a research project during the summer recess. The University will also contribute $1,000 towards the travel and accommodation costs of students from outside Christchurch and $2,000 for those from Australia and the wider Pacific region.

"The students who are awarded these scholarships will be feeding into existing research work at the University. They may even have their work published. And they will certainly get a taste of what it is like to do postgraduate research."

Professor Weaver says the scholarships are targeted at senior students who may be considering studying for a Masters or PhD degree but would like some hands-on research experience before making a commitment to further study.

The projects that are available to scholarship recipients cover a diverse range of topics such as robot design, the school curriculum, ice-flow of Antarctic glaciers, infant sleep disturbance, European migration, nanotechnology and visualisation of mobile phone networks.

UC is funding 26 scholarships; three have been awarded to projects to be undertaken in conjunction with the Van der Veer Institute for Parkinson’s and Brain Research, in Christchurch. Students awarded scholarships funded by the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation and the Health Research Council will work on projects related to health research.

Applications for the scholarships close on September 12.

ENDS

© Scoop Media