Businesses can benefit from young brainpower

MEDIA RELEASE

3 July 2013

Businesses can benefit from young brainpower

This summer businesses and organisations have the chance to solve a tricky problem, investigate a smart idea, or get some creative thinking done—using brainpower from Victoria University.

Victoria is looking to partner with companies, government agencies and professional groups to provide holiday work for some of its top performing students, while also helping organisations tackle projects they don’t have the resources to do themselves.

The University’s Summer Research Scholarships Programme, now in its fifth year, aims to encourage more students into postgraduate study by giving them a stimulating and rewarding summer research experience. Students who have completed two years of their undergraduate degree or are studying at honours or first year masters level at any New Zealand or Australian university are eligible to be Victoria summer scholars (students will be required to be enrolled at Victoria for study in 2014 prior to beginning their scholarship).

Those accepted into the programme spend around 10 weeks carrying out a research project and Professor Charles Daugherty, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research), hopes some of them will be tackling issues for industry.

“These are senior students with sharp brains who can bring fresh ideas and a different perspective. We know there are many businesses and organisations which have small research projects they would like to do but don’t have time or don’t know where to find a researcher.

“It’s a win-win experience—businesses can gain an edge from the student’s research and development skills while students get a taste of what it’s like to do meaningful research and that often prompts them to enrol for Masters or PhD study.”

Victoria is offering 150 summer scholarships this year. Additionally, Victoria has scholarships available for businesses or agencies wanting to get involved in the scheme. The business will pay half the scholarship, or $3,000, with the funds matched by the University. 

A wide selection of skills are on offer with summer scholars’ study areas including science and engineering, humanities and social sciences, commerce, architecture, education and law.

The National Energy Research Institute (NERI) arranged a placement with an energy company for one Victoria student last summer and employed another Victoria student itself to gather material suitable for uploading into the NERI Knowledge Centre.

Chief Executive Paul Atkins says: “I’m a strong supporter of the Summer Research Scholarships Programme. It delivers value for money, is a great way for organisations to get some project work done and provides students with meaningful experience.”

Mr Atkins intends to sign up for the programme again this year and is also encouraging others in the energy sector to get involved.

Amber Bill, the Project Manager for Wellington City Council's Our Living City initiative, supervised three Victoria students last summer and says they were capable workers who “hit the ground running”.

“Another real bonus for us was having access to the academic research capability of the Victoria students' supervisors. They helped us explore and understand the issues we wanted the students to address and added a lot of value to the exercise."

Students should contact their relevant Faculty for closing dates to apply for the scheme. Professor Daugherty is encouraging all eligible students to consider putting their names forward so they can be matched with suitable projects either within or outside the University.

“Summer scholarships offer a unique opportunity for students to get a head start, do some interesting work and gain experience working with established researchers (all students have an academic supervisor at Victoria University).”

The Summer Gold Awards provide an added incentive for students to take part in the summer scholarships programme. All summer scholars are eligible to create a poster describing their research to a general audience in a clear and interesting way, with cash prizes of up to $2,000.

Businesses or organisations interested in hosting a student researcher this summer should email summer-research@vuw.ac.nz by 15 August.

ENDS

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