New Council scholarships support creative projects

Nine Wellington students have each been awarded $5000 by Wellington City Council for research projects promoting creativity and innovation.

The students’ projects include everything from a proposal to develop a three-dimensional digital model of Wellington City, to a wave energy centre on the seabed opposite the old Owhiro Bay Quarry site, to a plan to add a more human touch to artificial limb design. Other projects suggest new ways to manage historic sites, house festival events or use City buildings.

The scholarships, being awarded for the first time, are for graduate and postgraduate university students undertaking research in the areas of creativity and innovation.

“Some great ideas have been presented by the students – not to mention a few challenges to the way we do things in Wellington,” says Mayor Kerry Prendergast.

“The best way for our city to show that it leads the country in supporting creative New Zealanders is to put its money where its mouth is and encourage these fresh, new ideas.

“Creativity and innovation will drive economic prosperity in the 21st century and Wellington intends to enhance its position as the creative and innovative centre of New Zealand,” says Mayor Prendergast.

The winners of the Wellington City Council Scholarships for Creativity and Innovation are: Victoria University Building Science Honours student Rachel Ryan, for her project to build a 3-D model of Wellington City); Massey University Master of Management student Edward Spence (relationship between knowledge-sharing and creativity in industry); Victoria Master of Commerce and Administration student Murdoch Stephens (development of local creative communities); Victoria Design Honours students Aimee Wiles (examining memory and historical significance in relationship to design) and Michelle Windust (creating temporary settings that support creative collaboration and innovation); Victoria Architecture students Simon Yates (wave energy centre) and Mathew French (an alternative creative approach to the use of Shed 35 as a mutual exchange centre for international aid agencies); Massey Master of Industrial Design student Daniel Buxton (human aesthetic in artificial limb design); and Massey Master of Design student Frankie Rouse (exploring the working methods of five New Zealand photographers).

“By supporting great ideas, Wellington City Council aims to create an internationally acclaimed ‘creative city’,” says Mayor Prendergast. “This will position Wellington, whose vision is ‘Creative Wellington – Innovation Capital’, at the heart of the creative economy.

“Research in this area will help to yield a more specific understanding of how these ideals can be applied in Wellington. We wish these students success with their research and look forward to seeing the results.”

The scholarships, for one year, will be awarded annually. The closing date for the next round of scholarships will be 30 April 2006.

ENDS

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