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Welcome to BAYERBoost2010 Bayerboost Application Process Open: The BayerBoost Scholarship application process is now open for 2010. Please submit your applications by 5.00pm 30th September 2010 to:
2009 Bayerboost Scholarship recipients announced: This scholarship scheme is funded by Bayer New Zealand Ltd and administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand. It aims to provide financial assistance to students undertaking environmental research projects during their summer break. The following students were each awarded a BayerBoost scholarship this week. This will give them the opportunity to be hosted by an organization for a period of time over the summer holidays where they will undertake a specific research project. A summary of their research has been included. 
Bailey Lovett A Yr12 student at James Hargest College, Invercargill will be hosted by Environment Southland for six weeks undertaking research on microbial contamination of shellfish at Riverton. The investigation will compare the water quality of marine bodies (Riverton Rocks) with the water quality of freshwater bodies (Jacob’s River Estuary). The aim of the study is to determine whether the affected areas are safe for bathing and shellfish gathering, or whether a stand down period after flood events and rainfall is required. 
Raumiria Pohatu A Yr12 student at Aranui High School, Christchurch will be hosted by the He Oranga mo nga Uri Tuku Iho Trust, Ruatoria for six weeks. Raumiria will be undertaking research on stream environments, specifically profiling two streams, the Mangaharei and a stream within the Mangakino sub-catchment. Raumiria will be using both scientific and Maori research methodologies/approaches and she anticipates that the results of this project will raise awareness locally of the importance of water as a natural resource and to assist landowners, the local community and local authorities in managing water. 
Sonja Hempel A Yr13 student at Onslow College, Wellington will be hosted by NIWA, Wellington for 10 weeks. Sonja will be involved in evaluating the intensity of sampling required to adequately characterize deep-sea benthic assemblages from sea floor video and still images. This will involve analyzing the species present in photo transects from the Chatham Rise or Challenger Plateau and determining what level of analysis effort provides the best compromise between the time invested in the work and the completeness of the assemblage description. 
Alexandra Bowles A Yr 13 student at St Mary’s College in Wellington will be hosted by Otago University’s Zoology department for 10 weeks. She will be researching fresh water eels which are known to have a large ecological and economic impact in the New Zealand freshwater environment. An important part of their life cycle is the emigration from fresh water to salt water which they undertake after undergoing silvering, an event that can be induced by the steroid hormone 11-ketotestosterone. Alexandra will be working with a team that aims to discover the effects of different environmental factors on the eels’ responsiveness to this hormone; This, in turn, will improve her understanding of a native fish with substantial cultural, economic and ecological importance and aid in future decision making on stock management and maintenance of ecosystem health. 
Vicki Alderson-Wallace A student at Otago University who is in her second year of a Bachelor of Science Degree. Vicki will be hosted by Scion Research, Rotorua for a period of 12 weeks to undertake a research project to assist in the re-measurement of the Totora trial at Tapapakanga Regional Park. Vicki will be learning some new skills including the assessment of tree characteristics in the field including growth characteristics and subjective ratings of tree form and branching; experience in data analysis and presentation with forest biometricians and the evaluation of trial results and how this will contribute to a future vision of planted indigenous forests. 
Moniqua Nelson-Tunley A student in her third and final year of an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Zoology and Ecology at Massey University. She will be hosted by the Tongariro Natural History Society for twelve weeks of the summer semester to research the small-scaled skink of the Tongariro-Taupo region. Her main objectives are to determine if the small-scaled skink persist at three sites within the Tongariro region, namely Motutaiko Island, Poronui Station and Boyds Lodge and to determine whether Motutaiko Island remains rat free, as this will determine the long-term survivability of the skink. This research will be useful for forming a management plan for the species and fostering relationships between conservation organizations and the land owners where populations are found. |
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