Student Prize Scheme

Sponsored by the Environment Agency and Poole Harbour Commissioners

The Poole Harbour Study Group awards two periodic prizes for the best undergraduate and postgraduate (excluding PhD) degree projects, on the Poole Harbour environment, addressing any aspect of its biodiversity, ecology, physico-chemical or geomorphological characteristics, or human influences or exploitation.

Eligible projects must have been submitted for assessment to an educational institution.

The prizes will include a prize certificate, a cash award of £100 provided by the sponsors and optional publication in the Poole Harbour Study Group Report Series.

Calls for submissions will be made from time to time covering all projects completed since the last prizes awarded.

Poole Harbour Study Group

The Poole Harbour Study Group (www.pooleharbourstudygroup.org.uk) encourages and disseminates objective research on the Poole Harbour environment, from its physical and geomorphological characteristics through all aspects of its ecology, to its geography and socio-economics.

The Poole Harbour Study Group is committed to remaining outside of the political arena through which decisions must be made on the uses of the Harbour. Rather it focuses on encouraging and facilitating objective and sound scientific information for others to interpret in relation to any policy and decision making.

The undergraduate and postgraduate prizes are part of a Poole Harbour Study Group initiative to more actively encourage student research projects focussed on the Harbour. The Poole Harbour Study Group is very grateful to the Environment Agency (www.environment-agency.gov.uk) and the Poole Harbour Commissioners (www.phc.co.uk) for providing sponsorship for these prizes.

Poole Harbour Study Group Prizes

The prizes will be awarded for the best undergraduate and best postgraduate project reports on the Poole Harbour environment. To be eligible the project must have been submitted for formal assessment to an educational institution within the specified period. The work must be substantial, such as a research project rather than a course essay, but the format can vary according to the requirements of the institution and could take the form of new empirical work or a thorough critical review. Projects will be assessed according to their originality, rigor and overall quality, and the extent to which they increase understanding of the Poole Harbour environment.

Judging will be by a panel comprised of Poole Harbour Study Group members, including a representative from the sponsors, representing a cross-section of interests and experience within the Harbour. The judging panel will be selected by the Poole Harbour Study Group, and will make the final decision as to whether a project falls within the scope of the prizes both in terms of location and subject matter.

The timings of the undergraduate and postgraduate prizes are determined by the typical dates on which undergraduate and postgraduate research projects are submitted and marked within educational institutions. Research projects should be submitted to the Poole Harbour Study Group after they have been submitted for assessment within the institution. Prize results will be announced after marks have been returned to students from the institution.

Subsequent to the award of the prize, the Poole Harbour Study Group may issue a press release, with photographs, naming the winning student, her or his institution and project supervisor, and representatives of the sponsors with comments.

For further details please contact Professor John Humphreys (jhc@jhc.co).