Falklands : ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS IN THIS YEAR’S SHACKLETON AWARDS
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 15.05.2009 (Article Archived on 29.05.2009)
According to a press release from David Tatham, six scholars have been informed of their 2009 Shackleton scholarships. All applicants proposed to study environmental topics in the Falkland Islands.
ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS IN THIS YEAR’S SHACKLETON AWARDS
By J. Brock (FINN)
According to a press release from David Tatham, six scholars have been informed of their 2009 Shackleton scholarships. All applicants proposed to study environmental topics in the Falkland Islands.
Two scholars from Denmark received a Shackleton award for the first time. They are Dr J A Tougaard and Miss Line Kyhn, who will monitor Commerson’s dolphins and Peale’s dolphins within the inshore waters of the Falkland Islands. They will provide technical guidance to Falklands Conservation in installing passive acoustic monitoring equipment. This is a cost effective way of monitoring coastal species and the technique is particularly relevant to projects for port development and oil exploration which could affect the activities of whales and dolphins in future.
Miss Orea Anderson and Miss Gillian Robb Two scholars from Queen’s University, Belfast, will study dietary specialisation among tussock nesting birds in the Islands, particularly Cobb’s Wren and the Tussock Bird. This project ties in well with the Falklands Conservation action plan for these birds.
Both the remaining scholars have already received Shackleton Scholarships some years previously. Dr Alastair Lavery, who works for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in Scotland, studied spiders of the Falkland Islands in 2004 and has received a grant of £1000 to build on this work. Dr Claire Goodwin, also a student from Queens University Belfast, studied marine sponges off the Falklands in 2008, and has received £2000 to pursue this research.
The Shackleton Scholarship Fund was established in 1995 after the death of Edward Lord Shackleton, to commemorate his life and that of his father the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The Fund spends about £12000 annually on academic scholarships which add to knowledge of the South Atlantic and on quality of life awards which will enrich the lives of Falkland Islanders.
Further information can be obtained from David Tatham in England (00 44 1531 634 085) or Carol Peck in the Falkland Islands (00500 21724).
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