For the third time the College, in collaboration with Shell, ran the Shell Churchill Research Prize. It gives the opportunity for final year Undergraduate or first and second year Graduate student in STEM subjects to win a prize of £3,000 by submitting the best research proposal.
This year 8 students were shortlisted to prepare a poster and present their ideas to a panel of College Fellows (Vice-Master Professor Ken Siddle, Dr Chris Hicks, and Dr Jethro Akroyd) and Shell representatives (Dr Catherine Price and Ms Hardeep Grewal). All the candidates presented well and were informative and insightful; the judges had a difficult decision to select a winner. However we are proud to announce that this year’s winner is Nicholas Barber (G18) who presented on understanding the role magmas play in supplying metals to ore deposits.
The College is pleased to continue to work with Shell, as an original benefactor to the College, and is grateful for its support of students’ research through funding this prize.
It’s an incredible honour to receive the Shell Churchill Research Prize. This award will make my ambitious 5 week field campaign a reality, providing the foundation of my PhD. It also gives me the confidence to assert the value my research has in the eyes of industry. That’s a connection I’ve been eager to develop, as it’s crucial to relate these types of geological problems to societally important issues. Every stage of this process enhanced the progression of my long term research strategies and goals. Trying to frame my issue in a way that appealed to industry forced me to familiarize myself with new literature, methodology, and ideas that have contributed immensely towards the development of my project. Thank you so much to Shell and the Fellows of Churchill College!
— Nicholas Barber (G18)
