Ocean Industries Student Research Awards Competition Targets Top Talent

The Research & Development Corporation (RDC) today launched the details of the 2012 Ocean Industries Student Research Awards. The awards are for students studying offshore petroleum engineering and geoscience, ocean engineering, fisheries, aquaculture, marine science, and other areas that support innovation and the commercialization of ocean technologies.

“Newfoundland and Labrador is renowned internationally for its innovative research in ocean-related industries,” said the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister Responsible for the Research & Development Corporation. “By attracting and retaining top student researchers we are boosting the long-term sustainability and potential for this valuable sector. The RDC Ocean Industries Student Research Awards is a key instrument in this process, as well as advancing the capabilities of local researchers and promoting future employment in this province’s ocean industries.”

The awards range in value from up to $7,500 per year for undergraduate research and $20,000 to $30,000 per year at the graduate level. There will be an estimated 20 research awards available. The students’ research supervisors will also receive funding to support their supervisory work.

“Today’s announcement marks the third competitive call for applications, supports the development of highly-qualified researchers and focuses research and development (R&D) activities on priority areas relevant to Newfoundland and Labrador’s industry needs, competitive advantages and development opportunities,” said Glenn Janes, Chief Executive Officer of RDC. “The competitive funding awards enable top students to carry out leading research, strengthening R&D in this province.”

The awards are open to post-secondary undergraduate and graduate students in Canada and internationally, who are interested in pursuing ocean industries-related studies and research in Newfoundland and Labrador, at either Memorial University of Newfoundland or College of the North Atlantic.

Award candidates will be selected based on academic achievement, the technical merits of the proposed research plan and the relevance of the research to Newfoundland and Labrador’s ocean industries. The final selection of award recipients will be made with advice from RDC’s research awards committee, comprising academia, industry and government stakeholders.

Applications are available online at www.researchnl.com . The deadline for applications is January 27, 2012.

The Research & Development Corporation (RDC) is a provincial Crown corporation responsible for improving Newfoundland and Labrador’s R&D performance. RDC works with R&D stakeholders including business, academia and government agencies and departments. In Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador, the Provincial Government allocated more than $19 million to make strategic research and development related investments in people, strategic opportunities and infrastructure.

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2011 11 15             9:30 a.m.