Solent Forum Student Bursary
One of the aims of the Solent Forum is to further our understanding of the natural and human environment of the Solent. To assist this aim the Forum has a bursary scheme where funding is available to help support dissertation projects undertaken by both undergraduate and graduate students.
Eligibility
All students, irrespective of institution, may apply for a bursary as long as they meet the application form criteria. The geographical area covered by the dissertation must coincide, either totally or partially, with the Solent Forum study boundary. The project must also be on a coastal topic or theme.
Funding provided
The fund will help meet essential travel and research expenses. There will be a limit of £200 per project. It is likely that successful projects will also receive advice and support from relevant local stakeholders where possible.
Requirements
Students who are interested will be asked to fill in the relevant application form below, which will help provide information on their project and the likely costs involved. A group of academics and Solent Forum members will then meet to discuss the proposals and decide which ones should be granted funding.
Conditions
For those who are successfully granted funding, a condition of the funding will be that the Solent Forum is to receive copy of the finished dissertation. A certificate will be awarded at the graduation ceremony of the student and they will be invited to present their findings at a Solent Forum members meeting but at their own cost.
Timetable
Proposals must be in by the end of May. A decision will be made shortly after that with regards to which projects have been successful and the students will be informed before their summer break.
Submission
You can download an application form from this website.
All forms to be submitted to the Solent Forum, c/o Hampshire County Council, Environment Department, QEII Court, Winchester, SO23 8UE or email to info@solentforum.org.
Those awarded funding in 2010, were as follows:
Charlotte Flasse
University of Southampton, BSc Environmental Science
An investigation of the response of intertidal communities to surface water run-off point source pollution
The overall aim is to investigate the impacts of surface water (including road) run-off from outfall pipes on inter-tidal communities spatially and temporally.
Objectives:
- To identify a community gradient response in relation to proximity to outfalls.
- To identify changes in diversity and abundance with distance away from the outfall pipe.
- To identify any differences in inter-tidal community responses to pollution over time.
- To suggest management implications for point source run-off locations in the Solent region in relation to intertidal communities and trophic interactions.
Matt Wadey
University of Southampton, Phd
Real-time modelling of defence failure and coastal flooding in the Solent
Aims are to construct a model that can provide coastal flood forecasts which are in the form of 12-hour advance predictions of defence failure and simulations of inundation. This will be in response to nearshore forecasts of waves and water levels typically produced from storm surges. The Solent will be used to validate and test the model (whilst not losing focus of the fact that this work is to identify data and methodology required to optimise the model for a specific region; and how the overall development process may improve assessment of flood risk and exposure). The main objectives are to identify timing and location of breach and overtopping. This will provide the basis for numerical modelling of inundation to provide multiple scenario outputs of flood extent and depth that can be used for emergency response and planning. This may applicable to real-time or offline analysis.
Vicky Walkley
University of Southampton, BSc Geography
The use of active depth measurements and Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged tracer pebbles to investigate sediment transport dynamics at Eastoke, Hayling Island, UK
This study aims to investigate the coastal sediment transport dynamics at Eastoke, Hayling Island, in order to provide more reliable data to aid coastal management decisions. To achieve these aims, the objectives of the project are to determine:
- the depth of the active layer of the beach
- the sediment transport rate and prominent direction
Whether relationships exist between:
- Grain size and sediment transport rate
- Grain shape and sediment transport rate
- Wave conditions and sediment transport rate
- How these factors influence erosion/deposition and beach morphology
