Science bursary assists aspiring students

The Condamine Alliance has established a bursary with the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in 2012 to assist aspiring students to reach their full potential in a career in resource management.

Condamine Alliance CEO Phil McCullough said the alliance wanted to provide an opportunity for a local student to gain firsthand experience in working across the array of valuable natural assets in the Condamine catchment.

USQ will offer one Condamine Alliance Natural Resource Management Bursary to a student pursuing a Bachelor of Science (Environment and Sustainability) each year for the next five years. The bursary includes the opportunity for paid employment for a period of eight weeks with the Condamine Alliance and one of its many affiliated partners.

USQ student Spencer Rigby was awarded the $2500 bursary in April at the Faculty of Science awards night.

Lucy Richardson from the Condamine Alliance congratulates Spencer Rigby on his bursary. Photo credit: USQ Photography.

Rigby said he applied for the bursary for the financial assistance and for the opportunity to gain experience in environmental fields that interest him. The bursary has enabled him to purchase textbooks and supplies that as a father of three he would otherwise have found difficult to buy.

Rigby has a background in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) which are used as a platform for comparisons in environmental science.

“Ensuring the availability of a clean water supply for future generations is one area that I am really interested in and the bursary will enable me to pursue this and other interests,” he said.

USQ Head of Department of Biological and Physical Sciences, Associate Professor Joachim Ribbe, said the practical aspect of the bursary is a tremendous opportunity for students to gain invaluable workplace experience.

“Industry experience with the Condamine Alliance or any of their affiliated partners is a real bonus,” Professor Ribbe said.

The eight weeks of full-time work can be arranged to fit in with the recipient’s study timetable.