Wilderlab eDNA Scholarship

Study area(s): Science
Scholarship level: Doctoral; Master’s Research; Master's by coursework
Closing date(s): 30 September
Tenure: One year
Award for: International; Domestic
Number offered: One
Value: One eDNA kit

History and purpose

Alumnus Dr Shaun Wilkinson is the founder and CEO of Wilderlab, Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading environmental DNA (eDNA) testing laboratory. The company has generously donated valuable water sampling kits and DNA sequencing analysis to a student researcher at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

This award supports a postgraduate student (Masters or PhD) with their associated eDNA costs in the pursuit of their research related to ecology, conservation, biodiversity or restoration ecology.

Developer of ground-breaking e-DNA water testing kits pays it forward

Who is eligible?

  • Students must be enrolled or intending to enrol full-time or part-time in postgraduate study (Masters or PhD) in the pursuit of their research related to ecology, conservation, biodiversity or restoration ecology.

Selection criteria

  • Applicants’ research projects must focus on a complementary field of study.
  • Recipients will be selected based on the merit of their application and research project

Application process

A call for proposals will be announced by the Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration and Ecology each September.

Please direct any questions to SBS-admin@vuw.ac.nz

Selection process

Decsion will be made by Directors of the Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration and Ecology.

Additional information

The recipient will write a letter of thanks to the donor.

Recipients are expected to act as Ambassadors for the Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology and participate in appropriate events or marketing if requested.

The recipient will provide a written report after the year following their award to be submitted to the donor.

  • The award consists of a gift of Wilderlab eDNA sampling kits and comprehensive eDNA sequencing analysis for 24 samples, total market value of approximately $7,680 + GST + shipping.
  • Once distributed by Victoria University of Wellington, the sampling kits and analyses will need to be used within 2 years after the award has been granted. The student will credit Wilderlab and CBRE in any written or verbal communication or articles they may represent to the wider scholarly and/or scientific community.

Conditions

  1. All offers of the Scholarship will be conditional upon the recipient being enrolled in a full-year programme, within the criteria and tenure of the scholarship. No payment of the Scholarship will be made until this condition is met.
  2. The Scholarship cannot be deferred to a later year.
  3. The Scholarship may be held in conjunction with other University awards.
  4. Recipients are expected to act as Ambassadors for Victoria University of Wellington and participate in appropriate events or marketing if requested.
  5. At the discretion of the Deciding Authority, the application of the terms and conditions of the Scholarship may be modified in special circumstances or to avoid hardship to any candidate for the Scholarship.

Contact

Scholarships Office
scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz
Phone 0800 04 04 04