Polytechnic students awarded top prizes at Coastal Symposium

Two Bay of Plenty Summer Scholarship students presented their summer research projects at the inaugural one day Coastal Economic Symposium – Treasuring the Bay, Whakamana te taonga o te Moana a Toi. Held at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s Bongard Centre on Friday, 20 January, the University of Waikato symposium was supported by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Priority One and the Regional Council.

Speakers at the symposium included Professor Chris Battershill (coastal research) Dr Simon Muncaster (aquaculture), Dr Michael Kearney (eel farming), Professor Murray Munro (marine pharmaceuticals), Hemi Rolleston, Maru Samuels and Antoine Coffine (iwi economic development) and guest speaker Professor Rocky de Nys from James Cook University in Australia (biofuels/biochar).

The final session of the day saw scholarship students present their projects – the format was based on the “th3sis in 3” idea of one Powerpoint slide and three minutes each.

Diploma in Marine Studies graduate and current Bachelor of Applied Science student Te Atarangi Sayers presented his aquaculture project: Hatchery techniques for breeding and rearing of sea cucumber Australostichopus (Huton) gaining first prize for his presentation.

Classmate and fellow graduate Nicholas Elliott presented his aquaculture project: Aquaculture of Kingfish at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, placing third equal.

This was an excellent result for both students as the competition was certainly tough. It was fantastic to see so much amazing research under one roof and we look forward to both seeing how these research projects will benefit our region in the coming years and to the next symposium in 2013.