UC student wins a 2012 Sir Peter Blake Trust award

University of Canterbury engineering student Charlie Wilkinson from Auckland has won the 2012 Sir Peter Blake Trust’s Antarctic Youth Ambassador Engineering Award.

Wilkinson will work on engineering projects in the Antarctic over summer and the hours will count toward his civil engineering degree.

``I am in my third year of study at the University of Canterbury (UC). The skills l have developed through my studies and practical experience will enable me to help out with the engineering projects that Antarctica NZ will be carrying out over summer,’’ Wilkinson said today.

``Antarctica is a continent I have always dreamt of visiting and I know that I will learn a lot, will be challenged and will gain much personally from the experience. The opportunity to visit the places where great explorers like Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton set out on their explorations will be exciting. My work will be varied and I look forward to contributing to the running of Scott Base, the Crater Hill Windfarm and other projects on the ice.

``I look forward to sharing my experiences when I get back and hope they will inspire others to care more about Antarctica and the environment, and in a small way hope to keep Peter Blake's dream alive,’’ Wilkinson said.

He follows another UC engineering student John Evans who won the same award last year.