Rena provides scholarships

Fifteen students have received scholarships to take part in the monitoring programme for Rena Recovery.

The student programmes include one PHD, seven Masters of Science and seven summer school internships.

Professor Chris Battershill, Waikato University chair of coastal science, who is helping to oversee the monitoring programme, said that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for these students.

The 15 students will be based at the Sulphur Point Marine Station, although some will also spend time at the
University's Hamilton campus. Their research will focus on a range of areas within the monitoring programme
from ecotoxicology to microbiology.

Prof Battershill said the studies include researching the long-term impacts of Rena oil on soft sediment kaimoana, the
effects on water quality around Motiti Island and Otaiti (Astrolabe Reef) and developing a hydrodynamic model to
monitor the dispersal and mixing of Rena oil in the Bay of Plenty. `

`We are very excited to welcome these students on board, and particularly in this unique case where tertiary partners are working collaboratively to be able to ensure the highest calibre of research is undertaken,'' Prof Battershill said.