Four University of Otago graduates have received a Brenda Shore Award for Women to support their postgraduate studies.
The 2009 recipients of the award, which provides up to $15,000 per student, include Konstanze Gebauer, Teresa Konlechner and Amy Weaver, who are doctoral students in respectively, ecology, botany and geography, and zoology.
The other recipient, Michelle Main, is undertaking a master of applied science degree in environmental management.
The award supports women doing postgraduate research which involves Otago, Southland or the Antarctic, with preference for graduates in natural sciences.
Ms Gebauer aims to develop a spatially explicit population model to aid efforts to protect Central Otago's threatened grand skink.
Ms Konlechner is examining the marine dispersal of marram grass, a significant weed in coastal dunes.
Ms Main will investigate cultural and ecological issues surrounding wildlife conservation.
Ms Weaver is studying the effect of land-use intensification on nutrient loading and microbial productivity in aquatic ecosystems.
