A University of Otago geology graduate, Dr James Scott, has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology to study the Alpine Fault's underlying mantle layers.
Dr Scott was one of 12 of New Zealand's most promising emerging researchers to be awarded the scholarship this week, foundation officials announced.
The researchers will each receive up to $277,500 over three years to undertake research involving national and international institutions.
He would study the sub-continental mantle layers of New Zealand's Alpine Fault, recognised worldwide as a highly significant geological structure, the officials said.
Starting next year, he would micro-analyse fragments of the sub-continental mantle that had been ejected in volcanic eruptions and were now fossilised in volcanic rocks.
Dr Scott has a BSc (Hons) and a PhD in geology from Otago University.
One of his mentors, Otago University geologist Prof Alan Cooper, said Dr Scott's fellowship was a significant national award and was also notable for being among the last 12 of the scholarships, which were being phased out.
Prof Cooper noted that the Earth's overlying crust was up to about 40km thick at the Southern Alps, but important insights about the underlying mantle could be gleaned by studying fragments of it that had been ejected and were now fossilised.
The other researchers who received fellowships are. -Shane Geange, Kristina Ramstad, Andreas Hermann (Victoria University); Michael Andereson, Laureline Meynier (Massey University); Tim Kerr (Niwa); Gus Grey, Greg Smith, Ilva Rupenthal (University of Auckland); Kelly Kilpin (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) and Daniel Bassett (Memorial University of Newfoundland).
Foundation organisers said the fellowships aimed to take New Zealand's emerging researchers to the next stage of their careers, and to help build greater national capability and knowledge.
Postdoctoral scholarships have been awarded by the foundation since 1993 but have recently been replaced by the Rutherford Discovery Fellowships scheme administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand.
