AN Aberystwyth University student has scooped a £1,000 travel scholarship award to carry out research into Norway’s kelp population.

Emily Groves, who is currently studying for a degree in marine and freshwater biology, has won the Aberystwyth Travel Scholarship from the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales.

The money will help Emily with her studies by allowing her to carry out the research work during the summer.

That work will help provide details on the thermotolerance of the kelp populations in the region, which are vital for the local ecology’s food chain.

Emily, who is originally from Canada where she studied at Nova Scotia’s Dalhousie University, will study for a Master’s degree at Bangor University after graduating from Aberystwyth and hopes to work in conservation following her Master’s.

She said: “I am delighted to receive the scholarship from the Worshipful Livery Company of Wales as it will be extremely beneficial to my research that I plan to do over the summer in preparation for my Master’s degree at Bangor University.”

Madeleine Bidder, the chair of the awards committee, added: “We are very happy to provide Emily with the Aberystwyth Travel Scholarship award.

“Her work will hopefully shed new light with fellow academics in her research field and this can help lead to better protection of the local ecology. We wish her well on her travels.”

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