The FSBI has established an annual competition to fund summer undergraduate internships for student members of the FSBI. The aim of the programme is to enable undergraduates to conduct supervised research in the UK or Ireland lasting up to 8 weeks during the summer vacation whilst registered as a student, or during the summer immediately after completing their final year of studies. The FSBI will provide a grant of £200 (c. €236) per week up to a maximum of £1600 (i.e. 8 weeks) towards subsistence and travel expenses. We expect that 8-10 awards will be made each year.

Applicants should be studying for an honours degree in a subject relevant to fish biology, normally biological sciences, but other degree programmes will be considered if the proposed project is within the field of fish biology or fish management. Awards will not be made to support work that forms part of a degree programme or for participation in an expedition. The project submitted by the applicant should be approved by the proposed supervisor, and by the Head of Department within the proposed host institution in the UK or Ireland. Projects do not have to be conducted within the department or institution where the applicant is registered for a degree. Research projects may be in any field relevant to fish biology and to the aims of the FSBI as stated at http://www.fsbi.org.uk. These would normally be projects in which fish are the primary species but could include those that examine the influence of non-fish taxa on an aspect of fish biology. However, the focus of the research must be fish biology, and the FSBI reserves the right to decide on the suitability of proposed research topics for the awards. It is a condition of funding that a report is completed by successful interns within three months of completion of the internship.    

INTERNSHIPS AWARDED IN 2011

James Baird. University of Glasgow (supervisor: Willie Yeomans). The Bullhead (Cottus gobio) in Scotland: invasive, non-native species and/or an example of ex-situ conservation.

Rosanne Dinsdale. University of Aberdeen (supervisors: Tara Marshall, and Coby Needle Marine Scotland-Science, Marine Laboratory Aberdeen). Evaluating observer effects in discard sampling.

Amy Durrant. University of Plymouth (supervisor: Richard Thompson). Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and demersal fish.

Eimar Egan. University College Cork (supervisor: Simon Harrison). An assessment of the diet of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with respect to timing of emergence and the relationship between in-stream production of the prey of emerging salmon fry.

Laura Weir. University of Glasgow (supervisor: Barry O'Neill Marine Scotland-Science, Marine Laboratory Aberdeen). The behaviour of cod, monkfish and megrim at the mouth of demersal trawl fishing gears.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

The closing date for applications is 1700 h 15 March 2012. Applications will be screened by the Studentship Committee in March/April and successful applicants informed by early May.

Electronic submissions and letters of reference should be sent to: FSBI Office. Alternatively, send three paper copies of the completed form to the FSBI Administrative Office to arrive by 15 March 2012.

FSBI Administrative Office

c/o Charity & Social Enterprise Unit
Brabners, Horton House
Exchange Flags
Liverpool
L2 3YL, UK

Contact: Gill Ashall
Phone: +44 (0)151 600 3362
Email enquiries

Weblinks to: Information  Application form   Final Report Form