Aspire Student Achievement Awards 2009/10
The Aspire Awards have been established to acknowledge high standards of work. Aspire stands for Advancing Skills for Professionals in the Rural Economy.
The Aspire Centre is the only Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning within an institution or university faculty that specialises in supporting the needs of the rural economy, land-based and food sectors. Harper Adams was selected in recognition of its outstanding work in helping students develop their academic and professional skills, providing work-based learning for sandwich students, meeting the continuing professional development needs of rural professionals and supporting those with a disability.
The following students were presented with the Aspire prize for the best Professional Research Project by Dr Abigail Hind, Aspire Director on graduation at Harper Adams University College:
Ian Bourke
Ian Bourke of Westport, County Mayo achieved a merit for his FdSc degree in Agricultural Engineering and has since returned to Harper to top up to an honours degree. His research project was to design a modification to the bale kicker on a McHale round baler after spending a placement year with the same company.
The 23-year-old was also awarded the Douglas Bomford Trust Prize for the best HND/FdSc Agricultural Engineering student. His prize was presented Professor Paul Miller.
Emma Grant
Emma Grant of Roos near Hull gained the award for her research project which reviewed the methane emissions from cows and asked the question "should we all become vegetarian in order to reduce emissions?" Emma's conclusion was not that we should become vegetarian, but that we should look to change our diets to reduce emissions.
The 21-year-old was also presented with the McConnel Prize for the best foundation Agri-food Marketing with Business Studies student. This is presented in memory of Christopher Machattie and was presented by Dr Geoffrey Davies OBE, Managing Director of Alamo Group Europe Ltd.
Sarah Phillips
Sarah Phillips of Pulford, Chester, gained a merit for her FdSc degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management. She spent her placement year at Pilgrim Bond in Lambourn which specialise in sales, letting and management of equine property.
She was inspired by her work here and went on to investigate "what makes a good equine rental property" for her professional research project.
Hannah Jackson
Hannah Jackson of Aston, Bampton, achieved a FdSc degree in Veterinary Nursing and has since returned to Harper Adams to top up to an honours degree.
For her professional research project, the 22-year-old chose "an investigation into canine dental problems", looking at the relationship between breed of dog, weight and age to the severity of dental problems.
Aspire: as-pir', v., to aim at or strive for higher things
