Sir Frank Moore Award for Excellence in PhD Research
The STCRC Education Program Award for Excellence was introduced to assist in the communication of PhD research to industry and to allow for excellence in PhD research to be recognised and rewarded.
This annual award is open to all STCRC PhD students who have completed and been formally advised of the award of their doctorates, within the 12 months prior to the deadline for applications.
The judging panel, which consists of senior academics, industry representatives and STCRC management, meet once a year to decide on the winners. The standard of applicants is always extremely high. The judges base their decision on the executive summary of the PhD thesis; the level of any journal publications the student had published; the evidence of how the research had impacted on, or been taken up by, industry; and by reviewing the examiners’ reports.
In 2008 it was announced that the Award will become known as the Sir Frank Moore Award for Excellence in PhD research, in tribute of the founding Chairman of the STCRC, Sir Frank Moore.
At a prestigious dinner held at the Old Custom House in Brisbane, it was announced that the 2008 winner of the Award for Excellence was Dr Aggie Wegner, a former PhD student from Murdoch University. Dr Wegner was presented with a cheque for $5,000, together with a glass trophy and a framed certificate.
Dr Wegner’s thesis was titled “Relationships with many facets: unpacking the interactions between protected area managers and commercial tour operators”. The study explores the power play between the two groups, examining how protected area managers, including conservation staff, interact with organisations running commercial tourism ventures.
There were two joint runners up, Dr Gabby Walters and Dr Peter Sherwood, who will each receive a cheque for $1,000 and a certificate. Thuy-Huong Truong was awarded a Highly Commended Certificate.