News - Students to Help Local Companies
University of Exeter press release
From promoting traditional Cornish music to testing the viability of a wind turbine for a local surf-wear company, University of Exeter students will be working with companies across Cornwall this summer. 20 students from the University's Tremough Campus, Penryn, are taking advantage of grants to support valuable work experience while helping a local business or charity.
Catherine Hill will be taking what she has learned during the first year of her Ecology and Conservation degree and applying it to a project at Carn Marth, near Redruth. Working with the Carn Marth Trust, Catherine will be leading a conservation project to control invasive bracken, which is threatening the unique range of flora and fauna that exists in this remote area. As well as leading teams to clear the bracken, Catherine will be using the expertise she has gained through her degree course to identify and monitor the plants and insects that exist at Carn Marth.
Catherine grew up in Cornwall and, after working in a variety of jobs in London and back in her home county, she returned to studying and moved to Redruth. She says: "Despite living so locally, I have only recently discovered Carn Marth and it really is one of Cornwall's hidden gems. I am excited by the prospect of getting to know this beautiful place over the summer and playing a part in protecting it so that more people can enjoy it in the future."
Renewable Energy student Martin Drake-Knight is joining ethical surf-wear company Finisterre, based at St Agnes. Despite recently being recognised for its environmental record at the Observer Ethical Awards, Finisterre has asked Martin to assess how it can build more sustainable practices into its business plan. Using the expertise he has gained from studying with Camborne School of Mines on the UK's first renewable energy degree, Martin will be assessing the conditions of the site to see if a wind turbine would be a viable option for Finisterre.
Frances Bennett, who grew up in Camborne and now lives in Truro, will be advancing her work on promoting Cornish music. Alongside studying for a PhD with the Institute of Cornish Studies, Frances runs Redruth-based charitable organisation Cumpas with her colleague Hilary Coleman. A keen fiddle player, Frances delivers events and education to promote Cornish traditional music. Cumpas has been growing rapidly over the last ten years and Frances will be spending the summer working on a business plan for the future of the company.
Simon Davies, who has just graduated with a degree in Applied Geology has been working with Impact Solutions Group in St Agnes. The company makes drill mud additives, which are used in the oil industry, for companies all over the world. They asked Simon to investigate the impact of particular kinds of drill mud, with the addition of an additive that the company produces, on different rock surfaces. Simon will be giving a formal presentation on his research, which also formed the basis of his degree dissertation, to the company this summer.
Simon said: "This has been a fantastic opportunity to apply my academic experience in the workplace. By working in a new environment, I've developed a professional approach and communication skills, which should stand me in good stead now that I'm applying for jobs."
Paul Reid of Impact Solutions Group said: "Simon's work has given us a useful and interesting insight into the invasion of drilling mud solids into permeable rocks. He has set the scene for further work that we hope to do with the University to understand how products and processes can be developed that minimise the damage many drilling fluids cause to oil and gas reservoirs."
Professor Matthew Evans, Provost of the University of Exeter's Cornwall Campus (Tremough) said: "These projects are a good example of the way in which Exeter's Cornwall Campus can interact with businesses in a positive way. This scheme builds on many other projects we have developed with local businesses between our staff and students. From the mine surveying 'robot' invented by one of our PhD students and manufactured locally to a major collaboration between our geographers and Porthcurno Museum, we believe the University can achieve greater things through partnership - and working with local companies is at the heart of this."
The Tremough Campus is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council. Set in 70 acres of countryside, but close to the waterside towns of Penryn and Falmouth, the campus offers a lively student community. The University of Exeter now offers degrees in Biology, Modern Celtic and Cornish Studies, English, Geology, Geography, History, Law, Mining Engineering, Politics and Renewable Energy on the Tremough Campus, which has expanded rapidly as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative.