The WIDE Trust: Empowering Aspiring Forestry Professionals Through Scholarships
The WIDE Trust's mission to support and empower aspiring forestry professionals is in full swing as we approach the midpoint of 2023. Scholarship recipients, Maude, Emma, Joe, and Patrick, have provided us with their insightful midterm reports, showcasing their remarkable progress, dedication, and passion for the field of forestry. From practical experiences to research projects, these students have truly embraced the opportunities granted to them through a WIDE Trust scholarship.
Maude Rogers has been pursuing her forestry science degree with great enthusiasm. During the summer break, she completed an internship with Scion Research, which she found “incredibly rewarding because it helped me see how the theory we learn in university actually applies in the real world.” Working as a forest ecology intern, Maude contributed to a project focused on wilding pine coning numbers and their correlation with tree measurements. Her involvement extended both in the office, exploring statistical influences, and in the field, collecting representative data from various locations. Maude's dedication and practical experiences have deepened her understanding of forestry science, reinforcing the relevance of her academic knowledge.
Emma Walters has been immersing herself in her studies and research endeavours. Her summer internship at Puharakekenui | Styx Living Laboratory Trust allowed her to collect data for her dissertation on ecosystem restoration activities at Styx Mill Conservation Reserve. "I have learnt a great deal from this course as it brought together all the skills that I have learnt from previous years and applied them to a 'real world' scenario." Emma's coursework has also been demanding, including a case study and her dissertation work. Despite the challenges, she appreciates the opportunity to apply her previous learnings to real-world scenarios. Emma's dedication to her studies, exemplified by sacrificing her holidays to work on her dissertation, showcases her commitment to the field of forestry.
Joe Falloon, driven by his passion for growing trees, has found his coursework in Forestry Science highly engaging. Learning about forest biology and ecosystems has not only deepened his understanding but also highlighted the crucial role forests play in our environment. Joe has been excitedly tackling biometry, including coding statistical models using R studio. He found the most exciting part of the semester was a field trip to Westport, where he “spent many hours in groups researching and collecting a variety of relevant data samples in the most amazing locations.” He found the trip a great bonding experience for the whole class, we’ve all become a really tight group because of it and it's really elevated the learning experience as a whole for sure." His interest in the engineering side of forestry has been piqued through an introduction to engineering paper, where he and his classmates constructed a complete harvest plant for a real forest. Joe's enthusiasm and the field trip to Westport have fostered a strong sense of camaraderie within his class, elevating their collective learning experience.
Patrick Humphrey, working towards his Master's thesis on "Forest 4.0: The Integration of Industry 4.0 Technologies into Forestry Harvesting Operations for Predictive Maintenance Applications," has made significant progress in his research. His chosen topic explores the potential of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies to “enhance efficiency, reduce downtime, and improve sustainability in the forestry industry." Patrick has completed and submitted his work plan/research proposal, showcasing his ability to structure and organise his project effectively. He is also engaged in building neural networks and machine learning algorithms, utilising industry data to develop accurate and reliable maintenance strategies. Patrick's research aims to establish a cyber-physical system for real-time monitoring, optimising decision-making and resource allocation within forestry harvesting operations.
Maude, Emma, Joe, and Patrick have demonstrated exceptional dedication and progress in their forestry studies. From practical experiences in fieldwork and internships to research projects exploring the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, these students are paving the way for a vibrant future in forestry. The WIDE Trust is proud to support and empower these aspiring professionals, and we eagerly look forward to witnessing their continued growth and contributions to the field.