Neville Shulman Awards support scientists of the present and futureTwo young scientists have been given the opportunity to develop their own research projects in 2009, thanks to the Earthwatch Neville Shulman Awards. The Awards have been established to assist emerging leaders in education and field science in support of conservation in Africa and Asia.

Neville Shulman's endowment will enable Earthwatch to identify and then support two active and emerging leaders each year to continue their career in conservation either as a scientist, as a teacher, or as a practising conservationist. In the first year of the awards, Hildergarde Aloyce from Tanzania will be making a series of educational films about marine pollution in and around Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, and Helena Francourt from the Seychelles will be researching the effectiveness of Marine National Parks in the Seychelles.

Six individuals were nominated for the awards by Earthwatch lead scientists, and their proposals were considered by a selection panel. While Hildergarde and Helena received sponsorship for their projects, four runners-up each received funding to continue their training in environmental conservation. The runners-up will also be encouraged to reapply for the awards in future.

Sarah Staunton-Lamb, Earthwatch's Capacity Development Programme Manager, says, "These awards can really make a difference. It gives them exposure to what it is like to set up a research project and make it sustainable. We have also developed budgeting tools for them, to help them to work out how to manage money."