CAT’s Postgraduate Bursaries: an introduction to the 2020 recipients
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The Sir John Houghton Bursary, and the new for 2020 Ethel and Gwynne Morgan Trust Bursary, were awarded to 3 new postgraduate students from CAT’s Graduate School of the Environment. We are pleased to introduce the recipients here.
The bursaries, both worth £4,500, were open to applications from students who might otherwise have been unable to fund their studies this September and who had promising academic records. The bursary will go towards helping the recipients to fund the costs of studying on one of our postgraduate courses. Each recipient brings with them an interest in a variety of sustainability topics and we look forward to seeing how they use their interests alongside the knowledge and skills learnt during their studies at CAT to make a real difference in their chosen field.
Zuzana Sojková – Green Building student
Zuzana alongside Sara was awarded funding through the Sir John Houghton Bursary. Currently completing her RIBA Part III course to become a qualified architect, Zuzana works as an architectural assistant and volunteers for Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN) as part of their Education group.
Part of her volunteering work with the group involves campaigning for embedding climate literacy and design within planetary limits into the core.
Zuzana said:
“I chose CAT’s Green Building course to gain deeper understanding of sustainable construction and energy flows, to utilise this knowledge in practice, and disseminate it through my volunteering. I am very grateful for receiving the Sir John Houghton Bursary, which motivated me to start this course now, in spite of the economic insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Sara Botero – Sustainable Food and Natural Resources student
Sara is one of the recipients of part of the Sir John Houghton Bursary. Originally born in Colombia and having grown up surrounded by nature, Sara is passionate about creating positive change and protecting our environment. This led Sara to study Environmental Science at the University of Reading and after graduating to use painting and drawing to spread important messages such as veganism, zero waste and intersectional feminism. Through studying on CAT’s Sustainable Food and Natural Resources course Sara’s aim is to get involved with initiatives that create collaborative solutions for the issues we are facing due to climate change.
Sir John Houghton, who sadly passed away this year, originally made a generous donation in 2016 which allows the Graduate School to run the bursary. Both students extend their thanks to Sir John Houghton and his family and Sara said:
“It is thanks to the bursary created by Sir John Houghton that I am able to attend CAT and for that I am deeply thankful. My aim is to make as much of a positive impact as possible and CAT was the next step. I’m so excited to start my studies and meet likeminded people, thank you for this opportunity.”
Joe Harvey – Green Building student
The 2020 Ethel and Gwynne Morgan Trust Bursary recipient is Joe Harvey who is also enrolled on our Green Building course. As the first recipient of this new bursary, he is incredibly grateful to CAT and the Ethel and Gwynne Morgan Trust as it has made a huge difference in making studying for the MSc Green Building a possibility. With a background in art, Joe studied sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art and is currently a woodworker for Glasgow Wood Recycling which is part of the national network of community wood recycling social enterprises. Glasgow Wood Recycling upcycles wood waste into long-lasting furniture and garden items as well as building outdoor environments for schools and other community projects.
When asked why he chose to study with us Joe said:
“I am interested in the Green Building course because of its emphasis on practical knowledge and design thinking. All the modules sound like things I’m interested to learn more about. Studying at CAT appeals to me because it’s not a normal university and because it seems like a unique place that has been committed to experimental research and carving its own path.”
Congratulations to the recipients and we look forward to seeing how they get on with their studies.
Find out more about funding a postgraduate course at CAT
Applications for our for 2021 bursaries will open again in the spring. For further funding opportunities please see our Fees and Funding page and for more information about studying at CAT get in touch or phone 01654 705953.
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