NOCS Winner of IMarEST Stanley Gray Fellowship

Maike explains in a summary of her work: ‘This research aims to investigate the influence of specific and measurable vegetation characteristics on wave dissipation in order to answer the question ‘How does seagrass attenuate waves?'  Characteristics under investigation will be canopy height, shoot density, leaf shape and patch size. To understand the process in detail, surface waves as well as velocity profiles will be measured. The impact of changing seagrass characteristics throughout the water column will be investigated and a description of bed shear stress as a function of seagrass characteristics will be derived.

She is looking at the characteristics of two species Zostera noltil and Cymodocea nodosa, carrying out laboratory experiments at small scale in Southampton, and in full scale in wave tanks at UPC Barcelona, Spain and KISR in Kuwait. Field studies will be undertaken in a large Cymodocea nodosa stand in Venice Lagoon in Italy; and in the world's most extensive Zostera noltil bed in Archachon in France. "A summary of her plans certainly makes fascinating reading," says Ben Saunders. "We wish her well with her research."

"This new Fellowship, which is for post-graduate students who are working on a PhD, provides payment of up to a maximum of GBP12,000 (USD23,342) throughout the duration of the winner's research," explains Ben Saunders, IMarEST's Education and Training Co-ordinator. "The judging panel, which comprised Albert Rose (now retired from Halliburton), Dr John McGrath (retired Naval Academic Engineer), Captain Tom Proctor (Vectra Group), Dr Bev MacKenzie (IMarEST's Manager, Technical Affairs) and Ben Saunders was extremely impressed by details of Maike's research work, which looks at the topical issue of the role of seagrass in reducing wave height and thus coastal erosion, and enjoyed hearing at first hand about her plans during the interviews for the Fellowship."  

The Fellowship is named in memory of Stanley Gray who was the Chief Mechanical Engineer at the Port Directorate of Basra during the 1950s and 60s.  When he died in 1973 he left half his estate to be held by the Institute in trust to create the Stanley Gray fund.  He expressed the wish that the money should be awarded via a scholarship or prize to wherever the Institute saw distinction in Marine Engineering.  This remit has been expanded following due process to include Marine Science and Technology.  As well as awards, the Institute runs the Stanley Gray Series of prestigious lectures which is held to mark his generosity to, and patronage of, the Institute.

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