New scholarship honours memory of staff member

**APPLICATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED FOR 2021. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR 2022 APPLICATIONS, OR JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER**

A passion for education and the environment defined former Wellington UniVentures Senior Education Programme Manager, Jeremy Bloomfield, who passed away suddenly in 2019. To honour his memory and help create impact in the two areas that Jeremy loved, Wellington UniVentures have created the Jeremy Bloomfield Memorial Scholarship, with the blessing of Jeremy’s family. Applications for the scholarship are now open.

The scholarship, available to postgraduate research students focused on areas substantially related to Education or the Environment, will support translating an existing innovation resulting from University research out to the wider community for practical use and impact.

“Wellington UniVentures’ focus is on creating impact from University research,” explains CEO Anne Barnett. “This exciting new scholarship will enable postgraduate research students focused on Education or the Environment to support the translation of their innovative idea to where it can have genuine impact on society.”

Anne is delighted to be able to memorialise Jeremy—a popular and well-known Wellington UniVentures staff member—in this way. “Jeremy would have been thrilled to further support innovation in these two areas for which he had infectious enthusiasm. It’s a fitting legacy.”

Jeremy’s wife, Chris Bloomfield agrees. “Jeremy was actively involved in environmental issues in Ngāiō and he firmly believed his work was all about community building, not the number of rats killed or barberry removed, but getting the community involved.” Jeremy’s pioneering work with Predator Free New Zealand helped establish the group in Ngāiō. Furthermore, Jeremy was instrumental in the development and delivery of the KiVa bullying prevention programme here in New Zealand.

Chris is looking forward to seeing the scholarship applications as they come in and will be part of the decision panel. “We will be focusing on opportunities to translate innovations in Education or the Environment that will have the maximum benefit to the community,” Chris explains.

Further information about the Jeremy Bloomfield Scholarship and the application criteria can be found here. Applications are open until 1 March 2021.