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Science in society:

Nuffield Bursary Scheme

The Nuffield Schools and Colleges Bursaries, supported by BBSRC via RCUK, offer bursaries to first year Advanced/Higher post-16 science students, helping students to take part in projects in universities, industry, or research institutions during the summer holidays.

The students work alongside practising scientists and contribute to projects in research and development. Researchers funded by BBSRC host a large number of Nuffield Bursary students each year often leading to publications and entry into the National Science and Engineering competition.

Anyone interested in applying for the scheme should contact their regional coordinator. For full information about the scheme and all contact details, visit the Nuffield Science Bursaries section of the Nuffield Foundation website (see external links).

Researchers say:
“I always find Nuffield students very useful, free pairs of hands! It works both ways. I choose projects that directly contribute to ongoing work and in return the students get experience in areas relevant to their coursework.” Rothamsted Research

Teachers say:
“The experience was excellent and has provided valuable motivation for our students.”

“The student found it very helpful and informative in relation to career choice and the world of work.”

Case Study: Bursary students in bumblebee discovery

Nuffield Science Bursary students at the John Innes Centre have worked with researchers to help discover that red flowers and those with striped veins attract bees more regularly. Growing these types of plants could help maintain bumblebee populations benefitting agriculture and the environment.

Nuffield Bursary students spent successive summers observing the foraging patterns of bumblebees on snapdragon plants grown on a plot near Norwich. The students compared the number of visits by bumblebees to various cultivars of the common snapdragon and the number of flowers visited per plant. Red flowers and those with venation patterning were visited significantly more frequently than white or pink. More flowers were visited per plant too.

“Stripes provide a visual guide for pollinators, directing them to the central landing platform and the entrance to the flower where the nectar and pollen can be found,” said Professor Martin.

“We examined the origin of this trait and found that it has been retained through snapdragon ancestry. The selection pressure for this trait is only relaxed when full red pigmentation evolves in a species.”

Reference

The molecular basis for venation patterning of pigmentation and its effect on pollinator attraction in flowers of Antirrhinum, Yongjin Shang, Julien Venail, Steve Mackay, Paul Bailey, Kathy Schwinn, Paula Jameson, Cathie Martin, Kevin Davies. New Phytologist, October 2010, doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03498.x.

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