Tom ap Rees was the 13th Professor of Botany, and this fund was set up in his name in 1996 after he was tragically killed on his bike on his way home from work. The fund has since supported 35 of our fourth-year PhD students in need of financial assistance to help them complete their studies.

We wish to double the size of the Tom ap Rees fund to ensure we have sufficient resources to support all postgraduate students in need, particularly those from underrepresented groups. Presently we can offer only small awards, of less than £1000, to a very limited number of applicants each year; this doesn’t meet the current needs of our students.
 

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to attend a one-week field course in Portugal, exciting them about plant diversity and adaptations to drought and high light, and giving them the opportunity to carry out short group research projects of their own design. The Department has been supporting all students to attend the field course over the past 23 years, equating to around 700 students. The field course requires a financial contribution of £120 from students attending the course.

As part of a desire to widen participation, we want to raise funds to ensure that all students who wish to attend the course can take full advantage of this outstanding educational opportunity, irrespective of their personal or financial background. We are establishing a fund to provide support to those students who would otherwise be prevented from attending by financial limitations. To ensure we can continue to provide this support in future, £500 would enable the Department to fund the remaining costs for a student to attend the field trip.
 

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to attend a two-week tropical field course for Ecology (run jointly between the Departments of Plant Sciences and Zoology). This enables our students to develop a proper understanding of and enthusiasm for, the biodiversity and conservation of the planet — crucial for ecologists of the future — and to carry out their own week-long research project of their choosing.

The Department has previously fully funded five students to enable them to go on the experience and increase the diversity of those who can benefit. £2,000 provides full support for one student from Plant Sciences to attend the tropical field course, regardless of their financial circumstances and will ensure we can continue to fund our students.