Entries for the current round of the IHBC’s prestigious Gus Astley Annual Student Award are due by July 31. The award is open to students working in taught courses related to built and historic environment conservation – including history, planning, surveying and architecture etc, as well as dedicated conservation courses – for the academic year 2008-09. Digital submissions of course work means that the entry process could not be more simple. There is a cash award of £300, while there can be opportunities for applicants to participate in the main conservation event of the year for built and historic environment conservation specialists, the IHBC’s Annual School.
Seán O’Reilly, IHBC Director, said ‘This year the IHBC’s 2009 Annual School in Buxton enjoyed presentations from students among the Award winners selected by our guest judge Malcolm Cooper, Chief Inspector at Historic Scotland. Some also received invitations to the IHBC’s Day School and Annual Dinner. As one student put it:
‘It was a great experience for me being in Buxton those two days. Everything was new to me and not only the speeches and the classes were really interesting but also (and, probably, I would say: above all) getting to meet so many people who are involved in the conservation of the built heritage and sharing some views with them. I think this is extremely fruitful for students. And I would like to thank you, once again, for the opportunity that was given to me to be there and present my study.’
Next year our Annual School is in London, with the Day School – the heart of the event – at Denys Lasdun’s remarkably sophisticated Royal College of Physicians, a Grade 1 listed building. It’s a great opportunity, and I hope students will be strongly encouraged to submit, as the value of participation is clear. Success here can lay early foundations for a successful career helping us conserve valued places. As well as the award, funded by the IHBC, through the generosity of the Gus Astley Memorial fund, we also have a bursary system to help travel costs where they are invited to speak, so there’s help from us as well as encouragement’.
