Lisburn News

Jurassic achievement for Queen's graduate

Dunmurry man Gavin Bradley graduated from Queen's University on Wednesday July 4 with First Class Honours in Archaeology-Palaeoecology. It was a double celebration for the Bradley family as Gavin's sister Anna graduated from Queen's the day before with a degree in Medicine.

DINOSAUR enthusiast Gavin Bradley graduated from Queen's University last week and now he is preparing to jet off to Canada to continue his studies under one of the world's leading dinosaur experts.

The Dunmurry man has been awarded a coveted Canadian Foundation Memorial Scholarship, which will see him begin a Masters in Dinosaur Palaeobiology at the University of Alberta, under the guidance of world-renowned palaeontologist Dr Philip Currie. Gavin graduated from Queen's last Wednesday with First Class Honours in Archaeology - Palaeoecology. There was a double celebration for the Bradley family as Gavins sister Anna graduated from Queens the day before with a degree in Medicine.

Gavin said: "I have always dreamed of a career in archaeology, not least because of the opportunities to travel and take part in excavations around the world. One of the things that appealed to me most about the Archaeology-Palaeoecology course at Queen's was the opportunity to study abroad. Thanks to Queen's international links, I was able to complete the second year of my course at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, studying alongside some of the world's leading palaeontologists, with access to their huge collection of dinosaur samples.

That year in Canada was a life-changing experience for me, and I was determined to return to Alberta to pursue a Masters. The Canadian Memorial Foundation Scholarship offered me the opportunity to do just that.

"My studies at Queen's gave me a solid foundation on which to apply for the Scholarship and, thanks to the support of my lecturers here, I was accepted. I will return to Canada next month and, after I've completed my Masters, I hope to study for a PhD, excavate around the world and one day return to Queen's as a lecturer."

The Canadian Memorial Foundation Scholarship is a highly competitive award offering final-year undergraduate students from the UK the opportunity to complete a fully-funded year of study in pursuit of a Masters at a Canadian university. Having been shortlisted from hundreds of applicants, Gavin was offered the Scholarship after completing a rigorous interview at the Canadian High Commission in London.

Ulster Star
13/07/2012