From the Royal Society of New Zealand
For immediate release: 10 October 2008
Bay of Plenty Student wins Major International Award for Facial Eczema Research
Katikati student Pippa Grierson has won a major award at an international competition for young scientists in Europe,
for her research project into facial eczema in livestock.
Pippa was selected by the Royal Society of New Zealand to participate at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists
(EUCYS), Copenhagen, where she won the International Cooperation Award for the best project from a guest country. The
award included 5000 euros ($11,000NZD) in prize money.
EUCYS was attended by 130 students aged 16 -19 from 39 countries. It is a prestigious competition for all EU countries
and this year was hosted by the Danish Government.
Pippa, a Year 12 student at Katikati College, has been researching whether agricultural lime products affect the
incidence of facial eczema spores on farms. Facial eczema is caused by animals ingesting toxic fungal spores growing in
the dead litter layer of pasture. Her results show that the use of lime appears to be an effective control mechanism for
facial eczema spores, with residual effects lasting up to two years. Pippa, who lives on a farm, is passionate about
this particular piece of research and intends to study it further.
Pippa said that attending EUCYS was an absolutely awesome experience and she has made friends with so many other
likeminded students who she wants to keep in touch with in the future. “I was blown away at winning the International
Cooperation Award which was presented to me at the Grand Award Ceremony, hosted by HRH Prince Joachien, the patron of
the EUCYS at one of Copenhagen’s most famous buildings, ‘The Circus’,” she said.
During her week in Copenhagen she showcased her work at a public exhibition, visited the many sights of Copenhagen,
including the National Museum of Denmark, and enjoyed learning about another culture.
ENDS