Student wins Landgate award for excellence

Curtin University student Amy Chong was recently awarded the 2012 Landgate Bursary, which recognises excellence and innovation in the study of spatial sciences.

Landgate Manager Location Products and Services Lesley Arnold presented Amy with $3500 to assist with her final year studies. 

"When awarding the Bursary, Landgate looks at a student's previous academic results as well as their responses to two questions," said Dr Arnold. 

"Amy was a recipient of a Landgate Cadetship in 2009 as well as a previous winner of the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute Award for Excellence in 2010. Her academic record was impressive, and her responses well thought out."

Ms Chong said the spatial industry was a dynamic industry that she was excited to work in.

"I find the industry evolves with the development of technology and since this is always improving it keeps adaptive and fresh," she said.

"It is also extremely innovative in the sense that it can cover a broad range of applications."

Ms Chong has also completed an internship at the United Nations World Food Program headquarters in Rome, Italy. She was stationed in the Vulnerability Assessment Mapping division, analysing satellite imagery to determine vegetation conditions in Nepal and Afghanistan to ensure there is food security in those regions. 

"We were using time-series data to derive the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index for the whole of the two countries, which we then overlayed with crop yield data," she said.

"I found this extremely interesting and it was great to be working towards such a good cause. The internship also doubled up as research for my final year project, which I am completing now."

Ms Chong encouraged other students to apply for the Bursary and for spatial cadetships at Landgate.

"Being a previous Landgate cadet, I can vouch that the support and contacts you gain through this program are invaluable and will further both your academic and professional careers", she said.

Ms Chong said the Bursary money will go towards the fees and materials for her undergraduate degree and possible postgraduate studies.

To be eligible for the Landgate Bursary, Curtin students must be enrolled in their final year of a Bachelor of Science (Cartography) or Bachelor of Science (Geographic Information Science) degree.

Image: Dr Lesley Arnold (left) presents the 2012 Landgate Bursary to Curtin University student, Amy Chong.

Landgate is Western Australia's primary source of land information and geographic data, providing the accuracy government, business and individuals rely on.