Southampton Geology student Stephen White is celebrating securing sponsorship for the final fourth year of his Master of Science in Geology.

Stephen applied for sponsorship funding from MinSouth – a UK mining and minerals society based in the south east – and was delighted when he heard he had been successful.

He said: “My fourth year project is linked to mineral ores and focuses on the geochemical variation across the Troodos Ophiolite, in Cyprus”.

“I am extremely grateful for the 500pds financial support from MinSouth. It has already helped me cover travel costs to conferences. I also got to attend the annual MinSouth Christmas Quiz, in London, where I got the opportunity to network and learn from professionals who are currently working in the mining industry”

“The sponsorship fund runs every year, so I would encourage future final year geology students to apply if you have an interest in mining and mineral resources.”

Stephen was also fortunate enough to be selected by CASP (formerly known as the Cambridge Arctic Shelf Programme) to spend a month as a field assistant in the Arctic Circle last summer.

CASP is a charitable trust that carries out field, literature and analysis-based geological research in prospective hydrocarbon basins, and launched the Cambridge Arctic Shelf Programme in 1975.

Stephen worked alongside two CASP geologists – tectonics specialist Dr Michael Flowerdew and sedimentologist and former Southampton student Dr Edward Fleming – as part of the Barents Shelf Project, in Svalbard, exploring sedimentological and proxy provenance.

He says one of the highlights of his trip was seeing the transgressive and regressive movements from river to lagoon showing that no environment stays the same as sea level, tectonism and climate interlink.

“I loved my experience in Arctic Svalbard. I am extremely thankful to the two geologists Ed and Michael for providing me with the opportunity to work with them as a field assistant.”

“I will always remember the trip and the amazing views. Nature will never cease to amaze me.”