AWARD FOR GEOLOGIST

Press, Volume C, Issue 29437, 13 February 1961, Page 2

AWARD FOR GEOLOGIST

Cambridge Study

"The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, February 10. Miss Alva Challis (Wellington) is the first woman to be awarded a National Research Fellowship enabling her to study for a Ph.D. at the department of mineralogy and petrology at Cambridge University.

The award was recently announced by the Minister of Education and Minister in charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Mr Tennent).

Miss Challis completed her M.A. degree with first-class honours in one year instead of two at Victoria University of Wellington. She is the only woman petrologist in New Zealand.

After emigrating from England to New Zealand, Miss Challis worked for two years as a radiographer in Invercargill. Later she joined the staff of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in the Dominion Laboratory. Wellington, and attended Victoria University as a part-time student. She gained her B.A. degree there as well as a University of New Zealand senior scholarship, the Sir Robert Stout Scholarship for the best student of the year in Victoria University and the Lady Stout bursary. Miss Challis will leave for England on March 3. She will return to New Zealand later to continue her studies of New Zealand rocks, particularly those in Marlborough.