Summer Gold Competition 2017 winners

A Psychology student has won a top prize in Victoria's annual Summer Gold Competition for her video on how New Zealanders experience loneliness and how this affects wellbeing.

Hannah Hawkins Elder, whose research was supervised by Dr Taciano Milfont from Victoria’s School of Psychology, won Best Overall Video.

This video was the unanimous choice of the judges, who commended its powerful explanation of an issue of genuine interest, and the use of non-specialist language and graphics to give a clear message.

The winner of Best Overall Poster was another Psychology student, Gloria Fraser.

Gloria’s research, supervised by Professor Joseph Bulbulia from Victoria’s School of Art History, Classics, and Religious Studies, explores options for ensuring the inclusiveness of transgender participants in research.

The judges applauded Gloria’s poster for its strong visuals and well thought-out research.

The Summer Gold Competition aims to acknowledge the research achievements of the students who participated in the Summer Scholars Scheme during the past summer. The students were invited to design a poster or create a video about their research, in collaboration with their supervisor.

This year there were eight categories, and 10 students awarded from across the University. A full list of the winners can be found below.

For more information about the scheme, see Summer Research Scholarships.

Best Overall Poster

Psychology student Gloria Fraser ($1,000) with her poster Toward inclusive gender identity measures.

Best Overall Video

Psychology student Hannah Hawkins Elder ($1,000) with her video Who are the lonely? A typology of loneliness in New Zealand.

Most engaging demonstration of research

Mathematics student Torrance Hodgson ($500) with his poster Finding sources in the noise.

Best Visual Presentation

Classical Studies and History student Lydia Whiting ($250) with her poster What lies behind ‘dark laughter’?

Interior Architecture student Charlotte Hughes-Hallett ($250) with her poster Public shade canopies.

Education and Humanities winner

Classical Studies and History student Lydia Whiting ($500) with her poster What lies behind ‘dark laughter’?

Education and Humanities highly commended

Māori Studies student Ataria Sharman ($50) with her poster Māori voting and digital interfaces.

Biological Sciences winner

Biomedical Science students Lynette Lander and Tia Haira ($500) with their poster Acute Rheumatic Fever Benzathine Penicillin G preferences study.

Science winner

Chemistry and Physics student Alexander Sneyd ($500) with his poster Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy on silver nanoparticles.

Engineering, Law, Commerce and Architecture and Design winner

Landscape Architecture student William Hatton ($500) with his poster Living with nature: Pathways to health and wellbeing.