Zach Jenkins and Reuben Dempster took out the top award at this years’ Marlborough Science Fair

Zach Jenkins and Reuben Dempster took out the top award at this years’ Marlborough Science Fair, sharing cash prizes of $1000 and a Marlborough Lines Tertiary scholarship for another $1000. They were awarded the 'Best Exhibit', Statistics prize, Gold Award and 'Above and Beyond Award' for their exhibit 'Neptune's Necklace'. These environmentally aware students also won a Gold Award for a second exhibit through their Sustainability course at Marlborough Girls.

Zach and Reuben combined their individual Level 3 Biology Camp projects that they completed at Mistletoe Bay in July. They used their data on the seaweed Neptune’s necklace to consider the implications of climate change in the Marlborough region on this important marine plant species. Neptune’s necklace lives in the intertidal zone and is host to a variety of molluscs and fish.

Their research shows that those plants that grow in the upper intertidal zone have adaptations for drying out that are absent in plants that grow in deeper water. Therefore, the genetic variation that causes this indicated some resilience to climate change.

Experienced Science Fair judges commented that they hadn’t seen an exhibit with such great scientific method, statistical analysis and understanding for over a decade.

Congratulations to these outstanding students!