Palaeontology Scholarship

Palaeontology students are making prehistoric dreams come true

With a long-held interest in prehistoric life, it’s no surprise Riley Haselton wears a Jurassic Park t-shirt with pride. It’s also no surprise that he’s studying a Bachelor of Science (Palaeontology) at Flinders University.

The first-year student moved down from Alice Springs earlier this year to study at Flinders and follow his dream of working in palaeontology.

The costs of relocating to study and living away from home can be overwhelming for many students, and Riley applied for the Palaeontology Scholarship at Flinders University to support his move.

Established to celebrate the launch of the Bachelor of Science (Palaeontology) at Flinders - Australia’s only palaeontology degree - the Palaeontology Scholarship provides funding for rural or remote students needing financial assistance and helps them with the costs of relocating to study.

The $2,000 scholarship was made possible through the generous support of individual donors and the fundraising efforts and energy of the Flinders University Palaeontology Society (FUPS), a student run group for those interested in fossils, evolution and extinct Australian fauna.

It has been a huge relief for Riley to receive this support for relocation, study and day-to-day costs, which has enabled him to stay focused on his studies and future career goals.

“The funds have helped me cover things like lab notebooks and textbooks, and supported my living costs,” says Riley.

“Thank you all for allowing me the opportunity to focus on what I have wanted to explore since I was very young.”

Since relocating to Adelaide, Riley has enjoyed meeting new people through his degree and is excited by the opportunity of making connections with people who can help him towards his prehistoric dreams.

Riley says, “I plan to reach out of my comfort zone and explore fields where palaeontology is used, like lab work or maybe even display work at museums.”

You can help students like Riley reach their goals by donating to student scholarships at Flinders University. 100% of your tax-deductible donation will support students at Flinders University to focus on their studies and work towards their career goals.

Donate today

_{Published 2021. Author: Lynda Allen.}