A Waikato-based student is the inaugural winner of the George Mason Scholarship.

Douglas Bridge is a PhD student at the Waikato University's Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research. His proposal to study the Taranaki coastal environment won him a $5000 research grant from the George Mason Charitable Trust, which has been set up to foster Taranaki-related research of natural sciences.

Mr Bridge will give a brief presentation at the New Plymouth District Council's Civic Centre today (August 30).

The invitation-only presentation is a chance for people in the horticulture, local government and research fields to hear from Mr Bridge, on his topic of the impact of pasture species as weeds on threatened native plant species of Taranaki's coastal turf communities.

The scholarship is co-managed by the trust and Puke Ariki, Taranaki's purpose-built fully-integrated library and museum which is currently under construction.

Puke Ariki's Taranaki Research Centre and the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki's (WITT) Department of Nursing and Science are providing support for scholarship recipients. The Taranaki Research Centre will also act as a repository for the resulting theses and material collections relating to the research.

Puke Ariki business development manager Eve Kawana-Brown says the partnership is great for Puke Ariki.

"One of the aims of the Taranaki Research Centre is to collect research and information about all things to do with Taranaki.

"Working with the George Mason Charitable Trust gives the research centre the chance to be proactive about gathering relevant information about our region, and it's a great way for Puke Ariki to support the development of natural sciences in Taranaki," she says.

Dr George Mason is a New Plymouth business entrepreneur, with a background of study and business in areas related to the fields of study he wishes to support via this scholarship.

· Puke Ariki is the world's first purpose-built, fully-integrated museum and library, and will also house the New Plymouth District Information Centre. It is currently under construction next to New Plymouth's foreshore, and will open its doors to the public next year on Queen's Birthday Weekend.