Murray Black Award
The Murray Black Award is an annual scholarship aimed at providing opportunities for early-career members of BSAS to enhance their skills and experiences.
Open to post-graduates and those in the early stages of their career, the award focuses on helping early-career scientists carry out research or specific short programmes that add value to their existing PhD or Masters programmes. Potential recipients can apply for funding to travel to work away from their base.
The award is open to all branches of animal science, and applications that cover the role of domestic and wild animals in enhancing and maintaining the rural environment are particularly welcome.
What is the prize?
The award, up to £1500, based on the quality and type of application.
How do I apply?
The Murray is open to applicants from all branches of animal science who are in the early years of their career (postgraduate student or within two years of graduating with a PhD, or working in commerce or industry with an equivalent level of experience without necessarily having a PhD).
The award cannot be used to part-fund PhD or MSc programmes, or make up any unplanned funding shortfalls associated to any existing main projects.
Applications only accepted from BSAS members whom have been a member of the society for a minimum of 6 months.
Application Deadline
Apply by 31st October
Who was Murray Black?
Dr Murray Black was an innovative animal scientist with a specific interest in sheep production, animal welfare and the environment. He also holds the title of being the longest-serving Treasurer of BSAS.
Throughout his career, Murray was instrumental in implementing innovative changes that are now standard practice, including forward creep grazing, developments in sheep housing, and improvements to sheep breeds. Along with fellow scientists Bob Thomas, his major achievement was in relation to clean grazing as a major solution to the parasitic cycle of intestinal parasites in sheep.
In 1964, Murray moved to the Agricultural Institute in Dublin to manage their R&D farms, before coming to the Edinburgh School of Agriculture in 1970 as farms director, serving both the University of Edinburgh and the Scottish Agricultural College. In this role, he was involved in modernising and making the large farm's estate profitable. He was also an influential member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council.
As well as being president of BSAS, Murray was awarded an MBE in 1996 for services in agriculture and education, and was made a fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1996.
