Gibbons Wins UCL's NORBIT Prize

This year, NORBIT UK chose to sponsor an academic prize for a high achieving student at UCL (www.ucl.ac.uk). The academic staff of the Geospatial Science and Hydrographic Surveying course agreed that the NORBIT prize should be awarded to the top student during teachings to have graduated in 2020.

The winner this year is James Gibbons, who has a background in Earth Science and an active interest in structural, physical and chemical properties of the subsurface. The Geospatial Science and Hydrographic Surveying course expanded his knowledge of these disciplines while also allowing him to “gain significant insight into the uncertainties associated with the digital expression of 3D positional data on and below the Earth's Surface and their significance in Marine Engineering.”

Beyond the technical knowledge James acquired during his time as an MSc student in the CEGE department, he also found the experience of attending UCL enjoyable. He praises the lecturers “several of whom are world leaders in their field”, writing that they “clearly enjoy teaching, getting to know their students and are genuinely enthusiastic for you to succeed”. In addition to the accomplished lecturers, James mentions the  involvement of the Port of London Authority with the Hydrographic elements of the course is also invaluable as it offers genuine insight into a professional hydrographic organisation and a chance to gain practical survey experience”.

As James moves on to his post-graduate life, he hopes to “be able to find a career path whereby I can incorporate and build upon my hydrographic, geophysical and geotechnical knowledge to contribute holistically to Marine infrastructure and renewable energy projects.”