Members of the Committee were unanimous in their decision that Carly Brown was a deserving winner for her project: ‘Can the common garden snail see in colour?’
The Prince Philip Award and Marsh Prize aims to encourage students to see biology as a relevant and exciting field of study and to make the step from learning to investigation.
Carly has been invited to attend the presentation ceremony at the Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, on June 17th where she will be presented with a certificate and a £600 cheque. The Taunton School biology department will also receive a certificate and the society’s Prince Philip Medal.
Carly’s 2,000-word study, involved placing snails in “choice chambers” into which coloured lights were shone and their movements were recorded.
So can the common garden snail see in colour? Well just over 50 per cent moved towards red, prompting Carly to say: “There’s more work to do but there is obviously something they prefer about red light.”
Taunton school’s headmaster, Dr John Newton, said: “I congratulate Carly on gaining this prestigious accolade. We believe at Taunton school in the importance of research as a preparation for our pupils’ professional future. Carly is a superbly industrious pupil who has won an academic prize that will add lustre to her CV and university application. I am immensely proud of her.”
Carly has received an offer to study Biomedical Science at Warwick University.
