Professor Ozgur Akman Memorial Bursary – Previous Recipient Reports

Joshua Grimstead was able to attend BAMC in Norwich in March 2026 using funds from the bursary.

Here’s what Joshua wrote about his experience:

“Attending BAMC via the Ozgur Akman Bursary allowed me to present my work in a professional setting, enabling me to receive feedback from a variety of experts in both dynamical systems and ice mechanics. It allowed me to experience the community of applied mathematics in Britain, providing me with the opportunity to network with academics from a variety of institutions and even reconnect with lecturers from my undergraduate studies. BAMC has been one of the most memorable experiences of my MSc and I am extremely grateful to the support offered by the Ozgur Akman Bursary which has allowed me to make strides in establishing myself as a researcher and making my future PhD applications all the more competitive as a result.”

Bryony Hobden was able to attend EGU26 in Vienna in April 2026 using funds from the bursary.

Here’s what Bryony wrote about her experience, plus a photo of Bryony presenting her poster:

“I was very fortunate to be awarded the Professor Ozgur Akman bursary, which enabled me to attend the European Geoscience Union General Assembly (EGU26) in Vienna. EGU is a massive (and sometimes overwhelming!) conference with approximately 20,000 delegates. The sheer size meant there was a wide range of science to get my teeth into, particularly Tipping Points in the Earth system, which is my research area.

I had the privilege of presenting a poster based on my first paper published last year, which explored conceptual modelling of tipping points in Earth’s history, during the Past to Future session. It was here that I had many interesting conversations with other academics also working on paleoclimate modelling, and these conversations will influence my thesis write-up in the next couple of months. As I am nearing the end of my PhD and thinking about postdoctoral opportunities, attending EGU allowed me to network and explore what kinds of tipping point research are happening across different institutes. Whilst in Vienna, I also had the opportunity to catch up with former colleagues and friends who are now dotted around Europe, and it was lovely to feel part of that larger scientific community.

With the money I was awarded in the bursary, I was able to travel to Vienna and cover the conference registration fees, accommodation, and food costs while I was there. Without the Professor Ozgur Akman memorial bursary, I would not have been able to attend. I am incredibly grateful to the maths department for granting me this opportunity, which has given me such a wonderful boost of energy and confidence in the final stage of my PhD.”