<p>A student at the University of Chester has won the Undergraduate Recognition Award from the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) for her final-year dissertation about the behaviour of dolphins.<br /><br />Lauren Kent-Walton, a student of Psychology with Animal Behaviour who graduates this year, used online webcams to watch captive bottlenose dolphins. Over the course of 30 hours, the 20-year-old student investigated how the dolphins behaved in enclosures with varying designs. Lauren will be featured on the education page of the ASAB’s website, and she has been awarded membership of the ASAB free for a year.<br /><br />Lauren expressed her happiness at receiving the award, adding:<br /></p><blockquote>“I have thoroughly enjoyed working on my dissertation, and I am grateful for the teaching I have received over the course of my time at university which has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to complete this work.”<br /></blockquote><p>She also thanked Dr Lindsay Murray, her dissertation supervisor, for her expert advice, saying that as a mentor, she had played a vital role in enabling her to complete her dissertation. Dr Murray commented that Lauren had spent a large number of unsociable hours observing the dolphins and certainly deserved the award.<br /><br />Lauren’s success exemplifies how the University of Chester supports its students and provides opportunities for them to shine. If you’re studying at Chester, or are about to, you can find quality student accommodation in the Garden Quarter and other popular areas like Hoole, sometimes with bills included in the rent and no need to pay a deposit up front.</p>
Written by Kate
