Established in memory of the late Professor Sam Martin, former Director of the School (retired 1999), this award reflects his enduring commitment to academic excellence, global engagement, and the advancement of biological sciences research. Generously funded by the Martin Family, the award provides £2,250 annually, to be distributed across up to three travel awards each year, from 2025 to 2035.

This year’s recipients represent the breadth and ambition of research within the School, and exemplify the award's aim to foster international collaboration, skill development, and high-impact research dissemination.

Speaking about the scholarship, Postgraduate Research Director, Dr Gareth Arnott, said:

"The Sam Martin Travel Award represents an exciting new opportunity for our PhD students to engage internationally and develop their skills. I’m thrilled to see such strong applications in this inaugural year and look forward to the many ways these experiences will enrich our students’ academic journeys. We are incredibly grateful to the Martin family for their generosity in establishing this award, which will have a lasting impact on the development of our students."

 

2025 Award Recipients

Azadeh Dabiri – Third Year PhD Student

Azadeh will attend the 19th international RAMIRAN conference, a leading international conference on sustainable organic waste management and nutrient recycling in agriculture, taking place in Wageningen, Netherlands this October. Her PhD research focuses on environmentally sustainable methods to reduce ammonia emissions from dairy cattle slurry storage in Northern Ireland.

Azadeh’s abstract has been accepted for oral presentation, highlighting the novelty and importance of her work. Her study, conducted at the AFBI Hillsborough polytunnel facility, is one of the first in the UK to continuously monitor greenhouse gas emissions from untreated and acidified cattle slurry and digestate under meso-scale conditions and realistic storage duration.

“Receiving this award has been instrumental in enabling me to present my work at RAMIRAN 2025, where I can gain valuable feedback at a critical stage of my PhD,” Azadeh remarked. “I can contribute to international research efforts in nutrient and emissions management, while representing Queen’s University Belfast on a global stage. It also gives me the chance to make new academic connections and explore collaborations that could influence the next steps in my career.”

She adds: “It is a privilege to contribute to the legacy of Professor Sam Martin through research that directly supports environmental and biological science advancement.”

 

Ada Liliana Madrid Sandoval – Second Year PhD Student

Ada will participate in the BePA Proteomics Summer School 2025 in Ghent, Belgium, an intensive five-day training programme focused on advanced techniques in proteomics. Her PhD research explores non-targeted proteomic workflows for the authentication of plant-based protein sources - a field critical to both food security and consumer protection.

Speaking on the programme Ada said: “This summer school will give me the hands-on training from world-leading experts that will allow me to take my experimental and data analysis skills to the next level, and institute best practice in proteomics in my project.”

“I have no doubt that the knowledge and expertise acquired will translate into enhanced scientific rigour and output in my PhD, with longer-term gains to innovation in the biological sciences at QUB and beyond.”

Ada will also present her project in a poster session, gaining valuable feedback from leading researchers in the field.

 

Lucy Devlin – First Year PhD Student

Lucy will use the award to present her research on cold tolerance in biting midges (Culicoides spp.) at an international conference this October. Her work addresses key questions about species adaptation and the potential spread of vector-borne diseases under changing climate conditions.

“Attending this event will be a valuable opportunity to receive feedback, gain insights into related research, and engage with leading scientists in the field," Lucy said.

"Importantly, this experience will contribute meaningfully to my development as a researcher by improving my science communication and public speaking skills—essential for effective collaboration and knowledge exchange. Preparing for and delivering a talk in a high-level academic setting will strengthen my ability to present complex ideas clearly and confidently, increase the visibility of my research, and deepen my understanding of emerging work in Biological Sciences.”

 

PhD Students can apply for the award stipulating how they will use it to attend an international conference or perhaps work for a short period during the course of their studies at a laboratory in another country. Applicants must explain how their proposed travel demonstrates development in the field of Biological Sciences and the impact of the travel award on their studies. Prizes will be awarded annually by the Scholarship Committee.

If you would like to find out more about the Sam Martin scholarship, please contact the School sbsigfsoffice@qub.ac.uk.