About the Award
The Slawson Awards support geographical field research involving development issues with high social and economic importance. First given in 2001, the Slawson Awards are supported by Society Fellows Paul and Mary Slawson. The awards support geographical fieldwork involving development issues with a high social and economic value. This must be clearly evident in the application.
Applicants must be current members of the Society and should indicate this status in their application. Projects which involve recipients returning to their home country for fieldwork will generally not be considered. The intent is not to fund preliminary or reconaissance fieldwork; applications should be to support the main body of field research.
Deadline: 22 February
Inteviews will be held on 4 June 2020.
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2019 recipients
Deborah Spindleman (University of Cambridge). 'Understanding and addressing the unmet needs of young learners affected by stunting'
The most common form of malnutrition worldwide, stunting is correlated with lifelong cognitive and developmental impairment. This impairment affects the needs of students in developing countries across diverse geographies, as learners affected by stunting are more likely to enter school later, drop out earlier, and earn less as adults compared to peers. From an educational perspective, little is known about the specific needs of learners affected by stunting, or how these needs can be effectively met in resource-limited settings. This PhD research seeks to address this knowledge gap by conducting mixed methods research spanning two disparate regions in Ghana.
Heather Purhouse (University of Stirling). 'The changing landscape of menstrual waste in Malawi'
African women increasingly use disposable pads instead of reusable rags as menstrual absorbents, due to their convenience and growing availability in urban areas. However, widespread lack of solid waste collection services means used pads are stored and later disposed in pit latrines or burned. Managing menstrual waste can cause significant anxiety and disease risks through unhygienic storage and disposal. Meanwhile, abundance of solid waste in pit latrines is a significant roadblock to recovering nutrients from faecal sludge for agriculture. This study will quantify physical and social aspects of the menstrual waste disposal challenge in Blantyre, Malawi, and develop participant-led solutions.
Previous recipients
Slawson Award recipients 2001-2018 (PDF)