Bill Stothard Memorial Award in Astronomy

Award descriptionScholarships totalling $3,400 have been made available through an endowment established by the Stothard Family in memory of Bill Stothard (1898-1967) for graduate students specializing in Astronomy with outstanding academic and research achievements, with preference given to students who have demonstrated a commitment to astronomy outreach or public engagement. If, in any given year, there are no eligible graduate students then the award may be given to an undergraduate third or fourth-year B.Sc. student majoring in Astronomy. Bill had expressed early interest in astronomy even before emigrating from his Grassmoor, England birthplace at age seven. He grew up in Brandon, Manitoba where he became a skilled machinist and welder. He then travelled North America as a young man, eventually settling in Vancouver, where he worked in his trade until retirement. Astronomy was his avocation throughout his life, not only viewing the night skies but also constructing his own telescopes for this purpose. Bill's family established this award to honour his memory and his lifelong interest in astronomy. These academic awards are made on the recommendation of the Department of Physics & Astronomy, and in the case of a graduate student, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.