MPA delighted to announce old Award reinstated
The Marsden Old Girls Association is delighted to announce the reinstatement of a previous award: the Jean Gilmer Award for scientific illustration. This is named after Marsden Old Girl, Jean Knox Gilmer (pictured above).
The Award was originally started in about 1959 for an herbarium (collection of dried plant specimen and notes) or ecological survey*, however there is no record of the award after 1984.
This award will link the past: a past student, a previous award and historical recording of observations to current practice, particularly in cross curricular learning.
The Jean Gilmer Award is a beautiful Nautilus shell
As you can see above this is a beautiful trophy - a Nautilus shell, which has a plaque to be engraved with each winner's name. This is very delicate and will stay at school but the winner will be awarded a smaller trophy to keep at home for the year.
Students from Years 7 to 13 may submit hand painted/drawn scientific illustrations which include the scientific names of the species represented (no photos). Entries can be creative but depictions of the plants/animals must be accurate. The Heads of Science and Art Departments (or their nominees) will decide on the winner and the prize will be presented at Prize Giving at the end of the year.
In light of our previous successful science/art collaborations (eg: cards for Zealandia), we think this is a fitting addition to the school prize list and we look forward to seeing this year's submissions.
NB: The Jean Gilmer Award will not necessarily be awarded each year - work must be of a suitably high standard. Dates for submission of artwork will be publicised in the bulletin later in the year.
*2026 Addendum
Subsequent research into donated Old Girls’ memorabilia and historic prize books has uncovered earlier records of the award and clarified its history.
The following information updates and expands on the original 2017 article above.
Recent research has revealed that the award’s origins date back to 1928, when it was first awarded as the Knox-Gilmer Prize for Botany.
Over the decades, the award evolved in both name and focus, reflecting changes in science education and environmental study at the school.
- 1928 — Knox-Gilmer Prize for Botany
- 1951 — Knox-Gilmer Prize for Herbarium
- 1956 — Knox-Gilmer Prize for Ecological Survey
- 1965 — Knox-Gilmer Prize for Work in Biology
- 1967 — reverted to Knox-Gilmer Prize for Ecological Survey
- 1971–1984 — awarded as the Knox-Gilmer Prize for Herbarium