WATCH: Student from Tipp receives award through scholarship and bursary programme at UL
Well done!
The Site Director at one of Ireland’s leading med-tech research facilities, BD’s Research Centre Ireland (RCI) at the National Technology Park in Limerick, has said that the growing demand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) based skills in Ireland can be met only through enhancing the public-private approach.
Presenting awards to ten University of Limerick (UL) students under its leading scholarship and bursary programme, BD’s Site Director, Padraig Fitzgerald said that business/industry and education partnerships are critical to unlocking Ireland’s STEM potential.
The programme is funded by the company through the UL Foundation to support students from the University’s Access programme, which works to encourage the participation of students from groups who have been under-represented in the University sector.
The BD RCI awards saw four female students studying science and engineering receive the BD Bursaries for Women in STEM.
Six students also received the BD Scholarships in Science and Engineering, based on their outstanding academic achievement.
A key element of the BD RCI programme is that recipients of the bursaries and scholarships will also be assigned a professional mentor from BD.
The recipients also got an insight into a cutting-edge STEM environment with a tour of BD RCI’s state-of-the-art facility, adjacent to the UL campus in Castletroy. Mr Fitzgerald said: “From Government to industry and education, there is consensus that we have a challenge in terms of STEM skills.
“A European Commission suggests that 24 out of every 1,000 female graduates have an ICT related subject and only six go on to work in the digital economy.
“Growing the number of women engaged with technology is hugely important for the sector as it will bring vital new perspectives as well.
“It is a challenge I am very confident we can meet but it will take collaboration from industry, education partners across Third and Second Level and, indeed, Government support.
“It’s fair to say that we are already seeing inroads and our own awards programme today is evidence of that; industry and Third Level partners coming together to put supports in place to make sure these students can reach their potential.
“But we have more to do. The task is for industry, education and Government to continue working on this, not least in the area of ensuring access for all to Third Level.”
He added: “Ultimately, Limerick and Ireland have a huge opportunity here. We are clearly a favourable location for inward and indigenous investment, we’ve got an excellent reputation in the space, have got superb collaboration going on between Third Level and industry, as this programme and other initiatives at UL reflects.”
Those attending the ceremony were given a virtual tour of BD RCI’s state-of-the-art facility, adjacent to the UL campus in Castletroy, with the awards recipients also getting to meet their mentors for the first time.