The Annual NUI Galway Graduate Studies Fair takes place from 1.30-5pm on Monday, 4 February, 2008 at Áras na Mac Léinn. The event will showcase 429 full-time and part-time postgraduate programmes at NUI Galway, including taught and research masters, and doctoral research options. Almost 3,500 postgraduate students currently attend NUI Galway. At the Graduate Studies Fair, 70 stands will provide information about opportunities at NUI Galway, with academic staff and current students on hand to answer questions about specific courses. A free seminar at 2.15pm will address 'Research & Funding Opportunities' while a presentation at 3.15pm will cover 'Careers and Making a Postgraduate Application'. Supported by Bank of Ireland, the Fair will also feature stands from other institutions across the country. According to John Hannon, Head of NUI Galway's Career Development Centre, "A postgraduate qualification can provide a real career boost. Whether you are a recent graduate or whether you secured your primary degree some years ago, there is a growing demand for people with postgraduate or 'fourth' level qualifications. More and more students now go straight onto postgraduate study in order to maximize their career prospects and earnings". Working with the 'fourth-level' theme, NUI Galway's graduate education opportunities are now under the banner go4th™. The University offers world-class fourth level education, developing programmes based on its traditional academic strengths of Arts, Social Sciences, Celtic Studies; Commerce, Medicine, Nursing, Health Science, Law, Engineering, Informatics and Science. These areas have been augmented with innovative Research Centres in areas as diverse as Biomedical Engineering, International Human Rights, Digital Media & Film Studies, and Regenerative Medicine. An online prospectus of all that is on offer at NUI Galway is available at www.go4th.ie. The postgraduate application process is also online, through PAC (Postgraduate Applications Centre www.pac.ie). "Most of our postgraduate applications for both taught and research programmes are now made online," says Valerie Leahy, Postgraduate Admissions Officer at NUI Galway, "the system is very easy to use and allows for quick turnaround and decision times". For further information on the Graduate Studies Fair visit www.go4th.ie/gsf -ends-

Beidh an tAonach Léinn Iarchéime ar siúl in OÉ Gaillimh idir 1.30 – 5 pm, Dé Luain, an 4 Feabhra 2008 in Áras na Mac Léinn. Beidh eolas le fáil faoi 429 clár iarchéime lánaimseartha agus páirtaimseartha atá ar siúl in OÉ Gaillimh, lena n-áirítear cláir mháistreachta mhúinte agus thaighde, mar aon leis na deiseanna atá ann taighde dochtúireachta a dhéanamh. Tá beagnach 3,500 mac léinn iarchéime ag freastal ar OÉ Gaillimh i láthair na huaire. Beidh 70 seastán ag an Aonach Léinn Iarchéime agus beidh eolas le fáil faoi na deiseanna ar fad atá ar fáil in OÉ Gaillimh. Beidh idir chomhaltaí foirne acadúla agus mhic léinn i láthair chun ceisteanna faoi na cúrsaí éagsúla a fhreagairt. Beidh seimineár dar teideal 'Research & Funding Opportunities' ar siúl ag 2.15pm agus beidh láithreoireacht dar teideal 'Careers and Making a Postgraduate Application' ar siúl ag 3.15pm. Is é Banc na hÉireann a dhéanann urraíocht ar an Aonach, agus beidh seastáin ann freisin ó institiúidí eile ar fud na tíre. Deir John Hannon, Stiúrthóir Ionad Forbartha Gairme OÉ Gaillimh, "cabhraíonn cáilíocht iarchéime go mór le duine post níos fearr a bhaint amach. Is cuma mura bhfuil do chéim díreach faighte agat nó má tá do chéim faighte agat le fada an lá, is cinnte go bhfuil an-éileamh anois ar dhaoine le cáilíochtaí iarchéime nó cáilíochtaí 'ceathrú' leibhéal. Téann níos mó agus níos mó mac léinn i mbun staidéar iarchéime anois ar mhaithe leis na gairmeacha agus na tuarastail is fearr agus is féidir a bhaint amach dóibh féin". Le téama an 'cheathrú leibhéal', tá deiseanna iarchéime OÉ Gaillimh anois á bhfógairt faoin mbranda ar a dtugtar go4th™. Soláthraíonn an Ollscoil oideachas ceathrú leibhéal den scoth, agus forbraítear cláir atá bunaithe ar láidreachtaí traidisiúnta acadúla OÉ Gaillimh – Na Dána, Na hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta, An Léann Ceiltreach, Tráchtáil, Leigheas, Altranas, Eolaíocht Sláinte, Dlí, Innealtóireacht, Faisnéisíocht agus Eolaíocht. Tá méadú tagtha ar na réimsí seo agus ar Ionaid Nuálaíocha Taighde i réimsí cosúil le hInnealtóireacht Bhithleighis, Cearta Idirnáisiúnta an Duine, Na Meáin Dhigiteacha & Staidéar Scannán agus Leigheas Athghiniúnach. Tá réamheolaire ar líne OÉ Gaillimh le fáil ag www.go4th.ie. Is féidir iarratas a dhéanamh ar chúrsaí iarchéime ar líne freisin trí PAC (An tIonad Iarratas Iarchéime www.pac.ie). Deir Valerie Leahy, An tOifigeach um Iontrálacha Iarchéime in OÉ Gaillimh gur féidir iarratas a dhéanamh ar fhormhór na gclár múinte agus taighde ar líne anois, agus gur "fusa an córas a úsáid agus cinntíonn sé nach gcuirtear mórán moille ar an bpróiseas trí chéile ná ar an bpróiseas déanta cinntí". Tá tuilleadh eolais maidir leis an Aonach Léinn Iarchéime le fáil ag www.go4th.ie/gsf - críoch -

This year's BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition saw fifth year student Catherine Duane of Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf, Dublin, receive top prize in an exciting national science essay competition organised by NUI Galway. Catherine, who won a laptop, trophy and €500 science bursary for her school, received her prizes from the Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin T.D., on the Science Foundation Ireland booth at the festival. The competition, co-ordinated by the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) at NUI Galway, and sponsored by Medtronic, has now completed its third year. Essays were received from across the country on the theme of 'Genetic Engineering: Panacea or Pandora's Box?' The runner up prize of a video iPOD, trophy and €250 school science bursary went to Leaving Cert student Aidan Rowe of St Gerald's College, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Presenting the prizes for the third successive year, Minister Hanafin said: "Increasingly we are all aware of the vital role of science and technology in our lives. We are aware too, of the extent to which it will impact upon our future economic development. Competitions like the national science essay competition have an important role in raising the profile of science among young people. As students complete their CAO forms, it is important that we all encourage them to consider the vast range of exciting career opportunities in the fields of science and technology - from playstations to mutations, from bionics to photonics! I would like to congratulate all of the students who took part in the competition on their hard work and on the very high standard of research and writing. This level of dedication and expertise gives me great hope for the future of Irish science." Professor Frank Barry, Scientific Director at REMEDI and competition judge, thanked all the students who participated in the competition along with Medtronic and SFI for their work in supporting science education. Noreen Moloney, of competition sponsor Medtronic, said: "Medtronic are delighted to support the promotion of science and engineering through initiatives such as the REMEDI national essay competition. It is imperative we promote interest in science, engineering and technology among our young people and be assured of a pool of highly educated, talented graduates to drive our economy forward in years to come." Catherine Duane's essay was selected from a top-ten shortlist by a high profile panel of judges who met at REMEDI in November 2007 to choose a winner. The judges included: Leo Enright (Chair of the Discover Science & Engineering Steering Committee); Tom Kennedy (Editor of Science Spin Magazine); Prof Frank Barry (Scientific Director, REMEDI); Noreen Moloney (Medtronic); and Cormac Sheridan (Freelance Science Journalist). Commenting on Catherine's essay, competition judge Cormac Sheridan said: "Catherine s essay is a very polished piece of work. The writing is crisp and to the point, she handles the argument with great confidence, and it s superbly structured." Organised as part of a joint REMEDI and NCBES secondary school outreach programme called GRO (Galway Regional Outreach), the aim of the competition is to hear young people's views on contemporary scientific questions and to encourage students to consider studying science in third level. REMEDI is a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded research institute at the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science (NCBES) located at NUI Galway. To read the winning essays or for additional information on REMEDI outreach programmes, visit www.remedi.ie -ends-

Dr Colin O'Dowd, School of Physics, and Director of the Environmental Change Institute's Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies at NUI Galway, has been awarded a Doctorate in Science from the University of Manchester. The award was in recognition of highly distinguished published work resulting from research into atmospheric aerosols and their role in climate change. Dr O'Dowd has made a substantial, sustained and original contribution to knowledge and scholarship, and holds an authoritative international standing in his field of research. His research papers presented for the Doctorate of Science are regarded as having made the substantive part of the most significant advances in atmosphere aerosol research over the past twenty years. Dr O'Dowd directs the Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS) in NUI Galway's Environmental Change Institute. Recently, C-CAPS secured significant research funding (in excess of €3 million) from the HEA, EPA and the Marine Institute in a series of research projects coordinated by Dr O'Dowd. The research focuses on aerosol-cloud-climate interactions, air-sea exchange of CO2 and ozone and regional climate modelling. The overarching aim of O'Dowd's research is to understand fundamental processes controlling climate change and air pollution and to build the most advanced climate prediction tools to provide accurate assessments of future climate change for Ireland. ends

The Career Development Centre at NUI Galway will host a Science and Technology Careers Fair on Wednesday, 5 March 2008 from 4-6.30pm, in Áras na Mac Leinn. The event will be an opportunity for students and graduates to make valuable first-hand contact with actively recruiting organisations in the areas of science, engineering, technology and healthcare. National and international science and technology organisations attending the fair include: Abbott Ireland Diagnostics; Intel Ireland; Science Recruitment Ireland; Stiefel Laboratories; Fidelity Investments; Servisource Recruitment; SAP; PharmaChemical Ireland; Realex Payments; Western Fisheries Board; Environmental Protection Agency; Institute of Geologists; Geological Survey of Ireland; Engineer's Ireland; Schwartz Pharma Ltd/UCB; Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland; National Rehabilitation Hospital; InterTradeIreland; Saint Michael's House; O&B Recruitment; Warwick Medical School; and Careers in Research, NUI Galway. According to Angela Teahan, Career Development Centre, NUI Galway, "The majority of companies attending are actively recruiting and this is such an opportunity for students and graduates. My advice is to arrive well-prepared having researched the exhibitors and with an up to date CV in hand. Be prepared to network with employers, get into conversation with the representatives, and endeavour to make a positive and lasting impression on the company representatives". For further details on the event visit the Career Development Centre's website http://www.nuigalway.ie/careers/students/sciencefair.html or telephone Angela Teahan on 091 492133. -ends-