October 2008 NUI Galway Engineering Students Awarded Prestigious Scholarships

Two first-year engineering students at NUI Galway have been presented with scholarships by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan T.D.. Emma Tarpey from Monaleen, Limerick and Máire Kane from Dangan, Galway, both received a Science Foundation Ireland/DELL Scholarship – Young Women in Engineering 2008. Emma Tarpey is studying Civil Engineering and Máire Kane is studying Undenominated Engineering. Both will benefit from an annual award of €2,000 for three years and a DELL notebook computer. In addition, to help develop their careers, they will have the assistance and support of an active researcher as a mentor, and one summer's research-internship in an academic research laboratory or an industry R&D laboratory. The Scholarship aims to attract and encourage more high-achieving young women into third-level education in engineering disciplines. Now in its third year, the scheme focuses on young women entering designated engineering degree programmes. NUI Galway has a long tradition of encouraging female engineers; Alice Perry graduated from the University in 1906, becoming the first woman with a degree in engineering in Ireland or Great Britain, if not the world. Professor Padraic O'Donoghue, Dean of the College of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway, said: "We are very proud of Máire and Emma and delighted that their success is recognised through the prestigious SFI/Dell awards. The engineering courses on offer at NUI Galway attract a very high caliber of student. The ethos of the College of Engineering and Informatics is to encourage students to develop their innovative and creative skills and also provides an environment which is internationally recognised as student centered with emphasis on the student as a partner in the learning process". Applications for this SFI scholarship were received from eligible candidates nationwide and were extremely competitive, with a total of ten awarded. Specific criteria for applications include the achievement of an A1 or A2 grade at Higher Level in the Leaving Certificate Examination in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics and Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Technical Drawing, Engineering or Construction Studies. -ends-