Celebrating International Year of Chemistry, the School of Chemistry at NUI Galway will acknowledge the contribution of its research graduates in Ireland and beyond at a special reunion celebration. The event will take place at a gala dinner in the Meyrick Hotel on Saturday, 1 October.

NUI Galway’s School of Chemistry has recently conferred its 300^th PhD graduate and the majority of the research graduates have made major contributions to Ireland’s highly successful chemical, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and medical device industries.  A significant portion of the graduates are contributing to the provision of services in the public sector, such as the State Laboratory and the Forensic Laboratory. Many have and continue to contribute to education and research in second and third-level institutions. 

Linked to this celebration, the School of Chemistry will host a discussion seminar entitled The PhD in Chemistry in Ireland - What's the Future? This public meeting will include contributions from Science Foundation Ireland, IRCSET, the American Chamber of Commerce, PharmaChem Ireland, representatives from the pharmaceutical industry and heads of Schools of Chemistry from universities throughout Ireland. 

The objective of the seminar is to develop policy and strategy so that Chemistry Schools across Ireland can continue to provide highest possibly quality research graduates with appropriate skills to continue to contribute to Enterprise in Ireland.  The seminar will take place on Friday, 30 September, in the John Hynes Boardroom, Quadrangle, NUI Galway at 10.30am.

Professor Paul Murphy, Head of School of Chemistry at NUI Galway, says: “The chemical and pharmaceutical industry continues to be one of the strongest performing sectors in Ireland and the economy will continue to benefit from investment in PhD graduates in Chemistry Schools in Ireland.”

The event has been organised jointly by the Alumni Office and School of Chemistry at NUI Galway.  Sponsorship of the event has been provided by Pfizer Ireland, Roche Ireland and NUI Galway.

For more information, or to book a place at the reunion, contact Colm O’Dwyer in the NUI Galway Alumni Office at 091 493750 or email alumni@nuigalway.ie.

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