February 2016 Eight NUI Galway Female Researchers Honoured in Áras an Uachtaráin for Contribution to Science

Eight NUI Galway academics attended a celebration of ‘Women in Science’ by President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, in Áras an Uachtaráin at the weekend. The event celebrated the leading role that women play in scientific research and industry.

Since his inauguration in 2011, the President has spoken repeatedly about the importance of using scientific insights to address the great challenges facing humanity and our fragile planet and to ensure the benefits of this research are shared equitably among and within nations. The celebratory event highlighted the achievements and inspirational roles played by a growing number of women in this regard.

Representation was drawn from the universities and institutes of technology in Ireland, as well as a small number from scientific state agencies and bodies.  There was also a group of competitors and organisers from the BT Young Scientists Competition.

Speaking at the celebratory event, President Higgins said: “It gives me great pleasure to host this event, aimed at celebrating the leading role that women are playing in scientific research and industry. Science is an important and influential discipline – one which has a pivotal role to play in the great concerns of humanity in our time, and one which has the potential to make the greatest contribution to improving our world.

“As experts in their fields, award winners, holders of distinguished Chairs and Professorships, esteemed researchers, writers and lecturers they are breaking new ground and paving the way for new generations of women who will also wish to use their talent and creativity to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths, and play their unique role in crafting a better world. I wish each and every one of them success in their fields of expertise, in their future careers and in their capacities as inspirational role models for the scientists of the future.”

The eight NUI Galway researchers were:

• Dr Adrienne Gorman, Vice-Dean for Research in the College of Science and Principal Investigator in Apoptosis Research Centre

• Dr Eva Szegezdi, Lecturer in Biochemistry, Head of the Blood Cancer Biobank in Ireland, and Principal investigator of the Cancer Niche Laboratory

• Dr Laoise McNamara, Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering

• Dr Elaine Dunleavy, Wellcome Trust Research Fellow with Biochemistry and Centre for Chromosome Biology

• Dr Róisín Dwyer, Lecturer in Translational Science

• Professor Grace McCormack, member of the Zoology Discipline of the School of Natural Sciences and the Biodiversity and Bioresources cluster of the Ryan Institute

• Dr Michelle Kilcoyne, Lecturer in the Discipline of Microbiology

• Dr Sharon Glynn, Lecturer in Pathology

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