Elaine McGlynn, Project officer in DCU
Career snapshot
Elaine McGlynn is a project officer at the Research Institute for Networks and Communications Engineering (RINCE) at Dublin City University (DCU). She is part of a team working on a number of projects in web accessibility. (“Accessibility” means making web resources usable by people regardless of any disability they may have.)
She has also designed a course on accessibility for staff at DCU. This course introduces accessible document authoring and online resources.
Elaine is from Swords in Co. Dublin and went to school in Loreto College in Balbriggan. Her enjoyment of maths in school led her to study information and communications technology at university.
Degree
- B.A. (Mod) Information and Communications Technology, Trinity College Dublin, 2003.
- M.Sc. in Multimedia Systems, Trinity College Dublin, 2004.
What’s so brilliant about your job?
“I learn something new every day. My job involves a lot of research into web accessibility, which is a vast and very interesting subject. “
What do you like least about your job?
“Fortunately I’m very happy.”
How do you spend typical day?
“My role is so diverse; it’s difficult to describe a typical day. At the moment, I’m running an online accessibility course for academic staff in DCU, which I spent a number of months designing. The course is delivered entirely online.”
“I log into the course every morning and spend a lot of the day reviewing any assignments submitted, adding and updating resources and replying to questions and comments on the course forum. In addition, I spend time researching web accessibility, reviewing websites for accessibility and organising seminars.”
Does your work require a lot of equipment?
“No, just my brain and a computer.”
Are you a science/engineering/technology nerd?
“I’m a bit of a technology nerd. I do spend a lot of time on the Internet outside of work (like most people, I think) and love designing websites. I also love finding out how things work – my current interest being my car, but only because it’s giving me trouble and I’d love to know how to fix it myself.”
Did science/engineering/technology give you a buzz at school?
“Yes, I was a total mathematics nerd in school! I’d spend hours working out complicated math problems. I also loved computer classes which we had every Wednesday.”
What has been the highlight of your career to date?
“My career has only started, but the highlight so far is being introduced to the world of web accessibility, which I really enjoy being a part of.”
Learn more:
Check out RINCE on the Web
Find out about the Web Accessibility Initiative
See the National Disability Authority’s accessibility guidelines
