More third and fourth level science, technology, education and mathematics graduates are essential in Ireland than ever before, according to the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN). We need these graduates today and well into the future in order to:

• Deal  with the increasingly complex demands of the global economy, including the proliferation of technologies and growth of internationally traded services and manufacturing services
• Attract high value-added investment and highly skilled job creation
• Develop the research base which provides opportunities for the development of new products, services and ideas
• Increase the number of better quality and better paid jobs in the economy
• Meet the continuing strong demand for specific technical and business skills – including for engineers with strong skills and experience

Science, engineering and technology offer attractive career paths for students, and the National Skills Strategy has highlighted how all occupations are becoming more knowledge-based.

The Industrial Development Agency’s announcements in 2008/2009 also show a distinct shift in the nature of foreign direct investment towards research, development and innovation activities, global business services, and expanding investments by existing multinationals in higher value-added activities.

For example:

• IBM announced the establishment of its Global Centre of Excellence for Water Management in Dublin, through the development of green data-centre technologies
• AON, a provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage chose Dublin as its location for a global innovation centre with the creation of 100 jobs
• Facebook established its international HQ  in Dublin
• Alcon, a leading eye care company, announced a €21 million expansion in Cork, with 186 new jobs
• Microsoft expanded its Irish operations with a €360 million investment in a strategic data centre
• PayPal announced a €15 million investment in a new European Centre for Operational Excellence in Dublin
• Hewlett Packard announced an €18m expansion of its Global Service Desk Operation, with 500 to 1,000 new jobs in Leixlip, Co Kildare
• Big Fish Games Inc established its European HQ in Cork with100 jobs

Learn more

From medical devices to renewable energy, read about the sectors where STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills will be needed.

Sarah Flannery - Student Cryptographer Mathematician

Sarah Flannery achieved global recognition at the age of 16 after winning the Young Scientist of the Year 1999 for her research into the Cayley-Purser Algorithm. Her winning project, which outlined a faster, more efficient and secure encryption formula than existing systems, resulted in massive media coverage worldwide, job offers, approaches from industry and the chance to represent Ireland in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists 1999.

However, shortly before the European competition took place, a flaw was discovered in the formula and, despite weeks of work, a solution could not be found. Submitting the project complete with documentation of the flaw,
led to an award which Sarah considers to be her most outstanding and prized achievement so far. “By then we had discovered that the algorithm wasn’t as good as we hoped it would be. I was disheartened going in, but still came out with a first prize. That award was most important and put the faith back in it for me. I knew then that it was about the science, and not the publicity”.

Destined for a career in science

Sarah comes from Co.Cork where both her parents lecture in science – her mother in microbiology, and her father in mathematics. Through them, and hearing about their student’s career destinations, Sarah became aware of the many opportunities in science. “I have grown up with, and have a personality that suits science – I have always seen it as really interesting. My parents encouraged my interest and I got to see a lot of fascinating places where people do research.”

She took physics, chemistry, maths and applied maths for her leaving certificate, along with English, German and Accounting – subjects which she also loves. Sarah did some work experience with Baltimore Technologies in 1998, which helped her focus on a project for the Young Scientist.

Benefits of being named Young Scientist ‘99

“The Young Scientist competition is a brilliant idea. There is the perception that it is ‘geeky’, but when you get there there’s a huge buzz of excitement with everyone talking about what they’ve been working on for the last couple of months – it’s very interesting to see the projects that people have been working on.”

Since her win she has been invited to give formal lectures in many places around the world, including New Zealand and Singapore (as a guest of their governments), Milan for IBM’s first EMEA Women’s Leadership Conference, London for the Royal Geographic Society ‘Last Word Lecture’ and the USA in MIT and Stanford University.

Many lectures and a bestselling book ‘In Code – A Mathematical Journey’ later, it’s the fundamental research and puzzle solving which she still enjoys most. “My favourite part of the work is just getting on with projects. There are no real disadvantages to the work – problems, and solving them, are all part of the fun and what it is all about.”

Computers at Cambridge

She is currently studying Computer Science in Peterhouse, Cambridge University in England where she has just completed the first year. “There are lots of areas where much work will be done in the coming years, such as in quantum computing. I hope to work in research but still haven’t decided exactly what area. I really like cryptography but am open to finding something else in the course that interests me. There’s still so much to find out about and I’m only just starting. I’m coming across new things everyday as I learn about the area.”

Looking to the future

Apart from openings in academia, there are plenty of big companies willing to sponsor researchers in industry, something that Sarah plans to take advantage of once she leaves college.

No matter what lies in future, choosing a career in science has already had a hugely positive impact on Sarah’s life. “Look at all the opportunities that have opened up for me – I’ve got to travel the world, meet amazing people – like cryptography figureheads Ronald Rivest and Whitfield Diffey, and I’ve enjoyed every moment. I can now get on with enjoying college and the course work, with the knowledge that there are plenty of good job opportunities out there for when I leave.”

Cliodhna McGuirk, SMS technologist

Degree

Pure and Applied Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin.

Career snapshot

Cliodhna McGuirk, Chief Technology Officer at Saadian Technologies, is an SMS trailblazer. If you’ve ever sent a text to a radio station, entered an SMS competition or received the latest sports news by text, then it’s possible that her technology made it happen. From Swords, County Dublin, Cliodhna’s interest in technology began when she studied maths in university. On graduation, she got a job in AIB and developed an interest in Internet security and programming. Her next job was with Nua – considered worldwide to be an Internet pioneer – where she worked on projects developing Internet solutions for Irish and International companies. In 1999, she co-founded Saadian Technologies, which has become one of the leading Irish Mobile Middleware and SMS companies in Ireland and beyond.

What’s so brilliant about your job?

“There is a definite buzz about working in an industry where the technology is moving so fast. I’ve always had an interest in problem solving. I enjoy talking to clients, finding out their needs and then coming back with a technical solution to solve their problems.”
“It can be a very creative process and very rewarding when you see how your software has made an impact on the company.”

How do you spend typical day?

“There are always several projects on the go. As CTO I’m involved, in some way, in every project. That could mean that in the morning I’m working with a client like Today FM, on SMS listener voting. Then in the afternoon I could be programming a new product to be used by the Government for the EU Presidency. I get to do a lot of different things. As a growing company we never say ‘no’ so it’s always busy.”

Are you computer nerd?

“No. But none of my friends are into computers. I’ve never ended up programming in a corner. It’s always been about using technology to fix problems and being able to come at things laterally, My maths definitely helped me develop those skills.”

Did science give you a buzz at school?

“I was always interested in mathematics and physics. I did applied maths as an extra subject because my school didn’t offer it for the Leaving. I really got interested after the Junior Cert. I was selected to compete in the Mathematics Olympiad, which is an international competition and involves extra training on Saturdays. It gave me a taste for doing maths at university level.”

What has been the highlight of your career to date?

“I won the Irish Internet Association Innovation Award in 2002. I was really happy because people working in the Irish Internet industry voted for me. It was great that our hard work was recognised by our peers.”

Want to find out more?

Find out more about Cliodhna’s company, Saadian Technologies

Read about why she was chosen as an Internet innovator on the Irish Internet Association website.

Discover more about studying maths at Trinity College

Electronic engineer John Breslin (31) was born in Dublin and grew up in Fanore, Co Clare. He went to school in Lisdoonvarna. Since qualifying, he has held a range of Johnresearch and teaching posts.

His current job is in one of the most exciting areas of computer science – working on the Semantic Web project at the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI) at NUI Galway. (The Semantic Web is the next generation of the World Wide Web, intended to create much more meaningful connections between pieces of information.)

Among the awards he has collected are a Golden Spider and a Zeddy web award for the online community boards.ie, and a prize paper award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Degrees

BE (Electronics), NUI Galway, 1994 and PhD, NUI Galway, 2002

Career snapshot

He began his career in 1994 with the Power Electronics Research Centre at NUI Galway, where he worked on computer techniques to improve the design of electrical transformers.

From 2000 to 2004, he lectured at the Department of Electronic Engineering at NUI Galway. He taught students in both electronic and computer engineering subjects ranging from radio communications to digital logic.

Currently, he’s a postdoctoral researcher at DERI, researching social networks and community portals on the Semantic Web.

What’s so brilliant about your job?

“I’ve been fascinated by the development of online communities on the Web since I co-founded one of Ireland’s largest community sites (boards.ie) as a hobby in 2000. Boards.ie started life as a single discussion forum with a handful of members, and now spans hundreds of diverse forums with thousands of members.

“My interest has evolved from this part-time hobby to become the focus of my research at DERI: social networking on the Semantic Web.

“The idea of a Semantic Web – a semantically-annotated resource shared by humans and computers – was proposed by the inventor of the current Web, Tim Berners-Lee. It will make it easier for humans to find information than it is with today’s search engines, and will allow computers to automatically process and integrate the information available on the Web.

“The growth of social networking sites since 2003 has been phenomenal, attracting significant publicity and venture capital as a result. These are community sites where users can maintain an online network of friends or associates for social or business purposes: whether you’re looking for a job, reconnecting with old friends, moving to a new area, or dating. “I’m working on developing such a social networking site with an Irish focus, building on my previous experience in online communities.”

What do you like least about your job?

“Deadlines (for papers, proposals and deliverables)! But then again, you have deadlines in nearly all jobs and few people like them.”

How do you spend a typical day?

“My first task each day will be to check email. Typical tasks would include researching and writing technical papers; reviewing and reading other people’s papers; putting together proposals for projects and funding; programming and web development; participating in meetings of clusters and committees; and attending seminars given by researchers on a wide range of topics (a great way to learn quickly about a new area).”

Does your work require a lot of equipment?

“No – just computers!”

Are you a science nerd?

“I am a bit of a technology freak – I spend a lot of free time developing web sites or fiddling with some computer or electronic gadget. My latest home gadget is called the DreamBox. This sounds like a gaming console, but it is actually a satellite receiver.

“You can stream television from it to your PC, record to its hard disk (like Sky+), and download or upload multimedia files through its network connection. This is one of many examples we have of where communications and computing technology is converging (like mobile phones and portable media players).

“I also have a strong interest in the convergence between electronics and the Semantic Web: the World Wide Web Consortium’s CC/PP recommendation, and physical hyperlinks for electronic devices.”

Did science give you a buzz at school?

“In secondary school, I took all available science subjects (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), with some outside normal hours. I really enjoyed these subjects, and loved any chance I had to use the single Apple Lisa computer we had in school (not just Pong, but BASIC too)!

“My earliest scientific memory in primary school was making a circuit to turn on and off a light: using a battery, torch bulb and an old switch I cut off from a worn-out electric blanket.”

What has been the highlight of your career to date?

“The highlight of my career has probably been the IEEE prize paper award I and my co-authors received for a journal publication in PELS Transactions in 2000. Each time a publication is accepted for a peer-reviewed journal or conference it is a mini-highlight, because your work has been reviewed by those foremost in your research area and deemed to be worthy of notice by others.”

Want to find out more?

Visit John Breslin’s home page

Check out DERI Galway

Born near Hillsborough, Co. Down, Harry discovered a love for mechanics and engineering whilst working at his brother’s motor and bicycle repair business.

He subsequently became the first man in Ireland to design and develop his own aeroplane – a replica of which can be seen at the Ulster Folk and Transport museum. His first flight took place in December 1909.

By 1911, Harry had set up his own garage in Belfast. When, in 1917, the Irish Board of Agriculture approached him on how to improve yield of food production, he turned to the design of machinery.

He saw fault with the large, heavy American tractors that he was selling through his garage, especially how the cumbersome design worked with the plough. Harry built his own plough, light and simple, and coupled it to the tractor in a three point linkage system, making it a single rather than two separate units. The innovation was brilliant and safe. He patented the ‘Ferguson System’ in 1926.

In 1938 Harry sold a tractor design to Henry Ford and by 1947, 300,000 Ford Ferguson tractors had been sold. Unfortunately the partnership ended with a lengthy lawsuit in 1950. Later, Harry merged with Massey-Harris, a Canadian company, to form Massey-Ferguson, who are renowned for selling tractors and other agricultural machinery throughout the world.

Holland began work on submarine design after emigrating to New Jersey. Initially funded by The Fenians, who wanted to use Holland’s submarines against British warships, his first sub sank after someone forgot to install the screw plugs.

He went on to design a series of submarines “suitable for war”. It was not until after his death that Holland became widely recognised and renowned as the inventor of the modern submarine.

In 1964 a plaque was erected in Liscannor to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his death. The town’s Castle Street has been renamed Holland Street in his honour.

Visiting Liscannor but haven’t got a submarine handy? You can still see sharks, congor eels, starfish and other Atlantic Coast underwater life at Lahinch Seaworld. Or, look for fossil tracks of marine animals in Liscannor Stone, a variety of 300 million year old local stone.

The Cliffs of Moher and Aillwee Cave are only a short drive away.

Read more about John Phillip Holland

Computer science involves the design and architecture of computers, the development of programmes and the effective construction of systems. Computer scientists research, develop and design computer software, hardware, and systems for scientific and technical applications.

What do they do?

Modern computer science is involved in every aspect of industry and business and underpins every aspect of our personal lives. Computing is an exciting and challenging subject of great economic and social importance. Computer scientists work in areas such as artificial intelligence, cryptography, speech technology, web design, computer graphics and software engineering. Computer science is an interdisciplinary subject. It is firmly rooted in engineering and mathematics, with links to linguistics, psychology and other fields. When concerned with hardware design it can overlap with electrical and electronic engineering. The development of circuits made directly on silicon chips gives a link to solid state physics. Formal methods for the construction, analysis and validation of software can, on the other hand, involve much mathematics. Practical computer science is concerned with constructing hardware and software systems: digital electronics, compiler design, programming languages, operating systems, networks and graphics. Theoretical computer science addresses fundamental issues: the notion of computable function, proving the correctness of hardware and software and the theory of communicating systems.

Career opportunities

Computers are to be found everywhere and their role in the world is constantly expanding, making computer science an exciting and rapidly growing area that offers a diverse range of career paths. A degree in computer science opens up many career opportunities in, for example, industry, business, and health care.

Graduates can find themselves working on topics such as aids for the disabled, medical imaging, industrial control; they could be designing graphical interfaces, building video-based information systems, and constructing custom solutions for a wide variety of problems. There are also opportunities to work in exciting emerging new applications in association with areas such as internet applications development, e-commerce, assistive health care for the disabled, systems technology, graphics and games programming.

Graduates find employment as web developers, programmers, computer technicians, network administrators and also in areas such as sales, business applications and software localisation.

There is therefore a demand all over the world for professionals trained in the use of computing software and hardware and the dynamic nature of computing means that there is always potential for designing novel and exciting products and services.

Did you know?

A robotic world

Research in artificial intelligence is aimed at understanding exhibit it. It wasn’t until the development of the electronic computer in 1941 that technology was available to create machine intelligence but now robots already exist that are autonomous: they can learn, communicate and teach other. They can navigate their way around our world and be linked to extremely powerful computers that will give them

Googling

The search engine Google is run on a distributed network of thousands of low-cost computers and can therefore carry out fast parallel processing. Parallel processing is a method of computation in which many calculations can be performed simultaneously, significantly speeding up data processing. Google consists of three distrincts parts :

1. Googlebot, a web crawler that finds and fetches web pages
2. The indexer that sorts every word on every page and stores the resulting index of words in a huge database
3. The query processor, which compares your search query to the index and recommends the documents that it considers most relevant

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Dr Sharon Davin - Research Manager in Solar Energy Conversion

What were the main ‘career decision’ milestones in your life so far?

Right from secondary school I knew I wanted to work in science and I chose subjects that would allow me to do this (with French and music for fun).

Looking back on it now, it would have been good to do a business subject too, but I really hated it in school.

I loved the lab work side of my degree in DCU, so it seemed like the perfect choice to do a PhD there, and I felt that working in the area of the environmental research was a worthwhile cause.

Outside of science, my main hobby is in musical theatre and I have been on the committee of the Glasnevin Musical Society for the last number of years.

Skills that I have honed there in marketing, publicity and dealing with people have been very useful in my current job.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My dad was a manager in our local brewery and had to wear a white lab coat to work. Perhaps this influenced me from an early age!

My older sister is also a scientist, and I think that a love of science was ingrained in both of us from our biology teacher, Mrs Cashin, in the Presentation Secondary School in Kilkenny.

My PhD supervisor, Dr Brid Quilty, really helped me in deciding what to do with my degrees.

Does your job allow you to have a lifestyle you are happy with?

Choosing a PhD in biotechnology was very rewarding but one of the main drawbacks was growing cells!

Like us, they need time to grow and to be fed, so it can take a little bit of juggling to balance work/study and life.

It is also a tough choice to delay having some of life’s luxuries as you don’t earn the same wages as colleagues who go into industry after their degree. However, PhD student stipends are fairly good now, so you can still plan that holiday in the sun.

Having a PhD has allowed me to develop my career beyond the lab from lecturing to my current role in research management. Although my current job as a project manager for a SFI Research Cluster on solar energy conversion is busy, there is always a new challenge every day to keep my interest.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

My job encompasses a wide range of tasks within the project, from replying to general queries, setting up meetings and taking minutes, publicity and materials, fostering new industrial and academic links, education and outreach, financial management, new student recruitment, intellectual property rights, conference organisation and reporting.

What’s “cool” about your position?

I love being part of a new project that really has the potential to contribute hugely not only to life in Ireland, but to society as a whole.

Energy is such a fundamental concern in everybody’s life, and being able to utilise solar energy for everyday living, at a more competitive price than is currently available, will be awesome.

What is your education to date?

I loved science right from the start of school and really focused on it for my Leaving Cert by taking on biology, chemistry and applied mathematics.
National Certificate in Applied Science (Chemistry) from Waterford IT
BSc in Biotechnology and PhD in Biotechnology from DCU

What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?

Because biotechnology covers a wide berth of science and engineering, it has really given me the ability to see the bigger picture and potential in projects.

A PhD and research really focuses your talents in organisation, planning and being able to critically review your research. These are very important skills in my current role.

What have been the most rewarding events in your career so far?

I really enjoyed my PhD graduation and having all my family and friends with me on the day, which also coincided with my birthday!

It can be easy to forget that it is a big achievement not only for you, but for your family too.

What personal qualities do you have that helps you in your career?

I bring an inherent sense of calmness and organisation to the table, along with the ability to interact with all colleagues in a friendly manner.

What is your dream job?

Owning a bookshop-café and being in charge of making the desserts. I love to bake. Well I guess pastry is another type of science!

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

A couple of years of post-doctoral research experience provides you with a good background to a research manager post.

What are the three most important personal characteristics required for the job?

You need to be interested, organised and flexible – core skills for any managerial role.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

A background in research is essential and an understanding of research policy, commercialisation and funding avenues in Ireland is also helpful.

Maths was by far my favourite subject in primary school and once I discovered physics in secondary school it seemed like the perfect combination. During transition year and again in fifth year I competed in the Young Scientist Exhibition.

The first year my group was highly commended and won the National Heritage Council Award, while the following year we received second prize in the Senior Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics section. My involvement in the competition greatly encouraged me to pursue science at third level.

I chose the BSc in Applied Physics at the University of Limerick for two reasons. Firstly, it allowed me to develop both my mathematical and scientific skills.

Secondly, it involved a nine-month work placement which gave me a valuable insight into the application of science in industry. My work placement was at Intel in Leixlip, Co Kildare, where I worked as a Sort E-test Engineer.

This involved both electrical and functionality testing of semiconductor wafers. This experience influenced my final-year choices at university.

Undertaking a PhD seemed the natural thing to do when I had completed my final year. At the time I couldn’t decide on a career path in industry so I felt that spending some more time in university and further developing my research skills was the best option.

During the final stages of my PhD I felt strongly about moving into industry to broaden my experience. The area of technology transfer always excited me and I was delighted to begin working at Technology From Ideas.

Who most influenced your career direction?

Photo of Mairead BreathnachMy parents have always been extremely supportive and encouraging when it came to career choices and decisions.

My maths/physics teacher at school was a major inspiration and was always available for advice, particularly during my final years at university.

My PhD supervisor was also a great inspiration. He was the main driving force behind my decision to do a PhD.

He encouraged me to apply for scholarships, in particular the IRCSET scholarship, without which I probably would not have been financially able to stay in college.

Describe a typical day in your job

It can vary depending on the projects I’m working on. At any one time I am usually involved in the analysis stage of about four ideas, the development stage of two or three projects and the sales of three or four technologies.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

Technology From Ideas is an early stage technology development company that specialises in developing and proving early stage technologies for specific market applications.

My role is as a technology development scientist working on each stage of the development of cutting-edge technologies.

What are the main challenges?

At the moment the biggest challenge is understanding patent laws and license agreements, as this aspect of the job is completely new to me. The technologies we work come from all fields of science.

Sometimes, understanding the technical detail of a technology which is not related to anything I’ve previously worked on can be very challenging.

But this is also the most rewarding aspect of my job, as I am constantly learning about and gaining experience in new areas and applications of science and technology.

What’s cool about your job?

Working at the forefront of cutting-edge technology. I get to learn of technologies before they become public and it always amazes me how inventive some scientists can be.

What’s not so cool?

When you analyzse a particularly interesting technology only to find that it must be rejected for some reason or another.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

I have a very analytical and logical mind. This is an excellent skill to have in any job but particularly in this job as I am constantly analysing technologies.

I have strong scientific skills and hands-on experience spanning several scientific fields including physics, maths, materials science, electrochemistry and microscopy.

What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?

I chose physics, chemistry, geography and French. Physics was an easy choice as I loved maths. I knew I wanted a career in sience so I decided to take a second science subject. Chemistry appealed more than biology, perhaps because I’m quite squeamish!

What is your dream job?

Puppy/dog walking for people who don’t have the time to exercise man’s most loyal friend!

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

If you love science or engineering and would like to be the link that brings vital research from the lab to the marketplace, then this is the job for you. You need to be interested in the transfer of knowledge and technology and have a good scientific or engineering education.

What are the three most important personal characteristics required for the job?

Good communication skills are vital as you need to be able to communicate with people from all aspects of business, such as researchers, inventors, patent attorneys, lawyers, manufacturers and customers.

What kinds of work experience would provide a good background for this position?

Experience in technology transfer or technology development.

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