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.”

Speech and Language Therapy is a challenging, varied and creative job. It provides the opportunity to facilitate others to reach their social, educational and vocational potential, by enabling them to communicate effectively with others.

After completing her degree in Manchester University in 1996, Karen Henderson began working as a Speech and Language Therapist with the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) in Clontarf, Dublin. She has been working for Cheeverstown House in Templeogue, since June 2002.

There she works with other professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Music Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and doctors, in the course of assessing, diagnosing and treating a variety of communication difficulties in adults and children who are living with disabilities or disorders.

“I work primarily with individuals with physical disability, many of whom are non-speaking or have unclear speech. Our role is to assess for and implement Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems. These systems supplement and in some cases replace speech as a means of communication.”

There is currently a national shortage of Speech and Language Therapists and hence a large number of vacant posts in Ireland.

In order to apply for a Speech and Language Therapist’s post, you must show you have qualified from an approved 3rd level institution.

Most courses demand languages and science subjects at honours Leaving Cert level. The degree is varied, combining academic teaching with hands-on clinical experience and encompassing such areas as Anatomy, Physiology, Embryology, Linguistics, Audiology, Psychology, Phonetics, Child language and development, Neurology and Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Learn more

International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication - an organisation devoted to advancing the field of Augmentative and Alternative communication (AAC).

Central Remedial Clinic – is a non-residential national centre for the care, treatment and development of children and adults with physical and multiple disabilities.

Luke O’Neill’s favourite subject at school while studying for the leaving cert was biology. He is now Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin.

His work involves lecturing in various subjects – such as Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Immunology and Molecular Medicine to both science and medical students. It also involves leading a research team of 12 individuals in the areas of immunology and inflammatory diseases, including 6 post-docs, 4 Ph.D. students and two technicians.

He has written many scientific papers and his work has been published in Nature, the world’s leading science journal. In 1995, among various other awards and achievements, he received the Royal Irish Academy Medal for Biochemistry, and in 1999 was runner-up for the Boyle Medal, presented by the Royal Dublin Society.

How it all began

As with many people who pursue a career in science, Luke recalls having an interest in the natural world, in particular geology and biology, from an early age:

“I liked the exactness of science and also the wonders to be found in biology.”

He didn’t particularly enjoy biology in the early part of secondary school, but loved it by the time he completed the leaving cert. The way a subject is taught is often instrumental in how popular it is with students, and this proved true for Luke as he credits his biology teacher as having a part to play in his love for biology.

The second science subject he completed for leaving cert was chemistry, paving the way for future plans to study science after school.

Career path to becoming a researcher

Luke’s next step was to go to Trinity College Dublin, where he now lectures. For four years he studied for a BA (Mod) in Natural Sciences. Studying for a degree in Natural Science at TCD involves studying a combination of subjects from biology, chemistry, physics, geology, geography and maths, in the first and second year, and then specialising in one particular area, such as Genetics, Environmental Science, Physiology or Biochemistry, for example. Luke preferred to specialise in Biochemistry in third and fourth year. As part of this degree, he would have had to complete a research project in his final year, giving the student experience in the laboratory and a chance to make a contribution to an area of research.

Luke graduated with First Class honours in 1985 from Trinity College and had already decided that research was the area for him:

“The idea of discovering and seeing something no-one had seen before, and contributing to knowledge in the world really stimulated me.”

He decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of London (Royal College of Surgeons) in 1988. He then followed what he terms ” the standard career path” – post-doctoral research, which meant a move to the University of Cambridge, and then a lectureship in Biochemistry at Trinity. The decision to lecture came naturally:

” I wanted to lecture as I feel it’s very important to pass on your enthusiasms and knowledge to the next generation.”

Outstanding Contribution to Biomedical Research

The awards and recognition Luke has so far received speak for themselves in terms of how successful he has been in his career to date – among those mentioned before in 1996 he received the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland Conway Medal for Biomedical Research and a year later was presented with an Outstanding Achievement award by the International Cytokine Society.

But more importantly than awards, his research has made many important discoveries and contributions in its respective areas. His Ph.D. project made a discovery that led to a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs – the COX-2 selective inhibitors. His research has made important discoveries into the inner workings of cells of the immune system, responsible for helping our bodies to fight disease. Through his work, he has also discovered new proteins and processes, which have a part to play in diseases such as arthritis and sepsis.

In particular in the last couple of years, his research group have made two key discoveries. The first is they have found that pox viruses (such as small pox itself) have ways of disabling our immune system and therefore not allowing it to do its job properly. They have also found a new human protein in white blood cells that acts as a master switch, turning on the immune response to harmful bacteria in the body. This protein is called Mal. Both of the discoveries could lead to better treatment for certain inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

A rewarding career choice

Luke considers his choice of career a particularly rewarding one and outlines three main aspects of the job that are most enjoyable: the first is the rewards from the research itself – “The process of discovering new things that may lead to better treatments for various immune and inflammatory diseases.”

He also enjoys learning about progress in his own research areas through the work of other laboratories and research groups, as well as the teaching element, part of his job as a lecturer at TCD.

Apart from rewards, there are also certain advantages, such as getting to travel and being able to work in almost any location:

“Travel is a major bonus – I have given seminars all over the world and spent time in labs in the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Having a Ph.D. means you can get a job anywhere and there is constant travel to conferences.”

Luke also highlights that as a biomedical research scientist he is his own boss and can work to his own schedule, which he certainly finds an advantage.

A look to the future

Looking to the future of biomedical research, in his opinion, the rate of progress and advancements in this area is “astounding”, eventually leading to new and better treatments for human diseases such as cancer, arthritis, MS, Crohn’s disease and AIDS.

Looking at Luke’s personal future in biomedical research, he seems focused on one goal and that is to make further breakthroughs in his own research area.

His advice for students wishing to pursue a similar career path is simple:

“If you like Biology, sign up!”

Education

Imelda Egan - Air pollution scientist

• BA (Mod) Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin (1993)
• Masters in Biological Sciences, Dublin City University (1996)
• Diploma in Environmental Engineering, Trinity College (1999)

Career snapshot

Imelda Egan develops techniques to deal with air pollution. She works for Bord na Mona, an organisation once best known for turf briquettes. Over the past decade, however, Bord na Mona has also built up a range of environmental services, many based on technologies that it has invented and developed commercially.
Imelda is centrally involved in this. Over the last five years, she has been named as co-inventor of two patented air treatment processes. The team she works in, Clean Air Solutions, was shortlisted for the All-Ireland Innovation Awards 2002 and received a commendation.

Bord na Mona exports its services to Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, as well as working in Ireland. So Imelda’s job involves a lot of travel, although some of it is to such glamorous locations as wastewater treatment or animal rendering plants.
There are two sides to her work: developing new solutions and supporting them in use. This involves:

• Working on new processes to deal with air pollution
• Going on-site to examine air emissions and odorous processes
• Devising solutions through pilot trials
• Putting biological air treatment systems in place
• Supporting the systems in use

It is a demanding and satisfying job, making the world a cleaner and less-smelly place.

What’s the best thing about your job?

“I like the variety of my job, in that I could be on site in France one week and the next be in the office designing a full abatement system for an odour or emission application. The team members in Clean Air Solutions work together. If something comes up, everyone pulls together to get it solved as quickly as possible.”

What do you like least about your job?

“There are times, particularly in winter, when the last thing you want to do is to go outside to a cold site!”

How do you spend a typical day?

“I could be up early and on the road to a site to undertake monitoring. If we have a pilot trial going, we could be visiting that. Or I could be in the office. I spend a lot of time on the phone discussing potential solutions, or arranging someone to monitor a site.”

Are you a science nerd?

“I don’t think so. I like all aspects of my job, including the commercial aspects. My qualifications in science allow me to do a job which is varied and interesting, but I leave it at the gate when I go home.”

Did science give you a buzz at school?

“I did chemistry and physics at school, but wasn’t that good at either really. It wasn’t until I went to college that some of my courses really woke me up to the unbelievable possibilities that science offers in every area of life.”

Want to find out more?

Learn about the wide range of Bord na Mona’s business activities

Find out more about environmental engineering at TCD

(Photo of Imelda Egan used with the kind permission of Bord na Mona)

Emer Clarke - Cell Biologist

Education

Primary degree, Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin
PhD (Haematology) in cell biology, Trinity

Career snapshot

Dublin-born, her first job was in a laboratory in St. James Hospital in Dublin. She examined how anti-rejection drugs would impact on patients who had undergone bone marrow transplantations. Following her PhD, she moved to Seattle and worked in bone marrow research first at a teaching hospital, then at a biotechnology company.
Next Emer moved to Bristol to the UK’s National Blood Service as a clinical scientist on a bone marrow treatment programme. Her work involved identifying how patients’ bone marrow could be adapted to increase the chances of successful transplants. She took up her current role in 1998.

What’s so brilliant about your job?

“I love the diversity. I enjoy going into the laboratory and doing experiments and finding out what’s new. There’s also the knowledge that the work I do benefits patients. It helps the discovery of new drugs and involves training people in laboratories to treat illnesses.”

How do you spend a typical day?

“I get in at around 7.45, and start the day trying to do some damage control on my emails. I get around 40 emails a day – queries from technical staff, customers. I like to spend four or five hours in the laboratory – I’m a real lab rat. Then I have to report on the experiments, quantitate cells and identify alterations in cell morphology through photographs of colonies.”
“About 20% of my time is spent travelling. It’s anything but glamorous and is quite tiring.”

Are you a science bore?

“No. My husband works in the same company but we don’t talk about work all the time. Our friends are varied -accountants, artists but not geeks. The only time we ever talk about science at home is when there’s a discussion about what’s new or novel on the TV.”

Did science give you a buzz at school?

“Not really. I wasn’t really interested in science. I didn’t even study biology at school. I wanted to pick something in college that would mean that I would be gainfully employed. Back in the 80s there weren’t many jobs.”
“I chose biochemistry at Trinity because I thought it would help me get into pharmacy, where there were jobs, but that didn’t happen. It was only when I went to St. James’ that my love of science began. I could then see how interesting and useful the work is.”

What’s been the high point of your career?

“I’m still waiting!”

Want to find out more?

Read about Emer’s employer Stemcell

Dr John B Cosgrave - Mathematician

Career snapshot

Dr John Cosgrave teaches mathematics at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin. He specialises in number theory and has made a series of discoveries, including in the year 2000 a new prime number of 2,000 digits, his millennium prime, and on 10 October 2003 a new record composite Fermat number.

Degrees

• Mathematics degree (1968)
• Doctorate in number theory (1972), Royal Holloway College of London University

Where did you grow up and go to school?

“I am from Bailieboro, Co Cavan, where my father – an outstanding teacher – taught me for my last three years at national school . Besides the standard school work he introduced us to three Shakespeare plays, simultaneous equations, Latin, French and more.”

“I went to three secondary schools: Gormanston in Co Meath (I ran away three times, and eventually my father realised I didn’t like it there); St Mary’s Marist school in Dundalk; then the Salesian school in Oxford.”

When did you decide to make a career in mathematics, and when did you specialise in number theory?

“I never thought of myself as wanting to ‘have a career’. I simply wanted to be able to do mathematics. I always wanted to do number theory from the moment I first encountered it at school in Oxford.”

What is number theory?

“Number theory is just that: it’s about numbers. Like all mathematics it’s about trying to answer certain questions, such as how many prime numbers are there? There are, in fact, an infinite number of them, but how does one know that?”

How did it feel to discover a new record composite Fermat number in October 2003?

“The recent one (which broke a record previously established in February 2003, which in turn broke a record established in July 1999) came as quite a shock; it was so unexpected. Of course I was overjoyed, but the shock element was greater.”

What’s the best thing about your job?

“Being paid for doing what I love.”

How do you spend typical day?

“Putting off to tomorrow what should have been done yesterday.”

Did mathematics give you a buzz at school?

“Most definitely so. When I first heard of ‘geometry’ at secondary school I was totally bored with the whole thing, while at the same time being able to regurgitate stuff in exams. Then, one evening, at the start of my second year at Dundalk – through my own independent reading and thinking – I quite suddenly fell head-over-heels in love with ‘geometry’. There was no turning back; I was hooked.”

What has been the highlight of your career to date?

“Some rather than one. They include:

• Tim and Mair

Ian Brennan - Quality control biochemist

Degree

Applied Biology with Quality Management, Waterford Institute of Technology, 2000

Career snapshot

Ian’s first job after graduation in 2000 was with Trinity Biotech, in Bray, Co Wicklow. There, he was involved in testing products using mammalian antibodies. Subsequently, he worked with Aventis Pharma in Waterford, overseeing the plant’s microbiology laboratory. He stayed there for two years, before joining Genzyme in November 2003.

Genzyme Waterford is a pharmaceutical and biotechnology plant. It manufactures and packages tablets for patients with renal disease. A sterile filling facility is also nearing the completion of qualification. The plant will produce sterile enzyme preparations in both liquid and lyophilized (vacuum frozen) forms.

Initially employed as a microbiologist, his current role involves the transfer of the biochemical testing methods needed for the products that will be filled in the sterile facility. This involves validation of new equipment, and testing and troubleshooting the testing methods.

“The degree that I chose provided the broadest possible base in terms of areas of knowledge,” says Ian. “It has allowed me to work in several different areas and accumulate a range of experience.”

Background info

Brought up in Tramore, Co Waterford, Ian attended CBS Tramore

What’s so brilliant about your job?

“I enjoy my job because it is quite varied. Since joining the company I’ve been involved in both the tabletting and sterile facilities. In my current role, what I do changes from day to day, and it has also afforded me the opportunity for some foreign travel.”

What do you like least about your job?

“Paperwork is a pet hate, but it is part and parcel of the industry.”

How do you spend a typical day?

“The day begins at 8am. I organise my time depending on the method being tested at that time. Some methods might take hours to run, others are much shorter. The time I have then is dependent on any problems that might be encountered with the methods. Other days are spent at my desk collating data or writing reports. I may also spend some time with vendors or agents validating a piece of equipment.”

Does your work require a lot of equipment?

“Yes, all the typical equipment found in a pharmaceutical lab.”

Are you a science/engineering/technology nerd?

“I take an interest in most scientific disciplines, but for the most part, I try to do other things outside of work.”

Did science/engineering/technology give you a buzz at school?

“I always enjoyed the science subjects in school. I had a very enthusiastic biology teacher but I was always curious about the natural world. I also enjoyed English and history. I chose a career in science because of this curiosity about how the world works.”

Learn more:

Visit Genzyme Ireland on the Web
Learn more about the pharmaceutical industry at PharmaChemical Ireland

He studied surgery in Leyden, Paris and London. The influence of Parisian style and culture during his University days in Paris was apparent on his return to Limerick to practise. A contemporary described him as “The tall, thin Doctor in his quaint French dress, with his gold-headed cane, beautiful Parisian wig and cocked hat.”

O’Halloran did extensive research into the eye and ophthalmology, but in particular cataracts. He published a ‘Treatise on Cataracts’ which was presented to the Royal Society in 1752.

His talent also extended to General Surgery. In 1765 he published his book ‘New Method of Amputation’. The Appendix to this book, ‘Proposals for the Advancement of Surgery in Ireland’ led to the establishment of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Apart from his love of surgery, O’Halloran had a deep interest in Irish History, Geography and Politics and published many books on the subjects.

He was also one of the chief founders of the County Limerick Infirmary.

Following on from Newton’s work on visible light in the 1660s, Tyndall suggested that the blue of the sky is due to the scattering of the sun’s light by molecules in the atmosphere. Known as the Tyndall effect, or nephelometry, this phenomenon is the basis of instruments such as the spectrometer.

Fire Optics

Tyndall was an inventor as well as researcher. He invented the fireman’s respirator and improved on the fog horn, but his most important invention was his “light pipe”, which he originally constructed using just a torch and a bucket of water. The modern version of this “light pipe” is the gastroscope, which is used in hospitals today to view the inside of a patient’s stomach.

Tyndall’s “light-pipe” eventually led to the development of fibre optics.

When not in the lab, he loved to study glacier forms in the Alps. He climbed Mont Blanc several times and eventually became the first person to climb Weisshorn in 1860. In the same year, he published a book on his adventures called “Glaciers of the Alps”.

In his lifetime, Tyndall also made important contributions to thermodynamics, magnetism, electricity, telecommunications and electronics. As an educationalist he influenced the direction of science teaching at university and school levels.

Read more

Read more on the NASA Earth Observatory website

What these two scientists had achieved was not only the conversion of one element into another by artificial means but also they were able to verify Einstein’s famous equation E=mc².

This achievement was one of the greatest in physics and one of the scientists responsible was Irish-born Ernest Walton.

For his work, Walton received a scientific Nobel prize for Physics – along with John Cockcroft – in 1951. Walton remains the only Irish-born scientist to receive a scientific Nobel Prize.

Born in Dungarvan, Co.Waterford, in 1903, Walton entered Trinity College Dublin in 1922 on a scholarship to read maths and experimental science. After graduating with first class honours, he started work on his Masters, which he received in 1927. In the same year he received a research scholarship and went to Cambridge University to work in the Cavendish Laboratory.

He continued researching at Cambridge until 1934 and received his Ph.D. there. He returned to Trinity College and was appointed Erasmus Smith’s Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy in 1946 and elected Senior Fellow in 1960. He died in 1995.

Science Foundation Ireland has named the E.T.S. Walton Visitor Awards in honour of Walton. These awards have been developed to attract researchers to Ireland.

Read more at

Read about Walton on NobelPrix