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.

Michael Gaffney, Horticultural Development Officer

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

I suppose the biggest career decision I made so far was deciding to give science another go after failing my first year in Maynooth.

To be honest I was fairly close to packing it in at that stage, but I am very glad now that some people, my parents especially, convinced me to give it another go.

After that, the decision to give up my job in Swansea to return to Teagasc. I had always wanted to work in academia, in a university, lecturing and doing research, but after a few months realised that I didn’t particularly enjoy it. Even still it was a very hard decision to move away from lecturing into an advisory role.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My parents have probably been the biggest influence in my career decision, mainly in the fact that they mostly stood back and let me make my own decisions, even when it looked like I was making the wrong one.

They offered advice at times but would leave it up to me to make the final decision.

A lot of the people who I met while doing my postgraduate in Kinsealy have helped me to get the job I now have, either by taking 10 minutes here and there to teach me something new, or by introducing me to other scientists I could learn from.

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

I am very happy with the lifestyle that my job provides for me. I spend a large proportion of my working day outdoors. I get to travel a lot.

As it is a public sector job, it has good security and promotion prospects if you are willing to work hard. The hours can be fairly flexible, which always makes life a little easier, avoiding traffic etc.

Describe a typical day

I suppose I have two kinds of typical days, depending on what area I need to focus on.

A day doing advisory work usually involves spending the first half of the day visiting growers, talking about what problems or issues they are having and also talking over any successes that also may have occurred.

The second half of the day would be back in the office following up on any queries or questions that arose from the visits that morning.

A day working on research projects usually involves conducting and setting up experiments. Experiments in horticulture, especially field trials, need to be planned extremely well because if errors are made in the set-up, you usually have to wait till the next year to repeat it.

Administrative work involved with research projects takes up a lot of time, but it has to be done. In reality my typical day is usually a mishmash of the two.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

My main task is to provide an advisory service to growers, especially protected crop growers (crops grown in glasshouses and plastic tunnels).

This can mean helping them with advice, from crop nutrition to pest and disease control and pesticide advice to help with government schemes. I am also responsible for conducting research programmes which have special relevance to the area of horticulture.

The areas I focus on are pesticide replacement (biological control), phytochemicals (health-promoting chemicals) from fruit and vegetables, and the benefits of using compost in horticulture.

What are the main challenges?

Trying to keep up to date with new innovations in the protected crops area. A lot of the research being conducted in the area is by private companies, so by the time it becomes public knowledge, it is usually a couple of years old.

Because of this, I spend a lot of time going to growers conferences and visiting growers in other countries to keep up to date.

Horticulture is very much about trends – some years grasses are very popular, the next year aliums may be the big sellers.

Even in the fruit and vegetable sector things are always changing, be it the colour (blue potatoes, black carrots), size (different baby vegetables) or even new markets such as fresh herbs, which, except for parsley, would not have been very popular 10 years ago, are now becoming incredibly popular. Keeping up with all the new trends can also be difficult.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

Enthusiasm, an ability to learn from previous mistakes, friendliness, problem-solving skills.

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

I suppose I made a couple of bad choices for my Leaving Cert. I chose chemistry which to this day I’m not really sure why, as I was always better at biology.

I also did accounting which helped me decide that the one thing I definitely did not want to be was an accountant. In hindsight, I probably should have picked biology and economics.

I think the best thing about the Leaving Cert is that because you can do such a wide range of subjects, it helps you decide what career areas you definitely have no interest in as well as some areas you might like to study further.

Being 17 to 18 is very young to decide on what you want to do for the rest of your life, and while it works for some people, I think for the majority it’s best to pick the subjects you enjoy (or hate the least).

What is your education to date?

I did my Leaving Certificate at Coolmine Community School, but did not do very well, mostly due to me being lazy but I think I also made some bad subject choices (my father was a guidance councilor and he tried to advise me, but I thought I knew better).

In the CAO I was offered a place to do science at Maynooth which I took. Again I didn’t do very well in my first year, passing biology but failing maths, chemistry and computer science.

I ended up repeating the year and decided to start studying properly – otherwise I would fail completely or be a fairly old man by the time I finally graduated. I ended up knuckling down and three years later managed to graduate with a degree in biology.

I was then offered a place to do a masters in UCD and Teagasc at Kinsealy. It was based on developing fungi to control insect pests.

It was a little different to normal masters projects, in that it was very applied, but also allowed me some freedom to research areas which interested me.

After four and a half years at Kinsealy I went to work at the University of Wales in Swansea, where I was running a project on developing fungi to control forest and nursery stock pests. Eventually I returned to Teagasc to take up my role as a horticultural development officer at Kinsealy

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

My degree from Maynooth gave me a very broad knowledge of biology, chemistry and maths. This has made it easier to move into different areas of research.

Our biology degree spanned modules from molecular immunology to ecology, and it really gives you a good solid foundation in many areas of science.

Also there were a number of plant biology courses which have helped a lot in the advisory side of my job.

Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?

In horticulture, most of the further training happens by attending conferences and seminars, mostly abroad, which is a nice perk. I do intend to take some sort of management course in the next year or two.

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

Graduating from college. Setting up my own research areas.

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

Listening to people, flexibility, and curiosity.

What is your dream job?

If I could I would love to grow grapes in the south of France or be a rugby journalist. If I could combine the two, even better.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

If you want to get into horticulture, be it in research, advice or actually growing, there are many different ways to get the necessary skills.

You can start by working in a nursery, learning on the job. Also applying to some of the horticultural colleges or research stations for work experience will also give you a good idea what this industry is about.

There are plenty of college courses, both full- and part-time, that you can do. You can even get into the industry later in life if you wish to do another degree/course first.

A lot of the people I see in horticultural college are people who have already started one career but then decided to go back to horticulture. A lot of people see horticulture a way of making their hobby into their job.

Dr Margherita Gioria, Environmental science researcher

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

An unstable economic situation in my country, as well as a strong desire for financial independence, led me to undertake a degree in economics. After five years (that is the duration of a science degree in Italy), I obtained a very good job as a financial advisor and analyst in one of the most important financial institutions in Italy.

Over time, however, I discovered that what I really wanted was to research environmental issues. I decided to leave my job and do an MSc in Environmental Science. I loved the experience and I went on to do a PhD in Botany, which I successfully completed more than a year ago.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

Some of the lecturers at the Department of Environmental Resource Management at University College Dublin inspired me with their passion for nature and encouraged me to pursue a career in science.

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

Building a career as a researcher is a long process, but it has also given me a lot of satisfaction. Among the things that I like most of my job is the opportunity to study invertebrate and plant communities, and being in contact with nature.

University researchers are task-oriented so the hours are flexible, although I spend most of my spare time in the field. Presentation of my research at conferences is also a plus.

I have visited many countries over the past four years and established contacts with international researchers. Teaching and supervising the projects of undergraduates and postgraduate students is also very rewarding.

Describe a typical day

From April until October, I spend a lot of my time in the field collecting data and samples. This gives me the opportunity to get in contact with nature and meet very interesting people although it can be very tiring, especially under bad climatic conditions.

The identification of plants and insects, the chemical analysis of water samples, as well as the statistical analysis of the data collected are the most important aspects of my job. Writing scientific papers and attending and presenting the findings of my research at conferences are also a key part of my research work.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

My main responsibility is to conduct research on the effects of agriculture on the biodiversity of ponds. This involves collecting plants, insects and water samples in the field, mainly from ponds within farms, golf courses and other habitats.

Approximately half of my time is then dedicated to the statistical analysis of the data that I collect, as well writing and reading scientific papers and reports, attending conferences, and keeping up-to-date with research in my field.

What are the main challenges?

Writing papers for publication in international journals is one of the biggest challenges of my job.

What’s cool?

I like all aspects of my job, from field work to the analysis of data.

What’s not so cool?

Jumping into ponds in a rainy day… Finding highly polluted water-bodies with little life in them.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

I have the ability to independently develop research projects, and also possess good written, oral and interpersonal communication skills. Originality, creativity and innovation are also traits that have helped me in my career.

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

I took Maths, Biology, Physics, Latin, Philosophy, History, Italian and English. I believe that all these subjects helped me in my career. I still use some of the basic ideas I studied in school, and the study skills I developed in schools helped me later on in university.

What is your education to date?

I hold a BSc in Economics (5 years), an MSc in Environmental Resource Management (1 year), and a PhD in Botany (3 years)]

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

I am determined, curious, analytical, organized, and creative. I have strong management skills and I love reading, writing, and giving seminars and lectures. My strong passion for nature has also helped me a lot in my career.

What is your dream job?

One that allows me to conduct research that helps the conservation of nature, as well as teaching the value of biodiversity to students and people in general.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Be determined, organised, and creative. Good management and communication skills are essential, as well as a strong educational background and analytical skills.

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

Working for an environmental consultant or the Environmental Protection Agency would be good experience.

Danny Gleeson, Space technology consultant

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

I always had a curiosity about how things worked and from the age of 12 onwards, I was determined to do something in science. I remember a trip to the Science Museum and Natural History Museum in London when I was young, and it just blew me away that it was possible to understand and explain how all this stuff in the world actually worked, from a jet engine to a horse.

I studied for and passed O Level Physics at a local adult class in the evenings when I was 14 years old, outside of school, as I was impatient to learn more. It was one of the best decisions I ever made as it confirmed an independent spirit and self reliance that would be there throughout my career.

Physics was a great attraction for me as it provided the language through which I could understand the bits of the world that interested me. Astronomy was and is an area that I am particularly interested in and it was something that could be done in your back garden with very simple equipment and your own two eyes.

I was offered a job in the spacecraft power systems group at British Aerospace Space Systems (BAe) in Stevenage, UK, when I graduated at the age of 20 from Imperial College in London and I met some of the best engineers, scientists and friends during my six years with the company. The experience really taught me that the great science and engineering advancements are made through teamwork and collaboration as well as the hard work and talent of individuals.

I jumped at a chance to go to the US while I was at BAe and had an incredible year at McDonnel Douglas Space Systems in California, working with a great team and rubbing shoulders with people who had worked the key space programmes in history such as Gemini and Apollo.

Before returning to Ireland and finding work in the space industry I worked in Italy on the design studies for the European Space Suit with a fabulous team of engineers in Milan. I then came back to Ireland to work in the business of space science instrumentation and spin off applications of space technology. Again it was the great team of engineers at the company that made it a very special experience.

I took another life changing decision in 1996 to start my own company with the aim of providing technical expertise to Irish companies who were looking to operate seriously in the space technology business.

How did you go about getting your current job?

We set up our business 12 years ago when we decided we wanted more control and responsibility for the work that I could earn a living through in a field I was interested in. The choice of our consultancy business approach was based on some sound advice about sticking to what you do best and enjoy most.

What are the main challenges?

The deadlines for proposal submission are solid objects that work collides against and generates a pressure to deliver, but also a huge reward when delivered on time and more importantly when they are successful.

The biggest challenge for me is to have more than one deadline occurring together but this is also the most satisfying when they all come through.

What’s cool?

Being involved in developing stuff for space projects that I have been fascinated in since I was a child.

What’s not so cool?

Financial stuff, accounts, working on business plans – yawn!

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

I am an experienced professional industrial physicist with broad technical, managerial, strategic and commercial skills.

I get on well with people and I have an endless curiosity about how things work and how solutions to problems are often based on connecting things that would not normally be considered as connected.

I am also a believer in modeling complex problems with simple components and that this approach can be extended into many “non-engineering” or “non-scientific” areas of business.

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

I studied physics to the exclusion of almost everything else and while it helped good grades in that subject, I suffered in other subjects such as languages which had to be tackled later in life which I regret, as there is never enough time later on in life.

I went on to study physics, chemistry and maths at A-level and I was determined to study physics at university somewhere and through some recommendations, I chose Imperial College in London.

What is your education to date?

• Secondary School, O Level : Physics, maths, chemistry, biology, electonics, English language, English literature, technical drawing, RE.
• College – A level: Physics, maths, chemistry, physics (special level)
• University: BSc. Hons. Physics (2:1) Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. MSc. Astronomy, Astronautics & Instrumentation, (distinction). University of Hertfordshire.
• Awards: The Sir Arthur Ackland Prize for Excellence in Humanities, Imperial College, 1986. Associate of the Royal College of Science.

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

The development of a sustainable business in the space industry with consistent and secure income has been our aim since we started out 12 years ago and we have achieved this now and continue to look for opportunities to expand the space based activities that will provide security for the future.

The development of the Space Industry Skillnet as Europe’s only space industry training network and the recognition from ESA and NASA for this achievement has been very rewarding.

I have been closely involved with the progression of some Irish companies from technology development to participation in space missions and this is an ambition that is being fulfilled with the selection of Irish space technology by Columbus facility managers, to be at the heart of science experiments for the next decade on the space station laboratory.

In addition I’ll be working with Irish companies to build cryogenic fuel tanks for next generation launchers and space planes in Galway – how cool is that!

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Get qualified in a science or engineering degree, achieve a postgraduate qualification in a specialised area and build up as much experience in the area that you are really interested in and operate at the leading edge with the best people you can find in the best locations in the world.

You need to be independent and self starting, see the bigger picture and help to build the industry that you work in. You will see opportunity where others see problems.

If you want to earn large sums of money then go work in a merchant bank or stock brokers.

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

Work in an environment developing something new in automotive, aerospace, medical etc. Develop your personal area of expertise to a high degree and contribute to a team based, innovative effort.

Understand the innovation process and look outside for contributions and ideas from non-related areas. Try to teach or communicate what you do to other people at every opportunity as it reinforces your skills and reminds you how enthusiastic you are in the subject.

Anne-Marie Glynn - Molecular Biology

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

At secondary school I didn’t really have a favourite subject, so I opted to study biotechnology at NUI Galway, as it included business and French in addition to a diverse range of scientific topics.

(Considering that I came to Germany to do my PhD, perhaps it would have been wiser if I selected to study German rather than French at university!)

After my degree I was offered a job in a hospital lab checking patient samples to check if they had cancer or other diseases. However, I realised that I preferred learning in-depth about a topic, so that I and others could really understand what was going on.

During my degree I spent a summer at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and loved the international atmosphere, so I decided to return there to study for a PhD.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My parents have always been fully supportive of whatever I chose to do. They taught me to believe in my abilities.

However, it was my Leaving Cert biology teacher, Mr Keane, who really encouraged me into science. Throughout university I also got lots of support and guidance from lecturers.

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

Working in science is excellent if you enjoy travelling. Think back to how different people can be if you go abroad on holidays. Now imagine working with people from different cultures, with different hobbies and languages, and them becoming your friends.

In general you can have the opportunity to travel all over the world to explain your work to other scientists. Besides the international atmosphere, I am extremely fortunate to work in an institute where famous scientific speakers come every week to share their ideas.

The working hours are very flexible. Although we have busy days, scientists also know how to have fun. I’m lucky to have good friends to hang out with, whether by the riverside, going for a cycle or watching a film.

Describe a typical day

Every day is different. Generally I need to book the equipment that I want to use in advance so it is important to be organised. I am flexible and never plan too strictly as one thing you can be sure of in science is that things often don’t go exactly according to plan.

I spend about half my time doing computer work and the other half experimental. Once we have results then you try to publish them to let others know what you did – either by preparing a poster, giving a seminar or writing an article for a journal.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

I’m working in an area called cryo-electron tomography of vitreous sections – I guess most people won’t have heard of that before.

It’s basically photography in three dimensions – not like a movie but a photograph that you can enter into to explore not just the areas at the front but also deep into the image. You can twist them around and view it from different sides to see things that have never been seen before. Really small things can be seen in this way with 50 000 times magnification.

In addition to my scientific work, I’m involved in a lot of extra activities – organising scientific retreats and conferences and promoting the interests of PhD students within the organisation.

What are the main challenges?

Science is changing rapidly with new ideas and concepts being proposed all the time. Sometimes it is hard to stay on top of it all. However, I’m fortunate that we have world-famous scientists giving us ‘previews’ of their work on a weekly basis and the chance to discuss it afterwards.

What’s cool?

Did I mention that I work with diamonds? Our samples need to be cut into very small pieces and the only substance strong enough to do this is diamond. It’s very sharp, so it’s a little different to the diamond in a ring.

Following this, I use a microscope and a computer to study the sample in 3D and I paint different areas to make it easier for other people to understand the images and their biological context.

What is your education to date?

Leaving Certificate Vocational at Ballinode College, Sligo which gave me a chance to set up a mini-company in addition to the regular Leaving Cert subjects
BSc Biotechnology at NUI Galway (included scientific subjects, a modern language and business)
PhD awarded jointly by the University of Dundee, Scotland and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Germany
What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?

For me, science constantly evolves. The precise details of the courses are not essential but instead it is important to learn how to critically assess information while maintaining an open mind and learn where to find the answers that you need. Naturally, you must understand the basics about the area you’re interested in but you can never say “That’s it – I’m not going to learn anything else new!”

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

Getting an award from Dr Garret Fitzgerald due to my final year exam results was a highlight, particularly for my parents. During my PhD I helped develop a new technique that enables us to study scientific problems in a new way. Let’s see what the future holds.

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

I’m flexible, organised and able to communicate both to other scientists and those working in other fields. I’m also willing to try new ideas and have a calm disposition and immense patience.

What is your dream job?

I would love to lecture to share my enthusiasm for science with students. Ideally I think that science should be understood more by the general public and I would enjoy communicating all the breakthroughs in science.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

You need to be inquisitive and to question things – not just believe everything that you are told without really considering all aspects related to it. Patience and perseverance would help, as does a lucky streak. It’s important to believe in yourself and your abilities as occasionally it can be a lonely road.

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

A short placement in any laboratory environment would give a taster, or even to ask someone if you can follow them around for a few days. Although sometimes the equipment looks complicated to begin with – it’s rather simple once you’re familiar with it.

Stuart Green - Earth observation specialist

What were the main “career decision” milestones in your life so far?

As a primary degree I studied geophysics, graduating in 1992. I had given little thought to further study, but an economic downturn made me reconsider.

The Erasmus programme was offering excellent bursaries to study for an MSc in remote sensing in Dundee University, and without doubt this was the major career milestone.

It not only introduced me to my area of work but the programme also allowed for travel within the EU, which was how I came to study in UCD for the second half of my Masters.

After the MSc I decided to stay in Ireland and was offered a technician post in the lab where I had completed my MSC, the applied physics lab in UCD under Eoin O’Mongain.

After a couple of years on rolling short-term contracts, an opportunity for a PhD came up in the lab, which I took.

Describe a typical day

At any time I may have four or five projects “live” – some instigated and led by me (for instance a creating a map of hedgerows for the whole country), some where I’m a partner (using airborne lasers, LIDAR, to measure forests) and others where I am merely providing information or input (mapping farmland habitats).

It’s best to concentrate on one project in a day, but phone calls, emails, reports etc can quickly take over if you are not careful. But you can always switch to another if you get stuck, deadline permitting!

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

My main task is to research the use of remote sensing and Earth observation technologies in agriculture in Ireland. Most work is based on the computer with a little field work.

What particular skills do you bring to your workplace?

As in most scientific enterprises, you need to combine good technical skills with curiosity and ingenuity. I think I’m good at problem solving: coming up with elegant and not so elegant solutions to issues.

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

I took a wide range of subjects at secondary school: physics, chemistry and maths but also English, history, classical studies (ancient Rome and Greece) and art.

What is your education to date?

• A-level maths, physics and chemistry
• BSc in Geophysics
• MSc in remote sensing

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

Undoubtedly maths is very important in this type of science career. It carries through to many different areas.

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

For my PhD I flew all over Ireland in a single-engine Cessna.

Working in the lab I took part in research cruises in the Aegean and working for Teagasc I helped create the National Indicative Soil Map. This is now used as a fundamental dataset by literally hundreds of researchers, engineers and government agencies.

What advice would you give someone considering this job?

Be willing to learn on the job. Remote sensing can only be really successful when the researcher understands the system and the physics but also understands something of the target.

So even though my background and training is in “physics” I’ve had to pick up lots of information on forestry, ecology, soil science and others.

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

Curiosity, adaptability and a good “spatial awareness” – you need to get used seeing unusual things in unusual contexts!

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

Computer labs, design studios and digital media will all give a sense of handing and using images on a computer. Architects and civil engineering firms will give an idea on maps and spatial awareness. Try using Google Earth for a specific goal, such as introducing Google Earth and Google Maps into a community organisation or charity.

Dr Barbara Fogarty, advanced marine technology research

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

In secondary school my career guidance counsellor helped me to identify environmental science and technology as an area I was interested in for future study. We found a relevant degree course in Sligo Institute of Technology and I applied through the CAO.

It was a very interesting degree, with field work and a summer work placement. I also worked in other non-science jobs while I was in college to help pay the rent as I lived away from home.

While I enjoyed my real-world work experience, it highlighted for me that qualifications can give you more career options in life and can also allow you to progress up the career ladder to interesting and well-paid jobs more quickly.

When I finished my degree I applied for a Masters in Environmental Analytical Chemistry in Limerick Institute of Technology.

The subject of the research project sounded very interesting to me and after two years researching the topic, I decided to apply to continue on to do a PhD which in total took four years to complete.

It involved a lot of hard work, many laughs, a few tears and many evenings and weekends working in the lab to get the project finished.

As part of my PhD studies I also got the opportunity to research in the Institute of Technology Tallaght in Dublin for a year and travelled to the University of Kansas for six months to collaborate with an American Group on my research topic.

What did you do after your PhD?

When I finished my PhD, I was invited by the Professor I had worked for in the US to return there to carry out postdoctoral research and was delighted to take up the opportunity.

I had always intended to return home to Ireland, so after three years in the US I started to look for a job in my area of expertise. I applied for a job in Tyndall National Institute in Cork on the development of integrated sensor systems, where I worked for four years.

More recently I was awarded the position of National Coordinator in Advanced Marine Technologies.  My position is funded by the Marine Institute and involves the creation of a multi-disciplinary and industry-orientated group working on information and communication technologies that will be used in marine related sectors.

Ireland has 220 million acres of land under the sea (nine times our land area) and this represents a huge opportunity for us to develop new technologies to manage and develop a wealth of chemical, mineral and biological resources in a sustainable way.

The combination of innovative technologies and our marine resources can be harnessed to help support the Irish economy and create a variety of new jobs across a range of sectors.

Who had the most influence on your career direction?

My parents always encouraged me to do my best and to pursue whatever course I was interested in.  They also encouraged me to make use of all the resources available to me before I made a decision regarding the next step in my career.

That started in school with talking to my teachers and career guidance counsellor, and continued with my lecturers and student career centre in college.

For my PhD, I was very lucky to find a research topic that I enjoyed, but most importantly I was very fortunate to have two supervisors who were always available to guide me and who gave me every opportunity to advance my career.

I have had several good mentors throughout my career who I now consider friends and I still go back to for advice every now and then.

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

I work from 9 to 5.30pm but this can vary, depending on what project I am working on at the time. Sometimes I have to work late or work at weekends, so I have to be flexible.

I travel around Ireland a lot, meeting industry people and academic groups working on the development of new technologies.  I travel to Europe and the US every so often to conferences and network meetings and to identify new contacts for Irish researchers and companies to work with.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

I meet industrial and academic researchers on a regular basis to understand their technology capabilities and to support them in the development of new projects that will help develop their business and research goals.

Target applications of the technology under development include those in the areas of shipping transport, security and logistics, aquaculture, environmental monitoring, water/resource management, offshore installations and marine renewable energy.

I also monitor the progress of currently funded technology research projects and support researchers across Ireland in their efforts to fund their research ideas by submitting grant applications to national and international funding programmes.

What are the main challenges?

I work in a multi-disciplinary environment. This means that I work with a variety of scientists, engineers, business people and government agencies all working on different kinds of technologies.

The challenge is to understand their technology capabilities, expertise and needs and then to facilitate the development of new collaborative projects in the area of marine and environment related sectors.

Very often we find that we have been trying to explain similar things to each other but in a different way!

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

When selecting my Leaving Cert subjects, I picked the ones I was most interested in. As I studied Physics for the Leaving Cert, I only had one science subject when I got to college.

I felt like I had more work to do in order to catch up with other students who had taken two subjects.  In hindsight I am happy with the choices I made, though, as they got me to where I am today. I think sticking to what you are interested in is generally the best way to go.

What is your education to date?

• Leaving and Junior Certificate
• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Technology
• Doctorate of Philosophy in Environmental Analytical Chemistry

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

It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to get though a PhD but I really enjoyed it and got a lot from it. I received several awards at conferences for talking about my research, which I am very proud of.

I also applied for and was awarded travel grants to help me pay to attend conferences and present my research. I have some part-time lecturing and demonstration experience.

It is always very satisfying when students understand a new concept thanks to your explanation. I really enjoy helping younger scientists to achieve all they can in their career.

More recently I am working on the development of an innovation cluster, involving industry and academic researchers working on technology development for the marine environment.

The aim of the cluster is to help drive economic growth in the area of smart green technologies, and if successful it will help to create new job opportunities in Ireland across a range of sectors.

What advice would you give to someone considering your particular job?

You would need a degree in science and either a masters or preferably a PhD in science or engineering, with a focus on technology development.

You need to be a good communicator and be able to give technical presentations on a regular basis.  You need to be open to new ideas and be able to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.

Good writing skills are also important, as a key element of my current role includes report and strategy preparation.  You need to be able to multi-task and work on multiple projects at once.

A multi-disciplinary science qualification can open a lot of doors and gives you a wide range of career options.

I could work in industry, in academia, or for the government in a number of different roles. People I went to college with are now working in a wide variety of different jobs.

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

Many kinds of laboratories offer work placements over the summer including academic and government laboratories.  Transition Year students often visit labs and facilities for a week or so, and undergraduate students typically stay for the summer months to see what it would be like to work there.

Placement with a relevant industry would also be great experience to see what is involved.  It is a good way to get a feel for a job and whether or not you would be interested in it. It also shows employers that you have been thinking about what you want to do when you finish school.

With the Government’s recent strategy on the development of the “Smart Green Economy”, there are likely to be an increasing number of jobs for science and engineering graduates in Ireland and around the world.

There are already many successful Irish companies selling technology-enabled products and services all over the world today.

We are also lucky to have many of the top international technology companies based in Ireland who are currently employing thousands of science and engineering graduates.

A qualification in science will give you a variety of career options and open many doors – the rest is up to you!

Cian O'Mahony - teaches science

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

I chose Biology and Chemistry for my Leaving Cert, as I always had an interest in science and nature. This interest came from home and from my father in particular, who had and still has similar interests.

After school I continued with the science, and after two years in research I decided that teaching of science appealed to me. I still have an interest in developments in science and particularly in watching nature. This helps me to maintain an interest in my job too.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

My father has been the main influence in terms of interest in science and nature. Outside of that, the good teachers I had in second and third level were an inspiration to teach.

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

Both myself and my partner Lisa are teachers. This affords us a very interesting lifestyle, travelling for many summers to parts of the world that combine my interest in nature with her interest in language and culture.

While we will never be millionaires, the salary combined with the time off are reward enough for the job we do. We have also been able to take one year of a career break so far. This was a fabulous opportunity to further our broad education.

How did you go about getting your current job?

After studying science, I did a one-year Higher Diploma in Education in UCC.

This involved studying the theory of educational practice as well as having practical work experience. I was very fortunate to remain almost immediately in the school that I did my teacher training in.

Describe a typical day

Certainly no two days are the same. You can never predict what might happen at any time.

The challenges are those of sticking to a prescribed timetable. But the rewards are the gratitude of parents and students and actually seeing the pupils learn in a fun environment.

What are the main challenges?

Managing my time during the school day is the biggest challenge. For example, timing practical work to be finished before the pupils have to be off to their next class is always a challenge!

John Joseph Gallagher - studying for a PhD in neuroscience

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

I did a degree course in Electronic Engineering and by the end of it I had very little interest in working in that area. I then did a Masters in Medical Physics – this was a great move.

It opened up a whole host of new areas that I could work in and it got me interested in biology.

I then spent some time working in the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) and the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) as a Clinical Engineer.

I got to carry out some research in the CRC and assessed clinical trial applications in the IMB, and this work convinced me that I wanted to do a PhD.

Who are the people who most influenced your career direction?

I talked to a lot of people when considering going back to college. The people who offered the best advice were friends who had done PhDs or were halfway through one.

A brother of a friend of mine was one of the few people I knew that was an engineer working in biology – he was able to provide some really helpful advice as well.

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

I organise my days as I want, starting and finishing at times that suit me. A great advantage of doing a PhD is being able to take long stretches of time off to go travelling.

As a PhD student you have to accept that you’re going to spend some time not earning as much as the people who you went to college with. However, the hope is that your time spent researching will prove more beneficial as you move on and that what you’ve done will open up more doors for you.

What are the main tasks and responsibilities?

Carrying out experiments is the part of the job that I spend the most of my time on. Equally important is keeping up to date with the research area and writing up results.

Often you spend time helping someone out with a technique or learning something from another person.

What’s cool?

The best part of the job is learning about something that completely changes how things in a certain area are understood.

People all over the world are making advances in different areas and to be able to hear, understand and contribute to these is extremely rewarding.

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

I didn’t do any life science subjects in school or college. I only realised my interest in the area after I did my degree and although this placed me at a disadvantage initially, it doesn’t matter so much as every research field is so complex that very few people know it all.

I don’t regret studying engineering subjects at an undergraduate level. As I now get to combine these approaches in a completely different field such as neuroscience. This could have never happened the other way around!

What is your education to date?

• Leaving Cert – Physics, Economics, Technical Drawing (1999)
• Electronic Engineering degree in NUI, Galway (1999-2003)
• Masters in Medical Physics in NUI, Galway (2003-2004)
• Four-year integrated PhD in Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin (2005-present)

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

I am in a four-year PhD programme in neuroscience. In the first year I carried out three lab rotations. I got to spend some time working in a genetics lab, a psychology lab and a magnetic resonance imaging lab.

This exposure to so many different areas and techniques was fantastic. It made me realise that you need to really explore and learn about any field of research before you start work in it.

Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?

I’m always very interested in learning new things, specifically new techniques and approaches. I would love to spend some time learning about stem cells.

I think when you work in research you’re always eager to learn new things.

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

I’m fairly organised and that helps, but I think being a curious person is the quality that really makes a difference in a PhD.

You also have to be extremely determined as experiments often don’t work out.

What is your dream job?

I’d love to be a science journalist, to get a chance to see and hear about what all the best and brightest in the world are up to would be great.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Anyone who has done a PhD will tell you that you have to be really hard working and extremely persistent. You also need to be interested in the area you’re working in.

Most of the people I know who have done PhDs are also highly motivated and don’t really need to be looked after on a day-to-day basis.

A major aspect of every PhD student’s life is their supervisor. Supervisors differ greatly in their approach. If you’re considering doing a PhD try to talk to people who have worked under that supervisor to see if you think the style of supervision suits you.

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

Organised, curious and persistent.

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

It’s always good to do a undergraduate project in the field you want to work in. Even better would be to do the project in a lab you might like to work in.

Dr Sarah Varien - Marine Environment Consultant

What were the main “career decision” milestones in your life so far?

For me, making the decision to do a course or a degree was the easy part. The difficult decisions were made afterwards once I entered the workplace and I moved around a lot before I found an environment that suited me.

Apart from my interest in the subject of biology, one of the main motivations for me was to feel like I was making a positive difference to the environment. If I was in a job that wasn’t fulfilling that need, I just ended up moving on.

It’s also important to consider that work may not be the only influence in your life, so there are other factors that will inevitably shape your career too (e.g. where you want to live, the hours you work, spending time with loved ones etc).

Who most influenced your career direction?

My parents would have had the greatest influence on me making the decision to study marine biology. They have always been enthusiastic about wildlife and the environment and they very much supported me when I expressed an interest in going to Galway to do my degree.

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

Opting for a career in nature conservation is very much a lifestyle choice. In a way, you are turning a hobby into work and that has its pros and cons.

On the one hand, you have the luxury of almost always being interested and excited about your work. Sometimes I forget that I am working because I am so into what I’m doing.

On the other hand, the world of wildlife is full of people who are utterly dedicated to what they are doing, and it’s not unusual for people to work long, long hours (e.g. 70 hour weeks). This makes things very competitive.

It’s also not a career that can guarantee much security from a financial point of view as most of the work is contract based. For me, the enthusiasm I feel for my work makes up for this, but I think it really depends on the individual as to what they consider to be acceptable.

What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

My role as business director and manager obviously involves certain responsibilities, ensuring that projects are well run and that we are on track for meeting targets and goals.

My work as a science communicator is all about holding the audience’s attention, so energy, enthusiasm and a sense of humour tend to go a long way with that one.

When I’m working on scientific surveys, my formal scientific training comes into play as I need to be independent and objective in the way that I evaluate the environment. It’s important not to allow your feelings for a subject to bias the results.

What are the main challenges?

The main challenges for me are all related to the business management side of things, e.g. fundraising, meeting numerous deadlines, making do with limited resources, managing time etc. The science itself is fun and easy in comparison.

What’s cool?

Getting out in the field, traveling, getting close to wildlife, meeting lots of interesting people, being able to try out ideas, seeing a child’s eyes light up when they touch a starfish for the first time, breathing in the sea air…

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

I took eight subjects for my Leaving Cert, including the three sciences (biology, chemistry and physics) and music.

In hindsight, I think it probably would have been best to take two science subjects. The workload was very heavy with so many practical subjects (I never had any time to practice the piano!).

I also think it might have been worth studying Spanish rather than French, as it might have been more useful from a globetrotter’s perspective.

Sarah Varien - Marine Environment Consultant

What is your education to date?

• Secondary level: Alexandra College, Dublin
• Tertiary level: BSc Hons in Zoology (1st class), PhD in Fish Biology and Behaviour, University College Galway
• Diving Qualifications: PADI Divemaster

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

Pretty much all of my education. I think there is a tendency for people to focus on subjects that are directly related, e.g. biology or chemistry, but I believe that subjects that receive less emphasis, such as English, are just as important.

A scientist needs to be able to draw upon a whole range of skills in order to be successful in his or her career. For example, good communication skills (both written and spoken) are becoming increasingly important in the science world.

Do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?

I am currently attending the Wicklow Enterprise Board’s Management Development Programme which is certified by the Carlow Institute of Technology.

Because I am running a small business, I need to be looking at constantly improving my business management skills.

I have also signed up for a Wicklow Enterprise Board workshop that focuses on developing media skills. Other areas that I would like to get training on are project management and fundraising skills for NGOs.

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

I think that the day that I realised that my business, Marine Dimensions, was actually viable (at least until 2009) was the most rewarding.

What advice would you give to someone considering this job?

Think carefully about pursuing a career that requires a very strong sense of commitment and dedication. If they’re dreaming about that Louis Vuitton handbag or a permanent pensionable job, it’s probably not going to suit them.

But on the positive side, if he or she loves discovery and exploration, well then deciding to be a marine biologist or zoologist might be the best choice they ever made.

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

Determination, enthusiasm for the subject and hard work will get you where you want to go, no matter what your skills are. I would also say that a strong sense of integrity and a good sense of humour should serve you well too.

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

Working with an environmental consultancy, assisting scientific researchers in a university or research institute or working as a volunteer with any of the environmental NGOs.