What subjects did you take in school and how have these influenced your career path?
I wasn’t 100% sure that I would end up in the science/engineering sector when I was at school. I found doing transition year really helped me to explore the various options that were available. This helped me to decide the subjects for my leaving certificate. I chose physics, chemistry & accounting, again keeping my options open. At the moment I am doing a masters for which I have to do aspects of accounting & economics so the accounting I did for my leaving has come in handy!
What is your education to date?
Secondary School – St Vincents Convent, St Marys Road, Cork – Leaving Certificate.
University of Limerick – Materials Science Degree
University of Limerick – PhD – biomedical cements.
University of Limerick – currently doing a Masters in Project Management.
What aspects of your education have proven most important for your job?
The aspect of my education that I have used most often is the ability to question. I have always viewed education like a set of encyclopedia, it shows you where to find the information you may need in the future. Practical hands-on experience is invaluable. Therefore if you do have an interest in something particular, its good to do summer work, hobbies etc that expose you to practical application.
During my FYP & PhD I designed the types of testing I needed to perform to allow me to answer specific questions in the research. This has been invaluable as I now use this approach to ensure that a design we create meets the original specifications that were set out.
Have you undertaken, or do you plan to undertake any further training as part of your job?
