Laois engineering student awarded a second Women in STEM university scholarship

A Laois electrical engineering student has won a prestigious STEM university scholarship for the second time.

The award is for women who are studying for jobs still mostly taken up by men.

Rosie Delaney was among eleven University College Cork (UCC) students recently presented with scholarships at a virtual awards ceremony on January 24 2022, as part of the Johnson & Johnson Ireland Women in STEM2D (WiSTEM2D) Award Programme.

Rose was selected as a recipient last year as well.  The Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D Award Programme at UCC is open to students that are in the second, third or fourth year of their studies.

A graduate of Mountrath Community School from Castletown, she will receive extensive industry mentoring and leadership training.

WiSTEM2D refers to Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design. 

There are 117,800 people across Ireland who are working in jobs that require STEM skills. However, the CSO reports that just 25% of these roles are performed by women, with just 5% in leadership roles. 

There has been a general upswing in the number of students choosing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects on their CAO applications, but uptake among females remains low.

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The eleven students who were selected to receive scholarships following a rigorous application process and one-to-one interviews are:

·      Celine Tan; Computer Science; Cork City

·      Emily Whitaker; Physics and Astrophysics; Cork City

·      Emma Sheehan; Biomedical Science; Douglas, Cork

·      Gillian O’Donnell; Data Science and Analytics; Adare, Co. Limerick

·      Jennifer McCarthy; Biochemistry; Kinsale, Co. Cork

·      Kate Kearney; Biological and Chemical Science; Tralee, Co. Kerry

·      Lauren Turner; Biomedical Science; Waterford City

·      Niamh McGrath; Financial Maths and Actuarial Science; Bandon, Co. Cork

·      Rose Delaney; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Mountrath, Co. Laois

·      Sarah Kate Sweeney; Physics and Astrophysics; Blarney, Co. Cork

·      Sinéad Marsh; Biological and Chemical Science; Maynooth, Co. Kildare

Anna Rafferty is the Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D University Lead and Director of Strategy, Johnson & Johnson Campus Ireland.

“At Johnson & Johnson, we recognise that women are still under-represented in the STEM workforce in Ireland. Since 2016, Johnson & Johnson has supported nearly 300 female students across Ireland through the WiSTEM2D programme. Over the last two years, we have worked very hard to ensure that the recipients of this award have not missed out on any opportunities despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. We have carried our virtual mentoring sessions and site visits, and continued to help these students build vital support networks. As employers in the STEM2D industry, we are acutely aware of our responsibility to support these young women who will become future STEM leaders.”  

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Professor Sarah Culloty is Head of College of Science, Engineering & Food Sciences at UCC.

“We are delighted to partner with Johnson & Johnson again this year to support our female students in a range of leadership initiatives designed to empower and improve female representation in STEM. The programme really helps prepare them for leadership roles, as we are seeing in our graduates who have been part of the programme.”

Lauren Andrews, a University College Cork graduate, is a past recipient of the Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D Award Programme.

“I was very fortunate to be awarded a WISTEM2D scholarship in the final year of my degree in UCC in 2020. I was lucky to receive support from Damien Leahy, my programme mentor, who I am still in touch with today whilst I am on the Johnson & Johnson GOLD Programme. The WISTEM2D Programme has come full circle for me, to the point where I am now doing what I can to give back and ensure that other students have the same opportunities that I have had.”

This year’s ceremony was attended by Professor Culloty, Dr Hannah Daly, School of Engineering & Architecture, UCC; Academic and Professional Services staff, UCC; Bill Walsh, Senior Operations Director, Janssen Sciences Ireland; Gillian Morgan, Business Excellence Manager, Janssen Sciences Ireland; families of the scholarship recipients; and student mentors. 

Recipients were also presented with bespoke framed glass artwork created by Fermoy-based artist, Suzanne O’Sullivan.