Killina Girls Rock STEM!!
18th December 2019
Presentation Killina and St. Colman’s Girls Rock STEM in UCD O’Brien Centre for Science
On Wednesday December 11th a very excited and enthusiastic group of students from Presentation Secondary School, Killina and St. Colman’s National School, Mucklagh, along with their teachers Ms. Mc Neill, Ms Hurley, Ms Palmer and Mr O’Connor, attended a shared learning day entitled ‘GIRLS ROCK STEM’ in the O’Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin to showcase their projects on inspiration women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Economics and Maths). The students presented their project to Ms. Sabina Higgins wife of President Michael D. Higgins along with Professor Joe Carthy Dean of Science in UCD.
This Science Foundation Ireland funded initiative is being organised and researched by the School of Education and School of Mathematics and Statistics, UCD and is supported by the Professional Development Services for Teachers (PDST) and Microsoft Education Ireland. The aim of the project is to encourage girls to study and consider a career in STEM related areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, Economics and Mathematics). This is achieved through cross-curricular collaboration between the humanities (Philosophy, English & History) and the sciences to support the girls in investigating the real lives of local and international female role models in STEM. It is envisaged that making an emotional connection with female role models in STEM will be a motivating factor in girls’ willingness to study and pursue careers in STEM. This resonates with the Frist Lady Sabina Higgins. Her excellent speech mirrored and echoed the sentiments of the initiative with particular reference to the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals. Ms. Higgins conveyed to the students how they could play their part in saving the planet through knowledge, understanding and application of the goals to their everyday lives and careers. Overall it was a great experience for the girls and no doubt Killina and Mucklagh girls ROCKED STEM!
