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CuriosiTY: Broadening participation in a transition year STEM placement programme

Year Awarded

2022

Amount

€166,376

  • Organisation:University College Dublin (UCD)
  • Co-funded with Dept of Education:Yes
  • Audience:Transition Year Students
  • Format:Formal Education
  • Location:Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Louth, Monaghan, Roscommon, Wexford, Wicklow
  • Topic:Science

Project Summary

This initiative invites 15/16-year-old transition year (TY) pupils to experience an immersive placement programme at two leading, UCD based biomedical research institutes; Systems Biology Ireland (SBI) and UCD Conway Institute (CI). The programme will focus on increasing awareness of STEM education and careers as well as developing key skills within a framework that provides equity of access and widens participation.

Trained postgraduate researchers will lead a programme comprising practical laboratory activities, accessible research seminars, career talks and facility tours for pupils using a small group, ‘buddy system’ that facilitates informal mentorship.

Pupils will learn how science works as a multidisciplinary, global endeavor to address societal challenges with a variety of STEM careers to support this enterprise.

Co-designed with the UCD Access & Lifelong Learning (UCD ALL), this initiative builds on the evaluation of a pilot project to deliver equity of access to a STEM placement programme. It includes targeted measures to ensure pupils from 17 DEIS designated schools linked with UCD ALL and 15 schools in areas of geographical disadvantage linked with the Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE) programme are invited to take up places first.

The initiative will build capacity for education and public engagement (EPE) among postgraduates by (i) providing training to enable them deliver activities during the programme and (ii) further supporting them to deliver at least one engagement activity in a community setting through links developed with participating schools and / existing networks. This framework will inform development of a postgraduate module to embed EPE practice.