Offaly student at Trinity College receives prestigious scholarship

Offaly student Anna Jolly, from Tullamore,  was among the students from Trinity College Dublin to receive scholarships at a ceremony held at Trinity College Dublin campus.

The Award recognises outstanding female students in STEM2D disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, Manufacturing and Design. This is the inaugural year of the programme being offered to Trinity College students. Each recipient will receive a student award, industry mentoring and leadership training, along with the opportunity to attend career workshops, visit Johnson & Johnson sites and participate in WiSTEM2D events designed to support them with pursuing future STEM careers. 

The Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D programme fuels the development of the female STEM2D talent pipeline by awarding and sponsoring women at critical points in their educational experience and their careers, in STEM disciplines. The Undergraduate programme was first introduced at University of Limerick in 2016, and extended to University College Cork and University of Galway in the intervening years, supporting more than 400 students to date. This year, the programme has been expanded further to include Munster Technological University and Trinity College.

The Trinity College Dublin students selected to receive the scholarships are: 

Anna Jolly; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Aoife Mary Morris; Chemical Sciences; Midleton, Co. Cork
Eva McDonnell; Pharmacy; Ballintemple, Co. Cork
Keela Duffy Naughton; Engineering with Management; Irishtown, Dublin
Lydia Politi; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Dublin
Makua Ifediora; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Mountmellick, Co. Laois
Mirela Sofia Mucenic; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Bucharest, Romania
Naomi Adeniji; Engineering; Clondalkin, Dublin
Raea Michie; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Berlin, Germany
Sarah Sheridan; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Swinford, Co. Mayo
The faculty of STEM at Trinity College has a long-standing commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). All 8 of its schools have established EDI committees. Seven schools hold Athena SWAN Bronze awards as a mark of their commitment to promote EDI work practices at a local level, including for example, the visibility of female role models (as speakers at research seminars, as external examiners, on websites), gender representation on decision-making committees and the adoption of family-friendly meeting policies. 

Dr. Thorsten Giesecke, General Manager, Commercial Business at Janssen Sciences Ireland said: “Congratulations to the Trinity College Dublin students who have been selected to receive the Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D award. They will now benefit from a range of opportunities, which will provide them with the tools, resources & opportunities they need to excel in their careers. Through the programme, Johnson & Johnson aims to inspire and support more women to pursue a career in STEM after university and increase female representation in the STEM2D workforce.”

Professor Sylvia Draper, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at Trinity College Dublin said: 'I am delighted to support and promote this initiative which seeks to raise awareness of, and the need for, diversity and inclusion in STEM disciplines and technologies. These J&J WiSTEM scholarships will provide financial support and also career mentorship and guidance for ten Senior Fresh undergraduates in STEM. It is never too early to start identifying your own unique skill sets, to understand what makes you different and know what is important to you. With this knowledge you can create an environment in which you and everyone around you can flourish. It is the first step in making our world a better place'.

The awards ceremony, held at the Trinity College Dublin campus, was attended by Fergus Sharpe, Government Affairs & Policy Manager, Janssen Sciences Ireland; Bríd Seoighe, Director of Medical Affairs, Janssen Sciences Ireland; Dr Lorraine Byrne, Executive Director of the AMBER Centre; Katie O’Brien, GOLD Associate, Janssen Sciences Ireland; and Anna Rafferty, Director of Strategy, Johnson & Johnson Campus Ireland. Recipients of the Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D Award scholarship were also presented with bespoke framed glass artwork created by Fermoy-based artist, Suzanne O’Sullivan.