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THE TASK FORCE TAKES A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Many areas of scientific research are now increasingly
well-funded, and postgraduate students in particularly are being targeted,
reports Janet Stafford (Irish Times 7th March 2003)
The Government's task force on physical sciences highlighted
many problems. A key issue was the difficulty of attracting students
to study science at secondary and tertiary level.
As a result of this finding, a number of positive points
have arisen for those involved in teaching and research in science postgraduate
level.
Because of this, a large amount of funding has been made available to certain areas of scientific research and a greater degree of co-operation between science faculties at Irish universities has resulted.
Through the National Development Plan there is increased funding designated to research through things like the Program for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and the establishment of the Science Foundation of Ireland. In this way €605 million worth of funding has been made available in recent years. Some of this is particularly targeted at hugely important areas such as information technology and biotechnology.
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"The more active research
universities can take advantage of this and University College Cork
is attracting the most research funding in the state", says
Professor Paul Giller, Dean of Science at UCC. Postgraduate opportunities
to study science at UCC are offered at three different levels, and
currently facilitate over 600 students. Graduates can apply to do a full-time on-year higher diploma in applied science in areas such as chemistry, analytical chemistry, applied physics, fisheries management, development conservation and biotechnology. |
| "The higher
diploma would be useful to students who may not have had stunning
results in their primary degree or to those already working in an
area of science who are interested in changing their area of specialisation",
adds Professor Paul Giller. The master's programme at the university leads on directly from the higher diploma with the taught masters including additional taught material and project work. One of the areas that is available to study at this level is the course in ecosystem, conservation and landscape management, in which Professor Giller has a particular interest:" This course is unique in Ireland and it involves studying at four universities in three different counties". |
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Students begin by spending four months in the department
of zoology, ecology and plant science at UCC before going to the University
of Utrecht and Nijmegen in Holland for three months.
A further three are then spent at the University of Helsinki
in Finland before returning to Ireland to study at the department of
environmental science in NUI Galway.
They are then divided between NUI Galway and UCC to undertake
research projects. According to Professor Paul Giller, studying in three
different countries enables students to look at the huge differences
between landscape management in each of them.
The third area of postgraduate study available is the
pure research master, of PhD. "The funding which research generates
has meant we've been able to start projects in a new environment research
institute and a biosciences research institute," he says.
Whichever university you may choose for your postgraduate
studies in a science subject, there is a number of things that Professor
Giller believes are guaranteed.
"Job prospects on the completion of your postgraduate
qualifications are excellent. If you consider that your job prospects
and earning power are increased by a primary degree, then it follows
that as you have taken another step your prospects and potential salary
should be better again. If you have a real interest in a subject then
job satisfaction should naturally follow," he says.
"There is an ever-increasing demand for highly qualified
science postgraduates, to the extent that we have to attract science
graduates from abroad".
His enthusiasm for continued learning is apparent: "If
you have an interest in science, it is a subject where you just do not
stop learning.
There is an incredible excitement and enjoyment to be
had from the discovery process and discovering more about how our world
works".
For further information on postgraduate opportunities
at UCC, see www.ucc.ie/admin/graduatestudies/prospectus
or email postgrad@ucc.ie
[Printable version of this Article]