13 Dec 2006

Winter Conferring Ceremonies at University College Cork (UCC), 13 December



Winter conferring ceremonies commenced today (13 December 2006) at UCC with 555 students graduating from the College of Science, Engineering & Food Science and the College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences.  There were 418 graduates from the Faculty of Arts followed by 103 from the Faculty of Science and 34 from the Faculty of Food Science & Technology.

An Honorary Master's Degree in Science Education was conferred on Sister M. Mercedes Desmond and Seán O Donnabháin who have a combined contribution of over 100 years to science education in Ireland (citations below).

The Conferring address was given by Professor Gerard Wrixon, President, UCC (see below).  The ceremonies continue tomorrow (14 December) and conclude on Friday (15 December).

CONFERRING ADDRESS by Professor Gerard T. Wrixon, President, UCC

Welcome to University College Cork. It is first of all my very pleasant duty to warmly congratulate our new graduates.  This is a very special day, a day of achievement, a day of celebration and for many marks the culmination of their formal education experience.

Even though I know you have all worked hard to reach this goal you have been helped and encouraged along the way by the people seated behind you in the hall, your parents, friends and relatives who made sure that there was a helping hand, a meal on the table and a kind word when your studies did not seem to be going that well.  Today is as much their day as it is yours so I think they too deserve our appreciation for their contribution to your achievement.

On your behalf I would also like to congratulate and thank my colleagues, the faculty seated here on the podium with me who have also worked hard to make this day a reality and to ensure that while at UCC you received the best possible university education available in Ireland today.  Let's please acknowledge them. 

The high quality and the breadth of the education you have received at UCC will stand you in good stead as you face the unfolding realities, trends and challenges of the 21st century.  Society in every age has faced challenges but specifically to our time there are a number of special issues which are rapidly growing in importance and which are in actuality global trends with very definite local effects.

The first of these is globalisation with its attendant outsourcing of manufacturing jobs to low wage countries and alarmingly, a rising trend of outsourcing knowledge jobs such as accounting, engineering and indeed research and development to the more advanced centres of developing countries.  As our current economic success is based on a mixture of sophisticated manufacturing and a rapidly expanding service sector, increased globalisation will present a major challenge to us going forward.

Another challenge for this century is the rise in global warming caused mainly by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas since the start of the industrial revolution in the 19th century.  It now appears irrefutable that unless we moderate our consumption of fossil fuels within the next few decades irreversible changes in weather patterns will set in, leading to catastrophic situations over many parts of the globe within the lifetime of most people in this hall.  This poses challenges not only for countries and societies but more particularly for each of us as individuals to do what we can to reduce our consumption of these fuels. 

A third major challenge is that in our society, and indeed in other western societies, despite our growing affluence the disparity in wealth between the haves and the have nots is increasing.  This indeed is mirrored globally where the disparity between wealthy nations and poverty stricken ones is also increasing.  Apart from the obvious potential for conflict and disruption which such a disparity gives rise to, basic social justice demands that we work much harder and more imaginatively to help the poor and disadvantaged not only in our own country but also that Ireland as a nation does its fair share to combat this problem globally.

Solving or indeed at least alleviating the consequences of the challenges I have outlined is going to form part of your agenda throughout your working life.  However, I would be optimistic.  The human race has a wonderful ability to adapt to challenges and this graduating class of 2006 will be no exception.  You will bring to your work and your professions new ideas, fresh insights and original ways of looking at things which had not occurred to people before.  That is how real change and renewal happens.  Indeed change and renewal is intrinsic to all human societies and organisations.  Universities for instance are repositories of knowledge but over time that knowledge is constantly being added to and refined.  Students come to UCC these days with a totally different educational background and educational experiences from say even 20 years ago.  That challenges us in the university to change the way we do things, to investigate and promote new forms of learning, for instance, which are effective in making the ever expanding knowledge base more accessible.  Universities renew and restructure themselves in order to adapt to not only the changing spectrum of the students who come here but also to the ever changing world that they must enter upon graduating.

What happens in a university, however, is only a paradigm for what is happening in all of society.  The fact that change and adaptation is now intrinsic to living underlines the increasing importance and indeed centrality of education throughout our lives.  Today may signal the end of your formal education experience but informal education and participation in lifelong learning will be very important for you throughout your careers.  It will enable you to critically understand and consequently be able to make a continual contribution to, the development of society as well as to your own continued intellectual development as individuals.

It is my sincerest hope that the education you have received here at UCC has prepared you well for the challenging world you are about to enter and that whatever field you are in you will become creative, innovative, productive and caring people.  It is our graduates that say the most about what a university is and I know that, like your predecessors, this 2006 graduating class will be one of which we in UCC can all be justly proud.  Heartiest congratulations once again, have a great day and may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas.
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TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY:
Dr Declan Kennedy, in University College Cork on 13 December, 2006, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Master of Science Education, honoris causa, on SR MERCEDES DESMOND

Sr M. Mercedes Desmond was born in Donoughmore, Co. Cork. She attended the local primary school and went as a boarder to the Presentation Secondary School, Thurles. She completed her Leaving Certificate examination in 1941 and entered the Mercy Convent in St. Maries of the Isle, Cork in 1942. She was professed as a Sister of Mercy in 1944 and took her Final Vows in 1947.

In 1945 Sr. Mercedes, having never studied science at secondary school, enrolled as a student in UCC to study physics under Professor J. J. McHenry. In addition, she studied astronomy under Dr John Kelly who later became director of the School of Cosmic Physics and this enkindled in her a lifelong interest in this subject. The external examiner for the course was Professor ETS Walton who won the Nobel prize for physics for his work on splitting the atom. Sr Mercedes and he kept in touch with each other down through the years and became lifelong friends. Sr Mercedes also studied chemistry and, due to the daytime rationing of gas during the Second World War, carried out practical work in Chemistry at night time in the old science building (now Civil Engineering) in UCC. In 1948 Sr Mercedes graduated with a B.Sc. in Physics and Chemistry and then studied for the Higher Diploma in Education in the Department of Education UCC.

In 1949 she was assigned to St. Aloysius School, Sharman Crawford Street, where she taught Physics, Chemistry and Maths. In her early years as a teacher, she undertook numerous courses in physiology and taught that subject also until the introduction of biology as a subject on the curriculum. In 1962 she, along with a small group of other science teacher founded the Irish Science Teachers' Association. Since that time, this organisation with a current membership of 1100, has had a profound effect in helping to ensure the highest possible standards of science education in Ireland.

Sr Mercedes immersed herself in science education both at local and national level. She participated in and organised numerous inservice courses for science teachers ranging from glass blowing to electronics to ecology field trips to astronomy. These courses were organised by the ISTA within the network of universities and Institute of Technology throughout the country.   Since the founding of the ISTA she has served at all levels of the ISTA, has represented the Cork branch on the Council of the ISTA and has represented the ISTA at international conferences at home and abroad. Since 1962 St Aloysius School has been the home of the Cork branch of the ISTA and each month since that time Sr Mercedes has diligently opened the school for the monthly ISTA branch meetings.

The Annual Conference of the Irish Science Teachers' Association has been hosted by the Cork branch in 1968, 1973, 1977, 1982 and 1997. Sr Mercedes is the only person to have served on every committee set up to organise the Annual Conference of the ISTA including the present organising committee working to bring the 45th ISTA Annual Conference to UCC from 23 - 25 March 2007. In the years prior to Vatican II, Sr Mercedes was unable to attend the ISTA Annual Dinner on the Saturday night of the Annual Conference or even to stay overnight in a hotel! Once these restrictions were lifted, Sr Mercedes embraced the late nights with great gusto and, on several occasions, found herself locked out of the convent!

She was appointed principal of St Aloysius school in 1978 and during her term as principal  enrolment in the school rose to 1200 students making it the largest girls secondary school in Ireland. During her years as Principal she served as a member of the Executive Council of Voluntary Secondary Schools in Ireland. She retired as principal in 1985. In fact, her retirement had the effect of giving her increased enthusiasm for education and, as well as serving as Manager of St. Aloysius School up to 1992, she continues to serve as a member of the Board of Management of the school up to the present time and is also a member of the Board of Management of St Aidan's Community College. In 1995 she was the recipient of the Science Educator of the Year Award from the Irish Science Teachers Association. This is the highest award made by the ISTA and is awarded "for outstanding contribution to science education in Ireland".

In 1985 she was nominated by the Minister of Education and Science to serve on the College Council of Cork Institute of Technology and served for two terms in this capacity.

Among the most endearing qualities of Sr Mercedes are her humility, gentleness and total dedication to science education. She has been involved in science education for the past 60 years and her enormous contribution is impossible to measure.
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TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY:
Dr Declan Kennedy, in University College Cork on 13 December, 2006, on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Master of Science Education, honoris causa, on Seán Ó Donnabháin

Mr Sean O Donnabhain was born in Cork and received his early education in Presentation College Cork. From a young age he was very interested in sport and played hurling with St Vincent's and rugby with PBC. As a student of science in UCC he had a brilliant academic career and in 1957 he graduated in joint first place in his class with a first class honours degree in chemistry. During his time at university he founded the Leeside Theatre group. After completing his Higher Diploma in Education in the Education Department UCC, he taught for a number of years in the Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street , Crawford Institute of Technology and Oatlands College CBS.

He was appointed to the Science Inspectorate of the Department of Education in 1962 and promoted to Senior Science Inspector in October 1973.

During his time in the inspectorate he had responsibility for the physical sciences and was Chief Examiner for Leaving Certificate physics and chemistry during these years.
Over a period of 38 years as a science inspector, Sean gave outstanding support to the Irish Science Teachers' Association. He was involved in several projects aimed at improving science teaching in Ireland. He was particularly involved in curriculum development and chaired the syllabus committees that developed the first modern syllabus in physics in the early 1980s. As well as modern content and a greatly increased emphasis on student practical work, these syllabi included for the first time explicit reference to the applications of these subjects in everyday life - what is now known as Science, Technology and Society (STS). It was Sean who introduced STS into the curriculum in Ireland and promoted this concept with great enthusiasm.

In the summer of 1966 Sean led a group of science teachers from Ireland to the USA and spent 4 months at the Oakridge Institute of Nuclear Studies in Tennessee where they received the most up-to-date information on nuclear physics. An exhibition called "Atoms In Action" was established in the RDS for a six week period in 1966. The purpose of this exhibition was to develop an interest in science and its relevance to modern society. Hundreds of industrialists and thousands of students and their teachers attended this exhibition. Amongst those who visited the exhibition were the then Taoiseach Sean Lemass, and the Uachtarán of Ireland Eamon deValera.

In 1985 he initiated, and subsequently developed, the Intervention Projects in Physics and Chemistry, a programme designed to increase the participation rates of girls in the physical sciences at Leaving Cert and hence into third level. Under Sean's direction, physics or chemistry was introduced to the curriculum of over thirty schools which did not have the subject and, as a result, a large number girls (and a number of boys in co-educational schools) have had an opportunity to study one or more of the physical sciences for their Leaving Certificate. As well as introducing these subjects into schools which did not offer these subjects, the programme also provided support to physics and/or chemistry teachers in over seventy other schools which did have the subjects. This support assisted the teachers to develop their expertise in their subjects and also helped to promote the subjects in the schools through presentations to the students and to their parents. The programme also set up a number of Science Resource Centres around the country to provide laboratory-based in-service for teachers.
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Seán represented the DES on many committees, both national and international. Of particular note in this regard was his work with the OECD's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). In 1989 CERI established its Science Maths and Technology in Education project. Seán was ultimately responsible for having the Irish programme of Intervention Projects in Physics and Chemistry accepted as one of the 23 cases studies from 13 OECD countries included in the CERI project. As a result, the Irish programme was presented at a number of dissemination conferences in OECD member countries. It was also included in a book based on the CERI project - Changing the Subject - Innovations in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, edited by Paul Black and J. Myron Atkin (published by Routledge in 1996).

Seán believed strongly in the value of incareer professional development for teachers. He facilitated the organisation of numerous weekend courses for science teachers at venues throughout the country. Not only did he support the organisation of these courses but he also attended and presented at many of them. He also initiated summer courses for science teachers in DIT Kevin Street. These courses were held almost every year over a period of a decade and a half starting in the late 1970s.

He was responsible for the production of two very comprehensive handbooks, circulated to every second level school in the country in both paper and electronic formats, for teachers of physics and chemistry. These handbooks were published shortly before Seán retired and marked a fitting climax a career dedicated to the development of science education in this country. Sean retired from the Inspectorate in 2000 having being involved in science education for a total of 43 years.

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