2008 Press Releases
UREKA - researchers of the future
05.09.2008
Twenty international students, from Ireland, Poland, Canada and Malaysia have just written their final reports, and given final presentations on their results - the culmination of 12 weeks of research on topics relating to the interactions between microbes and their host.
05.09.2008
Twenty international students, from Ireland, Poland, Canada and Malaysia have just written their final reports, and given final presentations on their results - the culmination of 12 weeks of research on topics relating to the interactions between microbes and their host.
The group of students, all undergraduates studying a biological science or medicine, were participants in the UREKA programme (Undergraduate Research Experience & Knowledge Award) at University College Cork (UCC).
The UREKA programme, funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), supports active research participation by undergraduate students and encourages them to consider postgraduate studies or research once finished their undergraduate degrees. Active research experience is considered one of the most effective ways to attract talented undergraduates and retain them in careers in science and engineering.
The research students were based in laboratories in the BioSciences Institute in UCC, in departments such as the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), Microbiology and Biochemistry. Each student worked on a research project as well as attending workshops on careers, ethics, report writing and presentation skills. Visits to industry such as GSK and Centocor were also organised in order to broaden their research horizons. Paulina Wochal from Poland said: "thanks to many workshops on intellectual property, ethics and careers, I have increased my knowledge about things that are as important in scientific research as obtaining results. The concept of being a PhD student became much closer to my heart than ever".
"Having a project of my own to work on really made me feel part of the research setting and encouraged me to put a lot of effort into my work. I now have a much clearer vision of what working in a research laboratory is actually like", said Jennifer Lynch, student from Trinity College Dublin, who was working in Dr David Clarke's laboratory for the summer, "and I could see myself doing this in the future".
"As the students head into their final year of undergraduate study in their home Universities, we hope to see some of them back to start postgraduate research next year. That would be the greatest indicator of the success of the programme, as it is essential that Ireland can continue to attract the brightest graduates to careers in science to ensure our further economic development", commented Dr Sally Cudmore, General Manager of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre in UCC, that hosted 11 of the students.
The UCC project was one of 17 UREKA Sites supported by SFI during the summer, hosting over 225 Irish and International undergraduate students.
Picture: UREKA students on their final day, along with UREKA programme organisers Dr Sally Cudmore, Dr Cormac Gahan (both on left) and Ms Anne Daly (on right).
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The UREKA programme, funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), supports active research participation by undergraduate students and encourages them to consider postgraduate studies or research once finished their undergraduate degrees. Active research experience is considered one of the most effective ways to attract talented undergraduates and retain them in careers in science and engineering.
The research students were based in laboratories in the BioSciences Institute in UCC, in departments such as the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC), Microbiology and Biochemistry. Each student worked on a research project as well as attending workshops on careers, ethics, report writing and presentation skills. Visits to industry such as GSK and Centocor were also organised in order to broaden their research horizons. Paulina Wochal from Poland said: "thanks to many workshops on intellectual property, ethics and careers, I have increased my knowledge about things that are as important in scientific research as obtaining results. The concept of being a PhD student became much closer to my heart than ever".
"Having a project of my own to work on really made me feel part of the research setting and encouraged me to put a lot of effort into my work. I now have a much clearer vision of what working in a research laboratory is actually like", said Jennifer Lynch, student from Trinity College Dublin, who was working in Dr David Clarke's laboratory for the summer, "and I could see myself doing this in the future".
"As the students head into their final year of undergraduate study in their home Universities, we hope to see some of them back to start postgraduate research next year. That would be the greatest indicator of the success of the programme, as it is essential that Ireland can continue to attract the brightest graduates to careers in science to ensure our further economic development", commented Dr Sally Cudmore, General Manager of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre in UCC, that hosted 11 of the students.
The UCC project was one of 17 UREKA Sites supported by SFI during the summer, hosting over 225 Irish and International undergraduate students.
Picture: UREKA students on their final day, along with UREKA programme organisers Dr Sally Cudmore, Dr Cormac Gahan (both on left) and Ms Anne Daly (on right).
824MMcS