DrEadaoin McKiernan

Let's Chat Medicine is a public engagement and involvement initiative from Systems Biology Ireland at UCD. We are working in partnership with Barretstown and the Young Person's Advisory Group to bring young people from different backgrounds together to work with researchers, artists and science communicators to co-create a portfolio of engaging content on the topic of genomics in personalised medicine. This material will then be disseminated more broadly thereby enhancing public understanding of this important area.

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 DEIS designated schools linked with UCD ALL and schools in areas of geographical disadvantage are invited to take up place.

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Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE) is an innovative science education programme that empowers teachers to bring biotechnology into their classrooms. ABE-Ireland offers training in molecular biology experiments for secondary school teachers at locations in University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Laois Education Centre and Monaghan Education Centre.

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