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The Faculty of Science and Engineering has implemented a new Pathways Seminar Series to demonstrate the career options available to its students.

The initiative will bring back graduates to host in-person lectures with current students studying the same discipline, allowing them to ask questions about their career journey after graduation.        

Commenting on the seminar series, Associate Professor David Newport—Assistant Dean Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and International—said:

“The Faculty of Science & Engineering Pathway seminar series is delivered by Alumni of our various disciplines to current students in that area. It brings a personal narrative to our students on a graduate’s journey through their education, the challenges they faced and how things have continued onwards in their career. Piloted in 2022/2023 academic year in the Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering disciplines, we saw very strong attendance and positive feedback from our students.”

“I am delighted to see the Pathway seminar series further expand in the current academic year. It is wonderful to see our graduates giving freely of their time to come back, sharing their journey and meeting our students in person,” Professor Newport added.

On Friday the 24^th of November, Lisa Daly, a graduate of the BEng in Design and Manufacture, returned to UL to speak to current students on the course. Lisa is currently a Procurement Specialist with Abbot Nutrition. She graduated from UL in 2020 and has worked in numerous roles in Abbott since then in Ireland, America and the Netherlands.

Lisa was invited to speak to the students by Associate Professor David Tanner, Course Director of the Bachelor of Engineering in Design and Manufacture, who said:

“The Pathways event offered us a great opportunity to have Lisa Daly come back to UL and talk to current students and staff about her career to date. It was brilliant for all of us to be able to see first-hand how the core modules are directly connected to the work that Lisa is now doing. She is an inspiration to the next generation of engineers.”

Last semester, Associate Professor John Mulvihill initiated the series by inviting Dr Hilary E. Barrett, a graduate of the Biomedical Engineering course, to return to UL to talk about her career journey so far. She spoke about graduating from UL with a PhD funded by the Irish Research Council to working in Erasmus MC in the Netherlands all the way to her current role as a Staff Engineer in Becton Dickinson (BD).

It is now hoped that the series will continue across the eight Departments and Schools within the Faculty.