Cook Medical raise awareness of STEM and engineering in local Limerick schools

Pictured are Katie Kiely, Scott Callaghan, Sarah Louise Allen, Rory Clancy, Alex Broe and Ben Noonan 6th students from Scoil Íde national school, Corbally, Limerick with Cook Medical Engineer, Inga Rosca, participating in the Cook Medical Device Challenge. The Cook Medical Device Challenge, designed to celebrate Engineers Week 2018, will encourage national school students to consider the intricate processes involved in conceptualising, designing and building a sophisticated medical device used by patient worldwide. Photograph: Liam Burke/Press 22

Cook Medical raise awareness of STEM and engineering in local Limerick schools

As part of National Engineers Week 2018, Limerick-based global medical device company Cook Medical is visiting four Limerick national schools to promote medical device engineering by challenging classes to build a simple, prosthetic leg.

The Cook Medical Device Challenge is part of the company’s efforts to promote and celebrate Engineers Week in local schools. Cook volunteers will be visiting classes in Milford NS, Monaleen NS, St Nessan’s NS and Scoil Ide.

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Pictured are 6th class students from Scoil Íde national school, Corbally, Limerick Nicky Ryan, Sophie Nash, Cian Mulcahy, Ellie McCarthy, Matthew Quane and James Minogue with Cook Medical Engineer, Inga Rosca, participating in the Cook Medical Device Challenge. The Cook Medical Device Challenge, designed to celebrate Engineers Week 2018, will encourage national school students to consider the intricate processes involved in conceptualising, designing and building a sophisticated medical device used by patient worldwide.
Photograph: Liam Burke/Press 22

Classes in each of the four schools will receive a special ‘engineering pack’ with materials to build the prosthetic. The idea behind the challenge is to encourage national school students to consider how engineers approach developing and creating helpful devices for patients across the world.

Darach McGrath, Engineering Director, Cook Medical, hopes that the challenge will give students an insight into working in engineering and encourage Limerick students to develop an interest in further study of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and choose these at secondary school and third-level.

“To celebrate Engineers Week 2018, we’ve developed a fun, practical and engaging challenge that reflects the creativity and solutions-oriented approach needed for a career in STEM.

“The biggest medical breakthroughs happen when people think outside the box. This requires imagination and creativity. A company that emphasises the creativity element in STEM or has a culture of design thinking enjoys a real competitive advantage because they’re looking at things differently.

When it comes to the world of STEM, a sold grasp of numbers and logic is essential, but it’s not everything, commented Darach:

“The difference between a good engineer and an excellent one often comes down to their ideas, their ability to work well in a team, and their leadership ability. For future engineers, like the students participating in this Device Challenge, it’s important to develop the so-called ‘softer’ skillset – which can take longer to develop than some technical skills.

“The Cook Medical team is excited to see what Limerick’s school pupils build in the Device Challenge—and one day we hope to have the privilege of working with them.”

Cook Medical is one of the largest privately held global medical technology companies, employing 880 people at its Limerick headquarters.

Cook Medical works closely with physicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Combining medical devices, biologic materials, and cellular therapies helps the world’s healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently.

More information on Cook Medical

To visit Cook Medical’s website, go here.

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