Two Limerick students recognised as part of Johnson and Johnson’s WiSTEM2D Programme

Caoimhe O’Brien from Bruff and Michelle Condon from Kilbeheny with their awards presented by global healthcare company Johnson and Johnson (J&J) as part of its WiSTEM2D Award Programme at a ceremony in University College Cork (UCC) this week. Picture: Darragh Kane photography

Two Limerick students recognised as part of Johnson and Johnson’s WiSTEM2D Programme

Caoimhe O’Brien from Bruff and Michelle Condon from Kilbeheny were presented with awards by global healthcare company Johnson and Johnson (J&J) as part of its WiSTEM2D Award Programme at a ceremony in University College Cork (UCC).

The acronym WiSTEM2D refers to Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design, and is part of J&J’s commitment to developing and implementing high-impact strategies to support female students undertaking STEM2D degree courses at UCC and in universities around the world. This is the healthcare company’s first year partnering with the University. UCC is one of 13 universities worldwide to participate in the programme, the programme in its third year at the University of Limerick (UL).

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Caoimhe O’Brien, studying Process and Chemical Engineering, was awarded a full bursary with Michelle Condon, who is studying Business Information Systems, receiving a runner-up award.

The students were selected for the programme following a rigorous application process and one-to-one interviews. They will shortly be assigned a J&J female role model who will support and mentor them as well as affording them the opportunity to visit J&J sites across the country and develop their STEM networks in the industry.

As the programme is in the middle of first year at University College Cork, it is evident that there is still a vital need to support young women pursuing STEM2D careers. Recent research conducted amongst UL students revealed that 29% of STEM undergraduates do not know what jobs to apply for, and further, of the 56% of students that have never visited an industry facility, 66% were female.

Liz Dooley, Director of Operations at Janssen, the pharmaceutical company of J&J, said, “At J&J, we recognise that women are greatly under-represented in the STEM workforce here in Ireland. The mentoring element of the programme is designed to combat potential isolation among female students and to provide support for them as they continue their third level studies. As we look to building the workforce of the future, we are committed to supporting women in STEM, allowing us to develop the talent pipeline by nurturing and mentoring our future female STEM leaders.”

Professor Paul Ross, Head of College at the department of Science, Engineering and Food Science said, “A key aim of the WiSTEM2D programme is to inspire young women to bring diversity of ideas and opinions to typically male-dominated STEM careers. We recognise that STEM is traditionally a masculine environment, therefore collaborations between industry and third level institutions are critically important in order to drive change, expanding the reach and quality of STEM education in Ireland. We look forward to a continued partnership with J&J to help mentor, support and encourage young women in STEM education.”

The WiSTEM2D programme is unique in terms of offering young women studying STEM2D courses the opportunity to engage with women working in those careers. First-hand experience of site tours, mentoring, project and career workshops enable students to visualise exactly what it is like to have a career in STEM.

For further information on the WiSTEM2D programme, click here 

For more stories on women in education and science, click here