Rose proves girls bloom as scientists

Net Results: Finding a way to inspire girls to go into science, engineering and computing isn't rocket science - but it may be theoretical physics.

That's going by the debut engagement for Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin of Mayo, better known to most people as the new Rose of Tralee, but more familiar to some as the one who took first-class honours in theoretical physics at UCD and spent the summer working on a student programme at CERN, the famed particle physics laboratory in Switzerland.

Ní Shúilleabháin joined several other Irish women scientists to give presentations about their work at the BA Festival of Science on Wednesday at Trinity College, under the auspices of the national organisation Women in Technology and Science (Wits).

All the presentations were a delight, ranging from Prof Catherine Godson on her love of biomedical research; engineer Anne Graham's tales of working for the city of Dublin; Dr Mary Bourke of the Planetary Science Institute's descriptions of how understanding flood plains in Australia helps her explore the Mars landscape, and maths whiz and former Young Scientist Sarah Flannery on the maths games she played with her father and her love of mathematics.

What a fantastic team this group would be to tour schools. They had me ready to return to university to do maths, physics and engineering, and left me feeling disappointed that I hadn't pursued these studies more diligently in school. In other words, they made science exciting, interesting, and fun.

So just imagine the effect on a 14 year old who thinks maths is interesting, but maybe feels it might not be the career for a girl - few friends study it, she's worried people will think she's a geek (a point that came up in several of the talks) and she's wondering if she'll spend a lifetime in a lab with no social life.

Ní Shúilleabháin's presentation in particular would knock such concerns into another galaxy. She peppered her talk with stories about how much fun she had studying physics, and working at CERN - from normal college activities like parties to the opportunity for travel, and excitement at working in one of the most famous centres for physics research in the world.

This message came across in the talks by Flannery - who works for Wolfram Research, an American company that designs maths software for researchers - and Bourke, also based in the US, where she works with scientists involved with space missions. For them as for the other speakers, science has meant travel, friendships, and exciting professional challenges.

It can only help that someone who can bring the poise, charm and good looks needed by a winning Rose into a classroom can show younger girls that studying science can go hand in hand with an active social life.

As Ní Shúilleabháin quipped to much laughter: "You can be a scientist and a socialite."

However, it was disappointing that, although schools across the country brought students to the festival, there were few schoolgirls at these talks.

My morning session - a wonderful extravaganza on Einstein - was filled with a couple of classes of secondary students. At a time when such focus is on getting pupils into science and engineering in this country, why are schools not getting their girls into a session like this?

These sessions featured some of our top women achievers in science, as well as young women with wonderful career prospects. In particular, the younger women, like Flannery and Ní Shúilleabháin, are perfect ambassadors for science to schools, as they are closer in age and know young girls' concerns and interests.

The session also provided a great opportunity to catch up with Flannery, one of this country's highest profile students, who won international coverage for her cryptography project in the Young Scientist competition, but only a handful of schoolgirls joined the session.

However, I was delighted to see they were right down to talk to the speakers after the session.

I think most girls would have enjoyed the session, even if they were not interested in science. But for many, it might have proved to be the turning point in considering a science career.

The good news is that Ní Shúilleabháin has said she wishes to encourage more students, especially girls, into science. I hope she goes on a school tour because, going by her talk, she will prove an excellent antidote to a school system that doesn't seem to know how to encourage girls to think seriously about science.

klillington@irish-times.ie

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