Last month, seven students at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) received Three Ireland Connect to STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) Scholarships for Women, as part of an initiative to support the next generation of women leaders in science and technology. The awardees, who are first- and second-year students at Trinity, bring to 27 the number of students who have benefited from the programme since it began in the 2022-23 academic year.
Administered by the TCD faculty of STEM and the Trinity Access Programmes, each scholarship is worth €20,000 over a four-year undergraduate degree programme, or €15,000 over three years.
“The scheme is designed to attract women in Ireland to study STEM subjects at Trinity,” explains Three Ireland chief executive Elaine Carey. “The successful students receive mentoring and other supports from Three Ireland. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Three Ireland and, as a major employer in this sector, we are deeply committed to building a more diverse and representative STEM community.
“We know we need more women in STEM, and that is why our partnership with Trinity matters so much. Through the Connect to STEM Scholarships we are helping to remove barriers, build confidence and create meaningful pathways into opportunity.”
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Diversity starts in education. If we get that right and we get equality there, the pipeline of women into industry is improved as well
The scholarships are open to female students who are resident in Ireland and have accepted a place in one of the following Trinity undergraduate programmes: School of Computer Science & Statistics, School of Engineering, School of Mathematics, School of Physics and the School of Chemistry (Chemical Science only).
In a change to previous years, the scholarships were opened for the first time to both first-year and second-year students.
Carey feels very strongly about the scholarship programme and the need for more women in STEM. “Speaking as a woman and from a place of experience, the importance of STEM and its influence on every part of society is huge,” she says.
“If you have female under-representation in those areas and don’t have their views and perspectives being part of the conversation, that’s a real problem for both industry and society. At Three, we are passionate about doing whatever small things we can to improve the situation.”
If we can encourage one or two or three females to go into STEM who wouldn’t have done so otherwise, it will make a difference
Carey believes education is key to addressing the problem. “Diversity starts in education,” she says. “If we get that right and we get equality there, the pipeline of women into industry is improved as well. If don’t do that, I don’t think we will ever crack the problem.
“I remember reading the Chuck Feeney book some years ago. His thoughts on philanthropy have always resonated with me. He said: `If you want to change a society, you need to invest in education.’ And we all know what he did for education in Ireland.”
The issue is as much one of self-belief as anything else. “Many females lack confidence when it comes to STEM subjects. That’s for a variety of reasons. We know that girls in secondary school are going through a lot of changes as they grow up and that can cause them to lose confidence not just in academic subjects but in sports as well. I experienced that as well. I probably lacked the confidence that boys had. That needs to be addressed.”
The way maths is taught can help, Carey believes. “We are also supporting Access Maths in TCD. We need to look at how maths is taught in primary and secondary schools. We are never really taught how useful maths is in our everyday lives. We need to teach it in a more digestible form. Also, the female brain is different to the male brain, and we need to be more inclusive to take into account how everyone receives information.”
We know we need more women in STEM, and that is why our partnership with Trinity matters so much
The Three Ireland Connect to STEM Scholarships for Women can make a real difference over time, Carey points out. “If we can encourage one, two or three females to go into STEM who wouldn’t have done so otherwise, it will make a difference. Taking one step can make a difference, but not taking a step won’t make a difference.
“Then there’s the halo effect. We have supported 27 female students over the years. They can become role models for other females. If young females only see males in roles, they will naturally think those roles are not for them. But if they see more women in them, that will encourage them.”
The economy will also benefit, she adds. “A more diverse workforce with greater diversity of thinking at every level, not just at leadership table will be good for Ireland Inc as well as individual businesses. A more diverse workforce will be a source of competitive advantage for the country.”
Finally, there is the moral imperative. “At the awards ceremony, the Provost of Trinity spoke about how activities like this are illegal in some countries. That’s another reason why this programme is so important.”
