Clonmel aeronautical engineering student Maram Youssef awarded bursary

A Clonmel woman was one of ten female students who were presented with bursaries by global healthcare company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) as part of its WiSTEM2D Award Programme at a ceremony in University of Limerick (UL).

 WiSTEM2D refers to Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design. 

This is the second year of this initiative which is an integral part of J&J’s commitment to developing and implementing high-impact strategies to support female students undertaking STEM2D degree courses at UL and in universities around the world. 

At a national level, just 25% of people currently working in STEM-related careers in Ireland are women.

Among the ten were Maram Youssef from Clonmel, studying Aeronautical Engineering.

Research undertaken during Year 1 of the WiSTEM2D programme by EPI*STEM, the National Centre for STEM, at UL, highlighted the challenges facing women in STEM.

 In particular, some female students described feeling isolated in classes where there were very low numbers of females. More than half of those surveyed noted that the introduction of a mentoring scheme would assist them in pursuing a career in STEM.

 The WiSTEM2D programme provides opportunities for students to meet and be mentored by female role models from J&J, to visit J&J sites around the country and develop their STEM networks. The ten successful WiSTEM2D students are accomplished, ambitious women currently studying STEM subjects at UL and came through a rigorous selection process. 

 15 Tipperary students awarded UL scholarships