South East Technological University (SETU) Celebrates International Day of Women and Girls in Science, highlighting the contribution of female researchers.
Women’s participation in research and innovation improves their career prospects, increases gender balance in decision-making and helps to improve work-life balance, and SETU’s female researchers play an important representational role in the SETU community.
SETU female researchers work in academic areas such as humanities, agriculture, business, as well as STEM subjects. Many of these researchers are also lecturers and project supervisors, meaning that they make an enormous contribution to their subject areas and form an important part of our community, as well as helping to cultivate and inspire young students and early-stage researchers.
SETU President, Prof Veronica Campbell said, “As we mark this year’s International Women's Day, we celebrate the achievements of women working in our research community across SETU and the higher education sector”.
“In supporting their work and recognising their successes, we empower our next generation of women and girls to lead in research and innovation, to continue to develop new thinking, analysis, and research methodology, creating a positive impact on our region and beyond. Inspiring inclusion is critical to advancing gender equality and fostering a climate of growth and development of the individual specifically and society generally.”
“Today I’d like to acknowledge the extensive contribution made by SETU female researchers to our communities and I look forward to the continued successes of our diverse and talented research teams in finding solutions for national and global problems.”
Here, we celebrate and feature some of our prolific female researchers:
Dr Lillian Byrne
Dr Byrne's higher education journey began at Waterford Regional Technical College (now SETU) in 1988, when her love for education flourished. She began her research journey in 1998 when she commenced a masters by research. Her dissertation title was "Placement in Social Care Education" which informed the development of placement preparation, on-placement learning and support, and placement debriefing experienced by students on the six social care programmes that were provided in Ireland at the time. Placement learning remained her work and research interest. Dr Byrne's doctoral study used a narrative methodology and explored the socio-cultural incorporation of social care students into the profession. While still interested in professional identity, her research interests expanded to consider identity in a broader way. Her current project involves working with members of minority groups to create case studies to help students develop culturally inclusive practice.
Lillian gives some valuable advice to other researchers beginning their research journey; "I advise any new researcher to develop healthy work-life balance habits. The work is energising, but also takes energy, so having time and things to help with rejuvenation is very important". She is motivated by creating a path for others to follow, in terms of helping students and new colleagues to develop their own career path.
Dr Fionnuala Brennan
"I think of myself as a practitioner action-researcher. I'm a teacher first, and for me that's the most rewarding part of my work - my research supports me to do that as best I can. I am programme leader on our Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (HCCC) that we co-developed and co-deliver with the Irish Prison Service.
Since 2017 over 1,000 new recruit Irish Prison Officers have enrolled on the programme, giving us a unique opportunity to support prison service organisational change and learning. My research focus has been on our student recruits' experience so that we can deliver on this responsibility. Through my doctoral research and funded projects I examine how we support mature learners and non-traditional entrants to Higher Education. A cornerstone of my teaching and research is the belief that a sense of belonging is key to student success. Together with great colleagues on the HCCC, I integrate Universal Design for Learning and Restorative Practice into my teaching and research work.
My hope for the future is to share this experience more widely. It is endlessly motivating for me to see our graduates, many who begin their higher education journey wary of their chances of success, enjoying their conferring ceremony with their families. For anyone working out their own research pathway, to find a direction that aligns with your personal values and with the day job can take time. It certainly took me some time and I feel very fortunate to enjoy a rewarding and meaningful working life".
Dr Thomaé Kakouli-Duarte
During her research years, Dr Kakouli-Duarte, along with her collaborators, has secured more than €10 million in competitive research funding from industry, EU and national funding bodies, and is the author and co-author of more than 120 peer-reviewed journal publications and contributions of national and international conferences in her field. An accomplished postdoctoral research fellow, Dr. Kakouli-Duarte is a founding member and now director of enviroCore, where scientists are researching innovative environmental technologies and biotechnologies with a view towards enhancing the economic and social development in an environmentally friendly manner.
Her own research group within enviroCORE is the Molecular Ecology and Nematode Research Group (MENRG), established in 2004, having hosted 7 PhD and 3 MSc students to completion and one postdoctoral fellow, and numerous Erasmus Interns through the years.
She is currently the Secretary of the International Federation of Nematology Societies, the Treasurer of the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland and the SETU representative in the Environmental Science & Biodiversity Institute of EU-CONEXUS. She has led and organised numerous national and international events, with the hallmarks being the International Symposia on Nematodes as Environmental Bioindicators, under the auspices of the Association of Applied Biologists.
Her current research project is the Interreg NWE part funded ReNu2Cycle project, working to develop sustainable bio-based fertilisers from organic waste in NW Europe, for a sustainable food security.
In her own words, she says, "I am motivated by two things: firstly that I am a means to generate new knowledge to support nature, our environment and our communities. Secondly, that I can positively influence the lives and careers of young people I mentor and supervise. The creative part (e.g. the making of books and articles, and working in collaborative projects), and the communication activities in conferences, outreach and in meetings, are the cherries on the cake!
Michelle Greene
Michelle started her educational journey at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in 2006, studying Tourism and Marketing as an undergraduate student. After working in management roles in the sector, she transitioned to teaching in the FET sector in 2014. In 2018, she completed her postgrad in Digital Marketing at IT Carlow (ITC).
Her passion for research led her to pursue a PhD, for which she was awarded the Presidents’ PhD Scholarship Award at Waterford Institute of Technology where she is currently finishing her PhD in SETU School of Education and Lifelong Learning.
Michelle serves the Postgraduate student research community at SETU in her role as a member of the Research Postgraduate Forum and as Student Ambassador for CRIS (the Elservier-PURE system) at SETU. She is also a member of the Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI), the Academy of Management (AOM), and Ireland's National Adult Learning Organisation (AONTAS).
Her journey reflects her commitment and advocacy to lifelong learning and academic advancement particularly in the Technological University (TU) sector.
Michelle remarks "One exciting thing about this educational journey so far is that I have been able to keep going even as my career has changed. My education has helped me to do that and now it is helping me to advance my career in research. So, when I finish my PhD, I want to keep doing what I love the most, which is to research. My goal is to make a difference in the real world and be part of meaningful change, even if it is only in a small way."
Dr Madhuri Dandamudi
Dr Dandamudi has a diverse background in pharmacy, academia, and industry. After completing her pharmacy degree in India and gaining experience in academia and the pharmaceutical industry, she embarked on a research career. She earned her masters by research from Kingston University, where she worked on oral insulin delivery for type II diabetes.
She then moved to Ireland to do her PhD at South East Technological University (SETU), where she focused on developing eye drops for age-related macular degeneration, as part of the Ocular Therapeutics Research Group (OTRG). After completing her PhD, she remained at OTRG as a postdoctoral researcher, collaborating with the Irish Research Council and Fighting Blindness on a project to develop novel therapies for retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants.
Recently, she has taken up a new position as a lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry at SETU's Department of Science. She continues to pursue her research interests in drug delivery systems for challenging diseases, while also teaching the next generation of scientists.
Dr Dandamudi says, "Anyone aspiring to be a researcher should understand that perseverance and regularity are essential for achieving your goals. Research in drug delivery or any other domain can be a fulfilling experience with ups and downs, but also gives you a sense of happiness and gratification when you see how your work can alleviate the suffering of people in pain".
"My passion as a lecturer is to motivate and enable my students to pursue their intellectual interests and equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in their chosen domains. My research interests are motivated by the aspiration to investigate areas that have a substantial impact on society, such as the field of eye diseases where I am currently engaged".
Dr Brenda Murphy
Born in Dublin, Dr Murphy grew up in Dublin and Tramore – moving to London to study and work in the late 80s.
Following some years working in the media in London, Dr Murphy ‘returned’ to education at the age of 24, and completed a first degree in Psychology and Communication Studies. Dr. Murphy says that, "Returning to education was a milestone moment for me. I initially just wanted to read for the degree, for myself, but once there, I didn't want to stop".
She went on to read for a Master’s in Communication, Culture and Society from Goldsmiths’ College, University of London, and at that time (1994), she joined the University of Malta as a full-time Lecturer. During that time, while lecturing, supervising students and carrying out administrative duties, she read for a PhD at the University of London - self-financed - on a part-time basis and finalised that research in 2002. She then worked at the University of Malta until October 2023, when she joined SETU as Research Lead in the School of Humanities.
Her research space is now located in cultural studies, exploring gendered places and spaces - media, virtual and real spaces.
This takes me to four distinct but intersectional research locations: Media & Gender - portrayal, representation and politic (identities, gendered bodies, symbolic violence, cybercultures, online hate, male gaze, activism etc); Gender Equality, Gender Mainstreaming & Leadership (gendered places and spaces); Mediated Identities and Performances of Consumption (national, gender, ethnic etc.); and Masculinities.
Dr Murphy gives the following inspirational advice to others, "Collaborate. And as your career progresses, bring others along with you - don't pull up the ladder after you’ve used it."
Dr Lizy Abraham
After many years studying and holding positions at the highest levels of academic research, Dr Abraham presently serves as the Head of Division at the Emerging Networks Lab within the Walton Institute, located at SETU's West campus. Engaged in the VistaMilk research project, her work focuses on pioneering artificial intelligence techniques tailored for smart agricultural applications while also contributing to various EU-funded initiatives.
Most recently, her research proposal entitled ‘An Artificial Intelligence (AI) – based Automated Approach for the Classification of Paediatric Heart Murmurs and Disease Diagnosis using Wireless Phonocardiography’ secured approval for funding under the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme, with a grant of €428,900.
Her involvement also extends beyond research, as she actively engages in various outreach activities and proposals within the realms of Edge Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Wireless Sensor Networks.
In addition, Dr Abraham is, "honoured to lead the groundbreaking mission, 'WESAT – Women Engineered Satellite,' which represents India's inaugural satellite payload crafted entirely by an all-female team, gaining international recognition. Launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 1st January, 2024, the satellite is currently orbiting the Earth."
She goes on to say that, "My hope for the future is to see equal opportunities for women to excel in their careers across all fields. I envision a world where gender does not limit one's potential or opportunities for professional growth and success. This includes creating inclusive work environments, promoting gender diversity in leadership positions, and implementing policies that support work-life balance and career advancement for women."