Best Education Outreach award for UCD Conway & Systems Biology Ireland

The UCD Conway Institute and the Systems Biology Ireland have won the Best Education Outreach award at the 2024 Education Awards ceremony for a suite of joint initiatives including the Amgen Biotech Experience and the CuriosiTY work experience programme. These awards recognise and celebrate excellence in the third level education sector on the island of Ireland among other public and private institutions. 


The Amgen Biotech Experience is a science education programme funded through the Amgen Foundation that provides training in molecular biology experiments for secondary school teachers with subsequent access to professional grade scientific equipment and curriculum-linked teaching materials to facilitate the teaching of laboratory practicals in the classroom. Since 2014, ABE Ireland has reached 336 teachers from 183 secondary schools and more than 21,000 students have benefitted from the programme.

ABE Ireland works closely with partners such as Oide and Irish Science Teacher Association to meet continuing professional development needs of science teachers and with the UCD Access and Lifelong Learning office to broaden participation.

CuriosiTY is an SFI-funded structured transition year placement programme that provides pupils with glimpses into science, health research and the diversity of STEM-related careers. The programme allocates 80% of places to pupils in DEIS schools and those outside Dublin and enables DEIS school visits by researchers who are trained in public engagement.

This collaborative approach to education and public engagement by UCD Conway Institute and Systems Biology Ireland brings research to life for people in many different and diverse communities in Ireland today. Siobhan Keenan and Dr Shane O'Grady accepted the award on April 25 in the Killashee Hotel, Kildare on behalf on the collaborative EPE team. 

For more information on any of our education and public engagement initiatives, please contact Anna Wedderburn, Public Engagement in Research Officer (anna.wedderburn@ucd.ie)