Post COVID-19, STEM will be more important than ever

Dr Marguerite Nyhan

Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University College Cork

From University College Cork and back – via MIT, Harvard and the UN. Studying engineering at University College Cork opened up amazing opportunities.

Dr Marguerite Nyhan’s resume is impressive. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard and the United Nations (UN) are among the organisations she’s worked with. But it all began at University College Cork (UCC) where she is now delighted to be working as Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

“I liked science and I liked being creative and when I was in secondary school, I realised that engineers worked on all the world’s biggest challenges. This really interested me and provided an impetus to study engineering,” she explains.

From understanding how mobile phone data can be used to help give refugees humanitarian assistance, to building solutions for carbon neutral, sustainable and healthy cities, she’s been involved in engineering projects that touch every aspect of life.

Academia meets real life

Attracted by the chance to undertake academic studies while also gaining research and workplace experience, Marguerite studied for a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UCC. Engineering has a common entry and students can then specialise and exit with an accredited BE or ME.

“There was a great mix of theory, labs and design projects. We also had opportunities to do a work placement and I did mine at the Environmental Protection Agency,” she explains.

Any misconceptions Marguerite had that civil engineering was all about roads and bridges where quickly banished as she saw engineers addressing real life challenges in relation to the environment, climate change, public health, and quality of life.

“What’s unique about UCC is that there’s all this world-class, cutting-edge research happening at the School of Engineering, in the Environmental Research Institute, and at the Science Foundation Ireland MaREI Centre, which specialises in energy, climate and marine research,” she continues.

World of opportunities

Marguerite went on to complete a PhD in environmental engineering at Trinity College Dublin before conducting post-doctoral research at MIT, Harvard and the UN.

From understanding how mobile phone data can be used to help give refugees humanitarian assistance, to building solutions for carbon neutral, sustainable and healthy cities, she’s been involved in engineering projects that touch every aspect of life.  

The challenge of COVID-19

If we need any more evidence of the importance of STEM, then we only need consider the current global crisis.

“We’re living through the COVID-19 pandemic and STEM is playing a pivotal role in the world’s recovery,” says Professor Sarah Culloty, Head of UCC’s College of Science, Engineering and Food Science. “From cybersecurity to climate change; photonics to astrophysics; and sustainability to waste minimisation – STEM is the place to be right now.”

According to Ireland’s National Skills Strategy, by 2025, 165,000 jobs will be created in information communications technology, science and engineering.

Keeping pace with change

With developments in artificial intelligence, big data, and robotics, the pace of change within STEM industries is only getting faster.

The opportunities may seem overwhelming, but there is plenty of support and guidance from UCC for ambitious students starting out. Marguerite’s words of wisdom are simple: “Follow your passion and reach for the stars – then surround yourself with people who will encourage and support you in getting there!”

If her career is anything to go by, Dr Marguerite Nyhan certainly knows what she’s talking about.