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DkIT Computing Lecturer Receives Prestigious Fulbright Scholarship

21 June 2019

Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) lecturer, Dr Caroline Sheedy has been named among 36 Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2019-2020 by the US Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Caroline will spend 3 months in University of California, Berkley in May 2020 to carry out research in the area of gender and technology as a Fulbright TechImpact Scholar.



The Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2019-2020 were announced by The Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Niall Burgess and Chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ireland, Mr Reece Smyth at a ceremony in Dublin Castle on Thursday 13th June 2019.

Academics, professionals and students from 13 HEIs and organisations in Ireland will go to 30 leading U.S. institutions to study and collaborate with experts in their fields. This year’s Fulbright recipients are from disciplines spanning technology, science, language, medicine and the arts. The Fulbright Awards celebrate diversity across topics, geography and backgrounds. Increased funding from both the Irish and U.S. Governments has allowed the Fulbright Commission in Ireland to support a wider range and number of exciting study and research awardees than ever before.  

Caroline’s research focus aims to measure, address, and provide new insights towards ameliorating the gender imbalance in technical fields and the resulting impact of technology’s footprint on society. As a Fulbright TechImpact Scholar, Dr Sheedy will visit UC Berkeley, to capture and analyse data on the daily experiences of students and staff working in technological degree programmes. Upon returning to Ireland, she will continue working towards identifying the position of third level institutions in engendering an understanding of the societal responsibility of those they are educating to work in technical fields with respect to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Speaking during the Awards Ceremony, Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said:

“I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to the Irish Fulbright Awardees for 2019 – 2020. Exchanges like the Fulbright programme play a crucial role in sustaining the unique and very close relationship that Ireland and the United States share. The Fulbright Commission and Fulbrighters, past and present, are testament to the best traditions of academic and cultural exchange and have an outstanding track record in representing Ireland. Every year Fulbright awardees have the exciting opportunity to study, work, and experience life in the U.S., to forge new relationships, and to represent the best of contemporary Ireland to the United States. I wish this year’s Awardees every success for their time in the United States.”

Dr Sarah Ingle, Chair of the Board of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland said: 

“The excellence and expertise of Fulbright scholars, students and foreign language teaching assistants continues to develop after more than 60 years of the Irish programme.  The new awardees are being provided with a great opportunity, but they also have a responsibility to continue Senator Fulbright’s vision of creating mechanisms for mutual understanding, collaboration and sharing of ideas. The Commission Board congratulates the awardees travelling to the U.S. in the coming year and wishes them a very enjoyable and successful Fulbright experience." 

Dr Dara FitzGerald, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland said:

“This year we have seen a surge in applications and awards across all of our Fulbright award programmes, and we hope to see that trend continue to grow. Cultural and academic exchange between the U.S. and Ireland is alive and well. We believe that the Commission has a unique role to play in the Governments 2019-2025 US strategy.

We thank our partners, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. We are grateful to have the support of our Irish award sponsors: the Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency, Geological Survey Ireland, the Marine Institute, National University of Ireland, Teagasc, the Creative Ireland Programme, the National Lottery and such notable U.S. Institutions as the Exploratorium, the Smithsonian,  the Harry Ransom Center, Boston College and Georgetown University. 

We also have tremendous support from Irish institutions such as University College Cork, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, National University of Ireland Galway, Maynooth University, University of Limerick, Technological University Dublin, The AMBER SFI Centre, Dublin Institute of Advances Studies and the Hugh Lane Gallery. The impact of their support is momentous, especially in terms of diversity and range of disciplines that enhance the Ireland-U.S. relationship.”

The next round of applications for Fulbright Irish Awards will open on 28th August 2019, interested candidates should visit www.fulbright.ie for more information.  


Useful Links:

Computing Courses at DkIT

Fulbright Ireland

The Fulbright Irish Awardees for 2019-2020 were announced by The Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Niall Burgess and Chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ireland, Mr Reece Smyth at a ceremony in Dublin Castle on Thursday 13th June 2019.

Academics, professionals and students from 13 HEIs and organisations in Ireland will go to 30 leading U.S. institutions to study and collaborate with experts in their fields. This year’s Fulbright recipients are from disciplines spanning technology, science, language, medicine and the arts. The Fulbright Awards celebrate diversity across topics, geography and backgrounds. Increased funding from both the Irish and U.S. Governments has allowed the Fulbright Commission in Ireland to support a wider range and number of exciting study and research awardees than ever before. 

Caroline’s research focus aims to measure, address, and provide new insights towards ameliorating the gender imbalance in technical fields and the resulting impact of technology’s footprint on society. As a Fulbright TechImpact Scholar, Dr Sheedy will visit UC Berkeley, to capture and analyse data on the daily experiences of students and staff working in technological degree programmes. Upon returning to Ireland, she will continue working towards identifying the position of third level institutions in engendering an understanding of the societal responsibility of those they are educating to work in technical fields with respect to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Speaking during the Awards Ceremony, Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said:

“I am delighted to extend my warmest congratulations to the Irish Fulbright Awardees for 2019 – 2020. Exchanges like the Fulbright programme play a crucial role in sustaining the unique and very close relationship that Ireland and the United States share. The Fulbright Commission and Fulbrighters, past and present, are testament to the best traditions of academic and cultural exchange and have an outstanding track record in representing Ireland. Every year Fulbright awardees have the exciting opportunity to study, work, and experience life in the U.S., to forge new relationships, and to represent the best of contemporary Ireland to the United States. I wish this year’s Awardees every success for their time in the United States.”

Dr Sarah Ingle, Chair of the Board of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland said:

“The excellence and expertise of Fulbright scholars, students and foreign language teaching assistants continues to develop after more than 60 years of the Irish programme.  The new awardees are being provided with a great opportunity, but they also have a responsibility to continue Senator Fulbright’s vision of creating mechanisms for mutual understanding, collaboration and sharing of ideas. The Commission Board congratulates the awardees travelling to the U.S. in the coming year and wishes them a very enjoyable and successful Fulbright experience." 

Dr Dara FitzGerald, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland said:

“This year we have seen a surge in applications and awards across all of our Fulbright award programmes, and we hope to see that trend continue to grow. Cultural and academic exchange between the U.S. and Ireland is alive and well. We believe that the Commission has a unique role to play in the Governments 2019-2025 US strategy.

We thank our partners, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. We are grateful to have the support of our Irish award sponsors: the Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency, Geological Survey Ireland, the Marine Institute, National University of Ireland, Teagasc, the Creative Ireland Programme, the National Lottery and such notable U.S. Institutions as the Exploratorium, the Smithsonian,  the Harry Ransom Center, Boston College and Georgetown University.

We also have tremendous support from Irish institutions such as University College Cork, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, National University of Ireland Galway, Maynooth University, University of Limerick, Technological University Dublin, The AMBER SFI Centre, Dublin Institute of Advances Studies and the Hugh Lane Gallery. The impact of their support is momentous, especially in terms of diversity and range of disciplines that enhance the Ireland-U.S. relationship.”

The next round of applications for Fulbright Irish Awards will open on 28th August 2019, interested candidates should visit www.fulbright.ie for more information. 

ENDS.

 

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