Funding boost of €4.8m for female academics

FEMALE academics who take time out for maternity or parental leave are set to benefit from €4.8 million in funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).

Most of the money will be available under the SFI Principal Investigator Career Advancement Award that assists academics undertaking research after taking maternity, adoptive, carers’ or parental leave.

Under the scheme, 10 researchers will receive a total of €4.3m in funding over a three-year period.

The balance of the investment — €503,000, has been awarded to University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin and University of Limerick under the separate SFI Institute Development Award.

This funding will enable the universities enhance the participation of women in science and engineering research.

Announcing the funding yesterday, Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern said the aim was to increase the number of women conducting internationally competitive research.

“The returns on this investment will include world-class research, positive role models and increased female participation in Irish science and engineering research,” he said.

Projects that will benefit include the development of an automated seizure detection system for newborns; diagnostic screening of infertile couples and new anti-viral drugs to treat infections such as HIV and hepatitis.

The latest Women in Science and Technology report from the European Commission shows that despite the increasing number of female university graduates, female participation in research is low across the EU, representing just 18% in the private sector and 35% in the public sector.