Science educators honoured for 100 years’ service

TWO pioneering educators have been honoured for a combined contribution of more than 100 years to science education in Ireland.

UCC conferred Honorary Masters Degrees in Science Education on Sister M Mercedes Desmond and Seán Ó Donnabháin.

Sr Mercedes, who was born in Donoughmore, Co Cork, is a founder member of the Irish Science Teachers’ Association (ISTA).

Mr Ó Donnabháin was appointed to the Science Inspectorate of the Department of Education in 1962, and was promoted to Senior Science Inspector in October 1973. He was also chief examiner for Leaving Certificate physics and chemistry and played a key role in developing in-career training for science teachers.

He retired in 2000 after a 43-year involvement in science education.

Both are graduates of UCC. Sr Mercedes enrolled in 1945 to study physics under Professor JJ McHenry.

In 1949, she was assigned to St Aloysius School on Sharman Crawford Street, where she taught physics, chemistry and maths.

In 1962 she, along with a small group of other science teachers, founded the ISTA, which now has more than 1,100 members.

She was appointed principal of the school in 1978 and enrolment rose to 1,200 making it the largest girls’ secondary school in Ireland.

She retired as principal in 1985 but continues to serve on the school’s board of management.

In 1995, she won the Science Educator of the Year Award from the ISTA.

UCC paid tribute to her humility, gentleness and total dedication to science education. “Her enormous contribution is impossible to measure,” Dr Declan Kennedy said.

Mr Ó Donnabháin graduated from UCC in 1957 with a first class honours degree in chemistry.

During his time with the department, Seán worked with the ISTA on several projects aimed at improving science teaching in Ireland.

In 1966, he led a group of science teachers from Ireland to the US where they spent four months at the Oakridge Institute of Nuclear Studies in Tennessee where they received the most up-to-date information on nuclear physics.

He was also involved in a programme in the early 80s to increase the numbers of girls studying the physical sciences.