DkIT and iWish Inspire next generation of women in STEM
One hundred and twenty-five Transition Year girls from across the North-East region recently visited Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) to experience the wonders of STEM during a high-energy, action-packed day in partnership with iWish.
iWish is a national community committed to showcasing the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths to teenage girls. Through outreach activities, mentorship programmes, TechForGood initiatives, twinning and entrepreneurship programmes, further education supports, and large-scale showcase events, iWish continues to inspire a global audience of young women.
Findings from the annual 2025 Survey of Female Students’ Attitudes to STEM by I Wish highlight the ongoing barriers faced by girls in STEM.
• 65% of respondents cited poor gender equality in STEM careers
• 62% of those who took part in the survey reported a lack of school visits by female role models
• 59% of respondents identified limited information about STEM college courses
Through its collaboration with iWish, DkIT is committed to addressing these challenges and driving meaningful change in the North-East region and beyond. The initiative, led at DkIT by Dr Orla Sherlock and Maryellen Kelledy, is supported by a dedicated team of academic, administrative and support staff across DkIT. The day began with a welcome address from Dr Edel Healy, Head of the School of Health and Science at DkIT, followed by an inspiring talk from Sharon Lombard, Director of iWish, who highlighted the breadth of opportunities available within STEM fields.
Throughout the day, students participated in a wide range of interactive workshops spanning engineering, science, programming and coding, film and media, and health and physical activity. These hands-on activities were designed to provide insight into potential areas of study and career pathways, while also building confidence in their abilities. To further enhance engagement, students competed in challenges throughout the day to earn raffle tickets for an end-of-day prize draw, ensuring a fun, energetic, and highly interactive experience.
For the first time since the STEM initiative began in 2022, the science activities were fully coordinated by DkIT Year 3 Science students as part of a new Outreach module. This approach delivered clear dual benefits, with Dr Sherlock noting “it provided the undergraduate students with valuable experience in science communication, leadership, and community engagement, while simultaneously offering school participants relatable peer role models and an additional layer of inspiration, enhancing their engagement with STEM."
Demand for DkIT’s STEM outreach continues to grow year on year and this year’s event welcomed students from schools including Our Lady’s Greenhills, Drogheda, Bush Post Primary, and Dundalk-based schools St Vincent’s, St Mary’s, Dundalk Grammar School, and St Louis.
Alan Norton, teacher at Dundalk Grammar School, said:
“The DkIT Loves STEM workshops were a fantastic opportunity for our students. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the interactive experiences, especially in Science, Engineering and Health & Physical Activity. Listening to our students chatting on the walk back, it was clear they really benefited from the visit. There was a lot of effort and energy in planning and coordinating the day, and I can’t wait for students to experience it next year.”
This event builds on a series of school-based visits, during which Orla and Maryellen engaged with over 400 Transition Year girls across the region. During these sessions, students explored STEM careers through the fictional “Totally Yours Cosmetics” company—a creative concept designed to make STEM pathways more relatable, tangible, and engaging for transition year female students.
During the closing session, prizes were awarded using a new spinning wheel, which proved particularly popular and sparked a buzz of excitement among participants. The DkIT Loves STEM team would like to acknowledge and thank their generous supporters, including Walls Construction for providing 3Arena tickets, the Microbiology Society UK for AirPods, DkIT EDI Office for Beats headphones, and Engineers Ireland North East Region for Lego sets.
