DkIT’s H2O Heroes Co-founders shortlisted for prestigious Women in STEM Award
Dr Caroline Gilleran Stephens and Dr Suzanne Linnane have been recognised for their work advancing diversity and inclusion in STEM through DkIT’s H2O Heroes initiative
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) is delighted to announce that Dr Caroline Gilleran Stephens and Dr Suzanne Linnane have been shortlisted for the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year category at the Women in STEM Awards 2026, in recognition of their work through the Institute’s award-winning H2O Heroes environmental education and citizen science initiative.
The Women in STEM Awards celebrate the achievements and innovations of women working across science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Ireland, while also recognising initiatives and organisations helping to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive STEM community. The 2026 awards ceremony will take place on 22 October at The Round Room at Mansion House, Dublin.
Developed at DkIT and founded by Dr Gilleran Stephens and Dr Linnane, H2O Heroes is a research-informed, women-led environmental education initiative that uses hands-on science and citizen science to engage schools, students and communities with their local water environments.
Guided by the principle that ‘we all live in a catchment,’ H2O Heroes encourages participants to explore the science of their local rivers and waterways through activities including catchment mapping, water chemistry testing, freshwater biodiversity monitoring and citizen science data collection.
The programme has now engaged more than 8,000 participants across primary schools, higher education and community settings, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that STEM opportunities reach communities that have traditionally faced barriers to participation.
A central focus of H2O Heroes is equity, diversity and inclusion. All programme activities are provided free of charge, with targeted engagement involving DEIS schools, rural communities, border communities and community organisations. H2O Heroes also creates opportunities for DkIT undergraduate and postgraduate students to become mentor scientists, providing younger participants with relatable STEM role models while developing the students’ own leadership, communication and community engagement skills.
The programme’s reach extends across Ireland and Northern Ireland, using environmental learning as a shared space in which young people and communities can collaborate across geographical, social and cultural boundaries.
Dr Caroline Gilleran Stephens, who leads the Environmental Education research theme within DkIT’s Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies (CFES), said:
“We are absolutely delighted that our work through H2O Heroes has been recognised by the Women in STEM Awards. Inclusion has always been at the heart of the programme. We want every child and every community we work with to feel that science is for them and that they have the knowledge, confidence and ability to make a difference in their own environment.”
Dr Suzanne Linnane, Director of DkIT’s Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies, added:
“This shortlisting is wonderful recognition of the entire H2O Heroes team and of the schools, students, teachers, community organisations and partners who work with us. By making STEM accessible, relevant and rooted in people’s own communities, we can open pathways into science while empowering people to take meaningful action to protect their local environment.”
H2O Heroes continues to expand its reach through partnerships and external funding, including support from the Research Ireland Discover Programme and the PEACEPLUS Programme. The initiative is also building long-term capacity through its ‘Community Superheroes’ model, student mentoring and community engagement, alongside the further development of digital tools and citizen science approaches.
The shortlisting follows a period of significant recognition for Dr Gilleran Stephens and Dr Linnane’s work in environmental education, sustainability and community engagement and further highlights DkIT’s commitment to widening participation in STEM.
