During secondary school I decided to do transition year. The teachers in our school went to great lengths to ensure we experienced as much as possible during the year. One of the science teachers, Ms. Rosemary Ferriter arranged visits to Cork Institute of Technology and University College Cork to speak to scientists & students about the various courses available & the types of careers available. She also demonstrated some interesting experiments which were not on the junior or leaving certificate curriculum. I also had work experience in a solicitors office & the zoology department in UCC. These experiences coupled with the sciences teachers enthusiasm sparked my interest & I decided to do both Physics & Chemistry for the leaving.
During my final year in school I found out that there was a course in the University of Limerick which consisted of Maths, Chemistry & Physics & was also practical as it was a study of materials & their application. Hence following the leaving certificate I started in UL studying Materials Science. A lecturer in the department, Dr Robert Hill, was, like my previous science teacher, extremely enthusiastic. His main research interests lay in the chemistry of biomedical cements & their interaction with the body. Therefore, to experience the medical industry & ensure I was correct in deciding to carry out my FYP (final year project) on biomedical cements, I did my co-operative experience in Boston Scientific in Galway.
During this time I was exposed to many medical devices & how they are used in the body. On returning to college I completed my FYP in biomedical cements & obtained a scholarship to continue my research as a postgraduate. During this time I travelled to many conferences to present papers on my research & learnt about many other areas and which materials could be applied to the body