Leagan Gaeilge

A leading champion of Women in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – Professor Ita Richardson has been appointed Deputy Director of Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software.

Professor of Software Quality in the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems at University of Limerick Prof. Richardson will be the first woman to hold the role since Lero’s foundation in 2005. Prof. Richardson is an internationally recognised researcher in global software development and connected health.

Lero’s Director, Prof. Lionel Briand, who started in his new role in January, said he is delighted that a renowned researcher of Prof. Richardson’s calibre has taken on this leadership role in the centre.

“Prof. Richardson has and will continue to play a key role as Lero develops the world’s best tech talent and leaders of tomorrow. Irish IT specialists are among the best educated in the EU – 78% have a third-level qualification – the EU average is 61%.  Prof. Richardson has played a crucial role in enhancing Ireland’s software talent pipeline. She is dedicated to engaging people in STEM and software education, from primary school to PhDs. She has and continues to contribute to Lero building critical software skills for Ireland's future workforce,” he said.

“Prof. Richardson has been part of Lero since its foundation and will play a crucial function leading software research teams who continue to support academia, industry, the public sector and society in general,” Prof. Briand added.

Prof. Richardson said that Lero has been an important part of her academic career to date allowing her to build national and international research relationships.

“I have seen the benefits of being part of a strong, internationally-recognised research centre and learned from those who have gone before me. I want to support researchers and students, particularly those starting their careers, ensuring they benefit from being part of Lero,” said Prof. Richardson, who will continue in her role as Co-Principal Investigator in Lero.

Dr Siobhan Roche, Director of Science for the Economy at SFI, welcomed the announcement, saying: “Professor Richardson’s appointment as Deputy Director of Lero, demonstrates that women’s representation in leadership roles on SFI Grants is growing. With the publication of SFI’s External Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2023-2028, we remain committed to increasing the representation of researchers who identify as women in leadership roles through an intersectional approach, in keeping with the Agency’s values and international best practice. I congratulate Professor Richardson, who will bring the wealth of her experience to the role.”

Prof. Richardson is passionate about introducing women to exciting careers in STEM, particularly in software engineering and computer science and recalled her introduction to computing at the age of 12, when maths teacher Sr Concepta Murtagh, introduced her class at Loreto Convent Mullingar, Co Westmeath to computer programming.

“Sr Concepta forged links with ICL (International Computers Limited) in the UK. We would write out our programs. She printed them out on ‘green striped’ computer paper – it was fascinating. So, when a new course started in UL – NIHE Limerick, as it was then –  focused on maths and computing, it was my top choice on the CAO form,” she added.

“I believe that girls and women should be given equal opportunity to fulfil their capabilities and interests, and it is imperative that we as educators encourage them to see the global importance of software.

“Software is all around us, in hospitals, transport, schools, farming, banking, music – and Ireland needs educated people to support its development.  Much of the outreach that I do is to encourage young women to consider the STEM options, to look around them, and to think outside the box,” added Prof. Richardson, who started her education in St Ernan’s National School, Delvin, Co Westmeath. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An tOllamh Ita Richardson ceaptha ina Leas-Stiúrthóir ar Lero – Ionad Taighde Fhondúireacht Eolaíochta Éireann le haghaidh Bogearraí

Bean cheannródaíoch maidir le STEM – eolaíocht, teicneolaíocht, innealtóireacht agus matamaitic – Tá an tOllamh Ita Richardson ceaptha ina Leas-Stiúrthóir ar Lero, Ionad Taighde Fhondúireacht Eolaíochta Éireann le haghaidh Bogearraí.

Is í an tOllamh Richardson, atá ina hOllamh le Cáilíocht Bogearraí i Roinn na Ríomheolaíochta agus na gCóras Faisnéise in Ollscoil Luimnigh, an chéad bhean a bheidh sa ról ó bunaíodh Lero in 2005.

Dúirt Stiúrthóir Lero, an tOllamh Lionel Briand, a thosaigh ina ról nua i mí Eanáir, go bhfuil ríméad air go bhfuil taighdeoir clúiteach de chaighdeán an Ollaimh Richardson tar éis glacadh leis an ról ceannaireachta seo san ionad.

“Tá agus beidh ról lárnach ag an Ollamh Richardson agus Lero ag forbairt na tallainne teicneolaíochta is fearr ar domhan agus ceannairí an lae amárach. Tá speisialtóirí TF na hÉireann i measc na ndaoine is fearr a fhaigheann oideachas san AE – tá cáilíocht tríú leibhéal ag 78% acu – is ionann meán an AE agus 61%. Bhí ról ríthábhachtach ag an Ollamh Richardson maidir le stór tallainne bogearraí na hÉireann a fheabhsú. Tá sí tiomanta do dhaoine a mhealladh i dtreo STEM agus bogearraí, ón mbunscoil suas go PhD. Cabhraíonn sí le Lero scileanna ríthábhachtacha bogearraí d'fhórsa saothair na hÉireann a thógáil,” a dúirt sé.

“Tá an tOllamh Richardson mar chuid de Lero ó bunaíodh é agus beidh feidhm ríthábhachtach aici chun foirne taighde bogearraí a threorú a leanann ag tacú leis an saol acadúil, leis an tionscal, leis an earnáil phoiblí agus leis an tsochaí i gcoitinne,” a dúirt an tOllamh Briand.

Dúirt an tOllamh Richardson go raibh Lero ina cuid thábhachtach dá gairm acadúil go dtí seo a thug deis di caidrimh taighde náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta a thógáil.

“Chonaic mé na buntáistí a bhaineann le bheith mar chuid d'ionad taighde láidir, a aithnítear go hidirnáisiúnta agus d'fhoghlaim mé uathu siúd a chuaigh romham. Teastaíonn uaim tacaíocht a thabhairt do thaighdeoirí agus do mhic léinn, go háirithe iad siúd atá ag tosú ar a ngairmeacha beatha, ag cinntiú go mbainfidh siad tairbhe as a bheith mar chuid de Lero,” a dúirt an tOllamh Richardson, a leanfaidh ar aghaidh ina ról mar Chomh-Phríomhimscrúdaitheoir in Lero.

D'fháiltigh an Dr. Siobhan Roche, Stiúrthóir Eolaíochta don Gheilleagar ag SFI, roimh an bhfógra, ag rá: “Léiríonn ceapachán an Ollaimh Richardson mar Leas-Stiúrthóir Lero, go bhfuil fás ag teacht ar ionadaíocht na mban i róil cheannaireachta ar Dheontais SFI. Le foilsiú External Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2023-2028, táimid tiomanta i gcónaí d'ionadaíocht taighdeoirí a shainaithníonn mar mhná i róil cheannaireachta a mhéadú trí chur chuige trasnach, i gcomhréir le luachanna agus dea-chleachtas idirnáisiúnta na Gníomhaireachta. Tréaslaím leis an Ollamh Richardson, a thabharfaidh saibhreas a taithí don ról.”

Tá an tOllamh Richardson paiseanta go mbeadh eolas ag mná faoi na gairmeacha spreagúla i STEM, go háirithe san innealtóireacht bogearraí agus san eolaíocht ríomhaireachta agus labhair sí faoina céad taithí le ríomhaireacht nuair a bhí sí 12 bliain d'aois, nuair a thaispeáin an múinteoir matamaitice, An tSiúr Concepta Murtagh i gClochar Loreto sa Mhuileann gCearr, Co na hIarmhí, ríomhchlárú don rang.

“Chruthaigh An tSiúr Concepta naisc le ICL (International Computers Limited) sa Ríocht Aontaithe. Scríobhaimis amach ár gcláir. Chuir sí i gcló iad ar pháipéar ríomhaireachta ‘stiall ghlas’ – bhí sé thar a bheith suimiúil. Nuair a thosaigh cúrsa nua in UL-NIHE Luimnigh, mar a thugtaí air ag an am –  dírithe ar mhatamaitic agus ríomhaireacht, roghnaigh mé é ar an bhfoirm CAO,” a dúirt sí freisin.

“Creidim gur chóir deis chomhionann a thabhairt do chailíní agus do mhná a gcumas agus a leasanna a chomhlíonadh, agus tá sé ríthábhachtach go spreagfaimid mar oideachasóirí iad chun tábhacht dhomhanda na mbogearraí a fheiceáil.

“Tá bogearraí mórthimpeall orainn ar fad, in ospidéil, in iompar, i scoileanna, i bhfeirmeoireacht, i mbaincéireacht, i gceol – agus teastaíonn daoine oilte ó Éirinn chun tacú lena bhforbairt.  Cuid mhaith den fhor-rochtain a dhéanaim is ea mná óga a spreagadh chun machnamh a dhéanamh ar roghanna STEM, breathnú timpeall orthu agus a bheith cruthaitheach,” a dúirt an tOllamh Richardson, a thosaigh a cuid oideachais i Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Ernan, Dealbhna, Co na hIarmhí.