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A DUBLIN-BASED scientist has been named as one of the winners of the prestigious 2012 L’Oréal-UNESCO UK & Ireland For Women In Science Fellowships (FWIS).
Dr Silvia Giordani is from the school of chemistry at Trinity College Dublin and won £15,000 prize money.
The award was also given to three other international scientists on the night, who are all working on postdoctoral studies.
Funding
The aim is to award outstanding female scientists with money that they can spend on whatever they may need to continue their research – this can range from scientific equipment to covering childcare or travel costs.
Dr Giordani commented on the night that without this funding, she would be unable to carry out her research, and this sentiment was echoed by John O’Halloran from University College Cork, who was one of the judges.
She said it can be “ridiculously” hard to get funding sometimes, particularly since the recession, so an award like this enables her to further her work.
Trinity
In total, Dr Giordani, who is from Bergamo in the north of Italy, has spent eight years in Ireland at TCD, as well as a spell completing her PhD at the University of Miami in the United States.
She received a Marie Curie Fellowship award to go to Trinity College and has also received the President of Ireland Young Researcher award, which enabled her to return to the college in 2007.
What is it that she enjoys about working at TCD? “The facilities – it’s a very good university,” she said, adding that the move to the new Trinity bioscience institute has been particularly great as it has meant a lot of integration between scientists from different spheres.
Female scientists
The award was a great opportunity for connecting and networking and also big exposure for Dr Giordani – plus it was an opportunity for her to make new contact with other female scientists, she said.
At at time when more girls are being encouraged to study science, Dr Giordani feels that inspiration and role models are important.
Young people need role models; especially young girls need female role models to feel they can do it.I like outreach; I do quite a bit of outreach myself.
Dr Giordani does a mentoring programme with her old high school in Italy, where she mentors a group of 10 students.
I always tell them there are not too many women in science but the ones that I meet are really good and curious.
“Stay curious and ask questions but also believe in yourself,” she advises them, adding that seeing another woman working in the science field can inspire young women. Above all, she believes “there is no substitute” for hard work.
Project
Dr Giordani is currently working on a project for applications in new bio-medical diagnostic tools. She heads up a five-person research team at the college, and grants and funding have been instrumental in allowing them to continue their work.
Of her work, Dr Giordani said:
We are aiming to design small, molecular or nanosized, devices that can carry out a series of different functions within the context of smart and responsive medicine.The starting point is a carbon-based material that is compatible with living biological systems. Once we have solubilized this platform, we attach one or more components to it in such a way that the resulting device can carry out a pre-programmed task.
The team is currently examining components that allow it to track and monitor the location of the device, and are also exploring the possibilities for using this platform as a vehicle for targeted and controlled drug-delivery within a biological system.
They also hope to equip the device with components that will allow them to switch it on and off using different types of “remote control”, or external stimuli.
Dr Giordani described it as exciting to be “able to do things in that area that is new and nobody has done before”.
Now that she has won her award, Dr Giordani told TheJournal.ie that she is looking forward to the next phase in her work, and seeing how her research team progresses.
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RIP,another family’s heartbreak this evening :(
RIP
I hope it’s not James it would be such a waste of a young life.
seriously,how many other bodies are floating around in that river at any one time?
It would be someone else’s waste if life then….
I hate to have say this why are people red thumbing that comment?
So sad news, I know body isn’t identified yet, thoughts with family at such a sad time, too young to die
What are the thumbs down about? I can’t see any contentious statements above!
Richard just ignore the red thumbs on this story We all try too it is such a sad story for the Family who have to deal with this R.I.P and thought for the family
Oh no… :-/
I hope it not James for hisfamly
Thumbs down because any loss of life is sad whatever the age.
I agree Laura but I thought the idea of the thumbs was to make a statement about the comment. Apologies if I have misunderstood.
you havent mis understood at all,the thumbs system is indeed to indicate ones aggreement/disaggreement with a comment..people will thumbs down anything said on this site,no matter what it is
well done to the boyne river rescue….a grim task indeed. my condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
at least who ever it is has been.found. not in the way any family Will ever hope for but it Will be at least some peace for them. what a heartbreaking time for all concerned. rip.
Dont worry I seen the red thumb record here 1097 so I wouldnt take it personal sometimes with the iPhone or smart (not so Smart) when scrolling down page sometimes ppl hit off it by error I know I for one have .
R I P . Condolences to the family of the deceased .
RIP to this poor soul, it’s someone’s son, brother etc. May his family gain the strength they will need to get them through the next week. how gives a flying f%@k about red thumbers. They are irrelevant. Trolls will be trolls.
at least who ever it is has been.found. not in the way any family Will ever hope for but it Will be at least some peace for them. what a heartbreaking time for all concerned. rip.
Very sad that someone’s son has be taken out of the river
As for the red thumbs why won’t the journal get rid of this red / green
Thumbs crap
People are saying ” I hope it’s not James” . It’s somebody, and someone’s son!! Whoever it is are facing devastation.. I hope it’s not James just pushes the reality to some other poor family
am I right that the body found was that poor boy James,tragic,his life taken so young,only making his way in the world god be good to him
Why was my comment deleted?
Because the journal is like that … Very picky in my opinion and just a tad conservative … It likes to think it’s an important broadsheet , but it’s not really that far removed from most Red-Tops!! Shrude and moronic!!
have your say