EPI∙STEM PODCAST EPISODE 28

In this episode of the EPI·STEM podcast, Geraldine SimmiePhD and Michelle Starr PhD welcome Professor Sarah Hudson as their special guest. Professor Hudson was appointed in May this year as Director of The Bernal Institute at the University of Limerick. The Bernal Institute is a highly prestigious research institute at UL that hosts specialist research centres with an interdisciplinary focus on solving complex problems in theareas of health, energy and the environment.Professor Sarah Hudson, originally from Leixlip in CountyKildare began her science career as an undergraduate student in the natural sciences in Trinity College Dublin. Sarah went on to complete a master’s by research in the interface between materials and biology. After that Sarah took her love of canoeing with her as she set off for a year of travelling the world. On return, Professor Hudson answered a call from the University of Limerick to join their research team in the Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI) where she completed her PhD study. Prof Sarah later completed a postdoctoral study and Marie Curie fellowship in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Professor Sarah Hudson, in becoming a renowned scientist inthe field of physical chemistry shares her understanding of the importance of membership of the scientific research community, the need to take time to train and support the next generation of PhD students and post-doctoral fellows and to open opportunities to engage with visiting scientists and fellows. Science today is constantly grappling with complex problems that require co-locating researchers from different disciplines to find a new language and new ways towork together to arrive at innovative solutions.The Bernal Institute in the University of Limerick offersthis state-of-the-art space for research teams from multiple disciplines to collaborate. This infrastructure is further supported by operating teams and hosts a number of funded research centres. The Institute has over 80 Principal Investigators, 200 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, and collaborates with other faculty and departments in UL as well as external to UL, including the localcommunity, industry, hospitals etc.Recently, in a successful partnership between the BernalInstitute, EPI∙STEM and SPSS, we supported the national OIDE chemistry team, the professional support team for schools overseen by the Department of Education and Youth, in their use of the outreach laboratory to plan and designtheir experiments for the in-service support this autumn of all chemistry teachers in Ireland. Working together next year, and with the UL Department of Chemistry, we will host the CHEM ED Conference for all chemistry teachers in Ireland on Saturday, 24th October 2026 at the University of Limerick.The music selection today is by Caoimhe Fitzpatrick from Laois, a first-year student in the BA in World Music in The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL. Here Caoimhe sings her own composition called Lady in Purple and accompanies herself on her acoustic guitar.

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