April is World Autism Month and, at Tyndall, we are proud to stand together to make a world of difference for people on the spectrum. This week, we’re highlighting the work and career of Senior Engineer for Specialty Products & Services (SP&S) Catriona Kenny who discusses the importance of her STEM Outreach and her work with autistic children as well as her career journey so far!
Senior Engineer, Specialty Products & Services (SP&S)
What is your current role?
I started working in Tyndall in 2001 when it was formerly known as the NMRC, and have worked in what is now called the Specialty Products & Services (SP&S) group since I joined. My roles have been focused on industry projects, in the areas of IC Circuit Analysis, Device Characterisation and Destructive Physical Analysis of components for space applications.
Tell us about your work with Sensational STEM
Part of the STEM outreach we do in schools targets a group that is severely underrepresented in engineering. I received funding under the SFI Discover call in 2019 to deliver a programme known as Sensational STEM. The programme is aimed at autistic children and children with other special educational needs who may otherwise find existing STEM programme settings distressing. Typical STEM events use what is exciting, loud and bright to highlight the brilliance of science. This can induce sensory overload and upset in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The programme focuses on delivering sensory-friendly experiments for these students by providing schools with the necessary resources required. We work with both autistic boys and girls in primary school and the experience is as enjoyable for us as it is for the students. Many of these students have a natural gift in many areas of STEM and so it is important to provide them with these opportunities at an early age in an environment that they are comfortable in.
The feedback from teachers has been incredibly positive and fulfilling for me both personally and professionally.
We've been trying out the Cubelet Robots this week and they've been a huge hit! The pupils have loved experimenting with the various action blocks and seeing how the robot reacts and changes its movements!
Thanks again for everything, the kit opened up a whole new world for the kids, and we very much appreciate it!
If your school would like to partake in this programme, please contact Catriona Kenny (catriona.kenny@tyndall.ie).
Did you have a role model that influenced your decision to work in engineering?
From an early age, I was fascinated with how things worked, and my parents encouraged this by letting me take apart objects such as old radios! During my first year in secondary school, I was a student in the first technology class, in an all-girls school. My science teacher, who was learning the ropes of this new alien subject, motivated me to build electronic circuits in my spare time, and share with her my discoveries and how they worked. The encouragement that I received from her and the freedom to explore electronics outside of the curriculum as a 13-year-old, really influenced my decision to become an Electronic Engineer. My parents also gave me great support and in place of clothes and games for Birthdays, they gave me the requested microscopes and soldering irons!
What do you think could be done to raise the profile of women working in engineering?
STEM outreach has a very important and influential impact on young girls, offering a great opportunity to show them that engineering is a career that is very much open to them. Every year, I return to my old all-girls primary school for Engineers Week and practice simple electronics with the 6th Class girls. I share with them my career path that spun out from the very classroom that we are in, to my current role as Senior Engineer. More female engineers need to take part in STEM outreach, to share their engineering experience with young girls, and to cultivate and empower them to make informed decisions about STEM careers and not think of it as a career that is out of their reach.
What advice would you give your younger self?
The advice to my younger self would be that you have made the right career choice in engineering. You may meet hurdles along the way, but you will be successful and will hopefully encourage many others to follow in your footsteps!