Every year, secondary school students studying biology from schools across Ireland take part in an Advanced Genetics workshop at University College Dublin (UCD) through ABE. Students explore genetic engineering and biology through hands-on experiments, including bacterial transformation, gel electrophoresis, and micropipetting. The activities give students an opportunity to use equipment and techniques not typically available in Ireland’s Leaving Certificate Biology program, the country’s secondary-school biology curriculum. In fact, because genetic modification experiments are not permitted in Irish secondary schools, students must come to UCD to carry out bacterial transformation themselves. When the workshop launched in 2024, its first participants were believed to be the first secondary school students in Ireland to perform the procedure themselves.
Emer Cummins, a secondary school student at St. Raphaela's Secondary School in Dublin, participated in the workshop back in 2024. Reflecting on her experience, Cummins said, “At first, I was anxious that I wouldn't understand the complicated course material, but I actually found it to be very comprehensive, and I was able to follow the steps of the experiments easily.”
For Emer and her classmates, the workshop offered a first glimpse into what a career in genetics and biotechnology could look like. For Cummins, it helped shape her plans for the future. “I was already interested in pursuing this particular study sector, so the ABE workshop at UCD really helped me to cement this career idea,” explained Cummins. “I found it fascinating to see the day-to-day experiments carried out and gain advanced practical insight that I would not have had in Leaving Certificate Biology.” The following year, Cummins enrolled at UCD, where she is pursuing a degree in biology with a focus on genetics.
Cummins’s experience highlights how participating in ABE can help students envision how they might engage with science beyond the classroom and encourage them to consider future careers in genetics, biotechnology, and research.
Cummins’s connection with ABE extended beyond the workshop. Her school, St. Raphaela's Secondary School in Dublin, has participated in the ABE program since 2019. Cummins’ biology teacher, Crena Shevlin, said she is pleased that Cummins’s experience with ABE helped inspire Cummins to pursue a career in genetics.
Reflecting on her school’s participation in the ABE program, Cummins said, “ABE generously provided genetics equipment to my fifth-year biology class last year, and I found those classes particularly interesting. . . . Using the micropipettes they supplied, my class was better able to understand the meticulous measurements and work that go into a career in science.”
For Cummins, ABE offered an opportunity for her to explore science and consider possibilities she may not have encountered in her regular classes. “Overall, I would rate the experience highly and recommend it to anyone, whether they already have an interest in biology or if they just want to explore different options.”