Intel Women in Technology Scholar - Niamh Connolly

Intel Women in Technology Scholar - Niamh Connolly
Friday, January 13, 2023 - 10:15

17 years ago Intel in Ireland launched its Women in Technology scholarship program for the first time. Since then, the program has gone from strength to strength and continues today to form an important part of our wider commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion at every level of our company and the broader industry.

The scholarship program aims to encourage a new generation of high-achieving women to take up the challenge of a career in science and technology and to empower them by fostering educational opportunities.

The scholarship program offers a monetary grant, valued at €3,000 per annum, as well as opportunities for work placements at the Intel Leixlip and Shannon campus’. Each scholar is also assigned a mentor who is an Intel employee to assist and provide advice on managing their academic career. The scholarship programme has created an invaluable link between Intel and the academic network and a number of scholars have gone on to become Intel employees.  

In recent years Intel Ireland has driven a unique approach to academic partnership through our Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) program. We work closely with our partners – Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University – as well as with other universities and Institutes of Technology across Ireland to share details of this initiative and identify suitable candidates for the scholarship program.

This year scholarships were awarded by numerous business groups across Intel including Movidius, Manufacturing & Product Engineering, Corporate Services and Intel Shannon. This year we are also continuing to offer a ‘Women in Construction’ scholarship awarded by our Fab Construction Enterprise Team. 

A total of 13 new Women in Technology scholars were selected as follows;

Women in Technology Scholarship Recipients

Aoife O’Farrell Process and Chemical Engineering. University College. Hometown: Cork
Ariane Hannon Engineering, Electronic Engineering University College. Dublin Hometown: Lucan, Co. Dublin
Ciara Barry Electronic and Software Engineering TU Dublin. Hometown: Ballyfermot, Co. Dublin
Ciara O’Reilly Mechatronic Engineering Dublin City University. Hometown: Balbriggan, Co. Dublin
Elena Ó Céidigh Hayes Engineering, Electronic Engineering University College Dublin. Hometown: Bray, Co Wicklow
Francesca Murray (WIC) Mechanical Engineering University College Dublin. Hometown: Gorey, Co. Wexford
Grainne Lynch Computer Science and Information Technology​ University of Galway. Hometown: Dundalk, Co. Louth
Helena Enright Eng in Electronic & Computer Eng University of Limerick. Hometown: Clarecastle, Co. Dublin
Idil Bilgic Computer Science with data science University College Dublin. Hometown: Belfield, Co. Dublin
Marta de la Cuadra Lozano Computing with Data Analytics TU Dublin. Hometown: Dublin 8
Niamh Connolly Computer Science & Software Engineering Maynooth University. Hometown: Monastrevin, Co. Kildare
Roisin Mitchell Computer Science University of Limerick. Hometown: Limerick, Co. Limerick
Sarah Byrne Electronic Engineering Maynooth University. Hometown: Prosperous, Co. Kildare

This new cohort of scholars join our wider scholar network which includes those who are still active scholars as they continue to pursue their studies, and those who have gone on to become alumni of the program. 

Since the Intel Women in Technology scholarship program began, it has supported 152 students and a total of €1,800,000 has been invested in the initiative to date.

In addition to the Women in Technology scholarships, Intel Shannon presented Paul Whelan Memorial Scholarships which were provided to a number of students studying technology and engineering courses at the University of Limerick. This scholarship is awarded in memory of one of our employees, Paul Whelan. It endeavours to help outstanding students throughout their college course through internships and monetary support. This year Intel Shannon awarded 3 students with this prestigious award;