Are you interested in the greatest challenge on Earth?

The Director of the National Botanic Gardens, Matthew Jebb, has said that the study of plants has never been more important given the global problems we face - the greatest challenge on Earth.

"By 2050, the UN estimates the world will need 70% more food, 55% more clean water and 60% more energy than today", said Jebb. "These challenges will have to be met through the sustainable use of natural resources. The most important question facing the human race must be how will the world feed our children’s children? The answer is with advances in plant biology and ecology, and using this knowledge in field-based solutions".

A career and information day for Botany and Plant Science will take place at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin later this month.

The event, on Thursday 21st March from 2pm-5pm, is the perfect opportunity for those interested in a university degree, or career in plant sciences, to learn more.

Matthew Jebb said the event was "an unparalleled opportunity to hear first hand from botanists engaged in biodiversity, ecology, conservation and genetics jobs, and the potential prospects in one of the most important future careers for saving our planet".

Dara O’ Briain at the National Botanic Gardens for Dublin2012

Writing in advance of the information day, Jebb said that plant science had never been more important: "The growing and increasingly prosperous human population needs abundant safe and nutritious food, shelter, clothes, fibre, and renewable energy, and needs to address the problems generated by climate change, while preserving habitats. The key to solving these challenges is Plant Science; plants are the source of all the food we eat and the air we breathe".

Plant scientists, researchers and teaching staff from the Botanic Gardens and from University College Cork, University College Dublin, Trinity College, NUI Maynooth and NUI Galway will present on the day and provide information on the courses they offer.

The Botany and Plant Science Career and Information Day takes place at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin Dublin on Thursday 21st March from 2pm-5pm. More details can be found on the Gardens website.

Demand for science courses up

Image: BT

The good news this morning is that figures just released by the Central Applications Office (the body that administrates college applications in Ireland) show that interest in science courses has increased significantly.

The figures show that the number of students expressing a first preference for science courses is up by 18.5% on last year and a whopping 60% over the last five years.

While it's encouraging to see such demand for science courses, it's possible, as reported by the Irish Times, that such a demand could put 'upward pressure' on the points required to study some of these popular science courses. For example, in 2006 you could study science at UCD for 300 points. Last year, that figure had reached 455.

In total, there were 71,648 CAO applications this year; up slightly on 2011.

It is more important than ever that we invest in science teaching and training at third-level to provide the courses (and places in numbers) that CAO applicants are looking for after heeding the many calls from government ministers, industry leaders and science advocates.

Like other sectors, Higher Education is being asked to do more with less. Everyone accepts that value for money needs to be an important consideration, but missing this chance to take advantage of swelling interest in science and technology courses would not do anybody any good. Without significant and sustained investment, this will be a wasted opportunity.

Women in Science and Technology

To mark International Women's Day, five leading women in science and technology will encourage young students to "walk in their stilettos" and see what a modern day scientific career is really like.

In a new video produced by Women in Technology and Science (WITS), the women share insights to their careers, which vary from evolutionary genetics, marine engineering and pharmaceutical research, as well as challenge the gender stereotype of a scientist being ‘a man in a white coat working in a lab’.

Participants include Prof. Dervilla Donnelly, a research chemist; Dr. Aoife McLysaght an evolutionary genetisist and Lt. Cmdr. Niamh Ní Fhátharta, a marine engineer with the Irish Navy.

Speaking at the launch of the film, Sadhbh McCarthy, Chairperson of WITS said: “Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is crucial to the recovery of Ireland’s economy and there is ample opportunity for graduates of these subjects.  A lack of diversity in any industry will hamper innovation and advancement so challenging the stereotypes and narrow notions of what a scientist is and what scientific research actually involves is therefore essential.

“Opportunities in science are constantly evolving and there are many Irish people at the forefront of these exciting developments.  As Aoife put it in the film we have launched today, ‘your future career might not even exist today’, highlighting the pace at which these industries move.  I hope that this film will inspire more girls to view a career in STEM as a fulfilling and exciting one worth considering.”