Inspiring the next generation of scientists

We aim to encourage young people at all stages to be curious about the brain, about science and a career in STEM. Have a look at some of our programmes:

Cell Explorers – Fantastic DNA

Led by our FutureNeuro Cell Explorer Coordinators Amaya Sanz Rodriguez and Mona Heiland, Fantastic DNA is a classroom-based activity designed to build science curiosity in a fun and engaging way. The students practice extracting DNA from a banana and get to meet our scientists, which the teachers have reported as been hugely beneficial for younger girls seeing positive female role models demonstrating the experiments. For all our researchers, it’s a valuable experience to develop skills and confidence when explaining our FutureNeuro brain science to a young audience.  

In 2024, our Cell Explorers team delivered Fantastic DNA workshops to over 300 primary school children. We also broadened our STEM outreach to include underrepresented groups and supported team members to engage children and young people across Ireland at all stages of their education and beyond. Examples include engaging young people in the International Protection Application System (IPAS) at a community event facilitated by CORE Youth Service in Dublin and engaging >100 early school leavers as part of a STEAM in Youthreach Expo in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Ireland. 

Sensory Friendly Science Nights

Supported by Prof Lorna Lopez and Jacob Kennedy and in collaboration with colleagues at Maynooth University, we are widening inclusion in our STEM engagement through initiatives like Sensory Friendly Science Nights co-designed for those who may find traditional science events overwhelming. These events create a calm and supportive atmosphere and offer children and young people the opportunity to engage and explore science at their own pace in a relaxed setting. 

Teachers in Residence 

We collaborate with colleagues in the CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices to engage primary and secondary schoolteachers with our brain research through interactive online sessions as part of their Teachers in Residence Programme. This engagement series is designed to enhance science education by bridging the gap between scientific research and the classroom. Teachers also collaborate with the researchers to develop engaging and relevant educational materials that spark interest in STEM. 

National Educational Programmes 

Our FutureNeuro researchers support several national STEM initiatives that engage students and young people to encourage curiosity, build skills and confidence in STEM, and inspire the next generation of scientists. Examples include the Research Ireland ‘Curious Minds’ STEM engagement initiative which involves our researchers answering brain-related questions provided by primary school children in a fun and accessible way. Our researchers also support the ESB Science Blast educational programme for primary schools across Ireland. 

FutureNeuro Summer Internships 

Each year, we offer several fully-funded 8-week summer internships tailored to third and final year undergraduate students. These internships offer an invaluable opportunity to explore the different aspects of neuroscience and the potential career paths in this dynamic field. A number of our summer intern students have gone on to go PhDs within the Centre.