Earlier this month, Pa Reilly, Coorrdinator of Pavee Point’s Mental Health Initiative, joined a panel discussion in Google Ireland concerning young people and AI.
The panel discussion – ‘Whose Future? Ensuring no-one is left behind by AI’ – was part of a larger ceremony awarding 25 students, under the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics Scholarship Programme, with scholarships to study a range of STEM courses.
The Insight Scholarship Programme is the largest scholarship programme of its kind in Ireland, and is supported by Google and coordinated by Dublin City University (DCU). The 25 all come from underrepresented backgrounds, and are set to receive €5,000 per year in support over a maximum five years study.
Joining Pa for the panel discussion were Teresa Wefer, Google Community Development, and Dr. Sinéad McNally, Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education and Psychology at the Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin was also in attendance, and gave his praise for the programme: “These scholarships represent far more than financial support; they are an investment in talent, ambition and potential that exists in every community across our country. By widening access to AI, cyber security and other STEM disciplines, we are ensuring that the opportunities of the digital age are open to all, not just a few.”
Programme Coordinator Megan Griffin outlined the motivations behind the scholarships: “This programme is designed to support students from underserved communities that have long experienced limited access to opportunity, recognising that the barriers they face extend beyond financial disadvantage. Many of our students come from areas with historically low progression rates to higher education, with some disadvantaged communities seeing only 15% of students entering university compared to over 80% in more affluent areas. Students from more affluent backgrounds also continue to dominate high-points courses, with less than 5% of entrants coming from DEIS schools. Tackling these inequalities in access to STEM education is vital for the growth of both our economy and our society.”
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