EPI∙STEM PODCAST EPISODE 36

In this episode of the EPI·STEM podcast, Geraldine SimmiePhD and Michelle Starr PhD welcome Eoin McNamara as their special guest. Eoin is a Technical Officer and Outreach Officer in the Department of Chemical Sciences at the University of Limerick (UL) and an EPI∙STEM affiliate. Eoin hails from Corbally and was a past pupil of Gael Coláiste Luimnigh. Eoin went on to complete his undergraduate bachelors’ degree in the School of Education in UL in the Biological and Chemical Sciences. Here Eoin McNamara shares the pathway he took into hiscurrent role in the Department of Chemical Sciences. Eoin discuss his current research master’s study, under the supervisor of Dr Aishling Flaherty, a science teachereducator in the School of Education and EPI∙STEM affiliate.Eoin masters’ study, entitled ‘Sensory mapping of anundergraduate laboratory against student perspectives’, not only takes account of issues, such as, technical, health and safety, and ergonomics, it also takes the question of human need into account. Here Geraldine, Michelle and Eoin discusswhat that might mean in relation to current thinking emerging from STE(A)M education, especially the need for a humanising discourse of Science and STEM education that can be grounded in dialogue and reflexivity and more in a co-equal fusion with the Arts and Humanities.Geraldine, Michelle and Eoin discuss the contested spacetoday of the Arts in STEM education referring to the national policy report on the Arts in STEM education conducted by the Department of Education and Youth (DEY), and the rich variety of approaches at play today in European policy reports, innovation projects and in the research literature. Today we want to welcome Dr Vo Van De starting his post-doctoral fellowship this week in EPI∙STEM in a new STEAM education study – as a school-university-enterprise partnership jointly funded by the Irish Research Council and Eli Lilly Limerick. Our plan is to work with interested science teachers to make a difference in science and chemistry classrooms and schoolsin Ireland. We also have three PhD students in the second year of their STEAM education studies. They will present policy analyses at the upcoming ESAI 2026 Conference in the University of Galway later in May. Their studies take a relational and transformative worldview of STEAM Education that allows for co-equal fusion of the sciences and the arts for a rich interplay between different knowledges and ways of knowing.  The music selection is performed by Eoghan Collins fromNewport, Co. Tipperary. Eoghan is a first-year student in the BA in World Music in The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL. Eoghan is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. Eoghan performs his original composition called ‘Don’t Wait’.