23 third-level students join the Marine Institute for summer science placements

2015 Bursary students meet for Induction day training at the Marine Institute, OranmoreThe annual Marine Institute bursary programme gets underway this month (June 2015) with 23 third-level students from academic institutions in Ireland and the UK joining the Institute for duration of eight weeks.

Every year, up to 150 of third-level students across Ireland apply for the Marine Institute's highly sought-after bursary programme, which is well recognised in the industry as its purpose is to promote future employment opportunities for undergraduates and postgraduates.

"The work experience programme enables students from a wide variety of disciplines to further their knowledge and research in their particular area of interest and it offers the students to expand their professional networks within Ireland and internationally," explained Ms. Helen McCormick, Senior Laboratory Analyst at the Marine Institute and co-ordinator of the bursary programme for 2015.

The students will work in a variety of areas including fish and shellfish assessments and surveys, sampling salmon and commercial fisheries in ports, maritime economics, oceanographic equipment modifications and communications.

The placements will provide students with practical and hands-on experience at different locations around Ireland, including the offices and laboratories at the Marine Institute - Galway, Harcourt Street - Dublin and Burrishoole Catchment - Newport, County Mayo. Some students will also be located at fisheries ports in counties Cork and Waterford

The summer bursary programme has been ongoing since the 1960s in the marine science sector and continues to offer a promising gateway into the expanding areas of marine science and research in Ireland.

Dr Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute congratulated all successful bursars on this year's programme saying, "The Institute is delighted to support this excellent learning opportunity for Irish students".

Additional information - Academic institutions include: Carlow IT, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, IT Sligo, Limerick IT, NUI Galway, Tralee IT, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Highlands and Islands, and Waterford IT.

ENDS