UCD Summer Schools 2025

UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science was delighted to once again to take part in UCD Summer Schools. 

This year we again had two summer schools; the first covering Agricultural Science programmes and the second covering Food Science, Human Nutrition and Sustainable Food Systems. 

The Summer Schools areaimed at students entering 6th year and is really great opportunity to see the UCD campus, to meet current students, staff & recent graduates of the programme!

We were delighted to welcome over 100 students to the programme this year. On the first day the students were brought out to UCD Lyons Farm where they had a packed day on the farm and got  a real insight into the agricultural programmes on offer at University College Dublin.

The students had a packed schedule visiting the brand new calf shed, the equine yard, spending time out in the field with crops and smart technology, hearing about agribusiness and Environmental research and Multi Species Swards.

It was appropriate that it was on the same day that the Leaving Cert kicked off as we also had an excellent panel of UCD Ag science graduates who gave their advice and tips about leaving cert, being back “in their shoes” and about studying in UCD.

Food and Agribusiness management graduate Niamh Gunn was our chair. Niamh is currently Graduate corporate communications with Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board
Also on the panel was her Bord Bia colleague Niamh Bambrick who is Agricultural Sustainability Manager with Bord Bia. Niamh is an animal and crop production graduation and was the Agricultural Science Association President until earlier this year.

We also welcomed Amy Holtby. who is one of our equine science graduates. Amy is a research and development scientist, product development specialist at Zinto Labs.
Gavin McGowan graduated from our BSc in Forestry in 2023 Having completed the graduate programme with Coillte, Gavin now works as an environmental inspector with Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Finally we were delighted to have most recent graduate, William Kenny who is a horticulture graduate. William, to the delighted of Niamh Gunn & Niamh Bambrick, is fresh off the stage at Bord Bia Bloom having presented on why students should study horticulture at university and consider it as a career!

On day 2, we were back on campus for the Food Science, Human Nutrition and Sustainable Food Systems Summer School. 

We kicked off with a welcome and introduction by Food Science & Nutrition head of section, Professor James Lyng and Professor Alex Evans.
That was followed by another excellent panel discussion today. Chaired by Julie Dowsett, it included Jennifer Tuffy from EY, Food Science graduate and ESG analyst at Valeo Foods Gemma Mc Bride , 4th year student soon to be graduate Mark Finucane, PhD (seaweed) Researcher Heather Kenny and Post Doc researcher and technical officer at the UCD Conway Institute Claire Connolly.

The students then had a fun team building and problem solving exercise - Taste Sensations and
Squishy Spaghetti Structures - all while learning about food science and human nutrition. 
And in the afternoon we had a brilliant Human Nutrition workshop with the team from the (opens in a new window)UCD Institute of Food and Health ; Rebecca Finlay, Michael O'Neill and Petra Van Der Wel.

The students LOVED being in the labs, again getting a real insight into what it’s like to study Food Science or Human Nutrition, even learning how to make their very own protein!