On Friday 17th October 2025 Dr. Úna McCarthy-Fakhry was presented with the (opens in a new window)2025 UCD Alumni Award in Science at a ceremony in UCD University Club. Earlier that day we were delighted to host Úna to give a seminar entitled "Beyond the lab: A chemist's journey to inclusive STEM education".
L to R: Celine Erkey, Dr. Úna McCarthy-Fakhry, and UCD President Professor Orla Feely
Úna completed her BSc (Hons) in Chemistry in 1988 in UCD School of Chemistry and then went on to complete a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry in TCD. Her career has since spanned research, industry, intellectual property, and international development. Early in her career, she contributed to the redevelopment of UCD’s Science Centre as part of the design team, before moving into roles that took her across four continents.
An international STEM education specialist and a passionate advocate for women and girls in STEM, Úna has worked in diverse roles in research, public administration, and international development. She is currently based at UNESCO in Paris she leads global efforts to strengthen girls’ participation, learning and retention in STEM.
Her current work focuses on advancing STEM education with a human-centred, gender-transformative approach, ensuring that all learners can develop the STEM literacy needed to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world.
In her enlightening seminar, Úna shared how her time at UCD shaped her confidence and skills, and how embracing a non-linear career path led her to unexpected opportunities, from pharmaceutical development and patent examination to leading inclusive STEM education initiatives in Cambodia, Africa, and now globally with UNESCO in Paris.