Dr. Heffernan - Speaker

Before midterm we had a visit from guest speaker , Dr. Claire Heffernan, Senior Solid State Crystallisation Scientist with Astra Zeneca, who spoke to senior students about "science in industry and career options in science". She spoke to students in depth about her career from senior cycle chemistry to third level completing a degree and then doctorate in Pharmaceutical Chemical Engineering. She informed students about her role in oncology and drug processing and how she works with a variety of professionals such as computational scientists, chemical engineers, lab scientists etc to manufacture pharmaceutical drugs and medications. The students were intrigued by the variety of processes that are undertaken in the processing of pharma drugs and how the basis for the work starts with the knowledge and understanding of leaving cert chemistry and that what they are learning today could potentially be the platform to further horizons in the field of pharmacology, chemical engineering, Biochemistry, computational science etc.