Profile

Photo:

Siobhán Power

My CV

  • Education:

    The local National School and local Secondary School in my home village. Both were small.

  • Qualifications:

    BSc in Earth Science and a PhD in Geology in NUI Galway. I since did a teaching qualification, PGCertHE in Liverpool.

  • Work History:

    Researcher for 2 years in USA, Lecturer for 7 years in Liverpool, UK, Geologist on a cross-border geotourism project in Ireland/Northern Ireland for 3 years, current job in Geological Survey Ireland.

  • Current Job:

    Geologist at Geological Survey Ireland.

  • Employer

    Geological Survey Ireland, a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Government of Ireland. I’m a government geologist/civil servant.

    • About Me

      I'm from Galway but live in Dublin. I've lived and worked in other parts of the world because of geology. I recently returned to Irish dancing after a 30 year break.

    • Read more

      I’m from rural east Galway and went to university in Galway city. I’ve spent a total of 5 months in the Arctic (Greenland and north Norway) over 4 expeditions and I’ve also worked in Mexico, USA, and UK. I’ve lived in many places but I finally have my “forever” job as a government scientist in Ireland. I love the outdoors but I also love watching television, films, and eating nice food. Science is both my hobby and my profession and I feel very lucky to be able to have it as both. I have the best job in Ireland as I get to talk about science and meet amazing people.

    • My pronouns are

      she/her

    • My Work

      I'm a geologist. I work mainly in science education and science communication now but my research background is on tectonics, and metamorphic and igneous rocks.

    • Read more

      In the last few years I’ve been co-curator of the Down to Earth exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. This means I’ve been part of the team deciding which items should be on display and how they would contribute to the story of the exhibition. I wrote the text for the walls and when the exhibition I got the talk about it on the radio. I now help with school visits to the exhibition. I was also Geological Consultant on a recent RTÉ/BBC tv show called The Island. I was on two episodes of the show but I also involved in the whole production. It was a really enjoyable experience to see a 3-part tv show being made from first idea to broadcast.

      Day-to-day, I organise meetings, outreach events, briefing documents for our department or ministers if necessary, and I help with the website and social media. There is lots of administration but in general I really love my job and I love the people I work with.

    • My attributes

    • My Typical Day

      I don't really have a typical day as sometimes working in communications means that you have to respond to something immediately and but other jobs on hold.

    • Read more

      I work in the office 2-3 days a week but we are still mainly working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    • What I'd do with the prize money

      I don't think I'd be allowed to keep get the prize as I work for the government, but if I was, I would use it on the transport costs to bring some students to the Down to Earth exhibition in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks so that we could have a big discussion on the Earth, how are monitoring the affects of climate change, the move to green energies, and what the future Earth will look like.

    • My Interview

      • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

        dance-loving geologist

        What or who inspired you to follow your career?

        my family, the countryside of home.

        What did you want to be after you left school?

        I wanted to do science in Galway but I didn't really know what aspect of science. Earth Science looked interesting and it was.

        Were you ever in trouble at school?

        no, but I didn't always have my homework done.

        If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

        Teaching

        Who is your favourite singer or band?

        I don't really have a favourite. I listen to everything and anythings. Some days I'll want The Beatles and some days I'll want Mozart.

        What's your favourite food?

        Mexican, or my mother's bacon and cabbage.

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