Science Transition Year Programmes

Botany

The Department of Botany hosts transition year students for a week-long structured work experience programme that covers the range of activities of the Department. Students have the chance to experience what happens behind the scenes in an active research environment, working alongside technical staff, PhD students and professional scientific researchers. In addition to working at the Trinity Botanic Gardens, students have the chance to extract DNA in the molecular laboratory, to examine plant/animal interactions, to examine seed germination and storage using the Irish endangered plant seed-bank, to measure, in the field, critical environmental parameters and to work in the internationally important Herbarium. In addition, transition year students will meet with staff and attend presentations. Students seeking further information should contact the Department directly via e-mail: zoobot@tcd.ie. More information about the Department can be found at www.tcd.ie/Botany.

Chemistry

The School of Chemistry hosts a week long programme aimed at transition-year students. The programme involves a series of lectures, practical work and interactive tours of the facilities. This course offers a unique opportunity for interaction with students from different schools and for hands-on exposure to advanced methodology in world-class laboratories. www.tcd.ie/Chemistry.

Physics

The School of Physics hosts a number of outreach events during the academic year. The popular Transition Year Physics Experience (TYPE) is held in November of each academic year. It lasts a full week and introduces students to nanophysics and astrophysics. The School also hosts two one-day events in February each year which focus on Nanophysics or Astrophysics. Information on all TYPE activities is sent to all secondary schools inviting them to submit applications for selected students.Details on the various events can be found on the School of Physics website: https://www.tcd.ie/Physics//outreach/

Zoology

The School of Zoology offers a week-long structured programme to transition year students. The programme will introduce you to the undergraduate experience, and will give you an insight into the type of work that a Zoologist undertakes. Amongst many other activities designed to let you experience the huge breadth of zoology, you will carry out research exercises alongside parasitologists, developmental biologists, behavioural ecologists and freshwater biologists. You will meet (and interview) technical staff, PhD students and professional scientific researchers, learn to evaluate a blog, present its salient points to your classmates and attend a research seminar. For application details, please see: https://www.tcd.ie/Zoology/opportunities/TY-programme/