ASPIRE WITH ABBOTT CELEBRATES THE POWER OF STEM EDUCATION

ASPIRE with Abbott, in association with Science Foundation Ireland, takes place on Nov. 12th as part of Science Week 2020

IRELAND, Nov. 24, 2020 – Students, teachers and parents across the country are being offered the opportunity to participate in a unique virtual science event as part of Science Week. ASPIRE with Abbott takes place on Nov. 12th in association with Science Foundation Ireland and is one of the flagship events of this year’s Science Week.

Now in its third year in Ireland, ASPIRE is moving online and bigger than ever. A full day's programme will focus on the theme of "Choosing our Future," with fascinating speakers talking about how STEM education has helped them chart their future and make a positive impact in the world. Every secondary school in Ireland is invited to participate and there is no cost to do so.

Among the speakers will be NASA Datanaut and current Miss Universe Ireland, Fionnghuala O’Reilly, BAFTA Award-winning game designer Brenda Romero, STEM role model and science communicator Niamh Shaw, and a host of other STEM personalities and Abbott employees. Guests will also hear from Future of Work expert Peter Cosgrave and be able to join special sessions focused on student health and wellbeing, technology and engineering.

Dr Ruth Freeman, Director of Science for Society, Science Foundation Ireland said: "We're living through challenging times. This year, Science Week aims to inspire the public with our numerous virtual events and to lift the nation's spirits. Science offers us possibility and hope, but it's important that people get involved in the conversation. We want to encourage everyone to participate in the variety of events and conversations available online; there is something for everyone, and every interest. I want to thank all the dedicated organisers working across the country for developing some really creative ideas this year.

"As we mark the 25th anniversary of Science Week, we are delighted to welcome the ASPIRE with Abbott event. This virtual conference will offer anyone a chance to get first-hand insights on STEM careers from some of the brightest minds in the industry."

Conor Murphy, site director at Abbott, said, "At Abbott, every day we witness the potential of STEM and see how, through our life-changing technologies, it improves lives and can make people healthier. To continue to meet the future challenges of healthcare, we will rely upon the innovation, creativity and imagination of the next generation of scientists and engineers. We know that many young people have the ambition to change the world through science, but some lack the confidence or don’t know where to start. ASPIRE with Abbott aims to demonstrate the many exciting pathways in life that STEM education opens up."

To register for the event, visit www.aspirewithabbott.vfairs.com and for more information on Science Week activities visit www.scienceweek.ie

About Science Foundation Ireland
Science Foundation Ireland funds oriented basic research in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which promotes and assists the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise and employment in Ireland. The Foundation also promotes and supports the study of, and engagement with, STEM and promotes an awareness and understanding of the value of STEM to society and to the growth of the economy.

About Science Week
Now in its 25th year, Science Week 2020 will take place from November 8th to 15th against a societal backdrop never previously experienced in our lifetime. Now, more than ever, we have turned to the information science provides to guide our decisions. The core theme for Science Week 2020 is ‘Science Week - Choosing our Future’ focusing on how science can improve our lives in the future, and in the present. This will explore how science can help us to make positive choices that will impact the environment, our health, and our quality of life.

About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 107,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews

Abbott in Ireland
Abbott serves the Irish market with a diverse range of healthcare products including diagnostics, medical devices and nutritional products. In Ireland, Abbott employs almost 4,000 people across nine sites. We have six manufacturing facilities located in Clonmel, Cootehill, Donegal, Longford and Sligo and a third-party manufacturing management operation in Sligo. Abbott has commercial, support operations and shared services in Dublin and Galway. We have been operating in Ireland since 1946.

Media:
Brian Harrison, MKC Communications
brian@mkc.ie | +353 1 7038616