Sarah Ledden | Senior Staff Writer
The inaugural edition of the Trinity Student Scientific Review (TSSR) launched last night in the Dining Hall, with a keynote speech from Aoibhinn Ní Shuilleabháín.
The launch event also heard addresses from Prof Clive Williams, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science; Dr. Andrew Jackson, Academic Advisor for TSSR and Prof Linda Hogan, Vice-Provost of Trinity College.
TSSR was established in December 2014 to provide a platform through which undergraduates have an opportunity to publish academic articles and experience the peer-review process. The initiative was proposed by a group of junior sophister students, inspired by the framework and success of the Student Economic Review. With the support of the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science and input from academic staff within the faculty, from the vision of a peer-review scientific journal for undergraduate students TSSR was founded. Dr. Jackson praised the initiative of the students behind the journal: “It was the enthusiasm, innovation and creative spark that pushed these students to start the journal. As soon as we heard their idea the faculty was one hundred percent behind them”.
Ní Shuilleabháin, of the UCD School of Mathematical Sciences, is a strong advocate of communicating research. “For me it’s incredibly important that science graduates communicate scientific research both between disciplines and to the general public, and I think this publication provides students with a wonderful resource to develop and refine rich communication skills”. She added: “It is important be able to come together and talk without all the jargon and a journal and event like this is really important for starting those conversations”.
Prof Clive Williams played an instrumental role in supporting the foundation of TSSR and praises the journal as an extension of Trinity’s commitment to student learning. “It is my pleasure to support the Trinity Student Scientific Review, which is a challenging and innovative initiative of our science undergraduate students. TSSR provides a platform in the Faculty for our students to develop the critical academic and literary skills of modern day scientists. The production of TSSR demonstrates a combination of enthusiasm, inspiration and organisation that Trinity College actively encourages among its student body. Science progresses through publication, and TSSR has the potential to stimulate students to pursue further research that ignites their curiosity.”
Twenty undergraduate submissions were selected to be published in the peer-review journal. Awards were presented on the night for the best publication in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, the best Freshman publication and best overall publication.
