About STEM South West
STEM South West Cluster
STEM South West is an industry-led STEM cluster, established in 2019 to promote and nurture STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) throughout the South West region of Ireland.
The cluster comprises industry partners (SMEs and MNCs), Higher Education Institutes Munster Technological University (MTU), University College Cork (UCC) and Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT), local government (Cork County Council) and the Southern Regional Skills Forum, who are all working together to maximise the capacity of the STEM Sector in the South West and create and develop opportunities for members and the communities within which they operate.
The Challenge
STEM industries in the South West region have enjoyed very high levels of success over recent decades. New investment announcements have been plentiful and employment opportunities in STEM industries have grown consistently.
In order to build on this success and maximise opportunities for future development, STEM South West is determined to maximise the extent to which STEM talent is developed, retained, and attracted to work in the region for the foreseeable future.
The Solution
STEM South West aims to provide a competitive, innovative and resilient enterprise base that will facilitate STEM skills training, cross-regional collaboration between industry, government and academia, and increase employment and economic opportunities throughout the STEM sector in the South West region.
“Being part of the STEM Southwest Cluster has inspired collaboration among companies to support Education outreach initiatives. This helps schools have a coordinated approach and make a real impact on the future talent pipeline.”
Michael Loftus,
Vice President for External Affairs,
Munster Technological University (MTU)
Our Goals
STEM Talent Pipeline
Enhance the robustness of the STEM Talent Pipeline in the South West.
STEM Industry Network
Establish a dedicated STEM Industry Network in the South West
Increased FDI
Drive increased Foreign Direct Investment in STEM in the South West
Drive Economic Development
Drive increased Economic Development of Indigenous STEM sector in the South West
Strengthen STEM South West Brand
Significantly strengthen the STEM brand of the South West in the minds of the public, local communities and international
Align STEM Research with Industry Needs
Influence the strategic alignment of STEM Research and Innovation activity in line with industry needs in the South West
Develop International STEM Collaborations
Develop International STEM Collaborations among Global and EU Clusters
Collaborate with All Existing STEM Initiatives
Collaborate with all existing STEM Initiatives in the South West to ensure maximum benefit and impact across the region
Board Members
Marguerite O’Sullivan
Chair
Senior Engineer Strategy Leader at Kenvue
Mary Good
Vice-Chair
Chief Operations Officer at Advanced Medical Services
Pádraig Leahy
Treasurer
Owner at PLAS Consulting Engineers
Michael Loftus
Vice President for External Affairs at Munster Technological University
Sharon Corcoran
Director of Economic Development & Tourism at Cork County Council
Katie Larkin
HR Business Partner at Astellas Ireland
Elaine O’Donnell
Sr Director of Quality Control & Validation at Gilead Sciences Limited
John Morrissy
CIO – Global Concentrate at PepsiCo
Prof. Sarah Culloty
UCC Head of College, Science, Engineering and Food Science
Paul O’Brien
Co-Founder at MatchSTEM
Áine McCarthy
Signal Chain Applications Engineer at Analog Devices
Tara Murphy
BIM Department Manager at PM Group
Brenda Cooper
Operations Manager at Horner APG
Charlie Dolan
Director, Charlie Dolan Consulting Ltd
Institute of Career Guidance
John Murphy
STEM Teacher at Regina Mundi College, Cork