Faculty of Engineering and Computing

DCU Engineers Week Event Champions Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Education

19/03/2025

On Wednesday, March 5th, to mark the midpoint of Engineers Week, an insightful talk about Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in STEM was held in Dublin City University (DCU)’s new Polaris Building. Dr Leah Ridgway was the keynote speaker of the event, delivering an inspiring talk titled "Be afraid and do it anyway.”

The speakers at the event included Dr Leah Ridgway, Assistant Professor at the DCU School of Electronic Engineering, Dr Prince Anandarajah, Associate Professor at the DCU School of Electronic Engineering, Mary Finegan, A veteran of the semiconductor/IC design industry, Margaret O’Halloran, Vice President of Technology Management at Fidelity Ireland, and Melodie Aremu, Electronic and Computer Engineering student at DCU.

The event was opened by Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Dr Jennifer Bruton. Dr Leah Ridgway delivered an eye-opening talk about her experience in the neurodiversity field and gave her advice on managing stress and imposter syndrome in an increasingly challenging world. Next up was Dr Prince Anandarajah, who also spoke about his experience studying and working in the electronic engineering field, as well as his moves from Sri Lanka to Nigeria to Dublin.

Mary Finegan discussed her career experience which included working at Movidus, as well as the importance of diversity in the workplace, and tips/advice for entering the field. Additionally, Margaret O’Halloran spoke about her journey as a woman in the technology field and the drive for innovation through diversity of thought at Fidelity Ireland.

Electronic and Computer Engineering student, Melodie Aremu, spoke about her journey thus far studying engineering at DCU. She then hosted a panel discussion between the speakers, where they answered wide-ranging questions from the audience.

The event was filled with inspirational talks and advice for entering the workplace. “Fidelity Ireland was delighted to sponsor this event in DCU to mark Engineers Week with the University. It is important for Fidelity Ireland to not only support STEM education, but also provide opportunities for students to gain insights into STEM careers, as we continue our efforts to help build a diverse STEM talent pipeline in Ireland,” said Margaret O’Halloran.

A huge thank you to each of the speakers, and a special thank you to Fidelity Investments for sponsoring this event.

About Fidelity Investments Ireland

Fidelity’s mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of our customers and deliver better outcomes for the clients and businesses we serve. Fidelity’s strength comes from the scale of our diversified, market-leading financial services businesses that serve individuals, families, employers, wealth management firms, and institutions. With assets under administration of $15.1 trillion, including discretionary assets of $5.9 trillion as of December 31, 2024, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a broad and growing customer base. Privately held for 78 years, Fidelity employs more than 77,000 associates across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

In 1996, Fidelity created its first global footprint in Ireland. Our work at Fidelity Ireland is critical to the global organisation, delivering essential technology, operations and support services. Since our inception in Ireland, we've persistently innovated. We've worked hard to create an energised and vibrant workplace, filled with opportunity. We're home to a welcoming, multi-cultural team of creative thinkers — working hand-in-hand with our colleagues in the U.S., Europe and India. Fidelity Investments Ireland currently employs more than 2,000 associates in the region.

For more information about Fidelity Ireland, visit https://jobs.fidelity.com/ie/

For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/our-company