DCU researcher shortlisted for physics award

DCU researcher Dr Jennifer Gaughran was recently shortlisted as one of four finalists for the annual Jocelyn Bell Burnell award.

The award is given to the very early career female physicist of the year.

Gaughran was invited to the Institute of Physics offices in London, to talk about her research and she discussed her work on the purification of DNA and RNA in blood for disease detection.

Gaughran, who is now a centre manager at the Advanced Processing Technology Research Centre at DCU spoke of her delight after being nominated for the award.

“The endless possibilities that physics brings has given me the opportunity to be nominated for this award and for that I am very thankful,” she said. 

Dr Heather Williams, chair of Women in Physics group, which is over the Jocelyn Bell Burnell award, was full of praise for Guaghran. 

“Jennifer’s exceptional dedication to her research deserves recognition, and her place in the final is testament to just how outstanding her efforts are, particularly when combined with the work she does in supporting others in her field.”

Gaughran battled among some of the continents most prestigious Universities as she was nominated alongside Jessica Boland of the University of Oxford, Oniga Teodora of the University of Aberdeen and Dr Jessica Wade of the Imperial College of London.

Wade ultimately won the award after speaking about her work on making plastic, flexible solar panels and bringing together chemistry, physics and material science.

Despite losing this year, Gaughran has tasted success in the past, scooping the National ‘Thesis in 3’ title back in 2014.

In an interesting concept, participants are invited to explain a full thesis in just three slides and also in just three minutes and Guaghran did so successfully two years ago by discussing her work on point-of-care disease detection in a three-minute poem.

Gaughran was recently awarded a PhD in Bioanalysis and Therapeutics from DCU.

Darragh Culhane

Image Credit: DCU