The Department of Life Sciences at the University of Limerick are welcoming over400 Leaving Certificate Biology students from all over Munster into their state-of-the-art laboratories this week. They are providing the students with the opportunity to conduct the laboratory practical experiments set on the Leaving Certificate Biology curriculum.  A group of over 82 leaving certificate students from Limerick, Galway and Tipperary were at the University today.  The Leaving Certificate Biology Practical Sessions were first presented by the Department of Life Sciences at UL eight years ago.

Biology Teacher, Sinead Dunne from St Killian’s Secondary School in New Inn, Galway said "This is a great revision opportunity for our students, they get to undertake the practical experiments in the Leaving Certificate syllabus using the state-of-the art facilities.  In addition to preparing students for their Leaving Certificate exam it gives them an insight into life as a university student, creating an added impetus to strive to reach their full potential."

"Many biology leaving cert students throughout the country do not get the opportunity to actually carry out and practice the experiments included in their course work and a lot of secondary school laboratories simply don't have the facilities to allow this.  Our life science biology laboratories have the most up to date experimental equipment to facilitate in depth research and experimentation.  It's a great opportunity for secondary school students to practically engage with the University also" said Dr Audrey O’Grady of the Department of Life Sciences, UL.

The departments technical team as well as post graduate students and final year BSc Ed students who will be qualified as second level biology teachers at the end of this semester, will be present in the laboratories to assist students throughout the week and instruct them in conducting the experiments.

The biology students will also be given information on UL programmes offered by the Life Sciences Department and the Faculty of Science and Engineering at UL.

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