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SETU Waterford offers a broad range of academic programmes from levels 6 to 10 on the national framework of qualifications across Business, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Computing.

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SETU Waterford offers a broad range of academic programmes from levels 6 to 10 on the national framework of qualifications across Business, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Computing.

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Dr. Cara Daly

Title:

Lecturer & Programme Leader for the BSc in Horticulture (Kildalton College) & the BSc in Horticulture (National Botanic Gardens)

School/ Department:

School of Science & Computing - Dept of Science - Dept of Land Sciences - Cork Road campus

Telephone:

+353 0 051 302076

Room Name/ Num:

337 1969 - Main Building

Campus:

Main Campus

OrcID Number:

https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-6579-6925

Research Profiles:

arrow-down

My Biography

Cara (she/her) has been a science lecturer in the Department of Science in the School of Science and Computing since joining WIT in 2013. She is also responsible for the development and coordination of the Level 7 BSc. in Horticulture (SE506 and SE507). 

Her doctoral studies were funded by IRCSET (now the Irish Research Council) and involved the use of HPLC and mass spectrometry to profile the sphingolipids in Nostoc cyanobacteria and plant-conditioned medium and cells. Her PhD project was titled "Investigating the role of long-chain sphingoid bases in plant programmed cell death”. 

Cara has supervised one MSc and one PhD student to completion and is currently a co-supervisor for one other PhD student.   

Qualifications: 

Doctor  of Philosophy  (PhD)  in  Plant  Cell  Biology   (UCD)

BSc in  Botany  (Hons - first-class)   (UCD)

Training in: Research Supervisory Skills, Practical Pedagogy, Blended Learning, Unconscious Bias, Cirriculum Development & Design, and Interview Panel training. 

Awards: 

  • SETU Vicky Phelan Equality Diversity & Inclusion Award 2023
  • Waters’  Postgraduate  Prize  in  Separation  Science  winner  2009  (€20,750 for PhD consumables)
  • IRCSET  (Irish  Research  Council for Science  &  Technology)  PhD  research scholarship  2009  -  2012  (€72,009)
  • UCD/TCD  Innovation  Academy  Bursary  recipient  2010
  • Undergraduate  Research  Experience  and  Knowledge  Award  2008
  • UCD Botany  Prize  2007,  2008  and  2009
  • UCD Environmental Biology  Prize  2007
  • Kathleen  Rooney  Miller Scholarship  Recipient  2006 

Committee work: 

SETU - Member of the first Academic Council of the newly formed SETU. 

SETU -  Member of University Governing Body (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee)

WIT -  Member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

WIT - Member of the 9th Academic Council

School of Science and Computing - Marketing & Promotions Committee

School of Science and Computing - Research Committee

Research

Cara is interested in the biotic and abiotic stress effects on programmed cell death in plants and plant cell cultures. As a PhD supervisor, Cara has expanded her research into stress attenuating and biofertilising effects of cyanobacterial exudates in the context of sustainable agriculture. Cara has also explored lab-based methods to identify stress-tolerant cereal varieties. 

Cara is enthusiastic to work with collaborators in Ireland and abroad therefore, don't hesitate to contact her to discuss joint funding opportunities. 

Her team's latest publications are open access and can be found here, and here

Teaching

Cara has taught lectures and practical classes for a number of undergraduate modules in the School of Science and Computing in the areas of cell biology and biochemistry, food science, microbiology, and environmental science. She coordinates and teaches the modules: Plant Biology, Plants and Society, Laboratory Skills for Plant Science, Introduction to Scientific Writing and Data Analysis, and Horticulture Project and Seminar.

Programmes Cara teaches on include: 

  • BSc in Horticulture 
  • BSc in Forestry
  • BSc in Agriculture
  • BSc in Agricultural Science (Hons)
  • BSc in General Science (L7, and Hons)
  • BSc in Land Management (in Horticulture) Add-on (Level 8)

Professional

Cara's academic career came after 10 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry at home in Ireland and in the UK. Cara has worked with GSK in the UK, and Covidien and Takeda Pharma Ireland in Co. Dublin, Ireland.  

Please see my LinkedIn profile for a full CV. 

Science Outreach

Cara was the national coordinator for Ireland for Fascination of Plants Day  (2018-2023) and has organised various plant and nature-based activities. Cara writes a mothly garden science column in The Irish Garden magazine. 

Cara enjoys science outreach work and has delivered a public lecture series designed to help gardeners use the basics of plant science to improve their gardening. Her ‘myth-busting' public talks are always well attended.

Cara welcome invitations to give talks or help promote and participate in activities that promote conservation and appreciation of our natural heritage.