Dr Siobhán Walsh advises to choose an area of agriculture you are passionate about, study the science and lead with science
Dr Siobhán Walsh, Work placement Co-ordinator for BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science
Lectures on BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science and BSc in Agriculture
Modules taught Animal Health and Physiology, Food traceability and Genomics, Research Methods
Home is Tipperary
Land Science credentials: Grew up on a dairy farm so milking cows, standing in ditches, chasing after animals when they broke out was unavoidable but luckily I really enjoyed it.
My interest in dairy cow production systems stems from growing up on a dairy farm. This led me to study ag science in UCD. During my time there, I gained valuable work experience with the Farmers Journal and also Teagasc, Moorepark. I completed a research masters in Teagasc Moorepark followed by a PhD in UCD.
Career ladder
Undergraduate degree Bachelor in Agricultural Science, UCD
Masters and/or PhD Masters in Agricultural Science, Teagasc; PhD in Reproductive Physiology, UCD
PhD title Factors affecting ovarian follicle development in cattle
Research interests dairy cow production, reproduction, health, genetics, genomics
Links with industry Teagasc, Eurofins, Arvum, Glanbia
Thoughts on…
Career trends for BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science graduates: Excellent opportunities for students who complete this course. There is a growing demand for skilled agriculturalists to tackle issues such as sustainable food production, food security, climate change, agri-environmental policy. Graduates of this course have a wide range of career options.
The main challenge facing the ag industry in Ireland is: maintaining and enhancing our global reputation as a country of excellence for sustainable farming and food production, while meeting climate change and general environmental policies.
My top tip for people wanting to get ahead in ag science is: choose an area of agriculture you are passionate about, study the science and lead with science.
A little known fact about follicle development is: the number of follicles a cow has is heritable – it can be transmitted from parent to offspring.
SETU Waterford, Cork Road, Waterford City, 
