ONE among thousands of students graduating this week from the University of Limerick started out reaching for the stars and discovered that the sky was a very acceptable limit. For now.
Mary O’Donnell, from Fermoy, County Cork, was awarded a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Limerick, as the annual summer graduations continue across this week.
Inspired by Ireland’s first astronaut, Norah Patten, who also studied aeronautical engineering at UL, Mary chose to follow her footsteps and was drawn not only by UL’s academic reputation but also by its world-class sports facilities.
“I was a competitive swimmer at the time, and UL’s sports facilities, especially the National Centre swimming pool, just made perfect sense,” Mary explained.
Mary’s time at UL saw her interests evolve and her experiences during her work placement period allowed Mary to explore her curiosity and passions even further.
“I started college wanting to become an astronaut, but during my co-op at Boeing, I got really interested in the aviation industry, particularly the hands-on factory work. I found that sitting down and working in front of a computer didn’t suit me. I really enjoyed being on the factory floor,” Mary explained.
However, it was Mary’s newfound passion for triathlon that truly merged her love for sports with her engineering skills.
A UL Sports Scholar who recently completed an Iron Man competition in Sweden, she is taking her first steps into her new role as an aerodynamicist and the first female on the team at Kú Cycle, a high-performance bicycle manufacturer.
“Triathlon has a huge emphasis on aerodynamics, which is what I was learning about,” Mary says.
“I knew all about coefficient drag and streamlining things, and I was able to relate this to sports and triathlon training. It was then I realised I could combine my interests. My master’s thesis was based on aerodynamic bike fitting,” she added.
“I am excited to see how this career in sports pans out. It’s a semi-pro programme now, but who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be the first triathlete to compete in space, just like American astronaut Sunita Williams who ran the Boston Marathon in space.”
Over 3,600 students are graduating from the faculties of Education and Health Sciences, Science and Engineering, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Kemmy Business School across this week.
