Back to School for STEM
Research shows that, due to commonly-held negative perceptions of science, many Irish students are choosing not to study STEM subjects and are missing out on the value of STEM-related careers.
To help address this issue, AbbVie has developed Back to School for STEM, a schools’ outreach initiative that sees employees from AbbVie’s five different sites across the country visit local schools, including those they themselves studied at, to act as ambassadors for science.
The programme, which is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, aims to give the inside story on careers in science and the rewarding career opportunities that can be unlocked by studying STEM subjects.
The idea is that by seeing and hearing from these science role models in person, and how they are working to change the world for the better, it will ignite an interest in STEM and potentially inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers.

Students from St Naul’s National School, Donegal join Minister McHugh (second left); Rory O’Donnell, Principal (left); Robert Love, Communications Director (centre); Columba McGarvey, Site Director, Ballytivnan, Sligo (second right); and Caroline McClafferty, Director of Operations Business HR (European Operations and Biologics (right), all of whom are originally from County Donegal.
In October 2019, the Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, joined AbbVie representatives at the first school to benefit from the Back to School for STEM initiative – St Naul’s National School in Inver, Donegal.
Watch this video to learn more about the school visit and Back to School for STEM project.