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Course: LM124 BSc Mathematical Sciences with Statistical Data Science 

Supervisor: Dr. Helen Purtill 

Name of Research Project/Activity: The Impact of Social Connection on Pain and Loneliness in the Older Irish Population. 

Q) Can you tell me a bit about yourself, and why did you decide to study the course you are taking at UL? 

My favourite subject in school was always maths. I found studying maths to be a refreshing break from rote learning – it encouraged me to sit and think critically about problems and how to solve them, rather than simply memorising facts. Mathematics is interesting and challenging, and you never run out of new topics to explore! I love the diversity of mathematics, in that I can apply the skills I have learned to an endless number of problems, in a wide range of industries and areas. 

Q) What motivated you to apply for the Summer Bursary Programme? 

I applied for the Summer Bursary Programme because I have enjoyed the modules from the first two years of my degree programme. I was eager to apply skills I have learned in the classroom, in particular my R programming and data analysis skills. I also wanted to seize the opportunity to learn more about the world of research, and meet some of the researchers working in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in UL. 

Q) What are you doing as part of your research here at UL? 

As part of my research this summer, I am working with The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) dataset to analyse the connection between loneliness and pain in older people. The dataset is made up of 1,600 variables collected from over 8,500 participants. Initially, working with a dataset of this magnitude was a challenging and daunting task. Now, I’ve gained an appreciation for the work that goes into data cleaning, preparation, and analysis as well as some valuable insights into the lives of the older Irish population.

Q) what skills have you developed over the summer? 

I have enhanced my R programming skills. Over the summer, I learned how to create effective and efficient R code to present and analyse data. I wrote R markdown scripts to prepare plots and graphs depicting the relationship between pain and isolation in the older Irish population. I conducted statistical analyses using various R packages, some of which I had previously encountered, and some which were entirely new to me.

Q) What has this experience taught you and what would you recommend it to others?

 The experience has taught me what it is like to work in a research environment. It has taught me to be self-motivated and to effectively apply the skills I have learned over the last two years. I have gained an invaluable insight into the world of academia, and I would recommend this programme to anybody who is interested in developing practical research skills!   

Q) What are your future career plans, would you consider a career in research?

In the future, I hope to pursue a postgraduate degree and further enhance my research skills. After this summer, I would consider pursuing a research career. I love mathematics and statistics because of the diversity of the field. I have met many talented researchers here in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics who all work in different and fascinating areas. I think a research career would allow me to follow my passions, while applying the mathematical and statistical skills that I have learned in college. Having had the opportunity to work with talented researchers in the health department has inspired me to follow in their footsteps and pursue a research career.

Find out more about LM124, Mathematics (Common Entry)