Groundbreaker Jane Grimson

Documentary on Newstalk

Groundbreakers Series Two: Three documentaries that chart the life and work of older women who did not just live through a changing Ireland but who were the changemakers.

Three groundbreaking women have made positive changes in academia, engineering, the environment, and social justice. These women are known and highly regarded and loved within their area of expertise, but they are not known by the general public. We listen to their story, to celebrate them, to thank them for making Ireland a better place for us all.

Jane was the first female graduate in engineering in Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Being the only woman in the class, she was never expected to last. This was the 1960s, at a time when female engineers were almost unheard of, not just in Ireland but worldwide. Even now Engineering and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) struggle with gender bias. But in the 1960s, as a young woman, Jane sat as the lone female in a class of engineering students. But it never deterred her.

Jane went on to obtain a first-class honours degree and a Masters and PhD degrees in Computer Science in 1971 and 1981 respectively. She then went on to become Dean of Engineering and of Research. Throughout Professor Jane Grimson’s extraordinary career as an engineer she has achieved much and received many accolades. However, perhaps one of Jane’s most lasting legacies will be the hugely important role she has played as an advocate for women in engineering, science, and academia. She has mentored a generation of female engineers and is passionate about promoting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in STEM. As Provost and President of Trinity College Dublin Linda Doyle said ‘I would not be here without her”.

Their lives tell the story of Ireland’s progression and change. One women’s story that brings us on an audio journey through the changes, over the last decades, to the issues she dedicated her life to. In Groundbreaker: Anita Hayes we explore the issues of seed sovereignty and biodiversity, in Groundbreaker: Mary Crilly we examine sexual violence and exploitation in Ireland and in Groundbreaker: Jane Grimson, we look at women in engineering and genderism in the workforce.