I Wish 2017 is a sell-out with more than 4,000 transition year girls booked to attend the successful partnership initiative encouraging young women to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The initiative, which is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, branched out nationwide this year with events in Cork City Hall on February 9 and 10 and in the RDS Dublin on February 13 and 14, 207. As part of the I Wish showcase events, students will meet and engage directly with inspiring women working in a variety of STEM roles, experiencing first-hand the work of industry leaders such as Dell EMC, Arup, PepsiCo and more. The 2017 speaker line-up includes award-winning game designer Brenda Romero; Nuritas founder and CSO, Dr Nora Khaldi; scientist and entrepreneur Ciara Judge; Assistant Professor in Physics at Trinity College Dublin, Arlene O’Neill; film producer and chairman of Atticus Education, David Puttnam; director of strategy and communications of Science Foundation Ireland, Dr Ruth Freeman and vice president and general manager of Dell EMC Ireland, Aisling Keegan. “What is exciting about I Wish is that students will have the opportunity to hear from female leaders with high ranking STEM roles in multinational organisations such as Johnson and Johnson, Accenture, Stryker, Google and Twitter. There will also be young female entrepreneurs from a variety of STEM backgrounds talking about their careers, as well as young women with careers in traditionally male-dominated areas such as engineering and maths. All of our speakers are influencers in their chosen fields, I Wish gives young women the opportunity to meet and listen to these influential women often prompting them to consider – sometimes for the first time – the variety of roles that a science and technology related career can offer,” said Gillian Keating. “A science related career is an exciting and rewarding path. Science can change the way we live, work and learn. Science Foundation Ireland is supporting the I Wish initiative as we recognise the importance of harnessing the power of the next generation of girls, and connecting students with women working in science. By providing these vital role models, we are encouraging and inspiring more students to explore their own STEM career. I Wish aligns with Science Foundation Ireland’s Smart Futures programme which provides secondary school students in Ireland with access to information on STEM careers. That both I Wish events are now sold out demonstrates an enthusiasm among our teens to become the innovators of tomorrow,” said Dr Ruth Freeman. I Wish events are free to attend and promise to benefit young women with hands-on practical information, talks and demonstrations by women in STEM roles. The events are now fully booked in both Cork and Dublin, however there are some slots available in Dublin for companies wishing to exhibit. A full line-up of speakers and exhibitors is available online, www.iwish.ie.