In the EPI•STEM PODCAST Episode 14, co-hosts GeraldineSimmie PhD and Michelle Starr PhD welcome their special guest Associate Professor Niamh O’Meara, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education and Deputy Director of EPI•STEM The National Centre for STEM Education in the School ofEducation, University of Limerick.

 In this episode Niamh shares her passion formathematics from her early school days, a passion that has nowadays found expression in Niamh’s research specialism, theorising mathematics teachers’ content knowledge in contemporary times. Here, Niamh also speaks to her researchinterest in related topics such as numeracy across the curriculum, improving adult numeracy and teaching mathematics for understanding and appreciation.

 Niamh’s extensive collection of research journalarticles and book chapters reflect this research specialism and also show the extent of Niamh’s networking and collaboration with mathematics education researchers in Ireland and internationally.

 Associate Professor Niamh O’Meara’s research makes adifference to mathematics pedagogy in the academic literature in Ireland and internationally. At the same time, Niamh is a regularly contributes to the public policy debate in Ireland in relation to mathematics education. Niamh isoften a guest on Newstalk and other radio talk shows, she writes articles for RTE Brainstorm and recently had an Opinion piece published in The Irish Times in relation to the current policy debate on Bonus Points for Higher LevelMathematics at Senior Cycle.

The musical selection today is played by Tara Sagay.Tara is a composer and final year student in the BA in World Music in The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. Here Tara plays her own composition on flute, a classical waltz called “Afternoon Tea”.