2019 President’s Awards for Engagement

Dr Elizabeth Mathews, School of Inclusive & Special Education, recipient of the 2019 President's Awards for Engagement

Dr Elizabeth Mathews has been working with the deaf community since 2003. Prior to her appointment to DCU, she established the Deaf Education Centre in 2011 and opened the only pre-school for deaf children in Dublin in 2014.

During her time at DCU, Dr Mathews made a leading contribution to the opening of BEd Irish Sign Language (first of its kind in Ireland), and the development of ISL STEM glossary project.

The BEd ISL programme will transform education delivered by and for deaf teachers, and will play a major role in access and participation in third level education among the deaf community.

This new degree has been designed in collaboration with the deaf community and organisations working with the deaf community.The ISL STEM glossary project, launched in February 2019, has already been accessed nearly 3,000 times and will assist pupils and students from the deaf community in engaging with STEM subjects.