Mark Glynn's story: One of the first students to enrol in the Institute of Technology Tallaght, Mark Glynn found both the social scene and the academic experience unparalleled.

"The facilities were set up to encourage social activity and because the staff were young, it broke down barriers that might exist in other colleges. In terms of the course, it was one of the best in the country," he says.

Despite achieving 300 points and a D in chemistry in his Leaving Cert, the course offered by ITT was very relevant to industry. "Effectively, Tallaght spawned this career for me." In 1995, Mark graduated with a diploma in applied chemistry and from there worked in research and development for Proctor & Gamble in England.

Two years later, Mark returned to ITT to complete his degree and in 1998 graduated with a BSc in applied chemistry. Having completed his PhD in Trinity College in 2002, he now works with Pharmachemical Ireland, the trade assocation for the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, where he manages its PR and education brief.