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Donal McWeeney
120 Brooklawn, Clontarf, Dublin 3 / The Mall, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
Phone: 085 8191347 / Email: dmcweeney@gmail.com
Profile:
Asa recentgraduate (Nov 2015) withan MSc inEnvironmental Science andaBScin Freshwaterand
Marine biology (2014) I amgreatlyinterestedindevelopingmyscientific research careerinecology.
I have developed awide range of skillssuchas such as surveying, fishhandlingandhusbandry,fish
ageing analytical and report writing skills using GIS, R, Minitab and Microsoft Office packages and
personal skills such as my ability to work with people from different backgrounds in a multi-
disciplinaryteam.Ihave excellentknowledge of environmental legislation, especially;the WFDand
the Habitats Directive. As an ESAI member I am passionate about the environment.
Education:
MSc Environmental Science, TrinityCollege DublinResult(2:1) Sep2014 - Sep 2015
 Dissertation – Characterisation of phytoplankton of different communities in Tidal Freshwater
and Transitional Water (TFTW) section of estuaries in Ireland with the aim of improving the
ecological management of these waters as a requirement under the Water Framework
Directive. Project work included using microscopy skills, data analysis, taxonomy skills and
interpretation of the relationship of these species to the physico-chemical and ecological
conditions (67%)
 Subjects:Environmental Chemical Analysis (67%),GIS(58%), Data handlingand analysis (76%),
EnvironmentalLegislation(74%),HydrologyandGroundwaterquality (59%),Environmental and
Climate change (64%), Earth Systems – Geo-chronology (69%) & Resource development and
environmental management (73%), Desk study (78%)
BSc inAppliedFreshwaterand Marine Science (2:1) 2010 – 2014
GMIT, GalwayCampus,Co.Galway
 Subjects:BiodiversityandConservation (63%),DatahandlingandGIS (57%), AquaticAnimal
Behaviour(63%),Resource DevelopmentandManagement(68%),Biologyof AquaticSpecies
(63%), Environmental law(75%). Mydissertation (72%) wasonthe use of calcifiedstructures
for ageingof NephropsNorvegicus. Thiswasa pioneeringstudywhichhadnotbeendone in
Irelandbefore,requiringme tobe innovative inmyapproachforlaboratoryand analytical
techniques.
BBS inMarketing Result(2:2) 1996 - 1999
GMIT, GalwayCampus,Co.Galway
Employment History:
Research Assistant, Inland Fisheries Ireland June 2016 - Present
 Carry out lake andriverfishsurveysinthe NRSPteaminaccordance withthe requirementsof
the WFD in varioussizedmulti-disciplinaryteams
 Catchingand identificationof fishusingdifferentgearsuchasgill nets,seine nets,mono
filamentnets,stopnetsdependingonthe surveybeingcarriedout
 Prolonged fieldworkinchallengingenvironmentsonIrishriversandlakes
 Electrofishingriversusinghandheldelectrofishingdevices in-streamandonboats according
to varioustechniquessuchasstopnettinganddepletionfishing
 Determination of fishage throughscale,operculabone andotolithanalysis

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 Lab work:Stomach contentanalysisof cyprinid,salmonidand esociformes
 fishto determine diet aswell asgonadanalysistodeterminesex
 Collectionof large amountsof dataincluding–biological;length,weight,sex,environmental
data such as habitattype,terrestrial andaquaticvegetation alongwith waterchemistry
analysissuchas pH, DO,temperature andconductivity
 UsingMicrosoft Excel and statistical packagessuchas R to inputand analyse large data setsto
be usedinInlandFisheriesannual reports
 Workingwithmembersof the publictoaccessinaccessible sitesforsurveywork
Fisheries Analyst, AnBord Iascaigh Mara, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Feb- May 2013
 Developedafinal report senttoNWWRAC membersidentifyingeachindividual responsiblefor
each stock,identifyingthe “bottlenecks”forimprovementandclearlystatedactionstakenand
actions still outstanding. Final report given special mention at NWWRAC and ICES meeting in
Dublin Castle, July 2013.
 Analysedthe backgroundreportsinitiatedbyNWWRACwithICESfrom2011 throughto 2013 in
relation to mitigation of data deficiencies in fish stocks within North Western Waters
 Developedproposalstofacilitate feedbackfromscientificcommunity(ICES,NationalInstitutes)
and stakeholders (NWWRAC fishing industry members and NGOs) on the data deficiency
initiative
 Collated economic data on the brown crab fishery in Ireland for EU ACRUNET project
 Completed a final report in Excel contributing to Ireland’s input to the EU ACRUNET project
 Identified stockswhere the NWWRAC’sworkcouldmake adifferenceinimprovingdataquality
 Carried out a review of the NWWRAC’s website’s functionalities, assessing areas for
improvement
Beach Lifeguard, Dublin City Council Summer 2013, 2014 & 2015
 Maintainedconstantvigilanceforthe safetyof all beachusers,anticipatedincidentsandtook
measurestopreventthemforoccurring.
Travelling in Canada, Surf Instructor & Winter Olympics Jan 2010 -Sep 2010
Sales Representative, Bord Gáis Ireland Ltd May 2009 – Dec 2009
Supply Chain Analyst, Microsoft Europe, Sandyford, Dublin Feb 2007 – May 2009
 Managed supplyof productsfromthirdparty contractor to Microsoftcustomersaround
Europe.
Travelling in Australia, New Zealand & South East Asia Jan 2004 – Dec 2006
Various temporary jobsincludingbanking,catering,removals,farming&fruitpicking.
Other Information:
PowerboatLicence II & SeaSurvival,BowavesSailing school,Galway Feb 2013
National BeachLifeguard andSwimTeacher- Level 1, SwimIreland 2008 – 2015
Full CleanDriversLicence 1996 – Present
Fishageingworkshopthrough InlandFisheriesIreland
Fishhandlingandfishhusbandrycourse throughInlandFisheriesIreland Oct 2016
Referees: Available on request