After achieving a BSc in Analytical Science in 1988, Bernadette Whelan spent 12 years working within the Irish Pharmaceutical industry as a Development Chemist and Production Chemist. In 1997 she was awarded an MSc in Instrumental Analytical Chemistry. Since 2000 Bernadette has been employed as a Lecturer in SETU Waterford lecturing in the modules across the level 6, 7, 8 and 9 programmes in Science and Pharmaceutical Science within the School of Science & Computing.

Subject area specialism and observation of industrial behaviour and progress in Ireland has led her to complete a PhD study the ‘A Framework for Sustainable, Competitive Advantage for the Irish Pharmaceutical Industry'