The award-winning science journalist, broadcaster and author Mary Mulvihill has died aged 55, following a short illness.

A genetics graduate and Scholar of Trinity College Dublin, who later studied journalism at Dublin City University, she was one of the pioneers of science journalism in Ireland. She was also a passionate advocate of women in science.

As a founding member and first chairperson of Women in Technology and Science (WITS), she played an important part in highlighting the role of women in the history of Irish science.

She had numerous popular science series on RTÉ radio, including The Quantum Leap, The Goldilocks World and Left Brain, Right Brain. She was a longstanding contributor to The Irish Times.

As co-editor of Technology Ireland magazine, she nurtured the careers of many young science journalists.

She edited two collections of biographies of Irish women scientists and pioneers – Stars, Shells and Bluebells (1997), and Lab Coats and Lace (March 2009).

She also wrote the book Ingenious Ireland: A County-by-county Exploration of Irish Mysteries and Marvels (2002), and in recent years set up a successful business offering Ingenious Ireland walking tours and audio guides to her native Dublin and national sites of ecological and archaeological interest.

She was due to speak at the InspireFest 2015 conference, celebrating women’s leadership in science, technology and innovation, later this month.

Away from work, she was a regular hillwalker.

She is survived by her husband Brian Dolan and her sisters Anne and Nóirín Mulvihill.