Impact & Opinions | Tionchar & Tuairimí

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SDG Champion
07 November 2023
13  MINS

The Real-World Effects of Cyberbullying

Dr Mairéad Foody

Easy access to virtual social space has seen young people face dangers of cyberbullying, sextortion and online victimisation. Many primary schools have taken steps to ban smartphones on school grounds, following the launch of government guidelines on restrictions of smartphone use among young people. According to Assistant Professor of Psychology, Dr Mairéad Foody, research is key in informing quality prevention and intervention among schools, parents and guardians.

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SDG Champion
06 November 2023
22  MINS

Cultural Values in a Sustainable Future

Prof Lillis Ó Laoire

We may not associate SDGs with culture, but the UN’s 2030 Agenda acknowledges the need to safeguard the world’s diverse cultural heritages, and the role of culture in fostering a collective sense of responsibility and belonging. Award-winning writer and singer, Prof Lillis Ó Laoire asks: how can we steward our cultural heritages to realign them with sustainable futures?

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SDG Champion
04 October 2023
14  MINS

Food Systems are Failing SDG Efforts: What are the Trade-offs?

Dr Anne Mullen

“The goals and targets of the SDGs don’t always synergise – there are many trade-offs – and fixation on individual SDGs is a hurdle for progress.” According to Dr Anne Mullen of the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and the Ryan Institute, sustainable food systems are a key entry-point to accelerate progress across multiple SDGs. University of Galway is uniquely placed to understand and act on food systems – and our designation as SDG Champion gives us an even greater voice and responsibility to do so.

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SDG Champion
25 September 2023
13  MINS

In Conversation: Ibec CEO, Danny McCoy

Danny McCoy

True prosperity calls for a balance between public and private sector, argues Danny McCoy, University of Galway alum and CEO of Ibec (Irish Business & Employers Confederation). With a varied career as an executive, senior economist and lecturer, this University of Galway alum has developed a strong perspective on the makings of a sustainable economy. Here, Danny sits down with Cois Coiribe to share his views on education, sustainability, globalisation and more.

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SDG Champion
24 August 2023
< 1  MINS

2023 in Sports

2023 has been a memorable year for sport at University of Galway. Cois Coiribe takes a look back at our most treasured moments.

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Resilient Innovation
25 July 2023
13  MINS

Straitéis na Gaeilge: An Scéal is Deireanaí

Seoladh an chéad straitéis don Ghaeilge san Ollscoil beagnach dhá bhliain ó shin, ar an 16 Iúil 2021 agus tá toradh na hoibre atá déanta ag gach uile dhuine a raibh lámh acu i bhforbairt agus i bhfeidhmiú na Straitéise go dtí seo le haithint ar fud an champais agus dul chun cinn suntasach déanta.

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21 July 2023
11  MINS

Bold Nostalgia: Enda Burke at GIAF

Meadhbh McNutt

Galway International Arts Festival welcomes Enda Burke’s Far Away & Close to Home to Outset Gallery this year in a unique showcase of the Galway artist’s bold visual language. Recently awarded the International BarTur Photo Prize, Burke’s work has been published in various media from The Guardian to Rolling Stone Magazine. Here, University of Galway Editorial Manager, Meadhbh McNutt contextualises this multidisciplinary body of work in a short creative essay.

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Resilient Innovation
06 July 2023
20  MINS

Teaching Students to Think Critically about Digital Storytelling

Deborah Miranda Roldán

The advent of Artificial Intelligence has transformed the landscape of media, presenting society with enormous challenges as well as opportunities. In this era of rapid technological advancements, the cultivation of accountability and critical thinking skills within these disciplines is of paramount importance. The challenge for universities will be how best to prepare graduates to navigate the complexities of the digital age. 

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Resilient Innovation
06 July 2023
10  MINS

Spotlight On: Alum, Deepak Kumar Jain, NetApp

Deepak Kumar Jain

Deepak Kumar Jain is senior manager of software engineering at data company, NetApp. An alum of University of Galway, Deepak has vast experience in software development, leading multi-million product releases from start to end, in countries including France, Germany, India and Ireland. Here, Deepak shares his thoughts on emerging technologies to watch out for, and the West of Ireland’s unique appeal as a region for education and innovation.

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Resilient Innovation
29 June 2023
9  MINS

Foreword from the President

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of University of Galway 

Fáilte go Cois Coiribe. Tá sé lán go béal arís i mbliana le luachanna na hollscoile s’againne, luachanna atá go smior inár gcomhluadar.  I am particularly pleased that, once more, Cois Coiribe is replete with our values as a university community, as a university for the public good.

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Resilient Innovation
28 June 2023
12  MINS

Spotlight On: Cormac Mac Donncha, Vice President, Thermo King EMEA

Many of us know Thermo King as an established leader in transport refrigeration, but fewer have heard of the manufacturing giant’s plans to reduce customer carbon emissions by one billion metric tonnes, by 2030. Here, Vice President (EMEA) and University of Galway alum, Cormac Mac Donncha discusses Thermo King’s plans to become a carbon-neutral global enterprise. 

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Resilient Innovation
28 June 2023
20  MINS

Propelling Innovation: University of Galway Spinouts

Today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape requires constant innovation. Founded in 2006, University of Galway’s Innovation Office is a hub for entrepreneurs, startups and established companies alike to propel their ventures to new heights in a supported environment.

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Resilient Innovation
26 June 2023
8  MINS

Regional Business Summit: Engaging People and Leading on Sustainability

In partnership with ITAG and Galway Chamber, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics’ Regional Business Summit: Engaging People and Leading on Sustainability was a highly anticipated event at University of Galway, drawing over 150 business leaders, policymakers and sustainability advocates from regional industries and sectors. The summit, held on 31 March 2023, aimed to foster dialogue, collaboration and innovation to address pressing environmental and social challenges while promoting sustainable economic growth in the West of Ireland.

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Resilient Innovation
26 June 2023
18  MINS

Insight: Disruptors in Ireland’s Research Landscape

Professor Edward Curry , Professor Paul Buitelaar

While semantics may seem a niche area, these technologies are embedded in data processing across sectors. Prof Edward Curry and Prof Paul Buitelaar from the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, reflect on the impact of University of Galway’s 20 years of research, from the Obama Administration and the von der Leyen Commission to the creation of jobs across Europe.

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Resilient Innovation
23 June 2023
9  MINS

50 Years of Excellence: MBA Anniversary Marks a Milestone in Business Education

2023 marks a significant occasion for J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
19  MINS

An Mheitheal Rothar: Pioneering a New Model for the Circular Economy

Dr Sinéad Mitchell, Lecturer, Sustainability and Strategy, College of Business, Public Policy and Law; , Catherine  Coote, Co-Founder,  An Mheitheal Rothar,

Today’s economy, defined by in-built obsolescence, relies on the extraction of over 90% virgin materials from the earth. Pioneering a new model for the ‘social startup’ based at University of Galway, An Mheitheal Rothar (AMR) is determined to show us that a circular economy is possible in the West of Ireland. Lecturer in Sustainability and Strategy, Dr Sinéad Mitchell and AMR cofounder, Catherine Coote tells us exactly what makes this unique model a success.  

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
17  MINS

Putting a Cost on Climate Stress: AI Can Help

Dr Aaron Golden

The cost of climate stress to food production is monumental, and attempting to calculate that cost is a complex, data-driven task. 2023 ENLIGHT Impact Award Winner and PI of the TAPAS project, Dr Aaron Golden is harnessing the potential of AI deep learning to detect fluctuations in biomass production linked to climate change visible from space. This innovative technology identifies not only the cost of such climate stress, but identifies those regions most in need of intervention. 

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
16  MINS

The Nine-to-Five is Dead: What’s Next?

Assistant Professor Maeve O’Sullivan

Which ‘genius day’ do you take off as part of your four-day week? Does your co-bot take milk in their coffee? Fancy a ‘match-making’ session for remote workers in your company retreat? These are questions workers and workplace leaders face in the new world of work. Predictions about the future world of work range from organisational inertia to a complete robotic takeover. Assistant Professor Maeve O’Sullivan, Lecturer in Human Resource Management and Decent Work, unpacks some of the issues to be tackled as we contemplate this uncertain future.

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
18  MINS

Connecting Globally to Innovate Locally: Med Tech in Galway and Costa Rica

Dr Majella Giblin

“Costa Rica is where Galway was about 20 years ago in Med Tech.” What have 20 years of innovation in Galway taught us about building a dynamic cluster? Dr Majella Giblin looks to challenges in Costa Rica’s budding Med Tech sector to understand the deciding factors in a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
17  MINS

Lua Health: How Algorithms Can Help Detect Mental Health Issues at Work

Mihael Arcan, Fionn Delahunty

With support from the University of Galway, Lua Health is working to overcome the stigma around mental health in the workplace. Using machine-learning algorithms – this research-led start-up interprets how we speak and write at work to detect early signs of poor mental wellbeing – combining expertise in both natural language processing and clinical psychology.

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
20  MINS

Jack O’Meara: Developing New RNA Therapies to Treat Liver Disease 

Jack O'Meara

University of Galway alum, Jack O’Meara is the co–founder and CEO of Ochre Bio, the cutting-edge startup that is developing new RNA therapies to treat liver disease. In 2023, O’Meara was named one of Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ star entrepreneurs in Science & Healthcare for breakthroughs in genomics empowering scientists to swap unreliable animal testing for studies on discarded human donor livers. 

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
14  MINS

Seven Years of the Galway City Innovation District and the PorterShed

Prof John Breslin

Synopsis:  A recent report from KPMG found that between 2021 and 2016, PorterShed had created 835 sustainable jobs across the value chain and contributed over €6 million to national economic output. Following the opening of PorterShed a Dó at the end of 2022, cofounder and University of Galway professor, John Breslin explains why more and more innovation-driven companies in Galway are clustering and thriving together. 

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
19  MINS

GEOFIT: More than a Hole in the Ground

Luis Miguel Blanes Restoy

What started as a hole in the ground on the University of Galway campus grounds is now a living field-scale laboratory for geothermal technology. Beyond heating the campus swimming pool, GEOFIT’s ground-source heat pump infrastructure will act as a pilot for other European countries, influencing policy and propelling Ireland’s decarbonisation journey forward as a whole.

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Resilient Innovation
22 June 2023
18  MINS

Meet Prof Peter Doran, Director of University of Galway’s New Institute for Clinical Trials

Prof Peter Doran is leading a team of experts in building an innovative, patient-centred Institute for Clinical Trials at University of Galway. Here, Peter reflects on how personal experiences of loss have instilled in him a greater sense of purpose towards improving the health of the nation.

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15 March 2023
23  MINS

Cell EXPLORERS: Who Gets To Be a Scientist?

Meadhbh McNutt, Dr Sarah Carroll, Dr Kristin Anderson

Based in University of Galway’s School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Cell EXPLORERS is a public engagement programme that aims to address science-related misconceptions held by some young people and provide positive experiences with hands-on science.

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Creative Galway
09 February 2023
15  MINS

What Makes Us Empathetic?

Bernadine Brady, Conn Holohan

While there is evidence to suggest that empathy is on the decline in society, using varied methodologies, researchers at University of Galway are exploring new ways to counter these trends. Dr Bernadine Brady was Principal Investigator in a recent study at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre (UCFRC) assessing the attitudes of 700 12–16-year-olds in Ireland on empathy, social values and civic behaviour. In Immersive Empathy, Principal Investigator Dr Conn Holohan and his colleagues are investigating empathy through a different lens, empowering clients of Galway Simon to tell their life stories and reflections on homelessness through oral history and virtual reality.

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Creative Galway
27 January 2023
24  MINS

How Do We Value Creativity After AI?

Professor John McHale

However troubling to today’s creatives, the rapid development of AI has generated a high demand for a new kind of skillset, one that is arguably creative in its own right. What do these changes in the skills economy mean for educators and institutions? Economist Prof John McHale reports on recent research unpacking the value of creative skills after AI, and the role of star recruitment in catalysing these creative skills in institutions. Finally, McHale looks at the question mark lingering over the value of the creative economy, through the lens of cost-benefit analysis.

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Creative Galway
13 January 2023
12  MINS

Innovation: “It Takes a Village”

W. Bernard Carlson

Contrary to the familiar image of the solitary inventor, Prof W. Bernard Carlson makes it clear that innovators never work alone. Drawing on pivotal examples in engineering and design, from the Buick automobile to the glass-ceramic wedding gift, Carlson presents innovation as a collective undertaking—a shaping of the path through which a product finds meaning.

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Creative Galway
11 January 2023
11  MINS

Making a Cultural Galway

Dr. Patrick Collins

Creativity as an aspirational goal has found its way into policy and popular discourse in recent years. It is a goal that, according to Patrick Collins – University of Galway Lecturer and author of the upcoming Galway: Making a Capital of Culture – requires a historical, cultural and geographical context. While Galway boasts a rich creative economy, here Patrick asks: does it have the capacity to support young creatives to make new types of culture in the future? Feature image: Artist: Galway Community Circus. Performance/event: LifeLine. Photographer: Emilija Jefremova.

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Creative Galway
10 January 2023
14  MINS

Earth Writings: A Toolkit for The Climate Crisis

Dr Nessa Cronin

What makes the knowledge systems of the arts and humanities uniquely valuable in addressing our current planetary predicament? Lecturer Dr Nessa Cronin brings together artists, academics, scientists and community activists to explore this key question. Together with her collaborators, she has created a creative toolkit in Earth Writings—a critical and inquisitive lens through which to navigate the climate emergency—the impact of which is now reaching classrooms across numerous disciplines.

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