COIS The Magazine for NUI Galway Alumni & Friends Autumn 2017 COIRIBENew Drama Centre | Exploring the Arctic Circle | Path Breaking Women 2 COIS COIRIBE CONTENTS 02 The Year in Pictures 04 FOCAL ÓN UACHTARÁN NEWS 08 University News 12 Campus News 14 Research Round-up 36 Student Success 39 Sporting Highlights FEATURES 18 Path Breaking Women 2 16 22 Arctic Circle Exploration 24 Treating Huntington’s Disease 25 Galway Forest Fires 26 A Hub of Medical Device Research 29 A New Home for Drama & Theatre 34 An Ghaeilge sa Ré Dhigiteach GRADUATES 28 Michaela O’Shaughnessy 38 Seán Dunne 40 Conor Pope 33 Hannah Kiely 44 Conferrings 18 STAFF 42 Staff Success 62 Appointment of New President GALWAY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION 8 48 Philanthropy at Work ALUMNI 50 Alumni Awards 52 Alumni Events 56 Class Notes 24 CONTRIBUTORS Seán Dunne, Dr Jessamyn Fairfield, Orla Higgins, Barry Houlihan, Jo Lavelle, Professor Patrick Lonergan, Dorothy Ní Uigín, Gwen O'Sullivan, Conor Pope, John Walshe, Keith Warnock. Managing Editor: Michelle Ní Chróinín
[email protected] Editorial Board: Catherine Conroy, Lorna Farren, Tom Joyce, Liz McConnell, Michelle Ní Chróinín 13 Photography: NUI Galway Archive, Andrew Downes, Aengus McMahon, Nuala Moore, Kevin Moran, Martina Regan 29 Design: Allen Creative www.allencreative.ie Print: iSupply Proofreading: Proofread.ie This publication is available online at: www.nuigalway.ie/alumni Disclaimer: Cois Coiribe is an annual magazine published by the Marketing & Communications Office for alumni and friends of NUI Galway. While every care is taken in compiling the magazine, NUI Galway accepts no responsibility for the effects arising thereof.