Autumn 2021

BIODIVERSITY ON CAMPUS AND THE ALL-IRELAND POLLINATOR PLAN 2021-2025

SEE PAGE 13 NEWS PAGE 2 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

CONTENTS FEATURES

Cereal innovator Why is Ireland’s Irish polling ‘University for Student learning – sets her sights far-right indicator: What the Future’ - embracing on healthier oats so small? do election polls Future Campus metacognition really mean? construction starts

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EDITOR'S LETTER EILIS O’BRIEN DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING

Despite the relative quiet created by remote working and will be many pairs of spikes set for the starting gun. Belfield now In this edition the President shares his thoughts on how the virtual learning, one of the striking things for anyone coming on boasts quality facilities for swimming and track as well as field campus will support the growth of the University with Seán Dunne campus is the amount of infrastructural development taking place. sports including hockey. And while the training and competition (page 29). The new student residences at Roebuck, complete with village facilities support the elite sports performers, they are extensively With COVID, UCD has had to assess itself in terms of the model centre, transform that area into a modern residential area that used by large numbers of students (and staff). of education we offer. The outcome is a clear sense of value in promises to buzz with social life as soon as it opens. Meanwhile, the academic and education facilities are about to the benefits of the campus model. Over and again we see that Some twenty-five students and alumni represented Ireland extend to a whole new level with the enabling works commencing our students and our community seek out personal interactions at the Olympics and Paralympics this summer and with their on the Centre for Creativity and the Centre for Future Learning. The and social exchanges as well as quality education and research. performances still a warm memory, there is great anticipation prospect of an iconic plaza rather than a concrete hut as you come The infrastructural work on campus keeps progressing to meet around the opening of the new track at the western end of the in through the main entrance will truly transform Belfield and make these expectations. And, although Belfield 50 wasn’t the public campus – thanks to a generous donor. Come September, there it a destination in itself. programme we had planned, Belfield 51 is looking very positive.

Subscribers: Xuefang Alterman, Ciaran Bennett, Caroline Byrne, Ursula Byrne, Catherine Carey, David Produced by: Eilis O’Brien, Mary Staunton, Jenny Costello In the compilation of this publication, every care has been taken to ensure accuracy. Corscadden, Jane Curtin, Mags D’Arcy, Emma Donovan, Mary Doorly, Georgina Dwyer, Daniel Esmonde Deasy, Design: Loman Cusack Design Ltd Any errors or omissions should be brought to the attention of UCD University Relations Antonella Ferrecchia, Evelyn Flanagan, Anne Fogarty, Beth Gormley, Andreas Hess, Una Kelly, Anna Kelly, ([email protected]). We also welcome your suggestions for articles in future editions. thanks... Merlo Kelly, John Kelly, Liam Kennedy, Naonori Kodate, Abigail Lalor, Christine Linehan, Patrick Masterson, Thanks to: Pat Guiry, Ann Lavan, Damien McLoughlin, UCD Cliona McGovern, Hilary Minch, Darina O’Hanlon, Theresa O’Leary, Paul Perry, Claire Scott, Mark Simpson, Regina Uí Chollatáin and Ben Tonra Cover image: Biodiversity on the UCD Belfield campus Dara Stanley, Regina Uí Chollatáin, Micéal Whelan. NEWS PAGE 4 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

UCD-led Covid Rapid Response project findings completed the anonymous online survey during COVID-19presented at IASSIDD European Congress August and September 2020. The majority of staff COVID RAPID Associate Professor Christine Linehan, UCD stated that they received a policy or guidelines School of Psychology, Director of UCD Centre on COVID-19 for people with intellectual and for Disability Studies presented findings from a developmental disabilities, and most reported RESPONSE HRB funded Covid Rapid Response project at satisfaction with these guidelines. Most staff the IASSIDD (International Association for the received information and/or training on prevention Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental of transmission, social distancing, use of PPE and PROJECT Disabilities) European Congress in July. Associate isolation of persons with suspected COVID-19. Professor Linehan is Chair of the Comparative Over half of all staff respondents reported Policy and Practice Special Interest Group of concerns with the reorganisation of staff shifts, IASSIDD and led this research with the support increases in the number of staff on sick leave, of 26 international colleagues representing 18 and requests for staff to take on new tasks. While countries worldwide. Using an online survey satisfaction rates were high with the availability methodology, the research gathered the views of of PPE, many staff expressed dissatisfaction with 3,754 caregivers of persons with intellectual and the timing of this equipment. Less than half of all developmental disabilities during the COVID-19 respondents were provided with information on pandemic. This research is openly published here. the psychological impact of providing support to persons with intellectual and developmental The global experiences of staff working in disability during the pandemic, and a minority A global survey exploring family members’ and paid staff’s perceptions of the impact intellectual and developmental disabilities of COVID-19 on individuals with reported the introduction of peer support intellectual and developmental disabilities services during the COVID-19 pandemic and their caregivers programmes. In combination, these experiences This presentation aimed to explore the global reveal significant disturbances in the global experiences of staff working in intellectual and delivery of disability services during the pandemic. developmental disabilities services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 1,842 staff members NEWS PAGE 5 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

COVID RAPID RESPONSE PROJECT (CONTINUED)

The global experiences of family members supporting a Caregivers’ experiences of COVID-19 in different person with intellectual and developmental disabilities living arrangements for people with intellectual and during the COVID-19 pandemic developmental disabilities This presentation explored the global experiences of 1,912 This presentation sought to explore family and staff family members supporting a person with intellectual and perceptions of the experience of COVID-19 in different developmental disability during the COVID-19 pandemic using residential living arrangements for people with intellectual data from the online global survey of caregivers. These data and developmental disabilities, specifically the family home, were collected simultaneously to the staff reports presented independent living, community group homes (CGH), and above. The majority of family members were dissatisfied with residential centres (RC). Data from all 3,754 respondents the level of support they and their family member received participating in the online survey were included in this during the pandemic, particularly changes in staffing support presentation. Caregivers supporting people with intellectual COVID-19 to their family member which included an increase in the and developmental disabilities in the family home were least presence of new staff on casual contracts. Family respondents likely when compared with other caregivers to receive policies, also reported a reduction in the number of people they typically information and training on COVID-19 and reported least approached for support in their caring role during the pandemic. satisfaction in these areas. They also reported the lowest levels In Brief Many family members reported reduced employment and of COVID-19 testing for the people they support. Respondents diminished income directly as a consequence of their caregiving who support people with intellectual and developmental From around the University duties. While many family members reported high levels of disabilities in CGH and RCs reported the highest levels of stress, less so anxiety and depression, only a minority of family COVID-19 testing, for both caregivers and the people they members reported receiving any information on psychological support, and the highest level of visitor restrictions. Those EXPERIENCES OF CANCER CARE DURING support; those who didn’t stated they would welcome this supporting individuals in RCs had the highest reporting of COVID-19 type of support. The collective experiences of family members COVID-19 symptoms, highest use of psychotropic medications reveal that many felt unsupported throughout the pandemic for mood, and highest use of environmental restraint during Phase 1 results of a longitudinal qualitative study and dissatisfied with the support provided. These patterns were the pandemic. These global trends reveal the differential observed globally and reveal an urgent need for the provision of experiences of people with intellectual and developmental A study by Assistant Professor Amanda Drury, UCD School appropriate and timely support. disabilities as a function of their living arrangement and the of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems has investigated the need to ensure equitable supports for all during the pandemic. experiences of cancer care amongst people affected by cancer in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in the study engaged in a series of semi- structured interviews between January and July 2021, and completed measures of resilience and distress. In the initial interviews conducted in January 2021 participants reported feeling that public health measures to reduce transmission of COVID-19 had created a sense of not missing out, reducing difficult social interactions requiring explanation of their diagnosis, and contributing to a feeling of safety. Participants also expressed reservations regarding the substitution of in- person medical appointments with telehealth contact, and the requirement to attend essential appointments alone. Phase 1 results of the study are published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances. Assistant Professor Drury collaborated with Associate Professor Manuela Eicher, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and Dr Maura Dowling, NUI Galway. NEWS PAGE 6 UCD TODAY - SPRING 2021 COVID-19 COVID-19 CONTACT In Brief DETECTION CHALLENGE From around the University

Contact detection is a method being used by organisations was noisy, weakly labelled and the data collection methods varied around the world in a bid to tackle the spread of COVID-19, from one event to another. The wide scope of the problem allowed but how exactly does it work and how can it be improved? them to be creative and formulate the problem in a number of different ways – some choosing complex time series analysis and Using data produced by your phone, applications like the HSE others fusing domain knowledge with machine learning techniques. COVID-19 tracker app allow for the tracking and notification of An array of algorithms was used from deep learning techniques to potential contacts with people who have tested positive for the tree-based ensembles. The effects of bringing a diverse range of virus. The HSE’s app uses Bluetooth data to calculate the distance expertise together and implementing a wide range of approaches and length of time people have been in contact with others. Testing resulted in teams performing on par and ahead of groups that are of the app showed an accuracy of 72% in the detection of close on the top of the leader board! contacts. Can machine learning methods improve the accuracy of Student Niamh Belton told us: “One of the key learning close contact detection using other data produced by your phone? takeaways from the project was how to formulate a Machine The NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology of Learning project. We found that defining the objective of the the USA) in collaboration with MIT’s research group PACT (Private project, establishing a clear baseline performance and effectively Automated Contact Tracing), have created a challenge titled TC4TL, evaluating the solution were crucial components of developing or Too Close For Too Long. The challenge saw universities around a robust solution. We learned that evaluating our solution meant UCD President Professor Andrew Deeks receiving his vaccination at UCD O’Reilly Hall the world participate in an attempt to develop accurate and robust not only assessing it on the basis of a performance metric but to models to calculate close contact detection. Positive results were also consider other factors such as the complexity, the training COVID-19 VACCINATION CENTRE AT O’REILLY HALL produced using Bluetooth data, accelerometer and transmission time and the feasibility of productionising the solution. Moreover, A fifth COVID-19 Vaccination Centre opened in UCD O’Reilly Hall, power information. The results and methodology of the various the project highlighted the significance of being able to effectively operated by the Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) on behalf of the groups can be viewed on the TC4TL challenge website. communicate our solution to others. We practiced both verbal HSE. The Centre commenced vaccinations at the start of June. The SFI Centre for Research Training in Machine Learning — a and written communication skills by composing a final report UCD President, Professor Andrew Deeks said: “We are delighted collaboration between UCD, DCU, and the TU Dublin that focuses and regularly presenting updates to fellow ML-Labs students and to support the HSE’s national vaccination programme in this way on PhD training in machine learning — approached NIST after the supervisors. These are skills that we can utilise and continue to and to facilitate the IEHG to administer vaccines as rapidly as initial competition and proposed that the new cohort of students develop in our future projects!” supplies permit. It is only through widespread vaccination that we take part in this challenge. The new cohort of thirty PhD students Fellow student Jack Nicholls said: “Like the majority of the global will be able to offer students an excellent campus experience in was divided into six groups and tasked with tackling the ‘Too Close’ workforce we have had to collaborate and work together through September.” or distance aspect of the TC4TL challenge. NIST created a direct online technology like Slack and Zoom. As some students have Declan Lyons, CEO of the Ireland East Hospital Group said: “We line of communication with the cohort, allowing the students to ask not travelled to Ireland due to the pandemic, time scheduling and are aiming to vaccinate up to 1,000 people per day at the Centre. questions on the data, the methods of evaluation, and any other coordination of working schedules was the first hurdle for many. We are delighted to work with our academic partner, UCD, in enquiries. With any project, there are different skills and backgrounds of each establishing this facility and it will greatly enhance our capacity with This challenge offered a unique opportunity to use machine team member. With such diverse backgrounds for each student of regard to the national vaccination programme.” learning skills to make an impact on a global issue. NIST provided ML-Labs, the groups had different levels of experience in project Vaccinations follow the HSE’s appointment schedule and people large amounts of data for almost 25,000 events where each management, software development, and model evaluation to learn are asked to come only when they receive official notification event had one label. This gave the students a chance to immerse from each other.” from the HSE. The Centre’s operations do not affect the operation themselves in a project that uses real-world data, where the data of the UCD University Club, which will remain open, operating in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions throughout the summer. NEWS PAGE 7 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 COVID-19

Researchers from UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS The impact of Centre), UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, have examined the impact of COVID-19 on child health and the provision of care in paediatric emergency the COVID-19 departments. The qualitative study by Ciara Conlon, Dr Thérèse McDonnell, pandemic on Professor Eilish McAuliffe and Dr Emma Nicholson, UCD IRIS Centre, and Clinical Associate Professor Michael Barrett, UCD School of Medicine and Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, child health and along with Professor Fergal Cummins, UL; Dr Conor Deasy, UCC; and Dr Conor Hensey, Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street, used insights from multidisciplinary frontline staff to the provision understand the changes in paediatric emergency healthcare during the pandemic and the experiences of working within the restructured health system. of Care in The study, published in BMC Health Services Research, found that public health restrictions necessitated by the pandemic have had an adverse impact on children’s health and Paediatric psychosocial wellbeing, exacerbated by difficulty in accessing primary and community services. The interruption to health and social care services is manifesting in numerous ways in Emergency emergency departments which have shown innovation and agility in the changes they have implemented to continue to Departments: a deliver care to children. qualitative study of frontline emergency care staff NEWS PAGE 8 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Poetry recordings by President Michael D. Higgins The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, visited UCD Special Collections in June 2021 to record a selection of his poems for the Irish Poetry Reading Archive – a digital repository of contemporary poetic voices. During his visit President Higgins commended this national collection, noting the importance of preserving the voices of Ireland’s poets for future generations and making them available to a global audience.

The nine recorded poems, drawn Poets in this archive include Paula from President Higgins’ four published Meehan, Michael Longley, Nuala Ní UCD hosts poetry collections reflect the importance Dhomhnaill, Bernard O’Donoghue, Medbh of family and community in his work, McGuckian, Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Ailbhe Ní inaugural Global as well as acknowledging the legacy of Ghearbhuigh, Felicia Olusanya, Annemarie Ireland’s turbulent past. ‘The Betrayal’, Ní Churreáin, Stephen James Smith, Partnerships Forum dedicated to the poet’s father, explores Kimberly Campanello, Christodoulos keynote address from Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, the challenges of life after the foundation Makris and many more, including those As Ireland’s Global University, UCD has a Professor Emerita, Technological University Dublin of the State, especially for those who who have participated in our UCD Festival significant global footprint, welcoming 8,400 and Joint Managing Partner at BH Associates had been involved in the revolutionary poetry events in recent years. Some of international students from 145 countries Education Consultants, entitled ‘The Architecture struggle. Other recorded poems – such the featured poets have associations to Dublin each year and with almost 4,000 of International Collaboration: Multilateralism in as ‘On Making the Three Decades’ and with UCD, either as staff, alumni, or international students at our overseas campuses. Support of Global Partnerships’. ‘The Touch 1’ – dwell on the need for students, including Siobhán Campbell, Engaging with our global partners and networks The Forum showcased partnerships in future generations to sustain values of Moya Cannon, Harry Clifton, Catríona is essential for UCD to continue as a leader in practice across Europe, the United States, and empathy and solidarity. The President also Clutterbuck, Anthony Cronin, Ian Davidson, the sector. With the necessary travel restrictions Asia with a stand-out session on UCD’s recently read ‘The Delivery’, ‘The Death of Mary Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe, Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi, in place over the past year, the ability to meet established joint international colleges in China. Doyle’, ‘Toes’, ‘The Storyteller’, ‘Stardust’ Frank McGuinness, Julie Morrissey, Chris university partners face-to-face, to continue The respective Principals, Professor Wu Wenying and ‘Of Saturdays Made Holy’ – a poem Murray, John O’Donnell, Nessa O’Mahony, to foster these important relationships, was of Beijing-Dublin International College, Professor made available on the Áras an Uachtaráin Paul Perry, Nerys Williams and Macdara significantly impacted. Like many sectors, Wang Hainian of Chang’an-Dublin International SoundCloud account to mark May Day Woods. UCD had to think creatively of how to reach our College of Transportation, and Professor Feng Lixin, 2020. During his visit, President Higgins In the words of Paula Meehan, poet collaborators in a valuable and productive way. Guangzhou-Dublin International College of Life referred to the “transformative possibilities and former Ireland Chair of Poetry, the Sciences and Technology, provided valuable insights of language”– especially in performance archive has become “an indispensable In April 2021, UCD hosted its first Global and perspectives. – making his poetry especially fitting tool for both poetry makers and poetry Partnerships Forum, an interactive four-day virtual In addition, the Forum afforded participants for inclusion in this heritage archive. His readers, on and off the island… it is just event tailored to international university partners. the opportunity to meet with UCD colleagues poems will be preserved in the UCD Digital and marvellous that the Archive holds The Forum comprised a series of panel discussions across the Colleges, functions, and regions through Library and are available here. the various and diverse voices of the with key thought leaders across international a bespoke virtual meeting hub where partners The Irish Poetry Reading Archive, community, and presents a rounded education addressing the salient and pressing discussed current collaborations and explored new founded in 2014, holds the work of over picture of the exciting and eclectic nature sectoral themes, including the future of global opportunities for engagement. 150 poets, including writers born in Ireland of Irish poetry today, in Irish, in English, partnerships, the ever-changing funding landscape While 2020/2021 is an academic year UCD staff but resident elsewhere and those newly and in translation.” and importance of prioritising sustainability in and students will not forget, it has also compelled arrived here. It has been viewed over The Irish Poetry Reading Archive is international activity. us to transform the way we work and engage with 230,000 times, from 65 countries across co-ordinated by Ursula Byrne and Evelyn Speakers at the Forum included UCD President our global partners, with many of these practices the world. Like other poets who have read Flanagan, UCD Library, in collaboration Professor Andrew J. Deeks and UCD Vice-President here to stay. UCD looks forward to welcoming more for the archive, President Higgins provided with Associate Professor Lucy Collins, for Global Engagement Professor Dolores O’Riordan, partners to the University ‘virtually’ in 2021/22. handwritten transcriptions of his recorded UCD School of English, Drama and Film. who welcomed over 180 guests virtually, along with The full programme for the Global Partnerships poems. *A version of this article appeared in The Irish Times, a plethora of external speakers. These included a Forum can be found on the UCD Global website. 24 June 2021 NEWS PAGE 9 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 Summer Conferring Ceremonies First issues of Society under During June, undergraduate and postgraduate students were conferred with degrees, certificates and diplomas in UCD School of Medicine and UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and new editorship published Sports Science; undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in UCD College of Engineering, UCD Founded in 1962 by American maverick sociologist Irving Louis Horowitz, Society enjoys a College of Health and Agricultural Sciences (UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD wide reputation as a journal that publishes the latest scholarship on the central questions of School of Medicine - Radiography and Diagnostic Imaging and UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery contemporary society. The journal is published by Springer and produces six issues a year and Health Systems) and UCD College of Science; and UCD School of Veterinary Medicine. offering new ideas and quality research in the social sciences and humanities in a clear, Everyone was disappointed not to be able to celebrate this happy occasion in person, but accessible style. graduates were able to tune into virtual ceremonies. As of 2021 the journal and Realism: The Political Thought of Judith N. UCD School of Veterinary Medicine has a new editorial team Shklar. His most recent, sole-authored book conferred students with undergraduate and consisting of joint editors- is Tocqueville and Beaumont. Aristocratic postgraduate qualifications from a range in-chief Professor Andreas Liberalism in Democratic Times. of programmes, as well as graduates from Hess, UCD School of Each issue of Society contains not only full- Veterinary Public Health and Food Regulatory Sociology and Professor length research articles but also commentaries, Affairs programmes, which are jointly run with Prof Andreas Hess Daniel Gordon, University discussion pieces and book reviews which the University of Ulster. Professor Michael of Massachusetts critically examine work conducted in the social Doherty, Dean and Head of UCD School of Amherst. In their role they are supported by sciences as well as the humanities. The journal Veterinary Medicine, welcomed graduates Dublin-based managing and book review editor is of interest to scholars and researchers and their families and friends. Guest speakers Johnny Lyons. who work in these broadly-based fields of included Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for The new team brings together a wide enquiry and those who conduct research in Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Joe Moffitt, range of disciplinary knowledge and expertise. neighbouring intellectual domains. Society President of the Veterinary Council of Ireland Professor Hess has a sociology and political should also be of interest to non-specialists and Dr Martin Blake, Chief Veterinary Officer. science background with special research who are keen to understand the latest 22 nationalities were represented amongst interests in historical sociology and the history developments in such subjects as sociology, those graduating from UCD School of Medicine, and sociology of ideas. He has published a history, political science, social anthropology, including 67 international students. Guest monograph on the American political theorist philosophy, and economics. speakers at this ceremony included Professor UCD Radiography graduates 2021 and émigré scholar Judith N. Shklar, The The journal is part of UCD’s and other Mary Horgan, Consultant in Infectious Political Theory of Judith N. Shklar. Exile from universities’ open access agreement. For Diseases, Cork University Hospital, former UCC We also held a number of virtual celebration Exile and also edited two thematically related the latest issue, the journal’s archive or more School of Medicine Dean and RCPI President, ceremonies for those students who graduated books, Judith Shklar’s On Political Obligation general information readers may visit the and Margaret O’Neill, National Dietetic Advisor, in December 2020 which students tuned in to and a collection of essays, Between Utopia journal’s website. Health and Wellbeing division, HSE. from home.

UCD Academic Appointed Chair of the National Research Ethics Committees for Clinical Trials Dr Cliona McGovern, ethics applications related to Clinical Trials of many years, including the REC in the Irish College matters relating to the use of case scenarios, UCD School of Investigational Medicinal Products. This includes of General Practitioners and the REC in the simulated patients, and the assessment of Medicine, has been interventional studies and low-interventional National Rehabilitation Hospital. In 2019 she was ethical principles. Since 2016, Dr McGovern has appointed by the studies involving medicinal products for human appointed as chair of UCD’s Human Research been the ethics advisor and member of the Lay Minister of Health, use. The NRECs will play a key role in protecting Ethics Committee (Life Sciences). Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Stephen Donnelly TD the safety, dignity and well-being of health In 2019, Dr McGovern was also appointed to Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE). as chair of the new research participants in Ireland. the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians Dr McGovern says: “I look forward to leading National Research Dr McGovern is the Head of Subject for as an ethical and medico-legal advisor to the the NREC-CT Committee B in our goal of ensuring Dr Cliona McGovern Ethics Committees Forensic and Legal Medicine in UCD School of Scenario Editorial Committee for the MRCP that the interests of research participants are for Clinical Trials (NREC-CTs). The remit of Medicine. She is, and has been, a member of Clinical Examinations. Her role is to advise the paramount, while maintaining momentum in the the NREC-CTs is to review the submission of several Research Ethics Committees (REC) for Committee on medical ethics and medical law conduct of clinical trials in Ireland.” FEATURE PAGE 10 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 Cereal innovator sets her sights on healthier oats

Prof Fiona Doohan, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science

DID YOU HAVE PORRIDGE FOR BREAKFAST TODAY? MAYBE YOU HAD OAT MILK IN YOUR COFFEE OR AN OAT-FILLED CEREAL BAR TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY LEVELS. THANKS TO THEIR VERSATILITY AND POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS, OATS ARE HAVING SOMETHING OF A RENAISSANCE, AND PROFESSOR FIONA DOOHAN IS ON A MISSION TO HELP CEREAL BREEDERS, FARMERS, FOOD PROCESSORS AND NUTRITIONISTS TAKE A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH WITH THEM FOR OUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET. FEATURE PAGE 11 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

CEREAL INNOVATOR SETS HER SIGHTS ON HEALTHIER OATS (CONTINUED)

Professor Doohan, who is Professor of was inspired by lectures from mycologist Hubert R&D projects, to get a faster understanding of Plant Health at UCD School of Biology and Fuller on how fungi interact with plants, and she crop disease and potentially shave years off the Environmental Science, is co-leading a new, went on to do a PhD at the John Innes Centre process of developing more resistant varieties. €2.7-million project called Healthy Oats, which in Norwich, England, on controlling Fusarium She is also innovating to control the microbes takes a big-picture look at this staple cereal. “It’s fungi in crops. “At that stage, about 20 years ago, that live on and around the crop plant, encouraging a challenge-based project involving stakeholders molecular biology was taking off and this gave us beneficial fungi to improve the resistance of the in Ireland and Wales, to help small to medium a whole new technology to explore how plants and crop against disease. She is a co-founder of enterprises to develop new products sustainably,” fungi interact,” she says. e-Seed Crop Technology Solutions, a joint UCD- she explains. Since then, Professor Doohan’s research has Trinity College Dublin spin-out company that focused on how to improve disease resistance is developing microbe mixes to add to soil to From soil to human health in crops, most notably wheat and barley, and increase crop yields. And why the humble oat, in particular? Oat is her scope has widened far beyond the molecular “This really emerged from fundamental a historically important crop in Ireland as it can dance between plant and disease-causing attacker. research in our lab, blue-sky research that was grow on relatively poor land that might not sustain funded by Science Foundation Ireland, and now staples such as wheat or barley, explains Professor “One of the biggest we are seeing the fruits of it,” she explains. “Now Doohan, whose home town of Gortahork in we are able to work with companies and develop Donegal derives its name from the Irish Gort an things I have learned usable, realistic solutions to improving the health Choirce, or ‘oat field’. of the soil and micro-environment around the crop.” Now, the 21st century is waking up to the over the last two potential health benefits of oats, a rich source of Stick to your core and collaborate vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre. “We are only decades of research Throughout much of her time at UCD, Professor scratching the surface of what oats could have Doohan has had a longer commute to work than to offer in terms of human health,” says Professor in this area is that you most – from Donegal to Belfield. “I live 20 minutes Doohan. need to look beyond the from the airport in Donegal, so up until COVID-19 The Healthy Oats project, which is funded hit I was working three days a week in UCD and through the EU’s INTERREG programme, will test binary questions – what two from home, it is a good balance with kids and different varieties of oat in the field at UCD and in family,” she says. “Also I love the contrast of being Aberystwyth, to assess their nutritional qualities pest affects which crop in Dublin and walking around the city, then getting and their resilience to disease, environmental the plane home and it is like being on the other change and potentially damaging ‘mycotoxins’ – and take the larger side of the world.” produced by fungi. picture into account. Similarly, she has held firm to her core in Professor Dolores O’Riordan, Director, UCD research, using technology as a tool to answer Institute of Food and Health, Vice-President for You really have to look questions rather than becoming distracted by it. Global Engagement, will explore how low-impact “My advice to all scientific researchers is not to get processing could affect nutrition, and Assistant at the entire system and waylaid by the technology,” she says. “Always have Professor Amalia Scannell, UCD School of a scientific or biological question that you want to Agriculture and Food Science, will examine the come up with realistic answer, use the technology that can help you and sensory qualities and tastiness of potentially new ways to intervene.” work with experts. That really is the key I think to oat-based products. cracking the nut of innovation and delivering for “We are really going from soil right through industry, you have to love what you do and keep to human health in this project, in a bid to help Fundamental questions bear fruit that scientific curiosity at your core.” farmers and food processors to work sustainably Professor Doohan’s ability to translate the into the future,” says Professor Doohan. knowledge from research into application earned her the NovaUCD Innovation Award 2021 last Tackling cereal killers Professor Fiona Doohan was in conversation March. “It was just brilliant to receive that, I was so with Dr Claire O’Connell (BSc, (Hons) 1992, PhD Professor Doohan’s interest in plant health honoured,” she says. started with fungi. While studying industrial 1998), journalist with The Irish Times and Silicon The award recognises her work on marker Republic and Irish Science Writer of the Year 2016. microbiology as an undergraduate in UCD, she genes of disease that industry can analyse in their FEATURE PAGE 12 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 HPV-based screening for cervical cancer International study co-authored by UCD Professor Donal Brennan confirms HPV-based screening for cervical cancer has superior sensitivity compared to traditional LBC Prof Donal Brennan screening.

An international study, with centres in Ireland, published in JAMA Network Open on 30 June 2021 showed that molecular testing for human papilloma infection (HPV) infection, outperformed liquid-based cytology (LBC) approaches, detecting 19% more true positives of CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia). Professor Donal Brennan, UCD School of Medicine and Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Mater and St Vincent’s University Hospitals (SVUH) Dublin, and Dr Edward Corry, Registrar, Gynaecological Oncology, Mater and SVUH were co-authors of this study. President Biden holding ‘James Hoban: Designer and Builder of the White House’. Photo credit: DJ Judd, CNN The study, which sought to estimate the likely outcomes of different cervical screening modalities and to model how the increasing James Hoban: Designer and Builder of the White House uptake of HPV vaccination could affect the interpretation of screening results, in a The White House Historical Association President Biden was presented with a copy of for drawing in 1780, Hoban went on to work simulated population of 1000 women over has recently published an edited collection of the book in the White House in advance of the on a number of prominent projects in Dublin 25 years of age, showed HPV test sensitivity eight essays entitled James Hoban: Designer launch. Merlo Kelly recorded podcasts for the most notably the Royal Exchange (City Hall), at 89.9% and LBC test sensitivity at 75.5%. and Builder of the White House. White House Historical Association, following the Newcomen Bank and the Custom House. The study concluded that over a lifetime of presentation of her research on Hoban at their By 1785, Hoban had emigrated to the United The volume features essays by screening, reflex approaches with appropriate 2018 symposium in Washington DC – ‘The States and was advertising his services as a distinguished architects and graduates of the test intervals maximised treatment efficacy United Kingdom and Ireland in the White House: joiner and carpenter in local newspapers. In UCD MUBC (Masters of Urban and Building and as HPV vaccination rates increased, A Conversation on Historical Perspectives.’ 1792 he won a competition to design and build Conservation) programme – Merlo Kelly, a HPV-screening approaches resulted in Irish architect James Hoban was born in the President’s House in Washington DC, which Design Fellow in UCD, Brian O’Connell and fewer unnecessary colposcopies than LBC 1755, and spent his childhood years in Desart, became known as the White House. Professor Finola O’Kane. Connecting Hoban, approaches. Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny where he trained The essays in the book explore a range of architect of arguably the world’s most famous Professor Brennan graduated from UCD as a carpenter and wheelwright. He attended topics from Hoban’s early years and influences house, with his home landscapes of Kilkenny School of Medicine in 2003 and Dr Corry the Dublin Society School of Architectural in Ireland, to his life and career in the United and Dublin and his eventual projects and graduated from UCD School of Veterinary Drawing in the 1770s, and studied under States, with in-depth analysis of the White practice across the early USA, it was launched Science in 2004 and then undertook the GEM architect Thomas Ivory. Having won a prize House design and construction. in Washington DC on St. Patrick’s Day, 2021. (Graduate Entry Medicine) Programme in TCD. NEWS PAGE 13 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

‘Rendezvous’ Sculpture Sensory Spaces and Biodiversity on Campus Places: UCD’s Universally and the All-Ireland Accessible Campus Trail Pollinator Plan 2021-2025 The UCD Belfield campus is a very beautiful amenity. As part The first All-Ireland Pollinator Plan was published in September of UCD’s work to create a University for All that is accessible and 2015 to meet the challenge of pollinator decline. UCD joined as inclusive of all users, the development of a campus accessible a partner organisation in 2018 and committed to focusing our sensory trail is underway. UCD Access and Lifelong Learning, management practices on campus to align with and support the in collaboration with UCD Estate Services, are developing this principles of the plan. UCD has now signed up to be a supporter wildflower meadows, and other green infrastructure projects exciting project, which will provide spaces for quiet reflection of the next phase: All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025. such as sedum roofs on UCD Moore Centre for Business, Ashfield and recreation in universally accessible spots. The sensory trail Student Residences and UCD University Club, all of which will will be mapped out and signposted for all users. It will include Over the past number of years UCD has reduced mowing help to provide a valuable food source and habitat for pollinating existing natural beauty spots, walkways, quiet areas and forest regimes, discontinued the use of glyphosate for weed control in insects into the future. Further information on the 2021 UCD areas. The trail will provide outdoor accessible recreational amenity areas, introduced newly planted areas, new and extended Pollinator Plan is available on the UCD Estates Services Website. spaces that will assist campus users to enjoy healthy, tranquil UCD academics have been at the forefront of engagement and restorative interludes during each day and will assist greatly with pollinators on campus, through public awareness initiatives with mental health and wellbeing. such as tours of the orchard and apiary in Rosemount during The sensory trail will be created in a quadrant, encompassing World Bee days, bee identification workshops as part of UCD the woodland trail, the main thoroughfare and the upper lake Earth WalkTalk, the ongoing UCD Bumblebee Monitoring transect area. Various points of interests and stops along the way will be and the Green Roof Biodiversity monitoring project. There are plotted on an interactive map. The four main parts of the sensory also an increasing number of research projects involving bees trail will include: and pollinators at UCD, for example the SUSPOLL (Sustainable · The Chess Garden Pollination Services in a Changing World) and PROTECTS · ‘Rendezvous’ sculpture (Protecting terrestrial ecosystems through sustainable pesticide · The vegetable garden behind the Veterinary building use) projects running through UCD Earth Institute and UCD School · The Conway wildflower meadow of Agriculture and Food Science. Such research and engagement In between these sectors, other areas will be selected for their from UCD further feeds into the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. sensory plants, quiet places, and accessibility features. NEWS PAGE 14 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 ‘Critical Exploration of Human Rights’ Conference – Irish European Law Forum On 7 and 8 May 2021, UCD Centre for Human Asian Studies), Dr Joel Pruce (University of Rights held an international online conference Dayton), and Dr Sharon Weill (Sciences Po, Paris entitled Critical Exploration of Human Rights: School of International Affairs) delivered thought- When Human Rights Become Part of the Problem. provoking presentations which were followed by Adopting a critical perspective, speakers lively discussions. A suite of 22 papers were also and attendees discussed a broad range of delivered in the different panels over the two days. topics on human rights including the issues of The event was introduced by Professor Orla humanisation of war, uses and abuses of human Feely, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation rights, inequalities and economic rights, human and Impact. She emphasised the importance of rights advocacy and activism, but also human such contributions to the debate on human rights rights and violence, and human rights and crises. at a time when Ireland sits as an elected member at the United Nations Security Council for the Professor Samuel Moyn (Yale Law School) 2021-22 term. delivered a keynote lecture ‘Humanisation of the Professor Colin Scott, College Principal, UCD War’. Based on his book Human: How the United College of Social Sciences and Law, Vice-President States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War he for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, said that the Contributors at UCD Centre for Human Rights ‘Critical Exploration of Human Rights’ Conference discussed the origins and significance of humane conference exemplified the interdisciplinarity Law, acknowledged the importance of the Centre’s Director of UCD Centre for Human Rights, and war. Distinguished guest speakers Professor Neve and the international dimension of the research contribution to UCD Sutherland School of Law. The Dr Lea David, Assistant Professor, UCD School of Gordon (Queen Mary University of London), Dr undertaken in the University and in UCD College of event was co-organised by Associate Professor Sociology. It was co-funded by UCD Sutherland Daniela Lai (Royal Holloway, University of London), Social Sciences and Law in particular. Professor Marie-Luce Paris, UCD Sutherland School of Law, School of Law and UCD School of Sociology. Professor Jacques Leider (French Institute of Imelda Maher, Dean of UCD Sutherland School of

It is estimated that by 2036, one in three Between April and June 2021, Associate Circuits of Care: people in Japan will be over the age of 65. Professor Kodate was invited to join film While the nation wrestles with a shrinking screenings and discussion sessions targeted at labour force, the Robot Revolution Initiative a variety of local and international audiences. Ageing and Japan’s was launched to expand robotics into every The organisers include the SFI Centre for corner of Japanese economy and society. Research Training in Advanced Networks Robot Revolution The film Circuits of Care, directed by Professor for Sustainable Societies (ADVANCE CRT), Prendergast and produced by Associate the Service Design Network (SDN), the Associate Professor Naonori Kodate, UCD School Professor Kodate, was shot in Tokyo in the Response=Ability Summit 2021, and the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice autumn of 2019. From cybernetic walking of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences and Director of UCD Centre for Japanese Studies supports to companion robots and automated (EHESS), France. (UCD-JaSt) teamed up with Professor David sensor networks in nursing homes, older adults The film was part of an interdisciplinary and Prendergast (Professor of Science, Technology and care professionals share their experiences international project, ‘Harmonisation towards and Society at Maynooth University) to produce a of the practical benefits these technologies the establishment of Person-centred, Robotics- film entitled Circuits of Care: Ageing and Japan’s bring, the problems they create and the aided Care System (HARP: RoCS)’, funded by Robot Revolution. The film has been nominated unexpected relationships that can blossom. the Toyota Foundation. for awards at several film festivals, and won the The film also sheds light on how assistive 2021 Best Documentary Award at Long Story technologies were used during the pandemic Shorts International Film Festival. to provide care for older people. FEATUREFEATURE PAGE PAGE 15 15 UCD UCD TODAY TODAY - -SPRING AUTUMN 2021 2021

tendencies as other people, and yet we “IT HAS MEANT THAT WE have a politics without extreme racism. SEE OUR SURVIVAL AS Racism does exist in Irish society, just as BEING OUTWARD-LOOKING. it does in other societies, and it’s fair to OUR SENSE OF IRISHNESS Why is say that Ireland’s institutions don’t serve HAS MOVED ON FROM people of colour or Travellers as well as the ‘BLOOD AND SOIL’ AND THE white Irish majority: if you look at policing, prisons and employment you will see NORTHERN IRISH CONFLICT people have problems getting on because HAS BEEN A LESSON IN of race or culture.” WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN Ireland’s As a relatively small country, Ireland NATIONALIST POLITICS GO became very educated and very liberal SOUR. IRISH POLITICIANS quite fast. “We didn’t have an industrial HAVE LEARNED TO Prof Bryan Fanning revolution in the standard sense, going MODERATE THEMSELVES In the recent Dublin Bay South by-election, from farmers to post-industrial in one step,” SO AS NOT TO STIR A POT the combined vote for the far-right barely says Fanning. OF ETHNIC CONFLICT – far-right reached 1.3%. In other European countries “National identity is something that ALTHOUGH YOUNGER – most notably France, where Marine Le can be approached in a positive, inclusive GENERATIONS DON’T Pen won a third of the vote in the 2017 way, and this is very different from the NECESSARILY KNOW THIS.” Presidential election – they do much better. version of Irishness you may find when you Where have the Irish far-right come look at some social media videos which As a whole, Fanning says that Irish people from, why have they failed to take off take a more narrow, exclusive version. In don’t have a problem with immigrants as so small? electorally in Ireland, and is there a risk that England, Hungary and Poland, the far- such, despite almost 80% of the country complacency could allow the forces of right claim ownership of what it is to be in 2004 voting that children born in

Asst Prof Gabriela Martinez Sainz Call them fascist, ultra-nationalism and xenophobia to grow English, Hungarian or Polish, but Irish Ireland would not have an automatic right call them alt-right or here? people in all our diversity are not drawn to citizenship. Bryan Fanning is Professor of Migration to pre-1966 versions of Irishness, or the call them far-right and Social Policy in UCD School of Social type of Irishness that may have been Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, and embodied by de Valera. We have seen – but from a base his new book, Diverse Republic, examines huge changes aimed at stemming the of virtually zero a the nature of antipathy to immigration in flow of emigration, we have seen major Ireland and the extent to which this has the urbanisation and secularisation, and we are decade ago, they’ve potential to be politically exploited. outward-looking in that we see the country grown to a notable, In the book, a sequel and companion to as part of a global economy, and being Migration and the Making of Ireland (2018), part of a multicultural Europe has been a albeit still relatively Fanning looks at how conflicts between way for us to demonstrate our sovereignty small, political conservatives and liberal don’t neatly fit into from Britain. Our patriotism has been built the Irish political context, why Ireland has around the economy.” presence in Ireland. tended to be more outward-looking and This economic patriotism stems back how the Northern Irish conflict gave Ireland to decisions made in the 1960s, primarily a different perspective on tribal or ethnic by Taoiseach Seán Lemass and senior nationalism. civil servant TK Whittaker, to open up the “Ireland doesn’t have a smaller far-right economy and reintegrate into the wider because we are particularly wonderful world after decades of a more isolationist people,” says Fanning. “We have the same policy. FEATURE PAGE 16 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

WHY IS IRELAND’S FAR-RIGHT SO SMALL? (CONTINUED)

“Immigrants were welcomed into the the often negative experience of what it economy and worked in various sectors was to be Protestant in post-independence and places, but a lot of ordinary people Ireland.” came to the conclusion that an immigrant INCLUSIVE CITIZENSHIP, born next door to them was not Irish. That said, when we think of someone as a fellow SAYS FANNING, IS citizen, we admit them into a category IMPORTANT TO STEM THE that includes ourselves, regardless of their GROWTH OF THE FAR-RIGHT ethnic background. For instance, when IN IRELAND. Ibrahim Halawa, an Irish-born citizen with “We can take an inclusive approach an Irish passport, was imprisoned in Egypt, and admit more people into decision the media reported on him as an Irish making and into becoming a more active citizen and Irish politicians went to see an part of their community. Polish people, Irish citizen in a foreign prison.” for instance, may not vote if they’re He speculates that, were the 2004 not Irish citizens, and they’re not Irish referendum to be held again today, the citizens because, by virtue of holding EU result would most likely be on “a knife edge.” citizenship, they may feel they don’t need FANNING SAYS THAT THE it. In the UK context, non-British citizens AVERAGE TD HAS A GOOD could have changed the outcome of SENSE OF HOW VOTERS Brexit if they had had a vote.” FEEL ABOUT ISSUES AND Integration should happen in local THAT, DESPITE SOME communities, and communities should be consulted about services, facilities and NOISES FROM A FEW RURAL infrastructure, Fanning says. “If a direct INDEPENDENT POLITICIANS, Asst Prof Gabriela Martinez Sainz provision is going into a town, it should THERE ISN’T SUFFICIENT be tied to community development so POLITICAL HAY TO BE MADE nobody is seen as a burden. A Citizens’ FROM STOKING UP ANTI- Assembly could look positively at what it IMMIGRANT SENTIMENT. means to be Irish in the 21st century.” “MOST MAINSTREAM POLITICIANS HAVE COME TO Professor Bryan Fanning was in THE CONCLUSION THAT IT conversation with Peter McGuire, BA WON’T BENEFIT THEM TO BE (2002), MLitt (2007), a freelance journalist SEEN AS RACIST.” and a regular contributor to The Irish He cautions against complacency Times. however. Anti-Traveller prejudice has only grown over the past few decades, with Fanning commenting on how the rhetoric around Travellers echoes colonial British views of Irish people. “We can also look at NEWS PAGE 17 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 Winner of 30% Club Six UCD Professors Elected to Royal Irish Academy On 21 May 2021 six UCD professors were elected to the Royal Irish Academy, the highest academic honour in Ireland. Diploma in Corporate Admittance to the Academy recognises world-class contributions to the sciences, humanities and social sciences. Governance Scholarship The six UCD professors were amongst 27 new members admitted during a remote admittance ceremony. The newly elected UCD professors are: Smurfit Executive Development is delighted to announce the award • Professor John Feehan, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science of the 2021 30% Club scholarship • Professor John Crown, UCD School of Medicine to Marie Gleeson. Marie Gleeson • Associate Professor Meidhbhín Ní Úrdail, UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore served for over 20 years in the Irish Navy reaching the rank of Lieutenant • Professor Brian O’Connor, UCD School of Philosophy Commander. Her career highlights • Professor Desmond Tobin, UCD School of Medicine include command of the LE AOIFE • Professor John Brannigan, UCD School of English, Drama and Film from 2013-2015 and service on a UN mission in Chad. She retired from Professor John Feehan, UCD School Professor Brian O’Connor, Head the Irish Navy in 2019 and founded of Agriculture and Food Science is an of UCD School of Philosophy gained NavMar Leadership. She provides environmental scientist who has made international renown for his distinctive leadership consultancy services an outstanding contribution to raising contributions in critical social theory and and is a motivational speaker. public awareness of the environment the history of German philosophy. His Marie Gleeson’s trailblazing career through several books and in his books are cited by the most prominent will further enhance the profile of outreach through television and YouTube. His work is scholars and researchers and feature on university participants on this prestigious especially well known in rural Ireland and in farming circles. teaching curricula worldwide. Marie Gleeson programme. Professor John Crown is Professor Professor Desmond Tobin, Marie believes in the benefits of gender balance having lived it as of Translational Cancer Research at DCU Professor of Dermatological Science, one of the first female officers to serve in the Irish Navy. Her Masters and clinical research professor at UCD UCD School of Medicine is an dissertation (MSc Human Resource Leadership, Sheffield Hallam School of Medicine. He has published internationally recognised skin and hair University) highlights the improved performance in organisations with a widely on clinical and translational follicle biomedicine researcher. He was gender balanced executive leadership team. research in breast cancer therapy. His recently awarded a Science Foundation Alongside the growing emphasis on education and training of pioneering research is known internationally for advancing Ireland Frontiers-to-the-Future award to explore how company directors and governors is an increased emphasis on diversity pathways to overcome resistance to cancer treatment and healthy melanocytes transform into melanoma cells. in boardrooms. Following the banking crisis, the Stock Exchange’s to improve outcomes through molecular understanding of Corporate Governance Code added forceful material on the need for exceptional cancer responses. Professor John Brannigan, Head of diverse boards, including gender and race. That Code advocates diversity UCD School of English, Drama and Film as a means of avoiding “groupthink”, encouraging different approaches Associate Professor Meidhbhín is the author of seven monographs and and experiences around boardroom tables. Under the State Code, due Ní Úrdail is Head of Modern Irish at many articles and book chapters on regard for diversity is required in making state board appointments, with UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies authors from Brendan Behan to Virginia chairs and government departments required to consider the benefits of and Folklore. Her extensive dossier of Woolf and has led innovative research diversity on boards, including gender diversity. publications in three languages (Irish, projects on literature and the sea. To advance the objectives of the code, UCD Smurfit Executive English and German) consistently Development, in association with the 30% Club, offers one scholarship exhibits excellence in the depth and originality of its per annum to a female student on the fully accredited postgraduate research, the range and versatility of its subject matter, and Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance. The 30% Club was the meticulous quality of its presentation. launched in January 2015 and has the objective of improving gender balance at all levels in Irish business, with a focus on gender balance on boards of directors and in senior executive leadership positions. NEWS PAGE 18 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Twamley from UCD School of Agriculture and Food re-peat: Re-thinking Irish peatlands’ Science. A recording of the event is available on the Soapbox Science Dublin 2021 • Tammy Strickland, RCSI: ‘Rhythms of Life: Soapbox Science Dublin YouTube channel. Day in the life of a human brain’ How can maths help save the bees? How can chocolate help us understand chemical The 12 Soapbox Science Dublin 2021 polymorphisms? These were some of the questions discussed during Soapbox Science Dublin speakers and the titles of their talks were: • Dr Sarah MacQueen, UCD: ‘Save the bees… 2021 when (due to COVID-19) twelve female scientists, engineers and mathematicians swapped with mathematics?!’ their soapboxes on the street for an online platform. • Dr Victoria Elizabeth Mullin, TCD: ‘From bones to genomes’ • Dr Cristina Trujillo, TCD: ‘Using On Saturday 3 July speakers gave 5-minute Computational Chemistry to design new, • Dr Rebecca Whetton, UCD: ‘The dirt beneath talks on their research to the general public. non-toxic ways of obtaining pharmaceutical our feet’ Audience members could log on any time to compounds’ listen via Facebook and YouTube, and could ask • Dr Elena-Alexandra Micu, TCD: • Dr Amalia Naranjo-Lucena, Department questions and interact with the free, live event. ‘SmartBridge’ of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: ‘The Soapbox Science is a global public outreach microbial veterinary gardaí’ platform which aims to connect scientists with • Helena Mylise Sørensen, DCU: ‘You are what the general public and to increase the visibility of you eat: Engineering the foods of the future’ • Dr Gita Singh, UCD: ‘Li-ion battery: The untold love story’ women and non-binary scientists and the science • Reabetswe Zwane, DCU: ‘Chocolate for your they do. Soapbox Science Dublin 2021 was pain: How the chemistry of painkillers can • Professor Sally Ann Lynch, Children’s Health supported by UCD seed funding and UCD Earth help you choose the best chocolate’ Ireland at Temple Street: ‘Celebrities get Institute, and was organised by Dr Angela Feechan, mutations too’ Dr Dara Stanley, Dr Saoirse Tracy and Dr Anthony • Elena Aitova, NUI, Galway and UCD: ‘Re-wet,

the Year Award is Equal1 Labs which is developing trajectory of their final year dissertation projects. NovaUCD Innovation Award Recipients 2021 a new type of quantum computer based on The recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Licence the latest advances in semiconductor CMOS of the Year Award is Dr Donal MacKernan, UCD The NovaUCD Innovation Awards highlight diseases in crops; genes conferring resistance to (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) School of Physics, who has developed a disruptive successes made in areas of knowledge fungal diseases that attack cereals; a novel enzyme technology. The company, founded by Dr Dirk molecular switch platform technology. During 2020 transfer, consultancy, entrepreneurship and the used to break down lignocellulose to produce Leipold, Professor R. Bogdan Staszewski and this technology was licensed by NovaUCD to a US- promotion of an innovation culture by members bioethanol along with a method of transforming Mike Asker, is a spin-out from the UCD School of based company Fionnachtain Inc with an initial of the UCD research, innovation and start-up cells to improve crop traits. Electrical and Electronic Engineering. application as a point-of-care medical diagnostic community. A number of these inventions have been co- The recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD for COVID-19 and influenza. developed with collaborators in Teagasc and Trinity Consultancy of the Year Award is Professor Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for The 2021 NovaUCD Innovation Award, College Dublin. Seven of these inventions have Michael Wallace, UCD School Agriculture and Food Research, Innovation and Impact said: which recognises excellence in innovation or of been patented and three licence agreements have Science, for a consultancy study entitled ‘Economic successes achieved in the commercialisation of been signed with industry. Impact Assessment of the Tillage Sector in Ireland’ “I would like to congratulate all those who UCD research or other intellectual activity over a Professor Fiona Doohan is also a co-founder commissioned by Tillage Industry Ireland through have received 2021 NovaUCD Innovation number of years, was awarded to Professor Fiona of e-Seed Crop Technology Solutions, a joint ConsultUCD. Awards. These Awards were established Doohan, UCD School of Biology and Environmental UCD-TCD spin-out company, which is focused on The recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Founder to recognise and highlight the successes Science. developing novel endophytes that can increase of the Year Award is Charlie Gleeson, founder and being made by members of our research As a crop scientist Professor Doohan’s research crop yields. CEO of Zipp Mobility, the micromobility start-up. is focused on improving the sustainability of The recipients of the 2021 NovaUCD Invention During 2020 Zipp Mobility secured over €1 million and innovation community across the crop production systems in Ireland and globally, of the Year Award are: Professor Patricia Maguire, in seed funding, including €250,000 from Enterprise University. I wish them all continuing and enhancing the diversification, safety and UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Ireland and launched e-scooter operations in success in 2021 and the years ahead transparency of Irish food systems and she has Science, Professor Fionnuala Ní Aínle, UCD School multiple UK locations. as they continue to shape the future secured over €30 million in research funding to of Medicine and Dr Paulina Szklanna, UCD School The recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Innovation and deliver impact for the economy and date. of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, for their Champion of the Year Award is Dr Paul Cuffe, UCD society through their commercialisation, She has filed a total of 14 invention disclosures discovery of biomarkers which can be used to School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, for consultancy, entrepreneurial and with NovaUCD in areas such as novel endophytes diagnose preeclampsia risk. his dedication to working with UCD engineering and their use in improving yield and suppressing The recipient of the 2021 NovaUCD Spin-out of programme students, to unlock the commercial innovation activities.” NEWS PAGE 19 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 New Chair of Foras na Gaeilge

In May 2021 Professor Regina Uí Chollatáin was appointed the new Chair of the Board of Foras na Gaeilge, the cross-border north-south language body responsible for language funding and initiatives and Irish language organisations on the island of Ireland.

A native of research are Irish language media and literature, Letterkenny and the Revival period, examining literary, linguistic, President of the historical, and cultural influences on the Irish Global Irish Diaspora language national and international community. Congress, Professor Professor Uí Chollatáin says: “Táim ag súil Uí Chollatáin is Chair go mór le bheith ag obair le Foras na Gaeilge and Professor of sa ról seo. Tá neart tograí agus féidearthachtaí Modern Irish at UCD, spreagúla ar siúl i measc phobal na Gaeilge faoi and has been Head láthair agus is mór agam a bheith páirteach san of UCD School of obair seo. I am looking forward to working with Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore since 2015. Foras na Gaeilge in this role. There are many Professor Uí Chollatáin is a member of exciting projects and possibilities in the Irish Dublin Climate Dialogues - the Irish Folklore Council and sits on the MoLI language sector at this time and I am delighted Influencing Outcomes for COP26 Academic Advisory Board. Her main areas of to be part of this work.” UCD hosted the Dublin Climate Dialogues Professor Andrew Keane, Director of UCD Conference which took place on 19 and 20 Energy Institute, and Professor Patricia Maguire, May 2021, broadcast from UCD O’Reilly Hall. Director of UCD Institute for Discovery were both UCD Clinton Institute Announces Over two days attendees at the Dublin Climate on the Steering Committee for the event, which Dialogues heard from experts in the fields of was brought together by Irish renewable energy climate change, green finance, energy and industry leader Dr Eddie O’Connor. Professor Partnership with CNN Academy technology on how individual countries and the Keane moderated two sessions in the conference. UCD Clinton Institute is delighted to be working with CNN Academy to create a new MA in global community can accelerate the transition Session 7: Technologies and Resources for Journalism and International Affairs – the first Masters programme in English that CNN to NetZero ahead of the UN Climate Change Decarbonisation explored a selection of the critical have co-designed in collaboration with a university partner. The programme will directly Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, energy resources and technologies required for connect the classroom to the newsroom and will include opportunities for students to November 2021. the transition to net zero carbon energy. Session publish work on CNN. Sessions will be led by CNN producers, journalists and editors, 8: Energy Systems to Facilitate Decarbonisation providing practical training in audio, video, digital, and social storytelling combined with Chaired by Pat Cox, former President of the commenced with a keynote address from Marie academic expertise in international affairs. European Parliament, keynote speakers included Toussaint, French Greens/EFA Member of the John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for European Parliament titled ‘Transitioning Europe To mark the launch of the new Climate; Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Foreign to Climate Neutrality’. Following the presentation, programme UCD Clinton Institute hosted an Affairs and Minister for Defence; Paschal Donohoe a live panel debate brought together experts online conversation on ‘The Future of News TD, Minister for Finance and President of the from Europe, China and the US to discuss the Journalism’, introduced by UCD President Eurogroup; Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for the different approaches to infrastructure planning and Professor Andrew Deeks and featuring CNN Environment, Climate and Communications and investment, market structures and innovation. journalist Donie O’Sullivan and UCD Clinton Minister for Transport; as well as other leading Over 2,100 registered people for the event Institute Director Professor Liam Kennedy. confusing and frustrating to make sense of figures from industry, academia and government. with additional viewers watching the livestream Professor Liam Kennedy said: “We the world today – we need to develop new The event was opened by UCD President (available to view here). A key output of the event are at the dawn of a new age of political skills and challenge old assumptions to do Professor Andrew Deeks who highlighted the was a declaration on how to turn NetZero pledges communications, defined by a growing so.” importance of the conference and how it underpins into concrete energy policies and actions to be complexity of media systems and The programme will commence in one of the strategic themes in UCD’s Rising to the adopted at COP26, including ways to strengthen communication abundance. It can be January 2022. Future Strategy: Creating a Sustainable Global the 2015 Paris Agreement. Society. FEATURE PAGE 20 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Dr Stefan Müller IRISH POLLING INDICATOR: WHAT DO ELECTION POLLS REALLY MEAN?

IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, POLLING COMPANIES HAVE PUBLISHED OVER 620 SURVEYS OF VOTING INTENTIONS. WE’VE ALL SEEN THE REGULAR CYCLES OF OPINION POLLS IN NEWS OUTLETS, WITH A GREATER NUMBER OF POLLS HELD AROUND ELECTION CAMPAIGNS, BUT IT’S ONLY WHEN READ TOGETHER THAT A SERIES OF POLLS REALLY STARTS TO TAKE ON GREATER SIGNIFICANCE. FEATURE PAGE 21 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Dr Stefan Müller, Assistant Professor and Ad Astra Fellow at UCD School of Politics and International Relations, working with colleague Dr Tom Louwerse (Leiden University), has developed the Irish Polling Indicator, a project that pools opinion surveys to arrive at the best estimate of the current support for parties. The Indicator goes back as far as 1983 and is updated with the release of each opinion poll. By combining multiple polls, the method reduces sampling errors in individual surveys, while the Bayesian statistical model accounts for structural differences in how companies carry out polls.

“The theory of responsiveness assumes It’s important to compare several polls – the aggregated support, and also get a that parties face electoral incentives to listen a major reason why the Polling Indicator was sense of the most likely range of support. to voters,” says Müller. “If new issues emerge developed, says Müller. We know from personal communication on the political agenda, parties need to be “Evidence from Denmark shows that with politicians and advisors that many aware of them and possibly adjust their polls showing change are selected in more Irish practitioners ‘are quasi-obsessive emphasis or positions. And evidence shows media reports, and even small changes are users of the site’ (quote from an advisor that parties consider public opinion: for amplified through political reactions even for a main Irish party). Our efforts seem to instance, one study in the American Journal if these ‘changes’ are within the margin of be appreciated by Irish policy-makers and of Political Science suggests that exposure error. Irish media often do the same, even in advisors.” to public opinion research can lead politicians this electoral cycle. But there is evidence that to change their rhetoric, while another study news articles mention the margin of error How the Polling Indicator was compiled shows that parties underperforming in the more often in recent years.” Researching the data that comprises polls emphasised their own policy positions Müller mentions research which shows the Polling Indicator was a significant task. to attack other parties.” that polls are, on average, relatively stable “We manually read and coded In the Irish context, Müller says, recent in the run-up to the election campaign and newspaper articles and raw reports,” opinion poll data showed that around 45– are often good indicators of the election says Müller. “We went through the online 50% of under-35s regularly mentioned either result. “Tom Louwerse and myself find that archives and extracted information house prices or cost of renting as the most government parties often lose support at the on parties’ standing in the polls using important problem, and parties responded beginning of the electoral cycle, but struggle scanned versions of Irish newspapers. accordingly. “At the Connected Politics Lab to regain support in the months prior to This allowed us to go back until 1987. Not at UCD we studied how issue emphasis upcoming elections. But we want to stress many polls were released prior to 1983.” on Twitter (accounts of parties and party that the aim of the Irish Polling Indicator Ultimately, only 18 polls were excluded leaders) changed after the election in 2020 is to inform people about the information from the Indicator, most of which were was announced. The actors focused much contained in opinion polls, not to forecast from the 80s or 90s, mainly because the more on healthcare and housing in their elections.” sample size or all relevant parties were tweets (which were the dominant election Research on agenda setting on social not mentioned in the reports. issues according to polls) and basically media in the US finds that politicians tend “After we have implemented and stopped talking about Brexit and the EU.” to follow, rather than lead, discussion of validated the approach, we add new public issues, says Müller. “In a study on polls immediately after its release and So do polls change the trajectory of a Switzerland, which I carried out with a team rerun the algorithm. The simulations campaign? of co-authors from the University of Zurich, run for around one hour – afterwards, “It’s hard to say,” says Müller. “Given that we found that agenda-setting dynamics on the website and replication data get single polls are important but rely on only one social media and in newspapers are closely automatically updated. We publish sample, the Irish Polling Indicator is a useful interlinked.” aggregated estimates on the day after the additional tool. Polls can also be a reaction The Indicator is a valuable tool for release of a poll.” to the trajectory of a campaign. Issues that political parties, candidates or indeed anyone emerge on the agenda could change the interested in politics. “Instead of looking at a trajectory of a campaign. And this often single poll, parties and candidates can see Assistant Professor Stefan Müller was in becomes evident through public opinion. I how this poll compares with all other polls conversation with Peter McGuire, BA (2002), don’t think that individual polls change the published recently,” Müller says. Politicians MLitt (2007), a freelance journalist and a trajectory, but consistent trends may lead and voters can compare a single poll with regular contributor to The Irish Times. parties to rethink their strategy.” NEWS PAGE 22 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 NovaUCD and IADT Media Cube collaborating to deliver New Frontiers Programme for Emerging Entrepreneurs NovaUCD and IADT Media Cube have announced a new 5-year partnership, with €1.6 million in funding from Enterprise Ireland, to deliver a New Frontiers Programme aimed at the growing number of emerging entrepreneurs based in the greater South Dublin area, incorporating Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin, and North Wicklow.

The New Frontiers programme will provide innovative business ideas with a view to building participating entrepreneurs with access to a globally scalable businesses. comprehensive package of supports including Tom Flanagan, Director of Enterprise and mentorship from some of Ireland’s leading Commercialisation at NovaUCD said, “We are business people, funding support from Enterprise delighted to be partnering with IADT Media Ireland and access to resources including hot- Cube in delivering a New Frontiers programme Pictured (l-r) are: Ann Marie Phelan, Enterprise and Innovation Manager, IADT Media Cube, Tom Flanagan, Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation, NovaUCD and Paula Carroll, desk facilities from two of Ireland’s leading for entrepreneurs located in South Dublin. At National Programme Manager, New Frontiers, Enterprise Ireland. business innovation centres, IADT Media Cube NovaUCD we have gained considerable experience well with the VentureLaunch, 5G/IoT, Advanced each other with our different areas of expertise and NovaUCD. and expertise by supporting over 400 start-ups Manufacturing, and European Space Agency and I am confident that this will lay the The partnership will enable a total of 275 to attract over €775 million in investment and accelerator programmes we deliver.” foundations for a very successful series of New entrepreneurs, up to 55 annually, to develop their create thousands of jobs. This programme aligns “NovaUCD and IADT Media Cube complement Frontiers programmes in the years ahead.”

Professor Orla Feely Virtual Book Launch: The Offences inaugurated as Against the State Act at 80 President of The Offences Against the State Act at 80, the context of edited by Assistant Professor Mark Coen, UCD international Sutherland School of Law, and published by scholarship on Engineers Ireland Hart, was launched by webinar on Tuesday security and justice Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for 29 June 2021. Professor Imelda Maher, Dean while Professor Research, Innovation and Impact has been of UCD Sutherland School of Law, welcomed O’Cinneide located appointed President of Engineers Ireland. attendees and introduced Ms Justice Úna it within debates Professor Feeley was inaugurated as the Ní Raifeartaigh of the Court of Appeal, who about the domestic professional body’s 129th President in a virtual chaired the event. The judge recalled appearing legal order. Dr Mark ceremony on Thursday 3 June. as a barrister before the Special Criminal Court Coen referred to the in its previous Green Street location. Likening ongoing work of the Orla Feely is Professor of Electronic Engineering the book to a treasure chest, she praised the independent review at UCD. She holds a BE degree from UCD and MS and contributors for the variety of approaches group established by the Government to PhD degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, they had taken to the legislation, including the examine the Offences Against the State Acts where her PhD thesis won the DJ Sakrison Memorial use of historical, international and empirical and expressed the hope that all submissions Prize for outstanding and innovative research. While at methodologies. submitted to the group will be published in full UC Berkeley, she also won the Outstanding Graduate Professor Liora Lazarus of the University on its website. A recording of the virtual book Student Instructor Award. Her research is in the area of British Columbia and Professor Colm launch is available on the UCD Sutherland of nonlinear circuits and systems, and she has been O’Cinneide of University College London School of Law YouTube Channel. The book awarded research grants and prizes from a number of participated in the launch as discussants. may be ordered from UCD Campus Bookshop: national, international and industry sources. Professor Larazus reviewed the book in Tel 01-2691384. NEWS PAGE 23 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 UCD Emeritus Professor Awarded Ireland’s Highest Scholarly Honour In May 2021 UCD Emeritus Professor of History Professor Mary E. Daly was nineteenth century Ireland and the first to use the Emeritus Professor Daly said: “It is a great awarded a Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal for her ground-breaking historical state records from the Chief Secretary’s Office as a honour to receive the Royal Irish Academy work. The Royal Irish Academy awards two RIA Gold Medals every year to source for social and economic history. Gold Medal in the Humanities, and the honour individuals who have made a demonstrable and internationally recognised Her co-authored 2007 book 1916 in 1966. has special significance because it has been outstanding scholarly contribution in their fields. Commemorating the Easter Rising was the first awarded by fellow scholars…I see this medal major publication on the commemoration of the as recognition of the importance of curiosity- Emeritus Professor Daly An internationally recognised historian, her 1916 Rising, and informed the current Decade of driven research, and the contribution that the served for seven years as work broadened the account of Irish history and Centenaries. humanities can make to the wider society.” Principal of UCD College of the formation of the State by examining them from Professor Daly’s contributions to scholarship The RIA medals were established in

Prof Mary E. Daly Arts and Celtic Studies, and the perspectives of industrialisation, urbanisation, include her leadership role as a founding director of 2005 to acclaim Ireland’s foremost thinkers has held visiting positions demography, women’s history, family history and the now UCD Humanities Institute. She also served in the humanities, social sciences, physical at Harvard and Boston College. In 1991 she was the history of childhood. with distinction on state boards, most notably the and mathematical sciences, life sciences, elected to the Royal Irish Academy and in 2014 she Her pioneering 1984 book Dublin - The deposed Higher Education Authority, the Irish Manuscripts engineering sciences and the environment and became the first female president in the 230 year capital: A social and economic history 1860–1914, Commission and the Decade of Centenaries Expert geosciences. history of the Academy. was the first major work on the urban history of Advisory Group.

made to rise to the challenges of COVID-19, Irish and International Young Philosopher UCD Community and he encouraged others to take inspiration from the report and to get involved in community engagement projects in the Awards 2021 Engagement Report coming year. The fourth of interest shown by students around the 2019-20 The report recognises the valuable Irish Young country, and indeed internationally, due to contribution that UCD employees, students Philosopher the introduction this year of the International The UCD Community and alumni have made to the national Awards Festival Young Philosopher Award, asking students Engagement Report efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and (IYPA) 2021 across the globe to reflect on the topic of 2019-20 was highlights the hands-on approach of the took place on solidarity. launched by UCD UCD community in addressing real world 3 June 2021, The awards ceremony opened with President Professor problems. Included in the report are stories led by Assistant an address from the President Michael D. Andrew Deeks via from the COVID-19 contact tracing volunteers, Professor Higgins. The overall winner for the Irish Young the President’s information about the PPE manufacturing Danielle Philosopher Awards was Faith Njekwe, a third bulletin on 30 March, by researchers at I-Form and UCD College Petherbridge, year student of Our Lady’s College, Greenhills, 2021. The report of Engineering and Architecture, and online UCD School Drogheda for her project: ‘Artificial Intelligence: captures a snapshot public health lecture series, along with case of Philosophy. Should we grant AI human rights? If so, when?’ of UCD’s community studies of how the UCD community have The IYPA aim The overall International Young Philosopher engagement activities adapted their community activities during this challenging academic year. Faith Njekwe to encourage Award 2021 went to Sophya Yanis, from including examples of community engaged primary and Letovo International School, Moscow, Russia research and innovation, teaching and learning, UCD in the Community acknowledges secondary school students on the island for her project entitled ‘Short-term solidarity’. and volunteering. The purpose of the report is that the report is just a snapshot of the of Ireland to explore philosophy through a The profound philosophical topics to celebrate and record the many wonderful community engagement activities of the nationwide programme and festival. This year submitted this year included the shape and contributions made by the UCD community, University and does not capture the full extent students were asked to create a short project form that society might take in a post-Covid both within and outside the University. of community engagement taking place. on any philosophical question they consider world; nature and environmental ethics; Members of the UCD community who are important in the current time. artificial intelligence and ethics; freedom and In his foreword Professor Joe Carthy, actively involved in community engagement free speech; identity; reality and perception; College Principal and Dean of Science UCD, activities are encouraged to submit to the For the second year running, the gender representation; what is wisdom; value acknowledged the extraordinary contributions 2020-21 report by emailing the UCD in the competition was held online due to COVID-19 and friendship. that members of the UCD community have Community team on [email protected]. restrictions, but this did not diminish the level IN PROFILE PAGE 24 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Eamonn Ceannt with ‘Sentinel’

IN PROFILE: EAMONN CEANNT

Eamonn Ceannt is an acclaimed sculptor who spent 28 years working in management and development at UCD.

Eamonn served as a Vice President and Bursar at the University with responsibility for capital development, regulatory and financial affairs. In 2009, he decided to go part-time to dedicate himself more fully to his emergent career as a sculptor. In 2014, he retired from direct employment, which allowed him the flexibility to pursue his craft. Eamonn works exclusively in bronze and he has been heavily inspired by the form of the dancer.

Odette’ by Eamonn Ceannt IN PROFILE PAGE 25 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

An interview with...

Q You suffered a life-changing swimming I thought was really good and next thing my interested in watching dancers and performers, and Éamonn’s name. I have a phenomenal accident in 1991. How did that experience hand shook and the paint splattered across particularly the Cirque du Soleil performers. amount of regard for the men and women of change your outlook on life? the board. It was a depressing moment. Some They are so elegant and athletic. I study their 1916. I struggle with violence. I don’t like it. I’m A It changed my life fundamentally. It’s still years later I stumbled into sculpture. Taking up poses, their gestures and their movements, and a person that tries to work through consensus with me every day. It was a serious accident a new career, despite the accident and at a later then elongate the figure. I try to simplify the and compromise. But I have never doubted because my C5 vertebrae was crushed. It had stage in life, has been a joy and a source of shape, making the piece stylistic rather than their idealism and courage to go up against the to be removed and replaced with a piece of great encouragement for me. realistic and emphasising the form. mightiest empire in the world at that time. They carved hip bone. When I went into the operation, Q How did you balance your career as a Q You were instrumental in the were a mixed bag of fighters, artists, writers and there was a good possibility I wasn’t going to sculptor with your career in management and development and inception of the Museum of musicians. Dreamers. Sacrificing themselves walk or move properly again. development at UCD? Literature Ireland (MoLI). Are you proud in seeking a better future for the citizens of this While that Sunday in November started in a A I went part-time in UCD when I was 56 and of that achievement? country. most unfortunate way, it was thanks to a series that was when I began to seriously pursue the A Hugely. So many people contributed to its of extraordinarily fortunate coincidences that sculpting. I continued working for the university success. We had a number of ‘wow’ moments Eamonn Ceannt was in conversation I emerged from the operation in pretty good for four days a week, later reducing to two days during the project development. The first was with Patrick Kelleher, (BA 2015, MA 2017), shape. It took me about five years to recover, a week. It was a transition period. I wouldn’t when the Naughton family donated funding a freelance journalist. and though it was a bad accident, it led to a lot have had the energy to pursue the sculpting if I of €5 million. Other significant moments were of positive developments in my life that might had continued working full-time. Ralph Applebaum winning the design contract, not otherwise have happened, most of them Q The actual act of sculpting must be time gaining the support of Fáilte Ireland and two good in their own way. consuming. really big ‘wow’ moments were the National I’m eternally grateful for the encouragement A I’m a slow sculptor. I don’t produce a Library committing to lend James Joyce’s and support that I received from my colleagues significant amount of work compared to other personal copy of Ulysses and receiving the and friends in Coillte, where I worked at the artists I know. About eight years ago, I built a Desmond Green collection. These were major. time. studio in the back garden. Some days I go out We knew then that the museum could attract Q You studied life drawing in the 1970s but there at ten in the morning and come back in an international audience. later moved to sculpture. What was it about at nine o’clock at night. Other days I might go I would say that we got 99 per cent positive sculpture that enticed you? there at ten and I’m back in the house within support and feedback as we took the project A I took up sculpture by accident. I was half an hour. It’s that type of work. You need through the various development stages. looking for a way to strengthen my hands, long periods of time and a good dollop of UCD and NCAD were very caring and attentive which were wasting because of the nerve motivation. That is why it would have been parents. We had a great team and there was damage. One evening, when I was going to my difficult if I had continued working full-time. little negativity throughout the whole ten years. drawing class in the NCAD, I wandered into the Q What inspires your work and how do you Q You have a very famous name – your sculpture class and it dawned on me, ‘Wow, this land on a particular subject? grand uncle was Éamonn Ceannt, signatory might be the way to do it.’ Working with clay has A I started with head sculptures. I was of the Proclamation. What has it been like had an amazing effect – a lot of the strength familiar with bronze and had read about art and carrying that name? has come back into my fingers. visited exhibitions over very many years. I was A It’s not something I put into my CV but it’s Q What was it like resuming your art particularly taken with the Benin bronzes and not something I distance myself from either. I studies in 2004? the Cycladic funereal marbles. As I progressed, was named after my father and my father was A It was quite frustrating because by then I became interested in trying to capture named after his uncle. Éamonn, the rebel, was I had realised that I would no longer be able movement. I was fascinated by that – how shot in May of 1916 and my father was born in to draw accurately or even to write properly could you capture movement in a static object? October 1916, so they named him Eamonn. It’s again. I remember doing an oil painting which I started to sculpt dancers. I’ve always been an enormous privilege to carry both my father’s NEWS PAGE 26 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

In ‘Classics: The Ancient World Today’, PATH Creative Arts through a series of engaging activities, students were introduced to the close relationship between the modern and ancient worlds, examining how Summer School present the ancient past remains today. In June 2021 UCD was delighted to participate In ‘Monkeys, Sailors and Gongs: Music in the PATH (Programme for Access to Higher from Indonesia’, participants were introduced Education) Creative Arts Summer School – to the unique and remarkable music traditions a collaborative initiative led by the National of Indonesia and created their own percussion College of Art and Design and involving UCD, orchestra out of household objects. Trinity College Dublin, Marino Institute of The creative writing workshop was hosted in Education, Institute of Art and Design, Royal partnership with the Museum of Literature Ireland College of Surgeons in Ireland and Munster (MoLI). Participants took part in creative writing Technological University. exercises which enabled them to explore their inner world and get ideas out of their head and Prof Kevin O’Connor at Shinagh Farm near Bandon, Co. Cork Sixty participants from under-represented onto the page. groups took part in the Summer School and ‘Quavers to Quadratics’ enabled participants ‘dipped their toes’ in the exciting world of the to discover the commonalities between science UCD-led Project Aiming to Make Dairy creative arts, as well as partaking in virtual and music. They explored why instruments look campus tours and discovering pathways to and sound the way they do, and why instruments Farms Climate Neutral Awarded SFI higher education. are made from different materials, shapes and Each institution hosted a one-day workshop. sizes. Future Innovator Prize of €2 million UCD Creative Arts workshop was co-ordinated The virtual UCD campus tour was facilitated by Roisin Guyett-Nicholson and Lorna Byrne by Grace Sallis, UCD student ambassador, and Professor Kevin O’Connor, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science and Director, from UCD Access and Lifelong Learning Jean McQuillan, UCD Registry. Participants also BiOrbic SFI Bioeconomy Research Centre, and his Farm Zero C team have won the Science and involved four aspects of the arts: music, had an opportunity to meet Catherine Tormey, Foundation Ireland (SFI) Future Innovator Prize of €2 million under the Zero Emissions Challenge. classics, creative writing and science. Mature Student Adviser.

The aim of the Farm Zero C project is to help Shinagh will achieve net-zero emissions by 2027. Shinagh Farm, a dairy farm near Bandon in Co. Wider deployment will be achieved through a Cork, achieve net-zero emissions by 2027 with mobile app. This will integrate farm and satellite RCVS awards ‘Full Accreditation’ status plans to extend the strategy to a further 5,000 data, habitat mapping and natural capital farms within five years. accounting, to provide users with information to UCD Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine The SFI Future Innovator Prize, funded by the on the carbon footprint of their activities and to Following a 2020 visitation to UCD School Ireland in 1900. It brings further international Department of Further and Higher Education, develop strategies to mitigate these. of Veterinary Medicine, the Royal College recognition to the quality of veterinary education Innovation and Science, is a challenge-based The members of the Farm Zero C leadership of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has granted in UCD, which is already reflected in its 23rd prize funding programme that seeks to support team are: Professor Kevin O’Connor; Assistant the status of ‘Full Accreditation’ to the UCD QS world ranking for UCD veterinary science— Ireland’s best and brightest to develop novel, Professor Fionnuala Murphy, UCD School of Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB). the highest QS subject ranking on the island of potentially disruptive technologies to address Biosystems and Food Engineering, and Enda Ireland.” significant societal challenges. Buckley, Director of Sustainability, Carbery. UCD’s programme in veterinary medicine As part of the SFI Zero Emissions Challenge, The proposed solution from the Farm is now accredited by the American Veterinary Farm Zero C, in partnership with dairy producer Zero C team comprises a combination of Medical Association, the Australasian Veterinary Carbery Group, studied how planting different diverse climate mitigation strategies that when Board Council, the European Association of types of grasses and clovers on pastures and combined reduce the greenhouse gas emissions Establishments for Veterinary Education, RCVS supporting hedgerows can boost biodiversity of farms, increase biodiversity, quantify the and the Veterinary Council of Ireland. and soil health, how using renewable energy value of natural capital, decrease the farm’s Dean and Head of School Professor Michael reduces greenhouse gas emissions and how operational cost, and increase the value of its Doherty said that the School was delighted to changing what we feed livestock affects how products. Each of the strategies have been receive this recognition of academic excellence much methane gas they produce. either experimented, tested and/or modelled to from RCVS. “It is a wonderful story, which Farm Zero C is using Shinagh Farm, owned determine pathways for dairy farms to achieve has historical resonance for a school that was by the farmers of four West Cork Co-ops, as a net-zero emissions. established as the Royal Veterinary College of demonstrator for this project, with the goal that NEWS PAGE 27 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 2021 Africa Business Conference What can the global business community learn from the lived philosophies of business, society and sustainable development across the continent of Africa? The vibrant partnership between UCD College of Business and Proudly Made in Africa (PMIA) continued with the 2021 Africa Business Conference earlier this spring.

The panel was introduced by Vikki Brennan, CEO of Proudly Made in Africa and Associate Professor Maeve Houlihan, Director of UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business and PMIA host at UCD. Panellists included: • Her Excellency Yolisa Maya, South African Ambassador in Ireland, on the philosophy of Ubuntu – I am because we are: we are because I am. Our humanity is expressed through our humanity to others and others to us. • His Excellency Eshetu Hordofa, ‘Digital Sovereignty and Digital Citizenship: Ethiopian Ambassador in Ireland, on the concept of Medemer – the balance Towards Participatory Policy’ between competition and cooperation, striving for synergy and working On 28 June 2021 UCD Centre for Digital Policy and Inclusion. Mr Tudorache MEP outlined the together for the common interest, organised a workshop in collaboration with challenges faced by the European Commission in spite of differences. Microsoft entitled ‘Digital Sovereignty and Digital in developing regulation for AI that supports • Dr David Nyaluke, UCD-PMIA Fellow in Citizenship: Towards Participatory Policy’. This innovation while ensuring high standards of data Business and Development, on Ujamaa workshp aimed to identify potential tensions use and processing. between the concepts of digital sovereignty and ‘What does it mean to be a ‘digital citizen’ in from a Tanzanian perspective: the idea Dr David Nyaluke we are in the service of family and digital citizenship in order to highlight the need Europe?’ ‘Who is included and who is excluded?’ communicated the tangible, social and community, and community and family for a participatory policy involving and engaging ‘How do citizens provide input into policies for environmental impact of each purchase. is at our service. We are related as with a range of stakeholders. incentivising new tech/ minimising harms?’ These Since 2012, students have been learning Jamaa, as ndugu of extended family- issues were discussed by the first panel, which about the diverse continent of Africa as an hood, as people of one community and While digital sovereignty is often described was moderated by Barry Andrews MEP. emerging market, and the impact of value one nation and one world. in political and economic terms, reflecting The second panel discussed digital added sustainable development through state priorities including competition and self- sovereignty, engaging with such topics as: The common thread was a strong focus the UCD Proudly Made in Africa Fellowship determination; digital citizenship focuses on ‘Is digital sovereignty at odds with digital on the interdependence between business in Business and Development. Hosted at communities and individuals, emphasising citizenship?’ ‘What are the territories to which and society, and between us as human UCD Quinn School, the fellowship works infrastructure, access, and education for all. digital sovereignty lays claim?’ ‘What are the new beings. The panel discussed how each in partnership with module coordinators How these concepts overlap, oppose, or function geopolitics of the digital?’ The panel was chaired philosophy has played out in their home across UCD College of Business to plant together was the focus of two expert panel by Eamonn Mac Aodha, Director of the Parliament country, how it shows up in business, in seeds and start conversations. discussions. and Institutions Team at Ireland’s Permanent responses to COVID-19, and beyond. This initiative is led by Ireland-based Attendees were welcomed to the workshop by Representation to the EU. Discussion turned to the field and social enterprise, Proudly Made in Africa Professor Kalpana Shankar, Co-director of UCD In concluding the event, Professor Colin Scott featured Prama Bhardwaj, CEO and which promotes trade in value added Centre for Digital Policy, and Ciarán Conlon, Director noted the overlap in concerns and the emergence founder of Mantis World, a clothing brand Africa-made products and education on of Public Policy for Microsoft Ireland/EGA. To start of clear priority areas for addressing digital specialising in organic cotton fashion trade justice and sustainable development proceedings, the Chair of the European Parliament technologies impact in Europe. When asked if the production from Tanzania, in conversation through business. If you would like to Committee on Artificial Intelligence, Dragoș panellists thought that digital sovereignty and with conference MC, Toulwani Akaehomen, introduce an African dimension to your Tudorache MEP, gave a keynote address followed digital citizenship can be reconciled, all suggested CEO, HerGenuinity Afrika. Bhardwaj module, or for more information, please by a fireside chat with Professor Colin Scott, that they were not incompatible and that an shared insights on the strong market for contact our PMIA fellow and colleague College Principal, UCD College of Social Sciences approach that focused on the empowerment of values driven products and services, and Dr David Nyaluke at [email protected]. and Law, Vice-President for Equality, Diversity users regarding their data would be optimal. NEWS PAGE 28 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 UCD Better Together Challenge raises €3,300 for UCDVO Uganda Appeal Throughout April 2021, 283 UCD employees In total €3,300 was raised for the campaign formed 60 teams and for 28 days recorded the to continue the provision of primary health care amount of daily kilometres they walked, ran and to 15,000 women, men and children in Nansana, cycled. Organised by UCD Culture and Engagement Wakiso District in Uganda. Congratulations to all and Healthy UCD, the aim of the challenge was to who took part in the challenge. beat their individual team target.

In the spirit of the challenge title ‘Better Together’, the daily distance covered by each team member was averaged with the other team members, meaning that success depended on teamwork rather than solo runs. 55 teams beat their target, with UCD Culture and Engagement making a €60 donation per team on their behalf to the UCD Volunteers Overseas Uganda Health Care Appeal.

UCD Centre for Precision Surgery Irregular News: Civil War

Application of digital visualisation technology can fully determine malignant tissue and Republican Ephemera in real-time and inform immediate individualised cancer treatment. UCD Digital Library has made available online the reporting of A study published in Nature Scientific Reports on 17 June 2021 demonstrates that a new collection entitled Irregular News: Civil events in locations dynamic visual appearances obtainable during surgery via innovative digital processing War and Republican Ephemera. This collection not reported by can rapidly provide surgeons with more comprehensive information on the extent and contains a rich store of primary source material the Free State type of malignant tissue. relating to the revolutionary period. The government. This discovery at the UCD Centre for Precision Surgery in the Mater Misericordiae digitisation of the collection was funded through This material University Hospital (MMUH) has the potential to exploit already established microscopic UCD Decade of Commemorations seed funding. was collected principles in medical oncology and histopathology. These are principles, which have never by the Irish before been revealed and understood in real-time, in living tissue. While there are some materials relating to 1916, Franciscans and Ronan Cahill, Professor of Surgery at UCD and the MMUH, and Nature Scientific the War of Independence and republicanism in the was originally held in their friary on Merchant’s Quay, Reports paper author is Director of UCD Centre for Precision Surgery. Free State, the collection is primarily related to the located across from the Four Courts, which was Other UCD School of Medicine researchers who worked with Professor Cahill on the Civil War period 1922 to 1923. the site of one of the most iconic events of the Civil above discovery include: It includes long runs of daily anti-treaty War. It was transferred to UCD Special Collections in • Jeffrey Dalli, General Surgeon and Surgical Research Fellow at UCD Centre for newspapers Poblacht na h-Eireann War News, the 2017 as part of the UCD OFM (Order of Friars Minor) Precision Surgery Daily Sheet, and the Daily Bulletin, as well as many partnership agreement. • Niall Hardy, Surgery Research Fellow, UCD Centre of Precision Surgery anti-treaty ephemeral items such as leaflets and Making these anti-treaty propaganda sheets • Anwesha Sarkar, PhD Student, Molecular Biology. UCD Centre of Precision Surgery short pamphlets. available publicly will facilitate interdisciplinary and UCD Conway Institute Preliminary research on the reporting of the Civil academic scholarship, local studies research, and • Mohammad Faraz Khan, Special Lecturer in Surgery, UCD War in these news sheets reveal the motivations new creative expression.

and perspectives of the anti-treaty forces but also A video describing the material is available here. NEWS PAGE 29 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 ’A UNIVERSITY

UCD President, FOR THE FUTURE’ Prof Andrew J Deeks Future Campus construction starts

“UCD will be a holistic experience for our future students,” says UCD President, Professor Andrew J Deeks

THE COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely challenging for UCD students who have had to adapt to online learning, and it has brought the role of universities to the fore and underlined the importance of face-to-face learning on campus. At UCD, the future is bright with the start of construction of the new €48 million Centre for Creativity and Centre for Future Learning which will serve future generations of students who walk through the doors. Professor Andrew J Deeks, UCD President is the man behind the vision for the Future Campus masterplan. Within this plan, the 12,000m² Centre for Creativity will foreground a highly visible and welcoming entrance precinct to the University covering some 335,000m² near the main N11 entrance to the campus. It will become the new focal point for the already vibrant and welcoming campus and will transform the physical, cultural and social landscape of Belfield. Physical infrastructure for planned growth “We have seen a significant growth in the number of students at UCD over the past ten years (circa 25%), comprising increases in both domestic and international students. “Over the past number of years the University has grown incrementally and we identified an opportunity to reassess our physical footprint and its potential for further, planned growth. Our belief is that the best way to provide state-of-the- art facilities to students is not to try to extend each building but rather to look at it holistically and create centres where students from all disciplines can experience much of their early learning together. This will encourage interaction with students from other disciplines around campus, forming friendships and sharing ideas. “The future campus vision with the Centre for Creativity and the Centre for Future Learning brings together many elements of our campus,” Professor Deeks explains. NEWS PAGE 30 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

The design of the Centre for Creativity by Steven Holl features hexagonal towers up to 49 metres in height, tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees, which will include exhibition and event space, as well as a 400-seat auditorium that includes acoustic design for music performance. The Centre will be the focal point for architecture and engineering and will also welcome people from other faculties who wish to engage in creative collaboration and interaction. A ‘circuit of social connection’ will allow faculty, staff, students and visitors to peer into maker and classroom spaces through glass walls. The Centre for Future Learning will have 33 technology- enabled classrooms of varying sizes and a large adaptable lecture theatre that can be reconfigured for varying pedagogical purposes. Working through the National Transport Authority, the design team is extending the design to incorporate a new bus interchange and the existing N11 flyover so that the entire approach will signal that visitors are entering UCD and will really put Belfield on the map. “The new entrance plaza will create a visible outward public ‘face’ that UCD hasn’t had before, and this symbolises our connecting more with the local community.” “The centres will be positioned at the heart of the campus. In their early years, students from all disciplines will spend time in the new spaces. The spaces will encourage communal learning activities which students Professor Deeks moved to University College Dublin in Residential, Sports and Recreation. have really missed throughout the pandemic, where they 2014 to take up the role of President, becoming the first “The first phase of the new student residences can get together in working groups and on team projects, Australian to lead an Irish university but insists that the development at Roebuck is now ready and has a village hub have discussion groups in breakout rooms and so on. All of new developments at UCD are not modelled on a campus which will provide a wide range of facilities, including those the elements of student learning into the future which we anywhere else. that our students have told us will improve their on-campus see being more and more valuable will be accommodated “We held an international design competition and lives. in these modern developments in a way that would never architects from around the world competed to interpret “At the other end of the campus our broad offering be possible to give to each individual College or School. what might be done in this space for UCD and indeed for of sports and societies are accommodated in a sports Ireland. masterplan. We want our students to enjoy their lives “Rather than pick a campus masterplan from another on campus, with all the necessary facilities to hand. university, we focused on the trends in teaching and And for those who want to get into the city for social and learning that bring together students from different other opportunities which might not be available on-campus, disciplines and lead to better pedagogical outcomes the new Bus Connects interchange at the N11 entrance will and student experiences as being the key drivers for the offer a rapid transport corridor,” Professor Deeks explains. teaching and learning elements of the Future Campus,” he says. UCD – the number 1 choice for students “We want student life at UCD to be a holistic experience, The Campus Experience obviously improving campus facilities is just part of putting With the future of learning set to change for the better at together an educational and experiential package that UCD so too will the environments in which students will live embraces every aspect of university life. From on-campus and learn. accommodation to sports and societies, and through to the “We have taken a much more master planning approach academic experience, we’re adopting techniques which will to this. The campus masterplan contains three different deliver the entire package. Artist’s impression of the Centre for Creativity character areas: Education; Research and Innovation; and “All of this will be backed up by a vibrant research NEWS PAGE 31 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

learnings from during the pandemic, while recognising that there are activities that are really adding value when they are face-to-face. There are other activities which are less so, and we might see a change in terms of the blend from large lectures to small classes with materials provided online, so it’s that type of thinking that will become more evident,” says the UCD President. Professor Deeks says that re-shaping and re-introducing the UCD community back to campus is one of the big focuses for the academic year ahead. “We see ourselves very much as a leading Global University.” The plan for the next ten years at UCD is to grow the student population by a further 25% and in turn this will lead to an increase in faculty numbers. “We are already at a high level of engagement internationally, but the future is about capacity building and ensuring that the student experience we offer is state-of-the-art and in line with global best practice. We are trying to blaze a trail for best practice here at UCD, not just follow it. We constantly examine other global universities in our networks, to see if there is anything we can learn from them,” Professor Deeks community who ensure that what students are learning lecture is attended both in person and virtually is the most explains. in the classroom is informed by their extensive research. difficult nut to crack and it’s not clear that this will be the And turning back to the physical transformation of the Their scholarship seeks to push forward the boundaries of adopted in the future. What we hope is that if a student is campus: knowledge. As students go through their learning journey unable to be on campus for whatever reason that they will “Is it a step changer? – it’s more of a continuation of a guided and inspired by our faculty, by the time they leave the be able to see the lecture online. journey, we are rising to the future and this development is University they are part of a UCD community that is creating “As we go forward, almost all lectures will be captured key to this rising,” Professor Deeks concludes. and contributing to the knowledge of society.” online and will be available to view at the same time. What we have seen over the past 16 months is that Professor Andrew Deeks was in conversation with Seán COVID-19 - Changing the Face of Future Education students are very keen to get back into lecture theatres Dunne, TV Producer, The Tonight Show, Virgin Media and Over the course of the past 16 months faculty, staff and and they recognise that taking part in a lecture from Graduate MA Politics and International Relations students have all had to come to terms with online learning home is not the same as not taking part in person and and working in ways never before tested. the valuable sidebar discussions. President Deeks told us: “The blended approach where a “Everyone is keen to get back and to take on board the NEWS PAGE 32 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 New Accelerator Programme for AgTech and FoodTech Start-Ups Launched by AgTechUCD

AgTechUCD has announced the launch of a new enterprises, through the AgTechUCD Agccelerator accelerator programme dedicated to early-stage Programme, and by providing access to incubation AgTech and FoodTech start-up companies. space and to on-farm testing for new products and The AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme, services at UCD Lyons Farm. commencing September 2021, is an intensive The AgTechUCD Agccelerator Programme 12-week programme which includes dedicated concludes in early December when all participating business development workshops and investor start-ups will pitch their businesses to a panel of readiness training, mentoring from AgTech investors with the opportunity to be awarded prize and FoodTech experts and business advisors, funding in a number of award categories. guest speakers and facilitated introductions to Partners on the AgTechUCD Agccelerator AgTechUCD’s venture capital and business Programme include AIB, The Yield Lab Europe, angel networks. Bimeda, Devenish, Carberry, Origin Enterprises, Ornua and HerdWatch who are providing financial AgTechUCD, based at UCD Lyons Farm and and mentoring support. Additional mentoring part of NovaUCD, is focused on accelerating the support will be provided by Greencore, Kubota, launch and scaling of AgTech and FoodTech Diarymaster, the Virtual Vet, Finistere, Macra Na start-ups in Ireland and has been funded through Feirme and Atlantic Bridge. Participating start-ups the Regional Enterprise Development Fund will have access to specific supports from AWS administered by Enterprise Ireland. Activation, Catalyze, Deloitte and FR Kelly. AgTechUCD supports founding entrepreneurs Information on the programme is available Pictured at UCD Lyons Farm are: Shane Whelan, agri-strategist, AIB; Nicky Deasy, Managing Partner, The Yield Lab Europe; Niamh Collins, Manager, AgTechUCD Innovation Centre and as they build their businesses into leading here. James Maloney, Senior Regional Development Executive, Enterprise Ireland.

One of the projects is being run in communities, was summed up by the UCD Volunteers Overseas: ‘Still Together’ collaboration with SWL-WWHI, UCDVO’s health services manager in Nurture Africa, long term partner in New Delhi, and brings Uganda, during the orientation for the UCDVO Following months of project planning, content creation and workshops with partners in Uganda, together UCDVO volunteers with students from volunteers: “We are still together, despite the Tanzania and India, UCDVO’s virtual volunteering projects kicked off in early July. the University of Delhi, Noida International challenges.Thank you.” University and Indira Gandhi Open University. UCDVO will be accepting applications for Almost 50 volunteers are taking part in Physiotherapy and Sports Science, enabling The Online Literacy Programme for Young the 2021/22 volunteering and global citizenship the 2021 volunteering programme. All have third year physiotherapy students to carry out Girls project aims to provide 40 young girls (6- programme in September/October. More details received a solid foundation in global citizenship a clinical elective placement within the UCDVO 10 years), living in one of the poorest areas on www.ucdvo.org education, including intercultural awareness, programme and providing valuable clinical and of New Delhi, with access to online education global development challenges and ethical research experience for MSc Dietetics/Nutrition during a time of COVID-19 restrictions and issues around volunteering as part of the students. school closures. The project is part of a wider programme. Commenting on the 2021 virtual community education programme based in The six virtual volunteering projects include volunteering programme, UCDVO manager the Community Education and Development Health and Nutrition (community-based Hilary Minch said: “We are incredibly proud to Centre in Sangam Vihar, established by UCDVO rehabilitation for children with disabilities), be working with such a committed and creative (with support from Irish Aid), which supports Vocational Training for Ugandan youth, group of volunteers. In spite of the immense over 100 children from the surrounding Business and Livelihoods, and an Early Years challenges of volunteering remotely during a areas to access education and nutritious education programme. global pandemic, they have jumped in feet first meals. The UCDVO and Indian volunteers co- The projects were developed with four and continue to impress us with their energy created educational materials such as videos of UCDVO’s overseas partners: Ferrando and diligence. Virtual volunteering, while not and a workbook to be delivered remotely, Speech and Hearing Centre; the Society for the same as being in the field, has ironically supplemented with small live group sessions Working Life (SWL) and Women Work and enabled us to deepen our engagement with providing an opportunity for interactive Health Initiative (WWHI) in India; Nurture our overseas partners. The absence of travel activities and cultural exchange. Africa in Uganda and the Holy Union Sisters in virtual volunteering also provides a more As the virtual volunteering projects in Tanzania. The health projects are run in flexible way of volunteering and has reduced Dr Sunita Kaishta and Amita Sahaya, co-founders of SWL – WWHI, distributing the commenced in early July, the spirit of UCDVO, education workbooks to some of the 40 girls participating in the Online Literacy partnership with UCD School of Public Health, some of the barriers.” its values of partnership and connecting programme. New Delhi, July 2021. NEWS PAGE 33 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 UCD Partnering in €80 million University Bridge Fund II Atlantic Bridge has announced the launch of University Bridge Fund II, an €80 million fund focused on scaling and commercialising extensively validated research from Ireland’s third level institutions, including UCD, into the next generation of deep tech companies with global potential.

The fund is a unique partnership between up to half a billion euros of investment into high Atlantic Bridge and Irish universities UCD, Trinity growth companies. College Dublin (TCD) and University College Cork Reaffirming the huge potential of cutting- (UCC), to accelerate the commercialisation of edge Irish research, existing investors European world-class science and to globally scale the Investment Fund, Enterprise Ireland and AIB, companies formed. Its goal is to maximise the together with UCD and TCD are re-committing to benefit from research that takes place in the higher University Bridge Fund II with the welcome addition education sector. of new investor and university partner UCC. The University Bridge Fund II follows on the This latest fund will invest in deep-tech path of the pioneering University Bridge Fund I companies with a keen focus on how technologies launched in 2016 which has invested in over 30 such as artificial intelligence, robotics, IOT, quantum deep-tech companies that have raised over €220 computing and healthtech can make an impact on million in co-investment to date. Following this areas of global concern such as energy efficiency, trajectory both Funds have the potential to attract sustainability, carbon reduction and healthcare. Prof Tasman Crowe UCD Arts and Humanities UCD marine ecology expert appointed Researcher awarded 22M EU Grant Chair of National Biodiversity Forum Professor One of the EU’s most prestigious funding Kathleen James- awards, the grant of more than €2m over Professor Tasman Crowe, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, Director of Chakraborty, five years will cover the employment of two UCD Earth Institute, has been named as the new chair of the National Biodiversity Forum, UCD School of postdoctoral researchers and two PhD students. an independent expert group that monitors Ireland’s approach to biodiversity protection. Art History and The overarching goal is to support a more diverse Cultural Policy and profession that, in the wake of social justice An expert in marine ecology, Professor Crowe policy and action for biodiversity and the many UCD Humanities movements such as #MeToo and ‘Black Lives has been a member of the National Biodiversity vital benefits it brings to society,” said Professor Institute, has Matter,’ is better prepared to engage with a broad Forum since 2017. He also has chaired the Crowe. been awarded public and address such social challenges as the Marine Protected Areas Advisory Group, which The National Biodiversity Forum monitors the a European integration of migrants and sustainability. Professor James-Chakraborty said: “Decade supports the State’s development of Marine State’s progress on the implementation of the Prof James-Chakraborty Research Council after decade, women and members of ethnic Protected Areas, and spoke at length to the National Biodiversity Action Plan by highlighting Advanced Grant to provide insights into the minorities studying architecture report that they Oireachtas Housing, Local Government and progress and bottlenecks, as well as providing role of women and ethnic minorities in the never learned about the work of people like them Heritage committee as it scrutinised the planned reports to the Irish Government. In February transmission of modern architecture. Marine Planning and Development Management 2021 it published its independent review of when they were in architecture school. There is thankfully a tidal wave of scholars studying Bill 2020, which aims to create new laws for the the National Biodiversity Action Plan, for the Professor James-Chakraborty’s project planning and regulation of sectoral activities in period of 2017-2021, and provided five headline women architects right now but the challenge is ‘Expanding Agency: Women, Race and the Global to get new scholarship into the classroom and Ireland’s marine areas. recommendations it said were needed to “deliver Dissemination of Modern Architecture’, will explore also to demonstrate the other ways in which “I am honoured and delighted to accept this real conservation gains at the scale needed to the role that women and members of ethnic women and ethnic minorities have contributed to role and am looking forward to working with the halt and reverse biodiversity loss in Ireland”. minorities, primarily African-Americans, played creating the climate for the modern architecture members of the Forum to help inform effective in transmitting modern architecture and design that remains at the core of the curricula of most internationally, including within Europe, between architecture schools.” 1920 and 1970. FEATURE PAGE 34 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 STUDENT LEARNING – EMBRACING METACOGNITION

Every student and lecturer in third level education has had virtual learning environments or VLEs on their mind for the past year and a half following the pivot to online during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some were already ahead of the game, so to speak.

Dr Emma O’Neill, UCD School of Veterinary importance to the University and is informed UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, UCD School by incorporating some of the really clever tools in Medicine, Dr Crystal Fulton, UCD School of by a scholarly approach to the enhancement of Information and Communication Studies, Brightspace, such as peer feedback, checklists, Information and Communication Studies, of teaching and learning. Professor Rogers UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and and gradual release of information.” Dr James Matthews, UCD School of Public told UCD Today that the Fellows’ research will Sports Science, and UCD School of Biomolecular So what exactly is metacognition and how Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science and lead to a deeper pedagogical experience for and Biomedical Science. does it help students learn more effectively? Dr Carmel Hensey, UCD School of Biomolecular UCD students and is very much part of the It was an auspicious time to begin such “Metacognition is thinking about one’s and Biomedical Science were appointed University’s objectives for education and student a project as UCD had just introduced its thinking. It is a well-researched concept in the as UCD Fellows in Teaching and Academic success: “The project has shown how we as new learning environment, Brightspace. Dr education domain,” explains Dr Matthews. “What Development to undertake a two-year research educators can respond to students’ needs and Fulton explains the benefits when it came to metacognition does is provide students with project, ‘Designing for Learning in the Virtual adapt our teaching approaches. The Fellows incorporating metacognitive principles into an awareness of their learning, and the ability Learning Environment.’ have also demonstrated that harnessing the her module on digital citizenry: “We wanted to to regulate their learning by evaluating the features of a VLE allows teaching and learning to deepen the students’ learning, so it wasn’t about demands of a task and setting a goal, monitoring The Fellowship programme, an initiative led be innovative and impactful.” retooling the entire module so much as it was their progress towards the goal, problem-solving by Professor Mark Rogers, UCD Registrar and This multidisciplinary effort brought together about finessing it in a way that would heighten as necessary, and importantly, reflecting upon Deputy President, focuses on areas of strategic expertise from several schools from across UCD: that learning experience. We were able to do this the process they have engaged in.” FEATURE PAGE 35 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Features within Brightspace, such and examples while receiving feedback the idea was to show how adaptable the as checklists, quizzes with personalised on their progress. framework is – and this seems to be a feedback and the ability to incorporate And, crucially, peer feedback is resounding success judging by student peer feedback, were well suited to map incorporated because, as Dr O’Neill says: feedback both in terms of their improving onto these principles. This has already “To teach is to learn twice. When you metacognitive skills and their enthusiasm rolled out across three modules with a promote that aspect of learning from to embrace this style of blended learning fourth running this year. peers it can be quite powerful.” that empowers by promoting self- “Our remit for the project was to The module adapted by Dr Matthews regulation. inform use of the VLE from a strong was on the role of psychology in The team shows no signs of slowing Dr Carmel Hensey Dr Emma O’Neill pedagogical perspective. We focused optimising sports performance, a Stage down after their success to-date. They on active learning enhanced by the VLE II module within health and performance have developed a video case study knowing that often these platforms are science. He asked students to work and video exemplars to show how the underutilised and function more as a on an authentic case study in groups framework operates, making it more repository,” says Dr Fulton. “VLEs are where they learned how to build a case accessible to other educators. designed to do so much more!” formulation and support an athlete with a “We’re working with the various “All of us felt that, in current times, performance issue. educational technologists across UCD the last thing anyone needs is more “Following the I-SEE approach, at and also identifying module coordinators information. What makes the difference the outset students were introduced in different schools. We have also been is what a student does with that to core concepts and theories using given various fora within UCD in the Dr Crystal Fulton Dr James Matthews information. We wanted to be able to weekly targeted pre-reading on topics past year, presenting at various different influence their ability to develop key with supporting reading guides, which teaching and learning events. The main skills, to be able to think critically and really builds the student’s metacognitive thing is to get a number of enthusiastic integrate information, and we felt that knowledge,” he explains. “Then it was colleagues on board who will promote it metacognition spoke to this most clearly signposted what was expected within their schools,” explains Dr Hensey. strongly,” notes Dr O’Neill. of students, providing rubrics for each “Our ultimate goal is to gather a And this idea of encouraging assessment component. That allowed Community of Practice working with students to self-learn is particularly them to plan their learning approach and these colleagues – our metacognition relevant in these times. UCD carried set their goals.” champions – who are applying our out a student survey (March-May 2020) The checklists came into play for approach in a variety of disciplines looking at challenges with the move to monitoring weekly learning performance across the university. Our research shows online, which found that 49% of students and, finally, for the core piece of that our metacognitive approach works expressed a lack of confidence in evaluation, students were given options and we want to share this message with engaging online, 47% struggled with time in Brightspace including using the our colleagues,” says Dr Fulton. management, 30% weren’t clear about quizzes with automated feedback or “This is what we hope to build on expectations from lecturers, and 65% video feedback from the lecturer giving going forward. News is spreading!” struggled with lack of motivation. them a quick update on how they’re Although the project began pre- getting on. The Fellows were in conversation COVID, it seemed to be timely in this “Our new VLE makes this so much with Marie Boran, UCD Computer respect. However, Dr O’Neill points out easier. We can design a quiz and pre- Science BSc 2002, DCU MSc Science that the use of VLEs to improve students’ write in comments and feedback based Communication 2012, NUIG MSc by metacognitive skills works best in a on what the student answers. And they research - Insight Centre for Data blended learning environment, which can do that in their own time and still get Analytics, NUIG - 2015), a freelance is core to the Metacognition Design feedback. There are a lot of nice features journalist. Framework they have developed. that help us deliver the framework and This framework included the bring the students along,” notes Dr implementation of their ‘I-SEE’ strategies Hensey. for learning: Introducing, Signposting, Similarly, Dr O’Neill adapted her Enabling, Evaluating. The idea is that all Stage IV module on Veterinary Clinical coursework and learning activities are Neurology, having students work through clearly signposted, and students are a clinical case from start to finish. helped every step of the way with guides Across these very different disciplines, NEWS PAGE 36 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 UCD hosts EU Research Group on Fintech, Cryptocurrencies and Cybersecurity To address rapid changes in the financial industry, academics projects and networks—the COST (European Cooperation in from 12 of the world’s leading business schools took Science and Technology) Action “FinAI: Fintech and Artificial part in the ‘Dublin De-Fi and Digital Finance and Financial Intelligence in Finance - Towards a transparent financial Services Conference (D3FSC) on Risk in Blockchain and industry” (CA19130: COST Proposal 24059) and “FIN-TECH: a Cryptocurrencies’ on 29 and 30 April 2021. The event was knowledge exchange platform for FINancial TECHnology risk organised by UCD College of Business Professors Alessia management”. Paccagnini, Valerio Potì and Andreas Hoepner. Within these projects Professor Potì and Assistant Professor Paccagnini are co-chair and Science Communication “The conference gave visibility to all the activity that is Officer of the COST Action respectively. “Our initiative is now taking place in Dublin in FinTech and De-Fi [Decentralised the largest ever in the history of COST with a 300+ wide finance], and placed UCD firmly at the centre of the highly network of universities, research centres, public sector bodies competitive and dynamic area of FinTech and Financial Data and private sector firms from over 30 countries,” said Professor Science—which are strategic growth areas identified by the Potì. “It is proving to be very active, with a remarkable range of Irish Government”, said UCD Smurfit School Professor of research and dissemination activities, and policy engagement Finance Valerio Potì. already well under way.” The conference was part of the FIN-TECH Horizon2020 This was the first event in Dublin that brought together a project which aims to develop a knowledge exchange platform significant number of leading academics in this research area to promote sustainable FinTech innovation. The event was from Europe, Asia, and North America, with an audience tuning sponsored by two large scale collaborative European research in from around the globe.

Dr Maurice Manning presenting Prof Brian O’Connor with his honorary doctorate Royal Society SFI University Research Fellowship for UCD Researcher NUI Confers Doctor of A Royal Society Science Foundation Ireland University Literature on Professor Research Fellowship has been awarded to Dr Christiana Pantelidou who will take up a post in UCD later this year. Brian O’Connor Dr Pantelidou received funding for a project entitled: On 15 July 2021, the NUI held a socially distanced ceremony ‘Gravitational turbulence in the era of gravitational waves’. where the Chancellor, Dr Maurice Manning, conferred a higher She will investigate the key concepts and quantities involved doctorate degree, Doctor of Literature (DLitt), on Professor in gravitational turbulence and model its consequences on Brian O’Connor, UCD School of Philosophy in recognition of his black hole collisions in the universe, which recently became exceptional body of published work in the field of philosophy. accessible experimentally. The results of this work will deepen understanding of how gravity and thus our universe work and This is the highest degree awarded to scholars of will also allow a more complete picture from experimental international distinction in their fields. The Chancellor gravitational measurements. highlighted that the degrees are only awarded after “a great The Royal Society University Research Fellowship scheme deal of scrutiny and review and consideration”. NUI Registrar, supports outstanding early career scientists in the UK and Dr Attracta Halpin said: “A very select cohort of scholars Ireland who have the potential to become leaders in their qualifies annually for these degrees. To date in 2021, just three fields, offering them an opportunity to build an independent such degrees have been awarded. Of these, Professor Brian research career and pursue pioneering scientific research. The O’Connor’s is the sole DLitt. Over the past five years just two Royal Society announced 37 University Research Fellowships other higher doctorates in philosophy have been awarded. This for 2021, three of which are supported by Science Foundation is a very rare distinction.” Ireland. Dr Christiana Pantelidou STUDENT NEWS PAGE 37 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 UCD Success at International Engineering and Commerce Case Competition 2021 Congratulations to UCD students Aoife Cunningham (Commerce International) and Allannah Duffy, Scott Mulligan and Benjamin Fitzpatrick (Engineering) who represented Ireland at the international engineering and commerce competition (ENGCOMM 2021), placing second overall.

The competition consists of 3 unique cases that are solved by competing teams and are scored by the judges. The UCD team enjoyed tremendous success, additionally winning Best Engineering Solution, Best Business Solution, Most Sustainable Solution, Best Team Chemistry and Best Speaker (Aoife Cunningham).

From l-r: Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Allannah Duffy, Aoife Cunningham and Scott Mulligan UCD student wins Irish writing Journalism award at the National Student Media Awards

Bronnadh gradam ‘Iriseoireacht trí Ghaeilge cló ar nós Méabh Ní Thuathaláin (Tuairisc.ie) mar Anna-Clare Nic Gairbheith, a UCD student on as a member of a new generation of journalists scríofa’ ar mhac léinn UCD Anna-Clare Nic bhall de ghlúin nua iriseoirí atá ag teacht in inmhe the MA: Scríobh agus Cumarsáid won the Irish who are coming to the fore as MASC graduates. Gairbheith ag na Smedias (The National Student mar chéimithe MASC. Is aitheantas den scoth é writing Journalism award at the 2021 Smedias As a result of the language, communication, Media Awards). Is mac léinn í ar MA: Scríobh d’Anna-Clare. (National Student Media Awards). Students from and translation skills that students learn on the agus Cumarsáid na Gaeilge (MASC) a bhfuil Mar aon le slite beatha Gaeilge in Éirinn this course are well known for their success in course our graduates are working in diverse and cáil ar mhic léinn an chúrsa as gairmeacha taistealaíonn ár gcuid mac léinn ar fud an Irish language media and in attaining positions high-ranking appointments in communication beatha a bhaint amach sna meáin Ghaeilge domhain i rólanna cumarsáide ag na leibhéil is in various Irish language related professions and and other areas at national and international agus i ngairmeacha ilghnéitheacha Gaeilge agus airde náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta mar gheall ar education. They can be heard and seen on Irish levels. For more information on the MA please oideachais. Le blianta anuas tá siad le cloisteáil scileanna teanga, cumarsáide agus aistriúcháin language print, broadcast and digital media, for contact the MASC Director, Professor Regina agus le feiceáil ar na meáin Ghaeilge chló, a fhoghlaimíonn siad. Gheofar tuilleadh eolais ar example Áine Ní Bhréasláin (Bladhaire, RnaG), Uí Chollatáin ([email protected]), UCD chraolta agus dhigiteacha: Áine Ní Bhréasláin an chúrsa ach teagmháil a dhéanamh le stiúrthóir Donncha Ó Murchú (TG4), Seán Ó Baoill (BBC, School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore. (Bladhaire, RnaG), Donncha Ó Murchú (TG4), MASC, an tOllamh Regina Uí Chollatáin (regina. TG4), and Siún Ní Dhuinn (RTÉ). Anna-Clare Seán Ó Baoill (BBC, TG4) agus Siún Ní Dhuinn [email protected]), Scoil na Gaeilge, an Léinn now continues the standards set by other print (RTÉ), cuir i gcás. Leanfaidh Anna-Clare iriseoirí Cheiltigh agus an Bhéaloidis, COBÁC (UCD). journalists like Méabh Ní Thuathaláin (Tuairisc.ie) BOOKS PAGE 38 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Books

Blanchard hires Romeo, an orchid As the book races to its end, there’s that the ultimate source of meaning of the book provides an excellent The Garden expert from Honduras, who shares the death, burnings, trouble, a constant in the universe is God: a perfect being introduction to some of the main obsession for this elusive prize. A man sense of tension, a barely concealed of infinite goodness who created currents of thought in contemporary Associate Professor Paul Perry, of few words, he brings his knowledge undercurrent of violence, all leading to and sustains the universe. He writes philosophy of religion. Again, I found UCD School of English, Drama but seems to upset the balance of the a crescendo before the final acts… is beautifully and describes complex his arguments here very persuasive. and Film garden and its inhabitants. there to be any future for the Garden philosophical and theological In chapters 6 and 7, Professor ISBN: 978-1-84840-799-2 We hear of the garden’s past and its inhabitants? concepts with remarkable clarity. Masterson provides two arguments

glories and of the burgeoning orchid This is Paul Perry’s first solo novel One gets a clear sense of the author in favour of theism: a ‘metaphysical’ trade. In order to restore the farm’s and has been extensively and critically as someone who is both fiercely argument from the intelligibility and lost fortunes, Blanchard becomes well reviewed. It builds on his extensive intelligent and deeply motivated by goal-directedness of the universe, obsessed with finding the ghost. This experience as a writer of thrillers, and love. I would highly recommend this and a ‘moral’ argument from the is infamously rare, a delicate and it is easy to see how important his book to anyone with an interest in the ‘reasonable hope’ that there is a wildly valuable species, hidden deep poetry is to his writing as you revel in philosophy of religion. necessary connection between virtue in the treacherous cypress swamps of the flow of this amazing story. MS The book contains eighteen and happiness. Chapters 8 to 18 then the Fakahatchee Strand. To attain it, chapters. In chapters 1 and 2, ‘develop and amplify’ the theistic illegally, Blanchard strikes a deal with In Reasonable Hope: Professor Masterson describes perspective by focusing on the role one of the local Seminole tribe. After three non-theistic answers to the of love in Christian theology. These much negotiation and false starts with Philosophical Reflections on question of ultimate meaning (I will chapters are both theologically rich various characters from the tribe, they Ultimate Meaning focus on two here). Correlationist and movingly personal. eventually journey into the swamp humanism is a kind of relativism As Professor Masterson and reading these passages, you can President Emeritus and Professor according to which truths about acknowledges, his arguments almost feel the swamp closing in Emeritus Patrick Masterson existence, meaning, and value can for theism will not convince the This is the perfect book to take around you, the “rank” smell and the ISBN: 978-0813233864 only be true relative to a thinking committed non-theist; but his goal on holiday. You need time to read it “dense foliage – palm, cypress and subject. Scientism is the view that is not to argue non-theists into in long passages to really appreciate hardwood – the murk”. truths about existence, meaning, and submission. Indeed, he is unfailingly the beauty and poetry of the words. The female characters, while value must be reducible to truths of intellectually generous to his You will be drawn in by the characters, peripheral to the core of the story, fundamental physics. The problem philosophical opponents. Rather, trying to understand exactly what are nevertheless central to Swallow’s with correlationism and scientism, his aim is to introduce the curious makes each tick and react in the ways narrative. His relationship with Lola is according to Professor Masterson, reader to a certain compelling way of that they do. transitory. “We’re acquainted” seemed is that they are ultimately self- thinking about the ultimate source of It is set on an orchid farm in to cover it. It runs its course with some undermining: both rely on principles meaning and value in the universe. In Florida, the eponymous garden. Shady, let-downs and involves some of the about what can be meaningfully this he very ably succeeds. DED colourful characters come and go other characters along the way. His thought or said that do not meet their throughout. The story is narrated by relationship with Meribel, Blanchard’s own conditions for meaningfulness. Swallow, who left Ireland after a sad wife is unexpected. She has a strained I found Masterson’s arguments here childhood, losing his mother and relationship with her husband and very persuasive. brother. After spending time in the seems to seek out Swallow to bring In chapters 3 to 5, Professor Marines, he lived on the edge of the some joy into her life. Masterson describes three different law and is somewhat unsettled in life. When they eventually capture the approaches to the philosophy of He now works for Blanchard, the farm ghost, Romeo can start his cultivation. religion – the phenomenological owner, who perhaps hasn’t always In this short and philosophically Blanchard frantically searches out a approach, the linguistic approach, and been above board in his dealings, rich book, President Emeritus and buyer and the rhythm of the garden the realist approach – and argues and this comes to the fore when, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, seems to return. But nature has in favour of the realist approach, on after the worst hurricane in Florida’s Patrick Masterson addresses the been violated, they have taken what which theistic assertions are taken at history has destroyed the farm and its question of the ultimate source of doesn’t belong to them, something face value as truth-evaluable claims precious orchids, he decides to chase meaning in the universe. Professor that shouldn’t really belong to anyone. about objective reality. This part the elusive ‘ghost orchid’. To this end, Masterson defends theism, the view BOOKS PAGE 39 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021

Invaluably, appendices gather Joyce the Student: together Joyce’s undergraduate writings, University College Dublin, 1898-1902 including his L and H talk, ‘Drama and Life’, the most brilliant lecture ever Professor Emeritus John Kelly given at UCD, and his pioneering 1900 Gleoiteog Press review of Henrik Ibsen’s When We Dead ISBN: 978-1-5722-8262-9 Awaken. Readers glean a tangible sense of Joyce’s precocious development as a writer and of the political and aesthetic debates at UCD. In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce sketched a blazingly original account of Stephen Dedalus as university student. John Kelly’s richly illustrated Joyce the Student contextualises these well-known fictional scenes, sometimes demurring from them, and provides engrossing insights into UCD at the turn of the twentieth century. AF

The Editor has three copies of Joyce the Student to give away, thanks to the John Kelly’s Joyce the Student is author. Email [email protected] and tell the first book-length account of Joyce’s us one of Joyce’s middle names to enter undergraduate career at UCD. It fills a the draw. Include your postal address conspicuous gap and sheds light on the and we’ll send the book to you. formative, conflict-ridden years, 1898- 1902. In his circumspect investigation, Kelly intertwines Joyce’s experience as a student at UCD with a history of the institution. As his book shows, the deficiencies as well as the merits of the still nascent university acted as a goad for Joyce’s single-minded intent to become the most revolutionary author of his era. Yet, even though he cultivated the role of outsider, Joyce’s intellectual evolution was inextricably bound up with college life, not least because he belonged to a brilliant generation of students who played central roles in Irish and international public affairs, amongst them JF Byrne, CP Curran, Francis Sheehy Skeffington, Tom Kettle and George Clancy. SPORTSPORT PAGEPAGE 4040 UCDUCD TODAYTODAY -- AUTUMNSPRING 2020 2021

Tokyo Olympics Congratulations to all UCD students, past and present, who participated in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralymics. We wish them the very best in their endeavours. Women’s Hockey • Hannah McLoughlin: BSc Economics and Finance Stage 3 • Michelle Carey: BE Biomedical Engineering Stage 3 Paul O’Donovan • Katie Mullan: BSc Engineering (2017), ME Engineering (2018) • Chloe Watkins: BComm International (2016) • Deirdre Duke: BCL Law with Social Justice (2017) • Anna O’Flanagan: BCL Law and Economics (2013) • Lena Tice: BA Economics (2021) • Sarah McAuley: BSocSc Social Policy & Sociology (Stage 2) Athletics • Mark English (800m): MB BCh BAO Medicine (2019) Patrick Flanagan, Kerrie Leonard and Colin Judge. Sarah Healy Credit/ paralympics.ie • Ciara Mageean: (1500m): BSc Physiotherapy (2017) • Sarah Lavin (100m hurdles): BSc Physiotherapy (2018) • Sarah Healy (1500m): BCL Law Stage 3 Golf • Shane Lowry: BSc Sports Management Rugby Sevens • Billy Dardis: BSc Health & Performance Science (2018); MSc Management Consultancy (2021) Drone shoot of the stabilisation process and final phase of development works, July 2021 • Harry McNulty: BSc Food Science (2017) • Gavin Mullin: BBL Business and Law (2021) • Adam Leavy: MSc Finance (2021) UCD Athletics Track: • Foster Horan: Professional Masters Physiotherapy (2020) UCD students and alumni on the Irish Women’s Hockey Team • Terry Kennedy: BComm (2018) The Final Hurdle • Bryan Mollen: BA (2020) As we approach the finish line in the construction of • Ian Fitzpatrick: BComm (2017) UCD’s new Athletics Track, UCD Student Services are Swimming delighted to report the progressive developments which • Darragh Greene (100m breast stroke): DipSMgt Sports Management have taken place over the past number of months. (2018) Rowing Since government restrictions eased, the finalisation • Eimear Lambe (Women’s 4): BComm Commerce International (2019) of the soil stabilisation process and testing of the same Eimear Lambe Darragh Greene • Aileen Crowley (Women’s Pair): BSc Architecture (2015) in order to ensure compliance was met in line with design • Paul O’Donovan (Men’s Lightweight Double): BSc Physiotherapy specifications. (2017) The stabilised soil foundation now hosts a layer of stone Paralympics tarmacadam which provides the substructure required to • Patrick Flanagan (Para swimming): BSc Economics and Finance (2021) house the finished surface track. • Colin Judge (Para Table Tennis): BAFS Actuary and Financial Studies We have reached the point where all works will now be (2017) above ground level as the project finishes out towards its • Kerrie Leonard (Para Archery): MSc in Marketing (2019) completion. Support Staff Outstanding works separate to that of the track surface • Lisa Jacob, Irish Women’s Hockey Manager: BA Psychology (2009) include the installation of lighting, line markings on the • James Nolan, Paralympic Ireland Athletics HPD: BSc Sports surface track, seeding of the infield area and the buildout of Management (2009) the remaining athletics structures to incorporate the shot • Feifhlim Kelly, Athletics Middle Distance Coach to Team Ireland: Team Ireland Rugby Sevens Squad putt and high jump zones. BSc Sports & Exercise Management (2004) STUDENT NEWS PAGE 41 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 UCD Vet White Coat Ceremony 2021 On Friday 23 April UCD School of their clinical rotations in the UCD recited by Professor Bryan Markey Veterinary Medicine’s annual White Veterinary Hospital. and Dr Robin Farrell respectively. Coat Ceremony took place virtually. The ceremony was led by The ceremony was concluded with The Clinical Commencement or Professor Michael Doherty, Dean keynote addresses by Mr Charles White Coat Ceremony is a key and Head of School. Following the Cosgrave and Assistant Professor milestone for Veterinary Medicine presentation of the Class of 2022 Pamela Gillick, UCD School of and Veterinary Nursing students, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Veterinary Medicine, who were marking their transition from Nursing students, the Veterinary invited by students to share their classroom-based learning to and Veterinary Nursing Oaths were advice on entering clinical practice.

The Gaza Monologues Pictured at NovaUCD are EOFIS founders Marysol Angeloni and Tiarnach Ó Riada with Dr Paul Cuffe On 27 May 2021, UCD Ad Astra Academy Performing Arts students, invited by Stanford University Abbasi Program in Software to Augment Human Islamic Studies and San José State University, represented Memory wins NovaUCD’s 2021 Ireland in a reading of The Gaza Monologues. These are Student Enterprise Competition the personal testimonies of a group of Palestinian children EOFIS, an early-stage student venture which is a developing software platform to who lived through the Gaza aid human memory, has won the 2021 NovaUCD Student Enterprise Competition war from December 2008 and €5,000 in prize money. to January 2009. Performed online by students from over EOFIS helps people recall important MSc in Management at UCD Michael 30 universities, The Gaza materials and statistics by using artificial Smurfit Graduate Business School, Monologues, 11 years after its intelligence to create memory-jogging and Tiarnach Ó Riada, who has just first performance, remains a quiz-style questions from data fed to completed a BEng degree in UCD School moving and timely reminder of the platform by users looking to retain of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. the horror of war. important snippets of information.The The team is supported by Assistant platform allows users to take the text Professor Paul Cuffe, UCD School of of an illuminating nugget of information Electrical and Electronic Engineering, or even a whole book chapter and who supervised Tiarnach’s final year have it transform into a series of quiz engineering project during which the questions. The daily quizzes appear on EOFIS software platform was initially a user’s phone and use a proven spaced developed. repetition technique to optimally time The sponsors of the 2021 NovaUCD when users will see the questions. Student Enterprise Competition were AIB, The members of the EOFIS team are Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Ericsson, Goodbody Marysol Angeloni, who is completing an Stockbrokers and Xilinx.