2006 University College Dublin SEPTEMBER Celebrating the past, creating the future www.ucd.ie/ucdtoday Nobel laureate Professor Andrew Jane Suiter Professor Conor Professor Carpenter meets Heneghan tells James J. discusses Dr Christine Shane Hickey Heckman UCD’s new MA Casey, how technology talks to in Creative author of can improve Louise Holden Writing Dublin:The healthcare about his new Buildings of role at UCD Ireland 3 7 11 12 New round of academic promotions announced The UCD Governing Authority has approved a new round of 107 academic promotions, This current round of promotions is highly significant, as, for the first time, a procedure for promotion to reflecting the high standards and achievements of the UCD academic community and the Professor was implemented and a total of 24 promotions to Professor were made. Also for the first time, university's commitment to rewarding excellence. The promotions demonstrate that a key promotions to Associate Professor did not take place under a quota system, and 48 promotions to tenet of the UCD Strategic Plan 2005-2008 - the development of a full suite of recruitment Associate Professor were approved. A new benchmarking system for promotion to Senior Lecturer, which and reward mechanisms for academic staff - is now in place. gives candidates clear targets to strive for, resulted in 35 promotions to Senior Lecturer. To see a full listing of the academic promotions, go to www.ucd.ie/news inside Interdisciplinary insights what’s3 into childhood development Professor James J. Heckman tells Louise Holden how cross-disciplinary research can help policy-makers draw up effective UCD - Sunday Times intervention methods to promote personal development during childhood. Discovering the artisan in the artist 7 Professor Andrew Carpenter, Head of the UCD School of English and Drama, talks to Olive University of the Year Keogh about a new MA in Creative Writing which provides committed writers with support to develop their potential. When, in the midst of radical change, someone outside says UCD awarded 105 sports scholarships. Other positive changes, such ‘we like what you’re doing’, it's a welcome boost to all those as the increase in on-campus residences to almost 2,500, impact 10-million-year-old bone marrow who put in Trojan work to make that change happen. This month directly on opinions and choices among students. 8 found in fossilised frog The Sunday Times awarded UCD the title University of the Year Eoghan Rice meets palaeobiologist Size also influences the diversity of research activities and facilitates Maria McNamara of the UCD School of for “excellence across a wide range of indicators.” Coming in a academic collaboration between colleagues from other disciplines Geological Sciences, leader of the study group year when we witnessed a 15% swing in CAO first preferences here on campus as well as with other universities. The recent round that made this remarkable discovery in (from -4.6% to +10.4%) and strong growth in research income north-Eastern Spain. of IRCSET- IRCHSS applications demonstrates the value of size and (to almost Û80 million) this indicates that the implementation diversity. Of a total of 23 UCD-led applications, 9 are internal while Beyond the hall door of our strategic plan does not go unnoticed. 14 involve inter-institutional collaborations. UCD is part of a further 11 Dr Christine Casey’s recently published book, Dublin: The Buildings of Ireland, uncovers a Competitive comparison of universities on this island and 8 collaborations led by other Irish universities. wealth of the capital's architectural secrets. internationally is a reality. Statistics on students’ results, Jane Suiter meets the author to learn the story The coming academic year holds new challenges as UCD actively behind the book. research income, research output, staff:student ratios all go into a promotes 4th level education through the five new graduate schools. mix to produce league tables which are used to rank and rate the Over 100 Ad Astra scholars join the ranks of 400 new researchers to Self-monitoring can reduce universities. The Sunday Times adds a separate qualitative boost UCD's PhD programmes. 12 pressure on Irish hospitals element - the use of questionnaires to get a broader picture of Professor Conor Heneghan, winner of the NovaUCD 2006 Innovation Award, tells Shane campus life through the eyes of students and to assess the Much of the work involved in making strategic changes happens Hickey how new technology could ease the university’s role on the national and world stage. quietly, in the background. All the planning, the policy-development, pressure on the Irish health service. the operational alignment takes long hours and tremendous effort. From a student perspective, UCD is beginning to capitalise on its size Receiving The Sunday Times University of the Year award is a public UCD Carnival Day rather than falling into the space that equates size with anonymity. 17 acknowledgement that these changes are having the desired impact. Photos from this year's Carnival Day, where a The breadth of modules is a real plus for students choosing electives record number of staff, together with their families and friends, enjoyed a day of - 40% of first years chose from outside their study area. Scale is also Eilis O’Brien fun-filled activities. a help in terms of participation in elite performance sport. Last year Director of Communications Sports roundup 18 Highlights of UCD's recent sporting achievements, and a report on the former UCD sports scholars' successes at the European Championships Contributors: Design: Suzanne Bailey, Edel Bhreathnach, Loman Cusack Design Clár Ní Bhuachalla, Deirdre Brophy, Catherine Carey, Una Condron, Sheila Print: Convery, Orla Donoghue, Noreen Giffney, eBrook Michael D. Gilchrist, Shane Hickey, Thanks to: Louise Holden, David Jennings, Emma Padraic Conway, JP Donnelly, Kavanagh, Olive Keogh, john McCafferty, Catherine Godson, Maurice Manning, Ita McGuigan, Peter McKiernan, Barbara Cliona de Bhaldraithe Marsh, Mennell, Valerie Norton, Elaine Quinn, Damien McLoughlin, Patrick Wall. Eoghan Rice, Eileen Scott, Grace Sexton, Mark Simpson, Jane Suiter, Miceál Whelan In the compilation of this publication, every care has been taken to ensure Produced by: accuracy. Any errors or omissions should be Eilis O Brien, Sarah Collins, brought to the attention of UCD Sorcha Duggan, Dominic Martella Communications. 20062 Interdisciplinary research yields new insights into childhood development Preparing for his new role as UCD Professor of Science and Society, Nobel laureate James J. Heckman tells Louise Holden how his international team plans to create a new field of study in Ireland. Is there a genetic disposition towards crime? factors feeding into human development, and Professor Heckman has raised some hackles “Ireland has improved tremendously in the Towards grammar acquisition? Towards to appraise the value of targeted interventions with his perceived suggestion that learning last 10 years. The signs are that policymakers heart disease? These simplistic ruminations in later-stage development.” supports in school and beyond are a waste of are interested in making this country even betray our general innocence of the money. For those who have lobbied long for more productive than it is. I do not wish to interplay of biology and environment. Heckman is focusing his work on Ireland for a educational interventions in the teenage and come here, as an American, and start offering Scholars and scientists are starting to realise number of reasons. First, thanks to the support adult years, the idea of scrapping resource policy advice to the Irish government, but I am that in order to gain true insights into of the Atlantic Foundation and the teaching and state-sponsored literacy training willing to interface with interested parties. human development, an interdisciplinary government’s Programme for Research in is an insult. The commitment of PRTLI funding to this approach is required. Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) fund, Professor project is a very positive statement about Heckman will soon take up his new role as Of course, Professor Heckman is suggesting the Irish government's interest in effective Ireland welcomed a lot of visitors during the Professor of Science and Society at UCD, a joint no such thing, but he does believe that the early-childhood intervention.” summer, but arguably none as influential as initiative between the UCD Geary Institute and requirement for costly school and training Nobel laureate Professor James J. Heckman. UCD Conway Institute. Drawing on the supports would be greatly reduced if money Professor Heckman believes that his work with Professor Heckman came to Belfield in June expertise of UCD notables such as Professor was spent on children earlier in their lives. the UCD Geary Institute and the UCD Conway 2006 to accept the UCD Ulysses Medal for his Janet Allen, Professor Cecily Kelleher, Professor Institute holds great promise beyond Ireland, work in the field of economic science; this most Colm Harmon and UCD President, Dr Hugh “If a child is experiencing literacy difficulties, it as the confluence of expertise and the research recent accolade follows the John Bates Clark Brady, together with academics at his own is much more expensive to intervene at 13 than focus is quite unique. Award of the American Economic Association in department at the University of Chicago, it is to intervene at three,” Professor Heckman 1983, the 2005 Jacob