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 Page 10 Page 15 Page 20 Page 29 Page 34 NEWS PAGE 3 UCD TODAY - AUTUMN 2021 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