GMIT_Today_48pp3columnv2_Layout 1 06/11/2012 09:32 Page 1 1972 - 2012 TODAYCelebrating 40 years of learning and teaching GMIT_Today_48pp3columnv2_Layout 1 06/11/2012 10:44 Page 2 GMIT Introduction Forty years of service to region hen RTC Galway opened its doors on Monday, September 18, 1972 there were 1,213 students Wregistered on a range of courses designed for trade and industry. As GMIT marks its 40th anniversary this academic year, the Institute continues to respond to the Making the news at GMIT 31 needs of the region despite uncertain times, providing quality third level education to almost 8,000 students in a range of disciplines across five campuses in Galway and Mayo. Times were as challenging then as they are now, as GMIT President Michael Carmody tells journalist Brian McDonald INSIDE in a revealing interview on page 3: “We’ve lost 13 per cent of President on tough times 4 our staff since 2008 and our budget has also been cut 12 to 13 per cent over the same period...whatever we do, it has to LEARNING & TEACHING be the best thing for the students and graduates”. GMIT’s hopes and plans for the future and the many Figuring out a bright future 6 achievements of students and staff in all of its campuses are Those appy students 9 laid out across these pages under themes reflecting the five Top teachers honoured 11 pillars of the Institute’s Strategic Development Plan 2010- Sweet success for Julia 13 2015: Learning & Teaching; Community Engagement; The online explosion 17 Research & Innovation; Student Environment; and Interna- tionalisation & Collaboration. RESEARCH & INNOVATION Former Registrar Bernard O’Hara, who retired in 2010 after 39 years of dedicated service, takes us back to GMIT’s Start-ups get revved up 18 beginnings and outlines the milestones along the way, with Quite a record for IiBC 19 some very special archive photographs provided by the Making a difference 21 Connacht Tribune. To the waters and the wild 22 Volunteering and fund-raising have always been a huge Medical matters... greatly 23 part of student life in GMIT, with students and staff raising hundreds of thousands of euro over the years for the Galway COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Lions Club, Croí, RNLI and many more. Working with Letterfrack at Farmleigh 27 community partners and charity organisations is now embedded in most GMIT programmes, giving students a It’s child’s play 28 keen understanding of the society in which they live and the Sharing their talent 29 importance of being a good citizen. GMIT is very proud of its graduates who have gone on to INTERNATIONALISATION & COLLABORATION forge successful careers, among them furniture designer, And the winner is... 30 John Lee, who came to national prominence last November A worldwide attraction 32 when he designed and made the Presidential Inauguration Alliances are key 34 Chair for Michael D Higgins' inauguration ceremony, and Film & TV graduate, Gary Shore, who is making waves STUDENT ENVIRONMENT in Hollywood as a promising young film director. GMIT has played an important €6m sporting boost 35 role in the social, cultural and Castlebar goes green 36 economic development of the region Games and glory 37-40 over the past 40 years and there is no doubt it will continue to be an invalu- 40 years of GMIT 41-45 able contributor to Irish education in Seat of power 46 the years to come. Artistic Alumni 47 Regina Daly, Editor Editor: Regina Daly Photos: GMIT Today is published by the © Copright Galway-Mayo Institute of Editorial Consultant: Brian McDonald Aengus McMahon GMIT Communications Office. Technology (GMIT) 2012 Design & Layout: Proactive Andrew Downes Printer: Brunswick Press Ltd Joe Shaughnessy We welcome your thoughts on this Keith Heneghan publication. Please send them to: Contributors: Ken Wright Regina Daly, Communications Officer, Brian McDonald Connacht Tribune (archives) GMIT, Dublin Road, Galway. Rosita Boland GMIT staff Tel. 00 353 91 742826 Regina Daly and GMIT staff Geraldine O’Brien Email: [email protected] 2 GMIT_Today_48pp3columnv2_Layout 1 05/11/2012 17:23 Page 3 Oifig an Taoisigh Office of the Taoiseach Message from An Taoiseach, Teachtaireacht ón Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny T.D. an tUasal Enda Kenny T.D. I am delighted to have this opportunity to mark the 40th Is ábhar ríméid dom an deis seo a fháil 40ú comóradh bliana Insti- anniversary of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology tiúid Teicneolaíochta na Gaillimhe-Maigh Eo a shonrú agus ba and would like to offer my sincere congratulations to the mhian liom comhghairdeas croí a dhéanamh leis an bhfoireann, staff, students and all who have been involved in the devel- leis na neacha léinn agus le gach duine a raibh baint acu le opment of the Institute through the years. forbairt na hInstitiúide le linn na mblianta. Since its birth in1972, this Institute has made a major Óna tús in 1972, rinne an Institiúid seo cion mór d’fhorbairt contribution to the development of the western region, réigiún an Iarthair, agus rochtain ar an oideachas tríú leibhéal á facilitating access to third-level education for so many éascú aici don oiread sin daoine óga as Gaillimh, Maigh Eo agus young people from Galway, Mayo and beyond. Moreover, níos faide i gcéin. Lena chois sin, d’imir sí ról ríthábhachtach i it has played a vital role in developing business and bhforbairt gnó agus tionscail sa réigiún. industry in the region. Tharla athruithe suntasacha ar an ardoideachas in Éirinn le The past 40 years have seen remarkable changes in linn na 40 bliain seo caite. Is norm anois é an t-ardoideachas do higher education in Ireland. Third-level education has now líon mór daoine óga. Níos mó agus níos mó tá fir agus mná become the norm for large numbers of young people. lánfhásta ag filleadh ar an léann agus é sin á éascú go straitéiseach More and more mature men and women are returning to ag GMIT. learning, facilitated, strategically, by GMIT. I gcaitheamh na mblianta sin d’fhás líon na neach léinn ó Those years have seen GMIT numbers grow from 1,000 1,000 go 8,000 neach léinn i gcúig champas ar fud an réigiúin. students to 8,000 students, working in five campuses across Cuireadh fáilte roimh theacht in am tráth do Champas Chaisleán the region. The Castlebar campus, established in 1994, was an Bharraigh (1994), rud a chuir beocht sa bhaile agus sa timely and welcome, bringing new life to the town and its cheantar máguaird. environs. Leis an gComhaontas Chonnacht-Uladh déanfaidh Institiúid The new Connacht-Ulster Alliance sees Letterkenny Teicneolaíochta Leitir Ceanainn, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Institute of Technology, the Institute of Technology, Sligo Shligigh agus GMIT comhpháirtíocht nua straitéiseach a rachaidh and GMIT, form a new strategic partnership which will be chun tairbhe go mór do chúrsaí acadúla, agus gréasán á éascú of enormous academic benefit facilitating networks aige idir na hinstitiúidí ar leith trí chomhchláir fhochéime agus between individual institutions through shared, undergrad- iarchéime. uate and postgraduate programmes. Chomh maith leis sin, is eol dom Acadamh Náisiúnta Furthermore, I am aware of a €12.5 million National Gníomhaíochtaí Allamuigh ar chostas €12.5m a bheith á Outdoor Pursuits Academy currently being planned. If phleanáil faoi láthair. Má fhaomhtar é, is é a bheidh i gceist approved, this will involve building a cluster of new facili- cnuasach saoráidí nua a tógáil thart timpeall ar Loch Chaisleán ties around Lough Lannagh in Castlebar, as a joint-venture an Bharraigh mar chomhfhiontar idir GMIT, Comhairle Contae between GMIT, Mayo County Council and Castlebar Town Mhaigh Eo agus Comhairle Baile Chaisleán an Bharraigh. Council. Eiseamláir iontach é sin den soláthar don ‘chomhoibriú It is an excellent example of ‘community co-operation’ pobail’ agus do na ‘seirbhísí i gcomhar’, ar cur chuige é a bhfuil and ‘shared services’ provision, an approach that is needed gá níos mó ná riamh leis. now more than ever. Is a bhuí don cheannaireacht agus don fhoireann a rinne The progress GMIT has made in the last 40 years is a GMIT an dul chun cinn sin sna 40 bliain seo caite. tribute to the leadership and staff. Táim cinnte go mbeidh GMIT ar thús cadhnaíochta i gcúrsaí I’m confident that GMIT will lead national and regional forbartha go náisiúnta agus go réigiúnach sna blianta atá development in the years ahead. I wish the Institute, its romhainn. Guím sonas agus rath thar na bearta ar an Institiúid staff and students every fulfilment and success. agus ar a cuid foirne agus neach léinn. 3 GMIT_Today_48pp3columnv2_Layout 1 05/11/2012 17:23 Page 4 GMIT TESting times are being met head-on BY BRIAN McDONALD GMIT chief charts ichael Carmody is too polite to directly quote MUS political consultant an ambitious future James Carville, the man credited with devising the strategy that saw Bill Clinton win the 1992 US Carville’s response to the Clinton in 1993 he became the first Registrar Presidential election. But he might campaign team 20 years ago was “The of the Institute. His decade-long term well have done when asked about Economy Stupid” and TES has since as President of ITT began in 2001. the biggest challenge facing GMIT taken its place in the lexicon of no- “GMIT is a bigger operation, It’s right now. nonsense insights into difficult times. twice the size of Tralee and it’s spread It’s inescapable, the GMIT President over five campuses, so it’s a different simply notes, as he reflects on the dynamic. It tends to run itself like a reality of running the biggest Institute big liner and moves steadily along in a of Technology on the western seaboard.