News Archive

University of Galway has announced the winners of our 2025 Alumni Awards. Eight recipients are to be recognised at a gala awards night on Friday May 23, 2025. The University’s Alumni Awards celebrate outstanding individuals among the 133,000 alumni, recognising their remarkable accomplishments across various fields on a local, national and international level.   The winners of the 2025 University of Galway Alumni Awards are:   Alumni Award for Arts, Literature and Celtic Studies Deirdre Sullivan, award winning novelist Alumni Award for Business and Commerce - Sponsored by Bank of Ireland Anne O’Riordan, former Group Director of Digital at Jardine Matheson Limited Gradam Alumni don Ghaeilge Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner, Coimisiún na Meán Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy and Society – Sponsored by RDJ Geoffrey Shannon, Circuit Court Judge Alumni Award for Engineering, Science and Technology  Dr Fiona Grant, Head of International Programmes at the Marine Institute Alumni Award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences – Sponsored by Medtronic Dr Elizabeth Whalen, Medical Director of the Office for Public Health for the State of New York Alumni Award for Contribution to Sport  Kevin Dinneen, Chair of Third Level Rugby and the IRFU Appeals Board  Alumni Award for Emerging Leaders Dr Ríona Ní Ghriallais, co-founder of ProVerum             Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “It is a privilege to honour the accomplishments of these eight remarkable individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields at home and abroad. Each one of them are making a great impact in their own way and I hope their achievements serve as an inspiration to our current students and our graduates. I look forward to welcoming them back to their alma mater in May.”   Professor Becky Whay, Interim Deputy President and Registrar at University of Galway, said: “Our Alumni Awards and our awards night on campus are a wonderful opportunity to recognise University of Galway graduates and to inspire our current students by showcasing some of the many different ways their predecessors have made a positive mark on the World. This year’s winners join an impressive roll call of 113 people from all walks of life who we have had the pleasure of helping to educate and, importantly, the pleasure of recognising and celebrating for their outstanding achievements since the awards began in the year 2000.” For online reservations, visit https://www.universityofgalway.ie/alumni/alumniawards/ or contact Colm O’Dwyer at 091 494310. Ends

Two undergraduate medicine students at University of Galway have led a major study examining how cardioprotective glucose-lowering therapies - medications that lower blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes - affect the risk of developing dementia. The research has been published in JAMA Neurology. The new study involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of 26 clinical trials involving more than 160,000 participants. The researchers found that while most glucose-lowering therapies were not significantly associated with a reduction in dementia risk, one class of drugs – known as GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1Ras) was linked to a significant reduction. The study was conducted by medical students Allie Seminer and Alfredi Mulihano, alongside researchers from University of Galway, the HRB Clinical Research Facility Galway and University Hospital Galway. Key Findings: The research analysed data from 26 randomised controlled trials with a total of 164,531 participants. While glucose-lowering therapies as a whole did not significantly reduce dementia risk, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1Ras) were linked to a 45% lower risk of dementia. The findings provide crucial insights into the potential for diabetes medications to influence long-term brain health. Dr Catriona Reddin, senior author, researcher at the University of Galway and Registrar in Geriatric Medicine at HSE West North West, said: "This research represents a significant contribution to our understanding of how some diabetes medications may impact brain health. Diabetes is a known risk factor for dementia, but whether glucose-lowering therapies can help prevent cognitive decline has remained unclear. Our findings suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists, in particular, may have a protective effect on brain health.” Professor Martin O'Donnell, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway and Consultant Stroke Physician with HSE West North-West said: “Given the increasing prevalence of both diabetes and dementia, findings from this study have important public health implications for prevention of dementia. “What makes this study particularly exciting for the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway, is that it was led by two of our undergraduate medicine students. We place a strong emphasis on research as a core component of our undergraduate medicine programme, ensuring that students have opportunities to engage in high-impact studies that shape global healthcare.” Allie Seminer, a third year student from New York and co-lead author, said: "Being involved in a study of this scale as an undergraduate has been an incredible experience. What stood out for me was the sense of responsibility - knowing that our work could help shape understanding of a global health issue. It was incredibly motivating to be part of a team working at this level, and it has shown me how research is an essential part of becoming a well-rounded doctor. It highlights how research is not just an add-on to our degree but an essential part of how we learn to advance medical knowledge." Alfredi Mulihano, a third year student from Dundalk and co-lead author, said:  "Being part of this study has completely changed how I see my role as a future doctor. It brought together clinical insight, data analysis, and critical thinking in a way that lectures alone cannot. The experience opened my eyes to the impact we can have beyond the bedside - contributing to knowledge that could change how diseases like dementia are prevented.” The full study in JAMA Neurology is available here. Ends

Minister Noel Grealish today officially launched the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) Early Career Symposium, at the historic Quadrangle at the University of Galway. This important gathering brings together emerging young scientists, respected industry professionals, and distinguished academic experts to encourage collaboration, innovation, and resilience among early career animal scientists. The symposium highlights the British Society of Animal Science’s commitment to nurturing future leaders in animal science, providing attendees with essential skills, networking opportunities, and insights from established researchers and industry professionals. Minister Noel Grealish, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said: “I’m delighted to welcome the British Society of Animal Science Early Career Symposium to Ireland. There are many positive benefits that livestock farming can contribute to our economy, society, rural areas and our food system and this symposium helps to ensure the next generation of talent will drive innovation for decades to come." Dr David Kenny, British Society of Animal Science President, commented: “Investing in our early career scientists is crucial for the future of sustainable animal science research. Today's symposium is an exciting opportunity for participants to exchange ideas, build valuable connections, and enhance their professional growth.” Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: "We are delighted to host this event with the British Society of Animal Science, reflecting our dedication to supporting the next generation of scientific talent. Events like today’s symposium greatly enrich our academic community and drive innovation in animal science research. They are pivotal in cultivating fresh thinking and equipping future scientists with the tools and networks they need to tackle the pressing challenges facing the sector.” Dr Sinéad Waters, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, said: "It has been a pleasure to help bring this exciting event to life as one of the symposium organisers. The energy and enthusiasm of the early career community is inspiring, and today’s programme provides a platform to share knowledge, explore career pathways, and build lasting connections." The British Society of Animal Science Early Career Symposium sets the stage for the upcoming British Society of Animal Science Annual Conference, running from 8th -10th April at the Galway Bay Hotel, where leading international researchers and industry stakeholders will explore the latest developments and future directions in animal science. Ends

University of Galway has hosted a symposium on Delivering Ireland’s National Life Sciences Strategy, in partnership with Medtronic plc.  The focus of the event is to provide a platform for discussion, collaboration and policy recommendations to support delivery of a national Life Sciences Strategy that will provide a cohesive framework to sustain and enhance Ireland's future competitiveness through research, innovation, talent development, entrepreneurship and technology. Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke T.D., delivered the keynote address at the event in the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. Minister Burke said: “The Life Sciences sector is one of the key drivers of Ireland’s economic success, accounting for over 100,000 jobs and over €130 billion in exports and we are proud to be home to the world’s leading Life Sciences companies. In the new Programme for Government, we have committed to developing a National Strategy for the Life Sciences to ensure this important sector remains competitive, and that we have a coherent and ambitious approach to future opportunities. This morning’s symposium is a great opportunity for stakeholders in this field to connect and look to the future of Ireland’s Life Sciences sector.” Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “University of Galway is at the forefront of research and innovation, particular in the area of biomedical sciences and engineering, and medical devices, and we are recognised as among the top 30 universities in Europe for spinout value. By hosting this symposium, in partnership with Medtronic, University of Galway is leading the conversation on a call for action to creating Ireland’s National Life Sciences Strategy , recognising the critical role of the higher education sector in enabling the life sciences ecosystem and economic growth.” The symposium Delivering Ireland’s National Life Sciences Strategy brought together government, industry, healthcare and academic leaders, as well as patient advocacy groups, to explore how Ireland can strengthen its position as a global life sciences leader.    University of Galway and Medtronic announced a Signature Innovation Partnership in 2023 to advance medical technology and healthcare innovation. The collaboration combines the University’s research expertise with Medtronic’s leadership in medical devices with the aim of driving progress in healthcare delivery, talent development and global healthcare solutions. University of Galway has established two key research institutes in recent years, as part of a strategic drive for deeper impact through research and innovation. The new Institute for Clinical Trials was launched in May 2023 and the second, the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation was established in 2024, with a focus on health discovery science, medical technologies and advanced therapeutics.   The institutes operate in close collaboration with CÚRAM, the Research Ireland-Taighde Éireann centre for medical devices, and BioInnovate, the fellowship programme under the Enterprise Ireland Innovators’ Initiative, both of which are based in University of Galway. Following the symposium, recommendations will be developed to support the life science sector’s future development and competitiveness.     Ends   

The triumphs and endeavours of athletes, sports clubs and coaches have been celebrated at the 40th University of Galway Sports Awards. Among the winners were Under-23 World Rowing Champion Donnacha Keeley, senior international cross country athlete Fiona Everard and the University Women’s Hockey Club. Donnacha Keeley won sports person of the year, while Caitlin Hughes from the Athletics Club won individual performance of the year for her contribution to the Irish Under-20 European Cross Country team. Some other winners on the night were Kate Ní Ghacháin (Unsung Hero award), Tiffanie Fitzgerald, for her contribution to University of Galway Camogie over her four years as an undergraduate student, and the Swimming and Waterpolo clubs for hosting the best event. The awards ceremony was held at the Radisson Red Hotel in Galway and hosted by RTÉ Sport’s Darren Frehill. Des Ryan, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing, University of Galway, said: “Our Sports Awards are a celebration of Sport in the University of Galway. They recognise our dual aspiration of achieving High Performance and Sport for All. The awards recognise the performances, achievements and hard work of our athletes, players, teams, coaches, committee members and volunteers. Our mission in the University of Galway Sports Unit is to be the most progressive and caring University sports programme on the island of Ireland. All the nominees and award winners are helping us on that mission. “Everyone involved in our Clubs bring honour, often glory, and also enjoyment, in no small amount, to University of Galway. “Many of the awardees will with certainty go on to achieve greatness in their chosen sport and all have and will continue to contribute great social capital to our environment and their future environments. For us in the Sports Unit, it is an honour and a pleasure to work with them and to get to know such talented individuals and to support all those involved in Clubs. We look forward to bright futures for all of our sporting community and take this opportunity of the awards to recognise all those who have greatly contributed to sport in the University of Galway.” Ciara Meehan, Dean of Students, University of Galway, said: “Congratulations to each of the awardees and a special word of thanks to all those who promote our university values of respect, openness and excellence through our Clubs. “Our annual sports awards reflect not only the excellence of our students in terms of preparation, performance and competing, but also the contribution they and their clubs make to promoting wellbeing and belonging in our community.” The University of Galway Sports Awards recognise performance, leadership and participation, as well as those that contribute to the running and development of the Clubs. They also celebrate remarkable final year individuals who have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to sport; shown an impeccable example of sportsmanship and a high level of performance and achievement; been an excellent ambassador within the University and for student sport; and competed at a regional level or above. University of Galway is now home to 40 plus active sports clubs, which are student-led and organised, with approximately 6,000 students participating in sport and activity daily at the University. 2025 Sports Award Winners Best Event of the Year The Relay Gala – Swimming and Waterpolo Club Captain of the Year Eoin Kenny (Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow) Boxing Club of the Year Rowing Club Coach of the Year Sebastian Locteau (Craughwell Co. Galway/France) Swimming and Waterpolo Most Improved Club Camogie Club Fundraising of the Year Fundraising Achievements 2024-2025 – Hockey Club Individual Performance of the Year Caitlin Hughes (Swinford, Co. Mayo) Athletics University Honours Fiona Everard, (Enniskeane, Co. Cork) Athletics Kara McCleane (Roscahill, Co. Galway) Basketball Tiffanie Fitzgerald (Gowran, Co. Kilkenny) Camogie Lauren Murray (Killiney, Co. Dublin) Sailing Thomas McStay (Claregalway, Co. Galway) Athletics Sports Person of the Year Donnacha Keeley (Clonmel, Co. Tipperary) Rowing Unsung Hero Kate Ní Ghacháin (Foxford, Co. Mayo) Kayak Team of the Year Women’s Senior 4 National Champions - Rowing Student’s Union Club Captains Choice – Female Dimana Nedeva, (Galway City/Sofia, Bulgaria) Badminton Student’s Union Club Captains Choice – Male Oisín Mc Laughlin (Moville, Inishowen, Co. Donegal) Pool and Snooker Dean of Student Award Adam Mullins (Clonmany, Inishowen, Co. Donegal) Mountaineering Sarah Hontz (Galway City/USA) Lacrosse Subacqua Club Muireann O’Reilly (Castlegar, Co. Galway) Camogie Surf Club Boxing Club Róise Ní Mhurchú (Belmullet, Co. Mayo) Surf Anna Sheehy (Tralee, Co. Kerry) parkrun Volleyball Director of Sports Award Mohammed Zajeer Ahmed (India/Galway) Cricket Swimming and Waterpolo Men’s Soccer Athletics Hockey and Mixed Hockey Colm O’Riordan (Furbo, Co. Galway) Judo Louise O’Connor (Moycullen, Co. Galway) Camogie Dave Daly (Gaelcarraig, Galway City) Men's Soccer Martin Hughes (Corrandulla, Co. Galway) Hockey Sean Byrne (Carlow town) Rowing Tom Keal (Crosshaven, Co. Cork) - Student’s Union Clubs Captain 2024-2025 Gradam Gaelach Award Swimming and Waterpolo Ends

A new digital archive of Threshold, one of Northern Ireland’s longest-running literary periodicals of the 20th century, has been digitised and made available online from University of Galway Library Archives. The new digital archive includes more than 3,000 pages of all published issues of the journal, including special themed issues on topics ranging from W.B. Yeats to Irish-America to literature during the Troubles. The archive also includes a selection of wider letters, pamphlets and advertisements from the journal’s archive. First published in 1957 by its founding editor, Mary O'Malley of the Lyric Players Theatre, Belfast, the journal provided an outlet for leading and emerging writers across poetry and fiction, as well as topical essays, reviews, and criticism for over thirty years. Its final issue was published in 1990. The Threshold digital archive will be formally launched during the Cúirt International Festival of Literature alongside an exhibition of original issues, photographs and correspondence relating to publication and from the wider Lyric Theatre/O'Malley archive. It can be viewed at https://digital.library.universityofgalway.ie/p/ms/categories?collection=629 Catriona Cannon, Head of Heritage Collections and Digitisation at University of Galway Library, said: "Threshold holds a special place in the literary history of Ireland, offering a platform for some of the most influential Irish voices of the 20th century over its thirty-three year run. We're excited to share this invaluable resource with a global audience online. By preserving over 3,000 pages of poetry, fiction, and essays, we ensure future generations can continue to engage with the journal's rich cultural legacy.” Conor O’Malley, son of Pearse and Mary O'Malley, said: “We are delighted that the full content of Threshold will now be accessible online to researchers from whole of Ireland and beyond. University of Galway Library is to be warmly congratulated on its initiative and vision.” University of Galway Archivist Dr Barry Houlihan said: “The new digital archive of Threshold opens up a hugely significant part of our literary heritage and an important journal of new writing since it was founded in 1957. Through its online archive Threshold will find a new global readership today.” Jimmy Fay, Executive Producer of the Lyric Theatre, said: “University of Galway Library Archives are providing a wonderful resource for students and enthusiasts of Irish theatre and literature with this welcome online presence of Threshold. It is an astonishing source of inspiration and another reason to celebrate the long-reaching and all-embracing vision of Lyric Theatre founder Mary O’Malley.” The Threshold archive launch events coincide with other activity at University of Galway as part to Cúirt International Festival of Literature, including those featuring students and staff, such as: University of Galway MA Showcase https://www.cuirt.ie/whats-on/ma-showcase/ Writing masterclasses, in association with Faber Academy, including one with Eimear McBride, author of A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, The Lesser Bohemians, Strange Hotel and The City Changes Its Face https://www.cuirt.ie/whats-on/fiction-masterclass/ As part of Arts in Action - University Translator-in-Residence Astrid Huisman and Keith Payne in conversation with Lorna Shaughnessy https://www.cuirt.ie/whats-on/arts-in-action-on-translation-with-keith-payne-and-the-university-translator-in-residence/ As part of Arts in Action - University of Galway Writer-in-Residence, Molly Hennigan: Visual and Literary Histories of Incarceration https://www.cuirt.ie/whats-on/university-of-galway-writer-in-residence-visual-and-literary-histories-of-incarceration/ Launch of the 33rd edition of ROPES Literary Journal by the MA in Literature and Publishing class https://www.cuirt.ie/whats-on/ropes-launch-5/ The Threshold journal archive lies within the wider Lyric Theatre/O’Malley archive at University of Galway Library, which documents and preserves a richly detailed history of theatre production, design, art, and music at the Lyric since its foundation. Overt the course of more than three decades, Threshold welcomed contributors and guest editors including Seamus Heaney, Mary Beckett, Kate O'Brien, Gerald Dawe, John Hewitt, John Montague, among others. Volume 1 of Threshold was introduced with the following foreword: “The History of Irish periodicals is not encouraging. Despite high literary standards and imaginative presentation of general topics, few have survived. No one, however, would deny the value of their contribution to creative writing and objective criticism.” The launch event on Friday April 11th at 4pm will include a panel discussion about the story and history of Threshold, its writers, editors and publications and on the future of literary periodicals. Speakers include Conor O’Malley, Dr Barry Houlihan, and Jimmy Fay, moderated by Lindsay-Ann Reid and introduced by Monica Crump. Ends

Legal experts from around the world are to take part in a conference at University of Galway which aims to explore the options for conducting trials for terrorism and organised crime in Ireland. The two-day event - entitled Replacing the Offences Against the State Acts: The challenge of jury trials for terrorism and organised crime - will hear from legal academics and leading barristers from Ireland, the US, Australia and the UK. It is being hosted by University of Galway’s School of Law in association with Birmingham Law School on February 16th and 17th. Professor Donncha O’Connell, who was member of the Independent Review Group on the Offences Against the State Acts chaired by retired Court of Appeal Judge Michael Peart, which reported in June 2023, said: “Following on from the work of the Review Group – which published a majority and minority report but was unanimous in recommending repeal and replacement of the Offences Against the State Acts – this conference aims to explore the options open to Ireland when conducting trials for terrorism and organised crime, bearing in mind the priority attached to the right to trial by jury under the Irish Constitution.  “We hope to draw on the comparative expertise of academics and practitioners and relevant international standards in considering the likely shape of legislation to replace the Offences Against the State Acts at some stage in the future.” The conference will have a keynote address from Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin MRIA KC, Regents Professor and Robina Chair in Law, Public Policy & Society at the University of Minnesota and Professor of Law at Queen’s University Belfast.  Professor Ní Aoláin, who has just completed her mandate as UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism, is a member of the International Commission of Jurists and was made an honorary King’s Counsel in recognition of her outstanding work. The conference will also hear from leading criminal barristers in Ireland and Scotland - Brendan Grehan SC, Alice Harrison BL and Ronnie Renucci KC - in a session focused on practitioner perspectives chaired by Supreme Court judge, Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley.  Mr Grehan - a graduate of University of Galway - has defended and prosecuted in the Special Criminal Court, most recently acting as defence counsel for Gerard Hutch who was acquitted of murder following the notorious Regency Hotel gun attack in 2016.  Ends

Professor Fidelma Dunne appointed Interim Director and John Kilmartin as Adjunct Professor   World-leading research academic Professor Fidelma Dunne has been appointed Interim Director of the Institute for Clinical Trials at University of Galway. Professor Dunne has an extensive background in clinical trial management and is ranked number 1 in Ireland and number 6 in the world for her research into gestational diabetes. The University has also announced John Kilmartin, former Vice-President of Regulatory Affairs at Medtronic and an independent medtech regulatory expert, joins the Institute for Clinical Trials as Adjunct Professor.  Mr Kilmartin has more than 30 years’ experience in the medtech industry, with a particular focus on the emerging regulatory and clinical frameworks in Europe. Professor Martin O’Donnell, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and Consultant Geriatrician at Saolta University Health Care Group, said: “We are honoured to have both Professor Fidelma Dunne and Mr John Kilmartin join the Institute for Clinical Trials. Their combined expertise in clinical trials, medical research and regulatory affairs will significantly contribute to our mission of advancing impactful clinical research. They will help to advance our clinical research goals and will make meaningful contributions to healthcare outcomes.” Professor Dunne said: “Clinical trials in new medicines and devices are vital to improving the health of people living in Ireland and worldwide. Improving health also has economic and societal benefits. Engaging in clinical trials allows patients in Ireland to receive new medicines and devices early. We have a track record of designing and delivering impactful clinical trials at University of Galway and I am delighted to lead the Institute for Clinical Trials which will have a pivotal role in further enhancing the clinical research landscape in Ireland.” Mr Kilmartin said: “The medtech industry is of huge importance to Ireland and Europe for the benefit of our patients, health systems and society. I believe that the Institute for Clinical Trials at University of Galway can play a key role in helping to support innovation in medtech by strategically targeting barriers within the Irish ecosystem. It aims to strengthen and further promote growth in the medtech sector, expand treatment options for patients and ultimately contribute to the advancement of healthcare on a broader scale." Bios Professor Fidelma Dunne is the immediate past President of the International Association Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups and President of the Irish Endocrine Society (2021-2024). Professor Dunne has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing research and improving outcomes in the critical area of diabetes and pregnancy.  Her research interests, focused on diabetes and pregnancy, have resulted in an impressive portfolio of over 240 peer-reviewed publications, 12,000 citations, and significant grant funding.  Professor Dunne was honoured with the Jorgen Pedersen award in 2021 for her exceptional work in Diabetes in Pregnancy. She is the Principal Investigator of the EMERGE randomised controlled trial, funded by the Health Research Board, with ground-breaking results published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in October 2023 which showed that the drug metformin provided a safe and effective way to treat gestational diabetes. John Kilmartin has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the medtech industry, having led global regulatory teams in the development and implementation of clinical and regulatory strategies for various medical devices and drug/device combination products. He is actively involved with various medtech industry associations, including MedTech Europe and the Irish MedTech Association (IMA), where he served as the Chair of the IMA Regulatory Steering Committee for a number of years.  Mr Kilmartin has a strong focus on the evolving regulatory and clinical frameworks around the world, having collaborated with regulatory agencies such as FDA, European Notified Bodies, Competent authorities and other international regulators. Mr Kilmartin’s areas of interest and focus include the development of the next generation of Regulatory and Clinical Affairs professionals, creating co-operative links between third-level institutions, the medtech industry, regulatory authorities, and government agencies to ensure that the medtech ecosystem continues to thrive in Ireland and in Europe.  Ends

University of Galway’s 2024 Postgraduate Open Day will focus on opportunities to improve employability and increase earning potential with a comprehensive insight of study options on offer. The Postgraduate Open Day will take place on Tuesday February 6, 2024 from 12pm-3pm in the Bailey Allen Hall. The event will showcase the suite of full-time and part-time postgraduate programmes available at the University, including taught and research masters, as well as doctoral research options.  Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the latest employability and industry trends, scholarship and funding opportunities, as well as tips on making a successful application. As part of University of Galway’s strategic focus on recognising excellence and success, all EU postgraduate students with a first class honours in their undergraduate degree are eligible to apply for a €1,500 scholarship towards their taught Masters at the University in 2024. Sarah Geraghty, Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach at University of Galway, said: “A postgraduate qualification is an investment in your career. We especially encourage visitors to explore the opportunities to improve their employability by expanding their knowledge, skills and expertise in their field. Insights from industry continuously demonstrate the significant financial value of a postgraduate qualification in the starting salary after graduation, and importantly it’s a benefit that can be realised right throughout the lifetime of a career.” University of Galway introduces new innovative postgraduate programmes annually, many of which are unique offerings and designed to meet industry needs and market-demand.  Recently announced new programmes include MSc Fintech (Economics and Financial Technology) welcoming applications from graduates of business, economics and finance degrees, or computer science and engineering graduates with a background in economics, and a relaunch of the MSc (Management and Sustainability) designed to shape future business leaders who will drive positive change, contribute to responsible business practices, and make a lasting impact on the world.  The School of Law has launched a new LLM in Criminology, Criminal Justice and Human Rights leading to possibilities in national, regional and international criminal justice agencies, NGOs, inter-governmental organisations and courts. The upcoming event is also an opportunity to explore the expanding range of flexible, part-time and online learning programmes designed for learners who are returning to study, pivoting their career to a new industry to upskilling in their current job. Bookings are now open for the event and visitors and book their place at https://universityofgalway.ie/choose-postgrad/ Ends

Díreofar ar dheiseanna chun infhostaitheacht a fheabhsú agus a chuirfidh ar chumas an fhostaí tuilleadh airgid a dhéanamh ag Lá Oscailte Iarchéime 2024 Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, áit a mbeidh léargas cuimsitheach ar na roghanna staidéir atá á dtairiscint. Beidh an Lá Oscailte Iarchéime ar siúl i Halla Bailey Allen Dé Máirt, an 6 Feabhra 2024 ó 12pm-3pm. Beidh eolas le fáil faoi na cláir iarchéime lánaimseartha agus pháirtaimseartha atá á dtairiscint ag an Ollscoil, lena n-áirítear máistreachtaí múinte agus taighde, chomh maith le roghanna taighde dochtúireachta. Tabharfar deis do chuairteoirí iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar na treochtaí fostaíochta agus tionscail is déanaí, ar dheiseanna scoláireachta agus maoinithe, chomh maith le comhairle a fháil faoin gcaoi iarratas rathúil a dhéanamh. Mar chuid d’fhócas straitéiseach Ollscoil na Gaillimhe maidir le haitheantas a thabhairt don tsárfheidhmíocht agus do rathúlacht, tá gach mac léinn iarchéime de chuid an AE a bhfuil céadonóracha bainte amach aige nó aici ina f(h)ochéim i dteideal cur isteach ar scoláireacht €1,500 i dtreo cúrsa Máistreachta múinte san Ollscoil in 2024. Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Sarah Geraghty, Stiúrthóir Earcaíochta Mac Léinn agus For-rochtana in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Is infheistíocht i do ghairm bheatha í cáilíocht iarchéime. Molaimid do chuairteoirí iad féin a chur ar an eolas faoi na deiseanna atá ann iad féin a dhéanamh níos infhostaithe trí chur lena gcuid scileanna agus saineolais ina réimse oibre féin. Tagann fianaise ón saol oibre go leanúnach gurbh fhiú go mór don fhostaí cáilíocht iarchéime a bheith aige nó aici nuair atá an tuarastal tosaigh á ríomh i ndiaidh na céime, agus leantar leis an mbuntáiste sin i rith shaol gairmiúil an fhostaí.” Cuireann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe tús le cláir iarchéime nuálaíocha gach bliain, ar cláir foghlama uathúla go leor acu agus iad deartha go sainiúil chun freastal ar riachtanais an ionaid oibre agus ar a bhfuil á éileamh ag an margadh. I measc na gclár nua atá fógartha le déanaí tá an MSc Teicneolaíocht Airgeadais (Eacnamaíocht agus Teicneolaíocht Airgeadais) a bheadh feiliúnach dóibh siúd a bhfuil céim acu i ngnó, eacnamaíocht nó airgeadas, nó céimithe ríomheolaíochta nó innealtóireachta a bhfuil cúlra san eacnamaíocht acu, agus tá an MSc (Bainistíocht agus Inbhuanaitheacht) seolta an athuair, ar clár é a bhfuil sé d’aidhm aige ceannairí gnó a sholáthar a spreagfaidh athruithe chun feabhais, a chuirfidh le cleachtais ghnó fhreagracha agus a mbeidh tionchar buan acu ar an domhan. Tá LLM nua seolta ag Scoil an Dlí sa Choireolaíocht, sa Cheartas Coiriúil agus i gCearta an Duine as a dtiocfaidh féidearthachtaí i ngníomhaireachtaí ceartais choiriúil ag an leibhéal náisiúnta, réigiúnach agus idirnáisiúnta, chomh maith le heagraíochtaí neamhrialtasacha, eagraíochtaí idir-rialtasacha agus sna cúirteanna dlí. Deis atá sa lá oscailte seo chomh maith tuilleadh a fhoghlaim faoin raon clár solúbtha, páirtaimseartha agus ar líne a dearadh d’fhoghlaimeoirí atá ag filleadh ar an staidéar nó ag féachaint le hathrú gairme nó le scileanna breise a shealbhú a rachaidh chun tairbhe leo ina bpost reatha. Is féidir leo siúd ar spéis leo freastal ar an imeacht seo áirithint a dhéanamh anois ag https://universityofgalway.ie/choose-postgrad/ Críoch

One of the world’s foremost experts on genocide, Professor William Schabas, will deliver a public lecture at the University on how the international legal system addresses racism and racial discrimination. The lecture will be given in the Aula Maxima, in the Quadrangle, on Wednesday January 31, at 4pm. Professor Schabas is the former director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at University of Galway. He is the author of numerous works on human rights, international crimes and genocide and he is currently based at Middlesex University.  Professor Schabas has appeared before the International Court of Justice and was formerly appointed to a UN commission of inquiry on Gaza. Organised by the Irish Centre for Human Rights in the School of Law, the lecture will see Professor Schabas discuss how the international legal system addresses racism and racial discrimination, drawing on his new book The International Legal Order’s Colour Line.   Professor Shane Darcy, Deputy Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights, said: “We are delighted to host this lecture at a crucial time for the protection of human rights. With atrocities continuing in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere, and with international law itself in jeopardy, Professor Schabas’ insights on the strengths and weakness of the international legal system in this domain will prove invaluable.” Professor William Schabas’ new book The International Legal Order's Colour Line (Oxford University Press, 2023) narrates how prior to the 20th century, international law was predominantly written by and for the “civilised nations” of the white Global North. It justified doctrines of racial inequality and effectively drew a colour line that excluded citizens of the Global South and persons of African descent from participating in international law-making while subjecting them to colonialism and the slave trade. The book charts the development of regulation on racism and racial discrimination at the international level, principally within the UN. Most notably, it outlines how these themes gained traction once the Global South gained more participation in international law-making after the First World War. It challenges the narrative that human rights are a creation of the Global North by focussing on the decisive contributions that countries of the Global South and people of colour made to anchor anti-racism in international law. The lecture is open to the public. Ends

University of Galway has heralded the appointment of Professor Michael O’Flaherty as Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe.   Professor O’Flaherty is a renowned human rights expert and previously held the position of Established Professor of Human Rights Law and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University.    He has had a long and distinguished career with the United Nations spanning 18 years, including setting up human rights field operations in conflict-affected states such as Sierra Leone and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as serving as a member of the UN Human Rights Committee.   Professor O’Flaherty was also Chief Commissioner the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, an institution set up under the auspices of the Good Friday Agreement. Most recently, he served as Director of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency from 2015-2023.   Originally from Galway, he was elected to the position of Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe by vote in the Council’s Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg.   President of University of Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, paid tribute to Professor O’Flaherty following the announcement of his appointment: “Professor O’Flaherty has an internationally respected reputation for dedication to human rights and leadership in the field both on the island of Ireland but also in Europe and around the world. On behalf of University of Galway, I wish to extend congratulations. The ideals and principles which Professor O’Flaherty has pursued and promoted throughout his career are under considerable strain in Europe and it is these qualities that will be at the core of his work in the coming years.”   Professor Siobhán Mullally, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University, said: “On behalf of the Irish Centre for Human Rights, I am delighted to congratulate Professor Michael O’Flaherty on his election as Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Rights.  Michael is an outstanding human rights lawyer and advocate, and distinguished academic. As the former Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights, he helped to build the Centre’s global reputation for human rights research, teaching and international engagement. His election comes at a challenging time for human rights protection in Europe and globally, as core values of democracy, equality and solidarity are under threat. Michael has prioritised the defence of democracy, protection of the rights of minorities, and vindication of the rights of the Ukrainian people. We look forward to supporting this critical and urgent work and wish him every success.”    Professor O’Flaherty will take up the position of Commissioner on 1 April 2024 for a six year term.   The Council of Europe was founded in 1949 as an international organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law across Europe. The Council comprises 46 member states, including Ireland as a founding member.   The Commissioner for Human Rights was established by the Council of Europe in 1999 with a mandate to promote awareness of and respect for human rights across the 46 members states.   Ends

Academics at the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) and University of Galway have played a key role on the first comprehensive report on our scientific understanding of climate change and its effects on Ireland. Ireland’s Climate Change Assessment Report (ICCA) was officially launched by Minister for the Environment, Communications, Climate and Transport Eamon Ryan T.D. at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. The objective of the ICCA Report is to deliver a comprehensive report on our understanding of climate change; the option to respond to the challenges it poses; to identify opportunities that may arise from the planned transition to a climate neutral, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate resilient economy and society. ICHEC's Dr Paul Nolan, alongside Dr Liam Heaphy, and Dr Enda O'Brien worked in partnership with Professor Conor Murphy and Dr Tara Quinn of Maynooth University to research existing science and write an extended report on adaptation research and policy in Ireland. Dr Liam Heaphy, University of Galway ICHEC, said: “This has been an immense undertaking, which will serve as a reference point on climate change for Ireland, helping people to surmise the present state-of-the-art in research and policy, identify knowledge and policy gaps, and coordinate their own work with those of others.” Dr Paul Nolan, University of Galway ICHEC, said: "The assessment report delivers a first comprehensive Ireland-focused, state of scientific knowledge report on our understanding of climate change, the options to respond to the challenges it poses, and the opportunities that may arise from the planned transition to a climate neutral and climate resilient economy and society.” Also contributing to the ICCA Report from University of Galway were Dr Eugene Farrell and Dr Nessa Cronin, School of Geography, Archaeology, and Irish Studies, Dr Jurgita Ovadnevaite, Ryan Institute, Kirsten Fossum, Damien Martin, ad Dr James McGrath, School of Natural Sciences, and Clare Noone, School of Physics. Dr Farrell provided knowledge on research and policy gaps in Ireland, cross-cutting issues framing adaptation in Ireland, and practical steps required to build community involvement and participation to deliver a more climate resilient Ireland. Dr Cronin's contribution argues that culture and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences research can help bridge the policy gap between climate ambition and climate action. She outlines how culture should be regarded as the 4th pillar of sustainability and as a core national infrastructure in accelerating transformational eco-social change. The report was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the research undertaken by academics at a number of institutions - University of Galway ICHEC, Maynooth University, University College Cork, Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin. The report consists of four volumes the underlying science; climate neutrality and decarbonisation; climate resilience and adaptation; and just transitions and transformative change. Volume 3 – Being Prepared for Ireland’s Future Climate – runs to 10 chapters covering biodiversity, agriculture, forestry, land-use, coastal and inland water, settlements, heritage, critical infrastructure, health, business, and tourism. Key findings from the ICCA Report found that Ireland's climate is changing with impacts being felt both in Ireland and elsewhere and it will be the reality until excessive greenhouse gases cease and a new climate equilibrium is achieved. The report also states that although early concerted action can limit global temperatures by the end of the century, sea levels will continue to rise beyond 2100. The report also found how climate impacts interact with and intensify other environmental impacts from human activity, such as we see in our biodiversity crisis. A synthesis report and the volumes from the ICCA Report are available from the EPA's website. Ends

An international research team led by University of Galway is working in partnership with stakeholders in Vietnam to enable marginalised urban populations to be able to access healthier, more affordable and more sustainable food and diets. The EcoFoodSystems project is conducting research on city regional dietary transitions with food systems organisations and institutions in the south-east Asian country. Vietnam has a population of 99 million – half of whom now live in urban areas, including 8 million in Hanoi. It is estimated that by 2050 three quarters of the country’s population will be living in urban areas. The EU and UN funded project is specifically focused on working with partners to help improve the health of people and communities that are nutritionally marginalised as a result of their diets. EcoFoodSystems is led by Professor Charles Spillane, Director of the Ryan Institute at University of Galway, in partnership with Alliance Bioversity - The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Vietnam and Cali, Colombia; Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands and the international NGO Rikolto in Vietnam. Professor Charles Spillane, Director of the Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “Vietnam has made impressive strides in food security and nutrition over the past decades. “Healthy diets lead to healthy people. But there is a challenge for all organisations in the Hanoi city region’s food system to ensure that all people, young and old, rich and poor, have access to healthy diets that are affordable, where the foods within the diet are produced and supplied with the lowest environmental impact.” “Our project aims to conduct research with partner organisations to better navigate this dietary transition to ensure that current and future generations are healthy.” EcoFoodSyetsms is funded by the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The research group held a multi-stakeholder consultation workshop in Hanoi, which brought together key representatives and experts from over 50 organisations. The event was opened by Dr Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General, International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Vietnam who highlighted the importance of taking a foods systems approach across ministries, sectors and stakeholders. The research priorities identified at the EcoFoodSystems workshop will help to inform sustainable food systems transformations and dietary transitions in Vietnam. Mark Lundy, Co-Investigator, EcoFoodSystems project and Leader of Global Food Environments & Behaviour at the Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, said: “The Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT is excited to participate in the EcoFoodSystems project given its focus on linking sustainable, agro-ecological production systems with diverse and healthy diets for consumers. “We hope to help identify clear market signals from consumers to incentivise farmer adoption of clean production practices, for traders to improve traceability of products and retailers to ensure good access and affordability for all consumers.” Dam Trong Tuan, EcoFoodSystems partner Rikolto - Vietnam, said: “Change on a global, national and city-regional scale demands that urban food markets become more inclusive and offer value to all actors in the food chain.” “We empower farmer groups to become solid business partners and implement future-proof, sustainable practices within our urban food systems.” The EcoFoodSystem project’s activities are aligned with Vietnam’s national policies and the National Action Plan on Food System Transformation, which aims for Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability by 2030. Ends

University of Galway joins ÉireComposites and ORPC Ireland for successful analysis of renewable energy technology for rivers and tides University of Galway has announced successful testing of a next generation marine hydrokinetic turbine foil for renewable energy. The technology was designed by US-headquartered global leader in marine energy ORPC Ireland and fabricated by ÉireComposites, based Inverin, Co Galway.  The testing programme is part of the €3.9 million European Commission’s Horizon 2020-funded CRIMSON project and involved 1.3 million fatigue cycles on the turbine foil – the highest number ever reported on a full-scale marine energy component in dry laboratory conditions. The tests were led by the Sustainable and Resilient Structures Research Group at University of Galway, which is part of the Enterprise Ireland-supported technology centre Construct Innovate and the University’s Ryan Institute. The 5m long foil is made from high-performance, carbon fibre reinforced polymer. It is shaped similarly to an airplane wing. When placed perpendicular to river or tidal currents, the foils spin under that force and the technology sends clean, renewable energy via an underwater generator. Three of these foils combine in each of two turbines in the 80kW RivGen marine hydrokinetic energy device. The technology underwent intense stress testing in the University’s Large Structures Testing Laboratory to demonstrate its ability to withstand operational loads over its design lifetime.  Prior to completing the testing campaign, a destructive static test was performed on the foil in order to demonstrate its structural integrity at loads well in excess of what is expected during operation in the marine environment.  Dr William Finnegan, Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator of CRIMSON at the University of Galway, said: “The findings from this full-scale structural testing programme help to de-risk ORPC’s technology and give insights that can be used for structural health monitoring and inform the next generation of testing standards. The combination of such high-level design and manufacturing with University of Galway’s state-of-the-art testing will improve the reliability of river and tidal energy devices as they move closer to commercial viability.” Tomás Flanagan, Chief Executive of ÉireComposites, said: “ÉireComposites is delighted that the turbine foils we manufactured have performed so well during testing. The foils have a complex helical shape and are challenging to manufacture; they are a credit to the engineers and technicians who worked on the project. We’re delighted to see our work with ORPC Ireland, University of Galway, and the other partners coming to fruition and we’re excited about the commercial potential for marine hydrokinetic devices in delivering clean, sustainable energy. At a time when global interest is focused on achieving a net-zero emission future, it is great to be making advances in the technology that supports this global shift.” Patrick Cronin, Director of European Operations at ORPC Ireland said: “ORPC are bringing clean, predictable, emission-free tidal and river energy to markets around the globe, and this important research is helping to maximise design efficiency and minimise power system costs as global demand for underwater renewable power systems continues to be strong. We are delighted to collaborate with our Irish research partners, University of Galway and ÉireComposites, to move our next-generation power systems to market, and we look forward to the next stage of the project.” The test foil was designed by the team at ORPC Ireland and manufactured from a high-performance carbon fibre reinforced polymer by ÉireComposites, which are leading the CRIMSON Project, and incorporates recycled carbon-fibre material from Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials, Germany. The next phase of the project will trial the complete turbine in operational conditions at Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche’s large towing tank in Rome, Italy.  Ends

Researchers at University of Galway have marked one year of a project designed to tackle healthcare myths and help the public to quickly and easily check the reliability of popular health claims through the online resource iHealthFacts.ie.  Using scientific evidence, such as trusted health sources and peer-reviewed studies, the research team analyses information in order to support or refute a healthcare claim. Over the last year, more than 4,500 users have visited iHealthFacts.ie; more than 150 questions have been submitted; and the researchers have assessed, answered or are analysing 60 claims about things that can improve our health. Some of the questions analysed include:  Do collagen supplements make a difference in skin ageing? Does working long hours help to prevent dementia? Do drinks containing aspartame increase the risk of cancer in the future? Does taking omega 3 or omega 6 fatty acids - either as supplements or through diet - improve brain health or cognitive function?  Do UV lamps in nail bars cause skin cancer? Does lavender improve sleep/does listening to radio, music or podcasts make a difference to sleep? iHealthFacts.ie is funded by the Health Research Board and the Health Service Executive and supported by University of Galway. Its aim is to help people to think critically about health claims and make well-informed choices.   Professor Declan Devane, Professor of Health Research Methodology, University of Galway and Principal Investigator with iHealthFacts.ie, said: “Some people find themselves overwhelmed with information, particularly information about what they can do to improve or protect their health. Increasingly, health information spreads faster and further thanks to the web, social media, instant messaging, television and radio, but unfortunately much of it is unreliable. This can lead to poorly informed choices, under- or overuse of health interventions, or treatments, and avoidable waste and human suffering. This is what we aim to tackle.” Dr Philip Crowley, GP and National Director of Strategy and Research with the HSE, said: “Providing trusted health information and advice is one of the HSE’s most important duties. People trust HSE.ie as an online source of health advice, and our healthcare teams are highly trusted by patients to share advice and information. Our work with iHealthFacts.ie aims to explore ways to tackle health misinformation circulating on social media, and to reinforce the value of getting health advice that is evidence-based, from a safe source.” Dr Paula Byrne, lead researcher with iHealthFacts.ie and post-doctoral researcher with Evidence Synthesis Ireland and Cochrane Ireland, said: “We are delighted with the level of interest from the public in iHealthFacts. Thousands of people have accessed our website and read our reviews. We hope this information helps people make informed health decisions and become more skilled in distinguishing reliable health information from that which is unreliable." Deirdre Mac Loughlin, Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) representative on iHealthFacts, said: “PPI, in partnership with iHealthFacts, facilitates informed health decisions through the wealth of lived experience it brings, thus, ensuring a high standard of relevance, rigour, and accountability. This aspect is particularly vital in the realm of publicly funded research, ensuring that the outcomes are not only scientifically robust, but also resonate with and are accountable to the community it serves." Initially set up to debunk misinformation surrounding COVID-19, the research and engagement project was relaunched in late 2022 with further suppot from the HSE and HRB to focus on more general health information and to answer some of the myths around health claims scientifically. The public can submit a question at https://ihealthfacts.ie/ and read through the findings of the research into each health question. People are urged to consider the questions and all of the analysis in full in order to get the best information in relation to healthcare claims and questions which have been analysed.  Some findings of a sample of questions analysed so far: Do UV lamps in nail bars cause skin cancer? We found very few studies about skin cancer and UV lamps in nail bars.   Some studies reported a link between UV lamps and skin cancer, but others found that there was no link. All the studies we found were either of low quality or not based on humans, so we can’t be sure of their findings or how relevant they are to the general public.  Does lavender improve sleep/does listening to radio, music or podcasts make a difference to sleep? Claims have been made that lavender oil, made from the flowers of the lavender plant, is calming and may help people sleep better.  One good quality study suggests that lavender may help women with insomnia fall asleep quicker and stay asleep. However, this study only had a small number of people in it.  Three other studies have observed improvements in sleep in people using lavender, but we are less certain of the findings of these studies. Does cycling damage men’s genitals?  Research on the relationship between cycling and circulation or nerve damage to men’s genitals is very limited.  One study found some evidence to suggest a possible link between cycling and erectile dysfunction (caused by poor circulation or nerve damage) when age and some diseases were taken into consideration. The majority of studies in this area are of low quality, so we can’t be sure of this finding.   Ends

A new research project being pioneered by University of Galway is to develop solutions to ensure the seamless delivery of regular and elective patient care in a health emergency such as a pandemic. The RAPIDE research project (Regular and Unplanned Care Adaptive Dashboard for Cross-border Emergencies) is being undertaken following the award of a €6 million grant through Horizon Europe and involves a consortium of 13 partners from Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Slovenia, Malta and Estonia.  One of the aims of the research project is to set new standards for fostering resilience and preparedness for future health emergencies, including how digital technologies can offer solutions for care in the home and outside of hospitals and clinics. Researchers will also measure the impact of delayed or unmet care during a health emergency such as a pandemic. The University of Galway team is led by Professor Máire Connolly, Established Professor of Global and Environmental Public Health at the School of Health Sciences with Professor Jim Duggan, Professor of Computer Science at the School of Computer Science. Professor Connolly said: “Our research and what we learn from the RAPIDE project will contribute to national preparedness in Ireland and it will also have an impact within the EU and at a global level.” RAPIDE’s multidisciplinary team of experts in pandemic preparedness, public health, primary care, community care, hospital planning, and computer science will analyse solutions to overcome the challenges of overwhelming patient numbers during a pandemic or health emergency. The research will look back on the COVID-19 pandemic to measure the impact of delayed or unmet care for conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and cancer treatment. It will also assess the delivery of regular care across hospital, primary care and home-based settings.  Professor Connolly said: "During the COVID-19 pandemic regular healthcare across Europe was disrupted with long-term consequences for patients. The RAPIDE project offers a valuable opportunity to learn from this, to build in healthcare optimisation and forecasting and to create more flexible and adaptable ways to deliver healthcare. It builds on the success of PANDEM-2 project, which was all about developing systems for countries, governments and their health services to plan and prepare responses when the next pandemic hits. “The RAPIDE research will have applicability for winter surges in hospital admissions due to respiratory illnesses, including influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV as it is better known. This winter these illnesses have put hospitals under pressure with increased hospital and ICU admissions in children under 5 and adults aged 65 years and over. It is one of the aims of this project to help hospitals plan for such surges.” Professor Duggan's team will develop a cutting-edge decision support system to forecast surges in demand for patient care during health emergencies. Professor Duggan said: “Our novel technical solution will use state of the art simulation and mathematical methods to model epidemiological and patient pathways in order to evaluate flexible healthcare solutions. The goal is to help mitigate the impact of increased patient demand during pandemic emergencies. The work will be informed by stakeholder requirements and insights across different healthcare scenarios, including hospital, primary, and community care settings, and in collaboration with partners in the Netherlands, Italy, Slovenia and Malta.” RAPIDE will also research digital technologies and the impact on home-based care in rural communities, by evaluating progress made during the pandemic on remote consultations and health monitoring, electronic prescribing and health apps. It will also learn from partners in the research consortium, in particular Norway and the Netherlands, which are both very advanced in these areas.  As the project nears completion, the Global Health team at University of Galway will evaluate performance of the decision support system and hybrid-care delivery tools in a pandemic simulation exercise. Stakeholders including the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety will take part in the stress test.  Professor Connolly added: “We also acknowledge the recent establishment of Ireland’s new emerging health threats agency, as announced by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly T.D. This underscores the importance of building capacity for managing public health threats.” Ends

University of Galway has unveiled a sponsorship deal for the Hurling Club - medical device and pharmaceutical consultancy firm Trinzo. The partnership was marked at a special on-campus get-together at the Quadrangle ahead of this season’s Fitzgibbon Cup. University of Galway Hurling are the League Champions for 2023 and have made it to the final of the Fitzgibbon for the last two years, having last lifted the historic trophy in 2010. The University’s Dean of Students Professor Ciara Meehan joined Liam Turley, chief executive of Trinzo, to mark the sponsorship, along with club players Eoin Lawless, Colm Cunningham, Gavin Lee and Ian McGlynn, and club representatives Michael J O’Connor, GAA Officer, Feargal O'Callaghan, acting Director of Sports, Michael Molloy, Club Chair, Barry Murphy, Club Secretary, and Jeff Lynskey, Club Coach. University of Galway’s Dean of Students, Professor Ciara Meehan, said: “University of Galway has a great history in the Fitzgibbon and we are delighted to bring that to a partnership with Trinzo, a Galway-based company that shares our vision for excellence and community development. Sport can be such an important contributor in the growth and health of individual, and having a supportive sponsor makes a real difference. We look forward to a successful journey with Trinzo and to seeing the partnership flourish in the future as we wish all the players, staff and volunteers every success in the Fitzgibbon in 2024.” Liam Turley, chief executive of Trinzo, said: “We are delighted to sponsor the University of Galway Hurling Club and we hope that our partnership will help the hurlers and all those involved with the club to reach great heights. People are at the heart of everything we do – from our clients and their patients, to our local community. That’s why we’re proud to support University of Galway’s hurling team, promoting sport at a local and national level and giving us the chance to support students who are competing at elite level and taking to the field for University of Galway. We wish them every success.” Speaking at the get-together, Michael Molloy, Chair of University of Galway’s Hurling Club, said: “We are delighted to be able to celebrate the great sponsorship and support that we have from Liam Turley and everyone at Trinzo and we hope it will lead to many other celebrations as we head into the fierce competition of this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup.” Trinzo is a medical device and pharmaceutical consultancy firm based in Galway that solves quality, compliance, business development and product development issues to support healthcare globally. The Fitzgibbon Cup starts on January 17, 2024, with 10-time winners University of Galway drawn in Group D along with SETU Carlow and UCD. Ends

New research has revealed that using smartphones for personal purposes while at work can lead to reduced stress, as well as lower levels of conflict between work and personal life.  The study was conducted by University of Galway and University of Melbourne at the European branch of a global pharmaceutical company which underwent a transformative change in its phone policy - shifting from a restrictive approach to personal phones, to open access for non-work purposes. Led by Professor Eoin Whelan, at University of Galway’s J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, the research highlights the potential benefits of moderate mobile phone usage in the professional setting, with no discernible impact on worker performance. The company had originally banned personal use of phones in the 1990s for health and safety reasons, amid concerns of employees being distracted while working around dangerous chemicals.  Staff had since voiced dissatisfaction with the ban and reported feeling disconnected, while senior management felt the branch was viewed as technophobic because of the ban and that it was hampering competitiveness against other branches of the company. Prior to the study taking place, only senior management at the company could bring their personal mobile phone into the workplace.  Over the course of a year, the research tracked about 40 employees who availed of the new policy and used their personal smartphones when at work, and a similar number who maintained a self-imposed ban by leaving their phones behind them when they stepped inside the work premises.  The insights gained from the experiment were explored through qualitative interviews. The study found:  Despite fears of smartphone distraction and loss of focus, work performance did not decline when the ban was lifted Work-life conflict - the perceived conflict between the demands of work and personal life - significantly declined for workers who had access to their phones compared to those who did not Employees with access to phones reported being able to help with family issues during the day, helping to reduce pressure on their partner Spreading personal communications throughout the day also meant employees were not overwhelmed when they turned on their phone after work While previous research has primarily focused on the consequences of technology and work-related communications impacting on people outside of the workplace, this study stands out for its innovative approach in investigating the reverse scenario. The ground-breaking findings contribute to understanding of the interplay between technology and the sought-after work-life balance while also offering practical insights for organisations aiming to foster a healthier and more balanced work environment. Speaking of the findings, Professor Eoin Whelan, University of Galway J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, said: "Rather than enforcing a ban on smartphones in the workplace, our experiences in tracking the introduction of smartphones in this company suggest a more effective strategy would be to establish an organisational climate where the company expectation for smartphone behaviours are known – for example ensuring that they are not used in meetings or in the canteen, with adherence monitored by employees themselves. "Managers must realise the unintended consequences of forcing a smartphone ban. Preventing phones in the workplace can increase work-life conflict, which in turn has significant implications for work performance, job satisfaction, absenteeism, turnover intentions, as well as general wellbeing.” The research noted other studies into personal use of smartphone in the workplace, with some reports suggesting employees spent an average of 56 minutes during a working day on their smartphone for non-work related tasks, and that they check their phone an average of 150 times a day. The full paper is available to read here  Ends

Reáchtálfaidh Ionad Rochtana Ollscoil na Gaillimhe an oíche eolais bhliantúil sin a dhíreoidh ar riachtanais na mac léinn lánfhásta agus na bhfoghlaimeoirí fásta atá ag smaoineamh ar thabhairt faoi staidéar lánaimseartha nó páirtaimseartha don bhliain acadúil 2024. Beidh an oíche eolais ar siúl Dé Céadaoin, an 10 Eanáir, ó 6.30-9pm san Institiúid Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí, Bóthar an Chaisleáin Nua Uachtarach, Gaillimh. Tá an ócáid ceart dírithe go háirithe orthu siúd atá 23 bliain d’aois nó níos sine atá ag iarraidh tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi na roghanna staidéir atá ar fáil in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Beidh deis ag an lucht freastail deiseanna a phlé le mic léinn lánfhásta reatha agus le saineolaithe na gcúrsaí, rud a chabhróidh leo cinneadh a dhéanamh faoi na roghanna is fearr a d’oirfeadh dá gcúinsí pearsanta agus dá riachtanais forbartha gairmiúla. Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Kathleen Hartigan, Oifigeach na Mac Léinn Lánfhásta in Ionad Rochtana Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Tá a dhíograisí is a bhíonn mic léinn lánfhásta feicthe againn i gcaitheamh na mblianta, agus cuireann a ndúil san fhoghlaim go mór lenár bpobal campais. Táimid tiomanta an t-eolas atá de dhíth orthu a chur ar fáil dóibh le go mbeidh siad in ann an rogha oideachais is oiriúnaí dóibh féin a dhéanamh in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.” Déanfaidh Ionad Forbartha Gairmeacha na hOllscoile cur i láthair faoin gcaoi conairí gairme a fhiosrú agus plean oideachais agus gairme a chur i dtoll a chéile. Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Nuala McGuinn, Stiúrthóir an Ionaid Foghlama agus Forbartha Gairmiúla d’Aosaigh, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe: “Tabharfaidh saineolaithe san oideachas aosach ó réimsí na gcúrsaí fochéime, iarchéime agus páirtaimseartha léargas ar na cúrsaí atá ann, ar na sceidil sholúbtha agus na seirbhísí tacaíochta atá curtha in oiriúint do riachtanais na bhfoghlaimeoirí lánfhásta.” Beidh baill den Ionad Rochtana ar fáil chun ceisteanna a fhreagairt faoi chúrsaí réamh-ollscoile ar nós cúrsaí Rochtana/Bonnchúrsaí. Beidh na Seirbhísí Tacaíochta Míchumais, a bhfuil saineolas acu faoin gcaoi tacú le mic léinn a bhfuil riochtaí sláinte (fisiciúil nó meabhrach) fadtéarmach orthu, nó a bhfuil deacracht shonrach foghlama acu, i láthair chun treoir a thabhairt do mhic léinn ionchasacha.  Ní mór clárú don ócáid seo. Cláraigh anseo nó seol ríomhphost chuig maturestudents@universityofgalway.ie. Tá tuilleadh eolais le fáil ag https://universityofgalway.ie/mature/. Críoch

University of Galway’s Access Centre will hold its annual information evening, focusing on the needs of mature students and adult learners who may be considering full-time or part-time studies for the 2024 academic year. The information evening will take place on Wednesday, January 10th, from 6.30-9pm in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society, Upper Newcastle Road, Galway. The in-person event is designed particularly for those aged 23 or over who want to find out more about study options at University of Galway. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss opportunities with current mature students and course experts to help them decide which options best suit their personal circumstances and professional development needs. Kathleen Hartigan, Mature Student Officer at University of Galway’s Access Centre, said: “We have seen over the years that mature students bring an enthusiasm and a motivation to learn that enriches our campus community, and we are dedicated to providing them with the necessary information to help them choose the best educational option for their needs.” The University’s Career Development Centre will deliver a presentation on exploring career pathways and how to plan education and a career journey.   Nuala McGuinn, Director at the Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development, University of Galway, said: “Experts in adult education from the undergraduate, postgraduate and part-time course areas will share insights on course offerings, the flexible schedules available to students and the support services that are tailored to the needs of mature learners.” Members of the Access Centre will be available to answer questions on pre-university courses in terms of Access/Foundation courses, and staff from Disability Support Services, who have expertise in supporting students who may have a long-term health conditions (physical or mental), or a specific learning difficulty, will also be in attendance to give guidance to prospective students. Registration for this event is essential. Please register here or email maturestudents@universityofgalway.ie Further information is available at https://universityofgalway.ie/mature/.  Ends 

Professor Siobhán Mullally has been elected chair of a newly-established body supported by the United Nations to enhance the protection and promotion of human rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. The Platform of Independent Experts on Refugee Rights (PIERR) was established by a group of UN and regional independent human rights experts in December 2023 and aims to better co-ordinate joint advocacy initiatives. Professor Mullally is Director of Irish Centre for Human Rights at University of Galway and UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Professor Mullally, said: “The platform is being launched at a time when persecution, conflict, violence, and human rights violations, have resulted in record numbers of people displaced and forced to seek protection. “At the same time, the rights of refugees and asylum seekers are increasingly threatened by a denial of the right to seek asylum. We are witnessing increasingly punitive measures adopted by states, collective expulsions, deprivation of liberty, limited access to asylum procedures, as well as hostility and xenophobia worldwide. “Against this background, it is urgent that we work together across international and regional human rights bodies, to mobilise the full potential of international law and the promised universality of human rights protections. “I hope that this global platform will be an effective advocate for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, recognising the fundamental right to seek asylum, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a foundation of our shared responsibility to provide a place of refuge.”  The platform is supported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The expert panel includes Gehad Madi, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants; Siobhán Mullally, UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Priya Gopalan (Chair-Rapporteur), Matthew Gillett (Vice-Chair on Communications), Ganna Yudkivska (Vice-Chair on Follow-Up), Miriam Estrada-Castillo, and Mumba Malila of the UN Working Group on arbitrary detention; Claude Heller, Chair of the UN Committee against torture; Selma Sassi-Safer, Commissioner and Special Rapporteur on refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and migrants in Africa of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; José Luis Caballero Ochoa, Commissioner and Rapporteur on the rights of migrants of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Ends

Three University of Galway public engagement and education outreach initiatives have been awarded funding through Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover Programme.   The projects are among 38 being supported with €5million investment announced by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris T.D., and Minister for Education, Norma Foley T.D. to encourage understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).   The funding will create greater public awareness of the impact of STEM on society and everyday life, generate opportunities for dialogue and encourage diversity in STEM-related disciplines.   Professor Jim Livesey, Vice-President for Research and Innovation at University of Galway, said: “Outreach and public engagement are integral to research at University of Galway and these innovative projects will help generate enthusiasm for STEM while inspiring young people to aspire to careers in the sciences. I thank Science Foundation Ireland for their continued support of these programmes and look forward to the events and activities that are planned.”   University of Galway’s funded projects include:   ReelLIFE SCIENCE ReelLIFE SCIENCE is a cross-border public engagement programme, which encourages young people and the public to discover more about STEM and its impact on individuals, society and the environment, while at the same time developing participants’ creativity, communication and digital skills.  Young people from primary schools, secondary schools and youth organisations are challenged to research a STEM topic and communicate it for the public via an engaging and educational 3-minute video. The best videos are awarded prizes of €1,000 and are screened for the public at the Galway Science and Technology Festival, at other public events, and online.  Led by Dr Enda O’Connell, ReelLIFE SCIENCE has enabled more than 23,000 young people from across the island of Ireland to directly engage with STEM in a novel way. The videos produced have had a secondary audience of over 570,000 online and at public screenings, increasing the public’s knowledge and engagement with science and technology.  Empathy Detectives The Empathy Detectives project is a collaboration between CÚRAM, the SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices hosted by University of Galway, and the University’s Ideas Lab and PPI Ignite Network, and patient representative Cameron Keighron, a member of the D1 Now Young Adult Panel, which aims to improve engagement between young adults with Type 1 Diabetes and their healthcare providers.   Led by Professor Abhay Pandit, the project will convene a patient panel to work alongside the project team to create 'empathy kits'; a series of short experiences that create empathy and understanding about the lived experience of diabetes for public audiences, with a particular focus on junior cycle students and families. These kits will be made available at Galway City Museum, through CÚRAM's public exhibit 'SUPERHUMAN' which is housed there. The kit will be co-created, tested and evaluated with a view to establishing a model for creation of further empathy kits representing chronic conditions targeted by current research at CÚRAM.    The project will deliver a series of design workshops that will incorporate the empathy kit experience and facilitate participants to use design thinking exercises to generate creative ideas and solutions for chronic illnesses. Workshop audiences will include teachers, students, researchers, patient groups and families. Key to the success of the project will be the involvement of patients, researchers and clinicians in the design of the empathy experience. The end goal of the project is to create meaningful educational resources that encourage and develop empathy alongside innovation, and that relate directly to the junior cycle science curriculum. START To Discover: Fuelling curiosity with trials and scientist interactionSTART To Discover aims to make STEM learning engaging and accessible for all primary school children in Ireland, fuelling a new generation of scientific curiosity and discovery. The project builds on two successful projects by University of Galway - the ‘START (Schools Teaching Awareness of Randomised Trials) Competition’ and the 'Meet the Scientist Webinar Series'.    The 'Meet the Scientist Webinar Series' lets children interact with real scientists, hearing about their jobs and careers, asking questions, and learning about the different paths in STEM. These webinars encourage children to see themselves in these roles, sparking curiosity and ambition.   The 'START Competition' gives children the chance to become scientists themselves. They work together to create, carry out, and report on their own science experiments, learning about how research works and experiencing the excitement of discovery.   The project team, led by Dr Sandra Galvin, aim to bring in a wider range of professionals for the webinars, providing more resources for schools participating in the competition, and finding new ways to involve and inspire more children.    Ends

Tá ainm dlíthiúil nua Ollscoil na Gaillimhe fógartha go foirmeálta anois – Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bheidh uirthi i nGaeilge, agus University of Galway i mBéarla. Dheimhnigh an tAire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta, Simon Harris T.D., an t-athrú le hordú tar éis athbhrandáil a tharla in 2022. Tháinig éifeacht leis an ainm dlíthiúil nua Dé Céadaoin, an 21 Feabhra 2024 agus fógraíodh inniu é trína fhoilsiú in Iris Oifigiúil an Rialtais. D’fhógair Uachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Pól Ó Dochartaigh, an t-athrú i dteachtaireacht chuig an bhfoireann: “Tá an-áthas orm a bheith in ann an nuacht a roinnt libh go bhfuil athrú tagtha ar ainm dlíthiúil na hOllscoile agus is mian liom aitheantas a thabhairt don tacaíocht a thug an tAire Harris dúinn an lá suntasach i stair agus oidhreacht na hOllscoile a bhaint amach. “Is ionann ainm dlíthiúil na hOllscoile anois agus ‘Ollscoil na Gaillimhe’ i nGaeilge, agus ‘University of Galway’ i mBéarla. Leanann ár dtiomantas mar ollscoil do phrionsabal an dátheangachais agus léiriú air sin is ea an t-ainm nua seo. Ba mhaith liom thar ceann na hOllscoile buíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a raibh baint acu leis an athrú go dtí an t-ainm nua. Aithnímid freisin iad siúd ar fad lasmuigh de phobal na hOllscoile a thacaigh lenár n-iarrachtaí féiniúlacht a bhunú atá chomh nasctha sin leis an áit ina bhfuilimid, agus a leanann leis an tacaíocht sin i gcónaí. Críoch

The new legal name of University of Galway has been formally announced – in Irish it is Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, and in English it is University of Galway.  The change was confirmed by order of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris T.D. and follows a rebrand in 2022. The new legal name came into effect on Wednesday February 21, 2024 and was announced today by being published in Iris Oifigiúil – the official gazette of the Government. Deputy President and Registrar of University of Galway, Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh, announced the change in a message to staff: “I am delighted to be able to share the news of the change to our University’s legal name and I wish to acknowledge the support of Minister Harris in reaching this landmark date in our history and heritage.  “The University's legal name is now ‘Ollscoil na Gaillimhe’ in Irish and ‘University of Galway’ in English. As a university we remain committed to the principle of bilingualism illustrated by this new name.  “On behalf of the University I want to thank everyone who has played a part in the journey to the new name. We would also like to acknowledge all those outside of our University community who have supported and continue to support our efforts to establish an identity with such a close bond to our place.” Ends

Analysis of results from international trials question whether current aspirin recommendations apply to all patients    Data points to a need for further evidence on best practice among adults already taking aspirin for cardiovascular disease prevention    Heart disease researchers have identified a group of patients in whom international guidelines on aspirin use for heart health may not apply.  In a study published in the renowned medical journal Circulation, the findings of a review of data from three clinical trials challenge current best practice for use of the drug for primary prevention of heart disease or stroke - otherwise known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.    The research examined the results from clinical trials involving more than 47,000 patients in 10 countries, including the US, the UK and Australia, which were published in 2018.     The analysis focused on findings for a subgroup of 7,222 patients who were already taking aspirin before the three trials commenced. Those studied were at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and were taking aspirin to prevent the first occurrence of a heart attack or stroke.   The data showed a higher risk of heart disease or stroke – 12.5% versus 10.4% - for patients who were on aspirin before the trials and who then stopped, compared to those who stayed on the drug.    Analyses also found no significant statistical difference in the risk for major bleeding between the two groups of patients. The research was led by Professor J. William McEvoy, Established Professor of Preventive Cardiology at University of Galway and Consultant Cardiologist at Saolta University Health Care Group, in collaboration with researchers in University of Tasmania and Monash University, Melbourne.   Professor McEvoy said: “We challenged the notion that aspirin discontinuation is a one-size-fits-all approach.”   The research team noted results from observational studies which suggest a 28% higher risk of heart disease or stroke among adults who were prescribed aspirin to reduce the risk for a first heart attack or stroke, but who subsequently chose to stop taking the aspirin without being told to do so by their doctor.   Based in large part on three major clinical trials published in 2018, international guidelines no longer recommend the routine use of aspirin to prevent the first occurrence of heart attack or stroke.  Importantly, aspirin remains recommended for high-risk adults who have already had a heart disease or stroke event, to reduce the risk of a second event.   The move away from primary prevention aspirin in recent guidelines is motivated by the increased risk of major bleeding seen with this common medication in the three trials, albeit major bleeding is relatively uncommon on aspirin and was most obvious only among trial participants who were started on aspirin during the trial, rather than those who were previously taking aspirin safely.  These trials primarily tested the effect of starting aspirin among adults who have not previously been treated with the drug to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Less is known about what to do in the common scenario of adults who are already safely taking aspirin for primary prevention.   Professor McEvoy said: “Our findings of the benefit of aspirin in reducing heart disease or stroke without an excess risk of bleeding in some patients could be due to the fact that adults already taking aspirin without a prior bleeding problem are inherently lower risk for a future bleeding problem from the medication. Therefore, they seem to get more of the benefits of aspirin with less of the risks.  “These results are hypothesis-generating, but at present are the best available data. Until further evidence becomes available, it seems reasonable that persons already safely treated with low-dose aspirin for primary prevention may continue to do so, unless new risk factors for aspirin-related bleeding develop.”    Ends  

Tá Ollscoil na Gaillimhe ag iarraidh ar gach duine, idir óg agus aosta, ar mian leo a bheith ina n-innealtóirí, páirt a ghlacadh in imeacht teaghlaigh saor in aisce an deireadh seachtaine seo. Beidh ‘Innealtóirí na Todhchaí: Lá Spraoi Teaghlaigh’ ar siúl Dé Sathairn, an 2 Márta ó 10am go 4pm in Áras Innealtóireachta Alice Perry. Tá an imeacht eagraithe mar chuid de Sheachtain na nInnealtóirí 2024, a dhéanann ceiliúradh ar an innealtóireacht ar fud na hÉireann, agus beidh neart seónna eolaíochta agus innealtóireachta, taispeántais scannán, ceardlanna agus gníomhaíochtaí praiticiúla ar fáil a spreagfaidh daoine óga agus aosta. Mar aon le seónna beo, ar nós Fun Fantastic Physics, is féidir le teaghlaigh freastal ar dhá léiriú scannáin i rith an lae – Dream Big: Engineering Our World agus John Phillip Holland: Submarine Inventor. Dúirt an tOllamh Jamie Goggins, Scoil na hInnealtóireachta in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, gur innealtóirí nádúrtha iad leanaí mar gur breá leo rudaí a dhearadh agus a thógáil, ag baint úsáid as cibé rud is féidir leo a fháil: “Le heolas, nuálaíocht agus cruthaitheacht, athraíonn innealtóirí réaltacht agus todhchaí gach cine daonna. Ba mhaith linn an oiread teaghlach agus is féidir a bheith páirteach linn le haghaidh imeachtaí an lae chun Seachtain na nInnealtóirí a cheiliúradh agus chun an innealtóireacht a fhiosrú trí ghníomhaíochtaí agus seónna spraíúla, chomh maith le bualadh le hinnealtóirí chun níos mó a fhoghlaim faoin domhan mórthimpeall orainn, ról na hinnealtóireachta inár saol a thuiscint mar aon lena tionchar ar ár dtodhchaí.” I rith an lae beidh deis ag teaghlaigh a dtuirbín gaoithe féin a thógáil; tuiscint bhunúsach a fháil ar ról agus struchtúr ceall agus DNA le Taiscéalaithe na gCeall; bithábhar a thógáil ag baint úsáid as sláthach; spraoi le priontáil 3D; foghlaim conas rothair a dheisiú le cabhair ón Meitheal Rothar; breathnú ar an GEEC: Carr na Gaillimhe atá Tíosach ar Fhuinneamh; spraoi i limistéir shúgartha LEGO nó STEM; nó sos a ghlacadh sa seomra céadfach.  Is féidir le lucht freastail a gcuid scileanna tiomána agus braistintí guaise a chleachtadh ar ionsamhlóirí gluaisteán, gluaisrothair nó rothair den scoth a chuirfidh an tÚdarás um Shábháilteacht ar Bhóithre ar fáil. Beidh na gníomhaíochtaí seo agus go leor gníomhaíochtaí eile a thaispeánann saol na hinnealtóireachta sibhialta, comhshaoil, meicniúla, bithleighis, leictreonaí, fuinnimh agus ríomhaireachta ar fáil ar an lá.  Tá clár iomlán imeachtaí an Lae Spraoi Teaghlaigh ar fáil ag www.universityofgalway.ie/engineersweek/. Tá ticéid saor in aisce, agus is féidir iad a chur in áirithe do roinnt seónna roimh ré ar an láithreán gréasáin. Moltar do theaghlaigh freisin teacht ar an lá, agus tabharfar tús áite dóibh siúd is túisce a bheidh i láthair. Críoch

University of Galway is calling all young and old wannabe engineers to participate in a free family event this weekend. ‘Engineering Our Future: Family Fun Day’ takes place on Saturday, March 2 from 10am to 4pm in the Alice Perry Engineering Building. Organised as part of Engineers Week 2024, which celebrates engineering across Ireland, the event will provide plenty of science and engineering shows, film screenings, workshops and hands-on activities that will inspire both the young and the old. Along with live shows, such as Fun Fantastic Physics, families can attend two film screenings throughout the day – Dream Big: Engineering Our World and John Phillip Holland: Submarine Inventor. Professor Jamie Goggins, School of Engineering at University of Galway, said that children are natural engineers as they love to design and build things, using whatever they can get their hands on: “With knowledge, innovation and creativity, engineers change the reality and future of all human beings. We want to see as many families join us for the day-long events to help mark and celebrate Engineers Week and explore engineering through exciting and fun, hands-on activities and shows, as well as meeting with practising engineers to better learn about the world around us, understand the role of engineering in our lives and its impact on our future.” Throughout the day families will have an opportunity to build their own wind turbine; gain a basic understanding of the role and structure of cells and DNA with Cell Explorers; build a biomaterial using slime; have fun with 3D printing; learn how to repair bicycles from An Mheitheal Rothar; explore the GEEC: Galway Energy Efficient Car; have fun in the LEGO or STEM play areas; or take some timeout in the sensory room.  Attendees can also practice their driving and hazard perception skills on state-of the art car, motorbike or bicycle simulators provided by the Road Safety Authority. These and many other activities showing the world of civil, environmental, mechanical, biomedical, electronic, energy systems and computer engineering will be available on the day.  The full programme of events for Family Fun Day is available at www.universityofgalway.ie/engineersweek/. Tickets are free, and they can be booked for some shows in advance through the website. Families are also advised that they can turn up on the day, on a first come, first served, basis. Ends

Teenagers in west of Ireland report decline in wellbeing and mental health Researchers at University of Galway have identified that young people who have suffered adversity in the home, among peers, or at school are substantially more at risk of self-harm. Academics at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and School of Psychology today published a report on mental health and wellbeing based on results from surveys of more than 15,000 young people in three counties – Galway, Mayo and Roscommon – between 2018 and 2022. The report, Adolescent Mental Health & Adversity - Profiles and Trends in the West of Ireland 2018-2022, examines statistics from Planet Youth surveys where pupils in 4th year in post-primary schools in the three counties self-report on a range of topics.  The research focused on patterns of adversity which young people experience across home, peer and school contexts to establish whether these are linked to mental health outcomes or self-harm behaviours. The researchers aim to use the study to identify protective factors and determine whether personal practices such as sleep and physical activity and whether friend or parental support and school safety are associated with better mental health outcomes and/or act as a buffer for adversity related risk. The full report can be viewed here https://www.universityofgalway.ie/cfrc/publications/researchpolicyreports/ Other key findings from the research are: Adversity increases risk of self-harm and is associated with poorer mental health outcomes among adolescents.  Health behaviours, like sleep and physical activity, and supports from parents, peers and schools, are associated with better mental health outcomes. Young people who experience adversity across multiple contexts (e.g., at home, in school, or with peers) are substantially more at risk of self-harm, compared to youth who do not experience adversity. Approximately 13% of the young people who had little likelihood/probability of experiencing adversity were likely to have self-harmed at some point in their life. This compared to 27% of the young people who experienced parental adversity; 37% of those who experienced adversity amongst peers; and 82% of those who experienced adversity in several ways. Depressive tendencies were highest for the group who experienced adversity across multiple contexts and lowest for the low adversity group. Girls and non-binary teens are more likely than boys to self-harm, and experience poorer mental health outcomes. Irish adolescents, and those from two-parent households, reported better mental health outcomes than adolescents from other family structures or cultural backgrounds. The research was conducted by Dr Charlotte Silke, Dr Bernadine Brady, Dr Caroline Heary and colleagues from the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and School of Psychology at University of Galway. It was funded by the Health Research Board and undertaken in collaboration with Planet Youth, the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention and the National Suicide Research Foundation. Dr Charlotte Silke said:  "This research highlights an important link between youth adversity and mental health. Consistently, across each year, we found that experiencing adversity, in any setting - whether that's at home or at school - increases risk of self-harm and poor mental health, and youth who experience adversity across multiple contexts, for example, at home and at school, are at substantial risk. To fully understand the impact of adversity on young people we need to look at the contexts in which they are experiencing adversity." Dr Bernadine Brady said: “From a policy perspective, the link between adversity and poor mental health highlighted in this study underlines the need for prevention and early intervention services and supports to reduce adversity for children, young people and families. Key messages for young people, parents or guardians and schools are that factors such as sleep, physical activity, support from parents and friends and feeling safe at school are associated with better youth mental health.” Ends

Student Sustainability Leadership Awards open for entries University of Galway has today hosted the Government of Ireland national Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions on campus. The 26 champions were selected by government to raise public awareness of the United Nations SDGs and include organisations such as the GAA, An Post, Tesco and the FAI.  University of Galway is the first university to hold the honour, recognising the leading role that it is playing in achieving and realising the ambitions of the 17 Goals, to improve human life and protect the environment. Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan T.D., sent a message of support to the SDG Champions: “I’m delighted to see University of Galway hosting today’s SDG champions’ meeting, on the themes of Climate Action (SDG 13) and Partnerships (SDG17). Further and higher education institutions play a critical role in helping society to achieve the SDGs, through Education for Sustainable Development, academic research and teaching, and also through everyday practices. To achieve the SDGs, there is also a need for greater collaboration and partnerships. Universities are important places for developing these. It is very encouraging to see University of Galway taking a lead role in this, embedding the SDGs in their research, teaching and operations, and building partnerships, many of which have been represented today. Today’s event was a great opportunity for the SDG Champions to collaborate, share knowledge and learn from best practice examples of activities and partnerships taking place across the country, to achieve Agenda 2030.” University of Galway Deputy President and Registrar, Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh, said: “University of Galway is delighted to host the national SDG champions on campus. Our university community has defined sustainability and openness as two of our core values, and in this spirit we are making good use of our SDG Champion status to highlight the importance of the SDGs for our students, our society and our planet. University of Galway is proud to be ranked in the top 50 universities of the world for addressing the SDGs and the leading university in Ireland for this work and hosting all 26 champions in Galway is symbolic of our intent to continue those efforts.” The University of Galway’s SDG Champion status acknowledges many years of hard work embedding the SDGs on multiple levels across the University.  Ranked as the top university in Ireland (and #34 in the world) by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for performance on the SDGs  Received Gold rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS)  First in Europe to be awarded Green Lab certification Awarded the Green Campus Flag in 2019 and 2022 To advance SDG-related projects, the University has today launched the Student Sustainability Leadership Awards 2024. The awards recognise the leading role that students play in the transition to a sustainable future and aim to support student leaders that are dedicated and enthusiastic about developing a more sustainable campus and community.   Student Sustainability Leadership Awards are available for two current University of Galway students. Awardees will each receive an 8-week sponsored internship with the University’s Sustainability Office during summer 2024.  Professor Pól Ó Dochartaigh, Deputy President and Registrar, said: “As SDG Champion, University of Galway advocates the UN Goals, and inspire others, especially those in higher education, to commit and contribute to Ireland achieving its targets. We are establishing a Sustainability Office to lead and promote sustainability in all aspects of University learning and research, culture, operations and governance structures, and to empower its diverse communities of staff, students and partners to co-create tomorrow's sustainable campus and deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. The Student Sustainability Leadership Awards represent an excellent learning and leadership opportunity for enthusiastic students to work with our new Sustainability Office during the summer.” The deadline for entries to the Student Sustainability Leadership Awards is midday on Monday March 4th. Further information is available at: www.universityofgalway.ie/sustainability/  Ends