graduate research brochure

Front cover: The Living Bridge, University of Limerick

The 350 metre long pedestrian bridge is one of the most innovative and impressive pieces of architecture on campus. Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, London and built by Eiffel Construction Metallique, the bridge connects the north and south banks of the university campus.

The bridge includes four platforms, which are designed to accommodate social gatherings, informal teaching sessions, music and dance performances as well as a wide array of educational, social and cultural activities.

Photographs: Eoin Stephenson, Rumhann Howard-Hildige

Vice President’s Welcome 01

University of Limerick 03

Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences 05

Faculty of Eduction & Health Sciences 13

Kemmy Business School 21Faculty of Science and Engineering 28

Research Institutes 35

Graduates 51

How to Apply 56

Contents

Vice President’s Welcome TheUniversityofLimerick(UL)isayoung,energeticandenterprisinguniversitywithaproudrecordofinnovationineducationandexcellenceinresearchandscholarship.

ULhasrecentlyundertakenastrategicreviewofitsresearchprioritiesinordertorefinethekeyareasthatreflectitscompetitiveadvantage.Thisstrategicreviewhasbeenguidedbythepromotionofaresearchethoscharacterisedbyconvergenttranslationalresearch.

Duringthepastyearourkeyresearchindicatorshaveshownstronggrowth,withincreasesinresearchapplications,researchincome,postgraduatenumbersandcommercialisationactivitiescomplementingthestronggainsinresearchoutputs.

ULoffersawiderangeofresearchopportunitiesatmastersandPhDlevels,therebycontributingtotheadvancementofourrapidly-evolvingknowledgesocietyinthetwenty-firstcentury.

Researchprojectsattheuniversity,whichincludeworkoncombatingthespreadofMRSAinhospitals,streamliningtheproductionofmedicinesbythepharmaceuticalindustryinIreland,theproductionofrevolutionaryvasculargraftsandtheuseofinformationtechnologyintheautomotiveindustrytocombatexhaustemissions,havesecuredbothgovernmentandindustryresearchcontractsinexcessof€40million.

ULhasstronglinkswithindustryfromundergraduatetopostdoctorallevel.TheuniversityrunsoneofthelargestCooperativeEducationprogrammesinEurope(undergraduateinternship),andwehaverecentlycelebratedthesuccessesofcampuscompaniesPowervationLtd.andStokesBioLtd.Theemploymentrateofourgraduateshasalwaysbeenexceptional.Infact,our2008figuresshowthatover83%ofULpostgraduateswereemployedfollowinggraduation.

IhopethisbrochurewillgiveyouanoverviewoftheexcitingopportunitiesopentograduatestudentsatULandwillencourageyoutoinvestigatefurther.

Professor Brian FitzgeraldVicePresidentResearch

UniVersity of limerickTheUniversityofLimerickisanindependent,internationallyfocuseduniversitywithover11,000studentsand1,313membersofstaff.ULoffers73undergraduateprogrammesandover96taughtpostgraduateprogrammesacrossfourfaculties.Ourpostgraduateresearchstudentsbenefitfromtheexperienceofinternationalresearchersandtheavailabilityofstate-of-the-artequipmentatourresearchinstitutesandcentres.

Arts, Humanities & Social SciencesEducation & Health SciencesKemmy Business SchoolScience & Engineering

research KeyresearchareasatULinclude:

• MaterialsandSurfaceScience• Information&CommunicationTechnologies• BioEngineering&Biosciences• EnergyandSustainableEnvironment• AppliedMathematics• StudyofKnowledgeinSociety

OtherareasunderconsiderationincludeWork,EmploymentandPublicPolicy;FoodandHealth,PhysicalActivityandSport.

Wehavefourinternationallyrecognisedresearchinstitutesacrosstheuniversity.Thefourinstitutesare:

• Materials&SurfaceScienceInstitute(MSSI)• StokesInstitute• Lero–IrishSoftwareEngineeringResearchCentre• InstitutefortheStudyofKnowledgeinSociety(ISKS)

GraduateResearchatUL//03

Achievements

Overthelast12monthswehaveseenexcitingnewdevelopmentsinourresearchinstitutesandcentres,asfollows:

• TheSolidStatePharmaceuticalClusterinMSSIhasbeenawardedalmost€7millionundertheSFIStrategicResearchClusterprogramme.

• MSSIsecureda€5milliontechnologyresearchcontractunderEUFrameworkProgramme7.TheaimoftheresearchistosignificantlyreduceMRSAinfectionratesinhospitalsacrosstheworld.

• Lero,theIrishSoftwareEngineeringResearchCentre,continuestodeveloptechnologiesforpotentialcommercialexploitationintheIrishsoftwaresector.

• Over800postgraduatestudentspursuedeitherresearchmastersordoctoralprogrammesinAY2008/09.

• ULhassignedalmost100formalagreementswithindustrypartnersin2008alone.ULcontinuestoleadtheuniversitysectorintermsofsuccesswithindustrypartnersintheEIInnovationPartnershipprogramme.

• Collaborationwithprivateventurecapitalhasledtothedevelopmentofanumberofhigh-qualitycampuscompanies,includingPowervationLtd.,CrescentDiagnosticsLtd.,CauwillTechnologiesLtd.andStokesBioLtd.

Arts, Humanities & social sciences

faculty //

Arts, HUmAnities & sociAl sciencesWithnearly150researchstudentsenrolled,theFacultyofArts,Humanities&SocialSciences(AHSS)isenrichedbyavigorousandlivelypostgraduatecommunity.Fundingof€2.4millionfromtheProgrammeforResearchinThird-LevelInstitutionsCycle4(PRTLI4)hasopenedupexcitingpossibilitiesforPhDstudentsandpostdoctoralresearchers.NewlydevelopedstructuredPhDsprovideopportunitiesforstudentstodevelopresearchskillsthroughacombinationofcourseworkandthesisinathematicareasuchasgender,cultureandidentity,socialscienceorappliedlanguagestudies.

EachdisciplinewithintheFacultyofAHSShasarangeofresearchstrengths.Manyresearchersworkininterdisciplinarygroups.TheInstitutefortheStudyofKnowledgeinSociety(ISKS)beganlifeasamajorcentreforcollaborativeresearchwithinthefacultyandhasprogressedtobecomingacross-facultyinstituteprovidingarangeofresearchsupportservicesforresearchersinthehumanitiesandsocialsciencesacrosstheuniversity.

MuchoftheresearchoutputoftheDepartmentofHistoryhasemphasiseddifferentaspectsofearlymodernandeighteenth-centuryIrishhistory,includingwarfare,intellectuallife,socialchangeandbiography.Otherwell-establishedresearchareaswithinthedepartmentincludetheWeimarRepublicandNaziGermany,IrishdiplomaticrelationswiththeUnitedStates,historyoffamily,arthistoryandcontemporaryhistory.

SeveralresearchersintheSchoolofLanguages,Literature,CultureandCommunicationshareeighteenth-centuryinterestswiththeDepartmentofHistoryandhelpconstituteaneighteenth-centurystudiesresearchgroup,whichfocusesonthedevelopmentofFrenchthought.ProfessorGeraldineSheridan’sworkonVoltaireisillustrative.AclusterofresearchershaveaddressedtheexperiencesofGermanexilesinIreland.IntheCentreforAppliedLanguageStudiesledbyProfessorAngelaChambers,researchershaveundertakeninternationallyauthoritativeworkonlanguagecorpora-baseddiscourseanalysis.Women’swriting,especiallyinIreland,andIrishsocio-linguisticsrepresentothermajorresearchfociwithintheschool.

Sentencing,theevolutionofIrishtortlawandtheimpactofEuropeanUnionlawinIreland,aswellaswiderconcernswithhumanrightsandconstitutionallaw,formpartoftheresearchprogrammeintheSchoolofLaw.ProfessorDermotWalshhasjustcompletedanIrishResearchCouncilfortheHumanitiesandSocialSciences(IRCHSS)

06\\GraduateResearchatUL

fellowshipinwhichheexaminedpolicereformintheIrishRepublicandNorthernIreland.

IntheDepartmentofPolitics&PublicAdministration,researchersembraceadiverserangeoffieldsbothempiricallyandmethodologically.Withastrongcombinationofnationallyandinternationallyrenownedspecialistsinpost-Sovietpolitics,SouthernAfricanpolitics,LatinAmericanpolitics,internationalpoliticaleconomy,contemporaryEuropeanandEUpolitics,Irishpoliticsandpublicpolicy,internationalrelationstheory,feministanalysis,criticaltheory,publicadministrationandgovernance,thedepartmentretainsastrongnationalandinternationalfocusinpoliticalstudies.ThedepartmentaccommodatestheCentreforPeaceandDevelopmentStudies.Initspostgraduateresearch,thedepartmentemphasisesmethodologicaltrainingincomparativepolitics,qualitativeresearchandquantitativeanalysis.

TheDepartmentofSociologyhaslongbeencommittedtoacriticalengagementaroundwhatbroadlyconstitutesthebasisofoursocialmembership,whethergendered,classedorlinkedtocoreissuesofhealth,themedia,migration,educationorglobalisation.Thedepartmenthasastrongcommitmenttoandexpertiseinquantitativeandqualitativeteachingresearchmethods.Women’sStudiesisbasedintheDepartmentofSociology.However,theresearchgroupisinterdisciplinaryanditsoutputhasclusteredaroundseveralthemes,including‘Womenandglobalbelonging’and‘Gender,memoryandmodernity’.TheFacultyofAHSSincludesseveralinterdisciplinaryresearchprogrammes.Onesuchprogramme,theRalahineCentreforUtopianStudies,hasanestablishedrecordofdistinctiveworkonutopianthought,literaturesandcommunities.ThecentrewasfoundedbyProfessorTomMoylanandiscurrentlyunderthedirectionofDrJoachimFischerandDrLukeAshworth.

new and Growing AreasEmergingresearchfieldsinwhichgroupsofresearchersarebeginningtogenerateimportantworkincludemodernSpanishliterature,developmentstudies,masculinitiesandattitudestohealthissuesthatarerelatedtolifestyleandlifecycles.InterdisciplinaryresearchacrossarangeofuniversitieswithinIrelandandabroadarestrengtheningandpromotingtheprofileofAHSS.


fundingAswellasPRTLI,anothermajorsourceofcollaborativeresearchfundingwithintheFacultyofAHSSisAtlanticPhilanthropies,whichhassupportedPhDsandpostdoctoralresearchersinWomen’sStudies.IrishAidhasrecentlyfundedanetworkingprojectonsocialpartnershipsinsustainabledevelopment.IrishAidhasalsodonatedlibraryresourcestosupportresearchandteachingindevelopmentstudiesatUL.OthermajorfundersofindividualresearchersandresearchgroupsincludeCombatPoverty,theHealthServiceExecutive(HSE)andarangeofgovernmentdepartments.TheFacultyofAHSShasagoodtrackrecordinattainingIRCHSSscholarshipstosupportdoctoralandpostdoctoralresearch.

Inexcessof100PhDcandidatesareregisteredwiththeFacultyofAHSS.Adedicatedworkingareaandarangeofseminarsandtrainingfacilities,includingproposaldevelopmentworkshops,helpfosterasenseofintellectualcommunityamongstpostgraduates.

Onthewhole,PhDworkisundertakenbyindividualscholars.Withineachdepartment,however,clustersofstudentsworkwithincertainfields,therebyenablingthemtoshareexperiencesandinsights.Suchdisciplineclustersinclude:

Knowledge Interfaces at ISKS:

• Education,technologyandlanguage • Workmobilityintheknowledgeeconomy • TheIrishdevelopmentalstate • Mediaandmigration • Health,lifestyleandpolicy

History:

• Twentieth-centuryGermany • Twentieth-centuryIrishrepublicanism


Language and Cultural Studies:

• ExilesandimmigrantsinIreland • Irishtravelwriting • Literatureandmemoryinpost-FrancoSpain • Languageteachingandacquisition • Appliedlanguagestudies • Irishsocio-linguistics

Law:

• IrishhumanrightsPoliticsandPublicAdministration: • Peacekeepingandpeacemaking • Developmentanddemocracy • Foreignaid • Europeansecurity • Internationalorganisations • EuropeanUnion • Post-Sovietpolitics • SocialpartnershipinIreland • TheIrishstate • Localgovernment

Sociology:

• Socialexclusion • Genderandinequality • Healthandillness • Researchmethods


MynameisStephenRyanandI’minmysecondyearofmyresearchinhistory.IfirstcametoULoverfiveyearsagotostudyhistory,politicsandsocialstudiesandmajoredinhistory.IenjoyedtheresearchaspectofmyfinalyearprojectimmenselyandoptedtoreturntoULtodoaresearchmastersinhistory,whichIamcurrentlyworkingon.

Thefacilitiesthatareavailabletomeasaresearchstudentarefantastic.IworkfrommydeskinthepostgraduateresearchareaandhavemyownPCaswellasaccesstoprintingandphotocopyingfacilities.Thelibrarystaffandfacilitiesareexcellent,andanybooksIneedaregenerallymadeavailabletomeeitherthroughthelibrary’sowncatalogueorthroughinter-libraryloans.Inmyopinion,beingaresearchstudentcanbeaveryliberatingexperience.Icanworkatmyownpace,andIhavelearnedtobecomemoreself-motivated.TheDepartmentofHistoryandmysupervisorallowmetotakeagooddegreeofcontrolovermyownworkandhelpmeineverypossiblewaytheycan.

Beingaresearchstudentisveryrewardingbutisalsoveryhardwork.Havingsaidthat,studybyresearchisundoubtedlytherightcourseformetohavetaken.

stePHen ryAn / A Postgraduate’s experience

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Professor AnGelA cHAmbers

AngelaChambersisProfessorofAppliedLanguagesandDirectoroftheCentreforAppliedLanguageStudiesattheUniversityofLimerickandamemberoftheIrishResearchCouncilfortheHumanitiesandSocialSciences(IRCHSS).Hercurrentresearchfocusesonsecondlanguageacquisition,inparticularontheuseofcorpusdatabylanguagelearners.Shehasco-editedanumberofbooksandpublishedseveralarticlesonaspectsoflanguagelearning,particularlyrelatingtocorpora.

ProfessorChambersiscurrentlyprincipalinvestigatoroftheKnowledgeInterfacesProject,forwhichtheInstitutefortheStudyofKnowledgeinSociety(ISKS)wasawardedfundingof€2.5millionin2007undertheHEA’sProgrammeforResearchinThird-LevelInstitutionsCycle4(PRTLI4).ThisprojectispartoftheIrishSocialSciencesPlatform,whichbringstogethereightinstitutionsand19disciplines.InISKS,theprojectfunds12PhDsandthreepostdoctoralresearchfellowsandinvestigatesareassuchaslanguageandcommunication,thesociologyofhealth,andtheinteractionbetweentechnologicalchangeandsocial,culturalandpoliticallife.AftercompletingherBA(FrenchandGerman)andPhDatQueen’sUniversityBelfast,ProfessorChambersworkedintheuniversitiesofBordeauxandUlster.ShejoinedULasseniorlecturerinFrenchin1990andwasappointedtohercurrentpostin2002.In1998–1999,shewasassociateprofessorintheUniversitédeLilleIII,France.SheiscurrentlyamemberoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheEuropeanAssociationforComputer-assistedLanguageLearning,whichhasitsheadquartersintheUniversityofLimerick,andamemberoftheEditorialBoardoftheassociation’sjournal,ReCALL,publishedbyCambridgeUniversityPress.In1998,ProfessorChamberswasawardedthehonourofChevalierdansl’OrdredesPalmesAcadémiques,aFrenchgovernmenthonourawardedforservicestotheFrenchlanguageandtoeducation.



the irish World Academy of music & dance

TheIrishWorldAcademyofMusic&Dancewasestablishedin1994byProfessorMícheálÓSúilleabháin,whoseownresearchinterestsestablishedtheAcademyastheinternationalleaderinIrishmusicresearch.TheAcademyhasgraduated18researchstudentssince1994,sixofwhomcurrentlyheaduptraditionalartsprogrammesinotherIrishhighereducationinstitutes.

ResearchattheIrishWorldAcademyencompassesawiderangeofareasfromethnomusicologytomusicandhealth.Someofthekeyareasinclude:

• Ethnomusicologyandethnochoreology,includingaspecialistinterestintheglobalisationoftraditionalmusicwithparticularreferencetoEast-West/North-SouthEuropeannationalandregionalinteractionsandtransnationalengagementswithothertraditionalidiomsfromaroundtheworld.

• DanceResearchForumIreland,establishedbyDrCatherineFoleyin2003.DanceResearchForumIrelandisanon-profit,international,inclusiveandinterdisciplinarysocietyforthepromotion,supportanddevelopmentofdanceresearchandpracticeinIrelandandfurtherafield.In2009,theArtsCouncilawardedseedfundingof€140,000towardstheestablishmentofthenationaldancearchiveattheULGlucksmanLibrary.

• TheMusicandHealthResearchGroup,establishedin2009.Currentresearchinterestsincludemusicinhealthcare,musicandlifespandevelopmentandmusic-assistedactivityforpeoplewithdisabilityorrecoveringfrominjury/illness.

• Communitymusic• StructuredPhDprogrammeinArtsPractice• Ritualsongtraditions

ResearchattheIrishWorldAcademyiscontextualisedbyweeklypostgraduateseminars,whichprovideopportunitiesforcross-disciplinarysharingaswellasperformancesandvisitsfromartistsinresidence.


education & Health sciences

faculty //

edUcAtion & HeAltH sciencesTheFacultyofEducation&HealthSciences(EHS)wascreatedinJanuary2008aspartofasubstantiveacademicrestructuringattheUniversityofLimerick.Departmentsinclude

• Education&ProfessionalStudies(EPS)• PhysicalEducation&SportSciences(PESS)• Psychology(Psych)• Nursing&Midwifery(N&M)• OccupationalTherapy(OT)• Physiotherapy(PT)• Speech&LanguageTherapy(SLT)• GraduateEntryMedicalSchool(GEMS)

TheFacultyofEducation&HealthSciencesboastsavibrantresearchcommunity.Research,alongsideteaching,isacoreactivity.Themultidisciplinarystructureandexpertiseofthefacultyprovideresearchagendasaroundactivemanagementoflifelongageing,biomedicalsciences,clinicaltherapies,education,food&health,healthsciences,physicalactivity,sportandsportsciences,professionalpreparationanddevelopment,socialissuesandpoliticalidentity–allareaswherenationalchallengesexistatthistime.

Therearecurrently58full-timeand32part-timeresearchstudentsintheFacultyofEHS.EHSprovidesanumberofhigh-qualitytaughtpostgraduateprogrammes,whicharecentraltoincreasingtheresearchcapacityofthefaculty.Ourpostgraduatestudentsaremembersofawiderresearchcommunity–involvingresearch-activeacademicstaffandresearchspecialists–withinthefaculty.ResearchinterestsandproductivityarereflectedintheincreasednumberofEHS-housedresearchcentres,unitsandgroupsthatarenationalresearchleadersintheirfield.


ResearchclustersincludingresearchcentreswithinEHSinclude:

• PEPAYS–PhysicalEducation,PhysicalActivityandYouthSportResearchCentre(PESS)• CentrefortheActiveManagementofLifelongAgeing(CAMLA)(GEMS)• CentreforPre-HospitalResearch(GEMS)• CentreforSocialIssuesResearch(Psych)• ResearchCentreforEducationandProfessionalPractice(EPS)• BiomechanicsResearchUnit(PESS)• CurriculumEvaluationandPolicyResearchUnit(EPS)• Ubuntu;theTeacherEducationforSustainableDevelopmentNetwork;andtheIrishRegionalCentreofExpertiseinEducationforSustainableDevelopment(EPS)

• LimerickHuboftheNationalPhysiotherapyResearchNetwork(PT)• AppliedBiostatisticsConsultingCentre(GEMS)• HumanSciencesResearchUnit(PESS)• BiomedicalIndustryInitiative2008(GEMS)

departmental interests

Education & Professional Studies

TheDepartmentofEducation&ProfessionalStudieswelcomesapplicationsforresearchinawiderangeoffieldswithineducationatbothprimaryandsecondlevel.Currentresearchinterestsincludeinitialteachereducation,actionresearchineducation,ICTineducation,teachereducationforsustainabledevelopment,schoolmanagementandself-evaluation,curriculumandassessmentinsecond-leveleducation,genderissuesineducation,curriculumrenewalandimplementation,moralandemotionaldevelopment,clinicalandeducationalpsychology,healthpromotion,andguidanceandcounsellinginsecond-leveleducation.ThenewResearchCentreforEducationandProfessionalPractice(RCEPP)willbeakeyinfrastructureinthesupportofresearchinterestsacrosstheuniversityinteachingandlearning.


Graduate Entry Medical School

TheGraduateEntryMedicalSchool(GEMS)setuptheCentrefortheActiveManagementofLifelongAgeing(CAMLA)in2007withavisionto“engageinrelevantmedicalresearch,dedicatedtoimprovinghealthinsociety”.CAMLA’sinitialresearchfocusisonthevariousaspectsofageingand,particularly,onstrategiestooptimisehealthinoldage.Initsshortlifetodate,CAMLAhasbroughttogetheralargenumberofhithertodisparateindividualsandgroupstodevelopcommonresearchagendas.BecausetheGEMSsitsintheFacultyofEducation&HealthSciences,whichincludesClinicalTherapies(Physiotherapy,OccupationalTherapyandSpeech&LanguageTherapy),Education&ProfessionalStudies,Nursing&Midwifery,PhysicalEducation&SportSciencesandPsychology,itisuniquelyplacedandverykeentocollaborateininterdisciplinaryclinical,educationalandresearchinitiatives.

Nursing & Midwifery

TheDepartmentofNursing&Midwiferyoffersarangeofvariedandexcitingresearchopportunitiestoprospectivepostgraduatestudents.Thedepartment’sresearchfocusoverthepastfiveyearsmirrorsvariousnicheareasofresearchinterestacrossthevariousdisciplinesofgeneral,intellectualdisabilityandmentalhealthnursingandmidwifery.ProspectivepostgraduatestudentsattheDepartmentofNursing&Midwiferycanregisterforlevel9specialistandadvancedpracticegraduatediploma/MScprogrammesandforalevel9non-specialistgraduatediploma/MScprogrammeinnursingandmidwifery.PostgraduatemastersprogrammesbyresearchandPhDarealsoonoffer.TheannualPatriciaConnorGormanGraduateScholarshipisawardedbythedepartmenttoencourageandsupportULnursinggraduatestoengageinresearchactivities.

Occupational Therapy

TheDepartmentofOccupationalTherapyiscommittedtoengaginginrelevantoccupation-focusedresearchdedicatedtoimprovinghealthandwellbeinginsociety.Departmentstaffandresearchersparticipateinanumberofnationalandinternationalresearchgroupswithintheuniversity.Awiderangeofexpertiseinclinicalandhealthserviceresearchexistswithinthedepartment.Activeresearchareasincludeoccupationalscience,researchwithparticulargroups(peoplewithmentalhealthdifficulties,peoplewithdementia,wheelchairusers),healthandsocialcareservicedeliveryandeducationalresearch.


Physical Education & Sport Sciences

TheDepartmentofPhysicalEducation&SportSciences(PESS)hasagrowingresearchprogrammeintheareasofbiomechanics,exercisephysiology,exercisebiochemistry,physicalactivityandhealth,physicaleducationandprofessionaldevelopment,motorskills,sportspsychologyandsportscoaching.ThedepartmentcurrentlyhoststhePhysicalEducation,PhysicalActivityandYouthSportResearchCentre(PEPAYS),theBiomechanicsResearchUnitandtheHumanSciencesResearchUnit.

Physiotherapy

ResearchinterestswithintheDepartmentofPhysiotherapyincludeshoulderdysfunction,pain,outcomemeasures,cardiacandpulmonaryrehabilitation,clinicalplacements,neurologicalrehabilitation(includingphysiotherapyandphysicalactivityprogrammesforpeoplewithmultiplesclerosisandtheuseoftechnologyinneurorehabilitation),lowbackpain,motorcontrol,motionanalysisandsportsinjuries(includinginjuryprevention),flexibility,rheumatology,fallsintheelderly,thedevelopmentprofileofsix-to-eight-year-oldchildreninruralIrelandandtheeffectofaschool-basedmotorskillstrainingprogramme.

Psychology

TheDepartmentofPsychologyatUniversityofLimerickisarecentadditiontothecampus.Thisnewandvibrantdepartmentfocusesexplicitlyonsocialpsychology,whichmakesthedepartmentuniqueinIreland.TheDepartmentofPsychologyiscurrentlyaimingtoconsolidateitsexcellentresearchprofileinareasofsocialpsychologysuchassocialidentity,socialdevelopment,minority/majorityrelations,prejudice,socialexclusionandcrowdbehaviour.ThedepartmentledthedevelopmentofaCentreforSocialIssuesResearchtopromoteresearchonsocialissuesacrosstheuniversity.

Speech & Language Therapy

TheDepartmentofSpeechandLanguageTherapyhasexistingresearchinterestsandexpertiseinaphasia,feedingandchildhoodlanguageimpairment.Additionalresearchisunderwayinprofessionaldecisionmaking,childhoodlanguagedevelopment,multilingualism,cleftpalate,developmentalspeechdisorders,specificlanguageimpairmentandstammering.


“ Iworkaspartofateamonthe “GettingtheBalanceRight”project–anevaluationofphysiotherapyandexerciseprogrammesforpeoplewithmultiplesclerosis(MS)inIreland.Iwentstraightfrommydegreeinphysiotherapytomypostgraduatestudies.Mydesiretocontributetoevidence-basedpracticeinaclinicallyrelevantareaandtomakeapositivedifferencetopeople’sliveswerethebiggestdrivingforcesinmyquesttopursueresearchinthistopic.

TodateIhavecompletedaliteraturereview,submittedalargenumberofethicsproposals,carriedoutapilotstudyandcollecteddataforthemainstudy.Asagroupwehavestartedtoenterdataforinitialandfollow-upassessments.Themostchallenging–andprobablymostimportant–partofthefirstyearwasconductingtheliteraturereviewtoidentifythegapinresearchandthemostappropriateoutcomemeasures.Thiswasalengthyandoftenisolatingprocess.However,itpavedthewayforanexcitingyear.HighlightsofthefirstyearincludedgivingoralpresentationsatMSconferencesinLeedsandCanadaandattheannualandstudentconferencesoftheIrishSocietyofCharteredPhysiotherapists(ISCP).Anadditionalhighlightwasthedeliveryoftrainingdaysbytheprojectteamtophysiotherapistsonthenationalimplementationofexerciseprogrammesforourrandomisedcontrolledtrial.

TheprojectteamhasbeenaskedtowritearticlesabouttheroleofcharteredphysiotherapistsintherehabilitationofpeoplewithMS.Seeingourhardworkinprintisoneofthemoreenjoyableaspectsofresearch.Feedbacktotheprojecttodatehasbeenverypositiveandindicatesthatourresearchismakingasignificantdifferenceinpeople’sfunctionandqualityoflife.MycurrentpostgraduateworkhasbeenkindlysponsoredbytheIrishResearchCouncilforScience,EngineeringandTechnology(IRCSET)andisbeingcarriedoutinconjunctionwithMultipleSclerosisIreland.

mAriA GArrett / A Postgraduate’s experience

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“WilliAm mccormAck / A Postgraduate’s experience

“ Igraduatedin2006withaBScinSportsandExerciseScience(first classhonours)fromtheUniversityofLimerick.FollowingthisIspentsixmonthsworkingasaresearchassistanttoProfessorPhilJakemanintheHumanScienceResearchUnit(HSRU),DepartmentofPhysicalEducation&SportSciences(PESS).DuringthistimeIsuccessfullyappliedtotheEmbarkInitiativePostgraduateResearchScholarshipSchemeoperatedbytheIrishResearchCouncilforScience,EngineeringandTechnology(IRCSET).IcommencedmypostgraduateresearchinOct2007attheHSRUunderthedirectionofProfessorJakeman.

Myresearchinterestsincludenutrientregulationofgrowthfactorresponseinhumanskeletalmuscle.Utilisingthemicrodialysistechniqueforthesamplingofinterstitialfluid,thisprojectseekstoinvestigatetheinter-cellularresponsetotheinteractionofaminoacidsandgrowthfactorsinhumanskeletalmusclefollowingmechanicalloading.Theresearchchallengesthehypothesisthatskeletalmuscleproteinsynthesisisaugmentedbyessentialaminoacidsviaanup-regulationofthedifferentialexpressionofIGFsinresponsetomechanicalloading.


ProfessorBillyO’ConnorjoinedtheGraduateEntryMedicalSchoolasHeadofTeachingandResearchinPhysiologyin2008.Aleadingfigureinneuroscienceresearch,ProfessorO’Connorhas25years’experienceinresearchandteaching.Hehasauthoredover100fulloriginalpapers,fivereviews,threebookchapters,oneeditorialand288conferenceproceedingsabstracts.Hehasalsoeditedonebook–MonitoringMoleculesinNeuroscience(2001)–andhassecuredover€3millioninresearchfundingsince1996.ProfessorO’ConnorgraduatedwithaBScinBiochemistry(1981)andaPhDinPharmacology(1986)fromNUIGalway.LeavingIrelandin1987,heworkedasapostdoctoralresearcherinneuroscienceattheDepartmentofPhysiologyandPharmacologyattheKarolinskaInstitute,Stockholm,whereheprogressedtothepositionofassociateprofessor.HereturnedtoIrelandin1995,takingupacollegelecturerpostintheDepartmentofHumanAnatomyandPhysiologyinUCD.

HerosetothepositionofHeadofNeuroscienceintheConwayInstitute,whereheachievedanSFIInvestigatorawardin2004.In2000ProfessorO’ConnorwasawardedtheConwaySilverMedalforAchievementintheBiosciencesandin2005theSCRIPAwardforbestpartnershipalliancewithWyethforcooperativeworkonbrainillnesstreatments.Thechallengeofdevelopingaworld-classcentreofexcellenceintranslationalmedicineandtheprospectofteachingtalentedandmotivatedgraduatestudentsenticedProfessorO’ConnortohiscurrentpositionwiththeGraduateEntryMedicalSchool.HeisDirectoroftheTranslationalMedicineandTherapeuticsLaboratoryintheGMS,whichworksindependentlytodevelopaclinicalmicrodialysisinitiativeoncampusandinthelocalteachinghospitals.ProfessorO’ConnoriscurrentlyworkingonajointresearchprojectwithProfessorPhilJakeman(PESS),theaimofwhichistoinvestigatechangesinmetabolisminthelegmusclesofhealthyadultsduringmusclecontraction.

Professor billy o’connor



kemmy business school

kbs //

kemmy bUsiness scHoolTheKemmyBusinessSchool(KBS)isadynamicandinnovativebusinessschoolwithareputationforfirst-classeducationandleadingresearch.TheKBShostsover110facultyandstaffandalmost3,000students(ofwhom480arepostgraduates).

TheGraduateCentreofBusinessissituatedintheFoundationBuildingatUL.TheGraduateCentrewasestablishedin1993toensurethatstudentswhowereengagedinpostgraduateresearchhada‘home’andanidentityandtoprovidetheservicesandinfrastructurenecessaryfortheirstudies.TheGraduateCentrecurrentlyhostsmorethan80postgraduatestudentspursuingMBSandPhDdegreesacrossarangeofbusinessdisciplines.

KBSresearchfundingincludessignificantawardsfromdomesticandinternationallycompetitivefundingsourcessuchastheIrishResearchCouncilforHumanitiesandSocialSciences(IRCHSS),EUFrameworkProgramme7andtheEuropeanFoundationforEntrepreneurshipResearch(EFER).MembersoftheKBSareinvolvedincollaborationswithinUL,withpartnersatotheruniversitiesworldwideandwithgovernmentagencies,professionalorganisationsandindustrystakeholdersbothinIrelandandoverseas.TheKBScurrentlyparticipatesinanumberofsuccessfulresearchnetworkssuchasCRANET(Cranfield),EuropeanNetworkonIndustrialPolicy(EUNIP),Marketinginthe21stCentury(Aston)andCrossCulturalManagement(IESE,Barcelona).

research themes of the kbs

TheresearchinterestsofKBSfacultycanbecategorisedintothefollowingfourthemes:

• Work,knowledgeandemployment(themeleaders:ProfessorPatrickGunnigleandDr SiobhanTiernan)• Theserviceseconomyandtourism(themeleaders:ProfessorJimDeeganandDrEoin Reeves)• Entrepreneurship,innovationandmarketing(themeleaders:DrNaomiBirdthistleand DrLisaO’Malley)• Publicpolicy,enterprise,governanceandsustainability(themeleaders:DrHelena LenihanandDrPhilipO’Regan)


Work, Knowledge and Employment

Thecoreresearchchallengeunderthisthemeistoinvestigatehowdevelopedeconomies,particularlyIreland,canstrikeabalancebetweeneconomicandsocialperformanceinpromoting‘bestpractice’thatenhancescompetitivenessandproductivitywhileconcurrentlyembracinggoodemploymentstandardsandenhancinghumancapitalandpartnershipatwork.Ireland’sstatusasasmallopeneconomylendsitselftothecomparativeanalysisofbothemploymentrelationsandpractice.

Buildingonalong-establishedrecordofachievementinworkforcemanagementresearchandteachingatUL,thisresearchthemefocusesonworkplacelearning,humanresourcedevelopmentandintellectualcapital;workdesign,workplacerelationsandemployeewellbeing;embeddingforeigndirectinvestment;strategichumanresourcemanagementandbusinessperformance;andthepoliticaleconomyofworkplacerelationsandlabourmarkets.

The Services Economy and Tourism

Therationalefortheestablishmentofthisresearchthemeemergesfromthechangingnatureofconsumptionandproductioninmodernsocieties.Atpresent,overtwo-thirdsofthoseemployedinEuropeworkinservices(bothprivateandpublic)andbetween60and70percentofGrossValueAddedinmostEuropeanstatescanbeattributedtoservices.Thebroadareasforresearchincludetransport,tourismandtravel,insurance,financialservices,educationalservices,legalservices,businessandpublicservices.

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Marketing

Ireland’sgoalistodevelopanindigenousinnovation-driveneconomy.Toachievethis,innovative,entrepreneurialandmarketing-relatedskillsandattitudesneedtobenurtured.TheKBScontributestothisagendathroughitsresearchonsmall-andmedium-sizedenterprises.Specificresearchfociincludeinternationalisation,familybusinesses,marketingstrategy,advertisingandconsumerresearch,newproductdevelopment,brandingandrelationshipmarketing.Theinterfacebetweenentrepreneurshipandpedagogyandbetweenmarketingandinnovationhasalsoattractedsignificantresearchattention.Scholarsareopentonewresearchagendas,andemergingresearchiscurrentlyongoinginsocial,femaleandethnicentrepreneurship,crisismanagement,high-growthfirms,metricsforinnovationandmarketing.


Public Policy, Enterprise, Governance and Sustainability

Withinthistheme,thepublicpolicyfocusconcernsitselfwithindustrialandeconomicdevelopmentissuesandpolicy,thesurvivalandgrowthoffirmsandtherolethatpublicpolicy(amongstotherfactors)playsinthisregard.Thereisalsoaconcernwithpublicpolicyevaluation,which,todate,hasbeenprimarilyappliedtotheevaluationofindustrialandenterprisepolicies.Thesearecomplementedbyongoingresearchintothedisciplinaryanddistributiveconsequencesoftaxationpolicy.Thefocusonenterpriseiskeytothethemegiventhatmuchoftheresearchactivityisoperationalisedattheleveloftheenterprise.

Thefocusongovernancereflectstheemergingimportanceofmattersrelatingtoregulation,corporategovernanceandprofessionalself-regulation.Ongoingresearchactivityintheseareasembracerisk(includingpoliticalrisk)andgovernance,behaviouranddynamicsofboardsofdirectors,regulatoryandlegislativecompliance,controlmechanismsinlargeandsmallfirmsandcorporatesocialresponsibility.Emphasisonnotionsofsustainabilityreflectstheemergenceofthistopicbothasanareaofdiscreteinterestandonethatoffersinterdisciplinarypossibilities.

research centres• CentreforEntrepreneurialStudies• CentreforInformationandKnowledgeManagement• Euro-AsiaResearchCentre• InternationalCentreforSustainableEnterprises• NationalCentreforTourismPolicyStudies


student fundingTheGraduateCentreofBusinessperiodicallyoffersresearchassistantshipsandstipendstoscholarsregisteringforpostgraduatedegreesbyresearchandthesis.TheKBSalsooffersthefollowingfull-timePhDscholarships:

• EuropeanNetworkonIndustrialPolicy(EUNIP)/ULScholarship• InternationalManagementScholarship• KBSCentreforProjectManagementScholarship• KemmyBusinessSchoolScholarship• DepartmentofAccountingandFinanceScholarship• DepartmentofEconomicsScholarship• DepartmentofPersonnelandEmploymentRelationsScholarship• DrDaveMcKevittDoctoralScholarship(DepartmentofManagementandMarketing)

Detailedinformationoneachscholarshipisavailableatwww.ul.ie/business.


“nicolA lyncH / A Postgraduate’s experience

“ MynameisNicolaLynchandIaminthethirdyearofmyPhDinEconomics.IcompletedmyundergraduatestudiesandMBSinBusinessEconomicsatUniversityCollegeCork.IfirstcametoULasaTeachingAssistantin2002.Itwas,however,throughmyworkasaResearchAssistantthatIdevelopedmyinterestinresearch.MyresearchprojectdevelopsframeworksforevaluatingtheimpactofbusinessnetworksinIreland.InthefirstyearofmyresearchIwasawardedtheULRegistrar’sscholarshipandwassubsequentlyawardedtheIRCHSSGovernmentofIrelandResearchScholarship(October’07–present).

TheKBShasastrongresearchprofileandprovidesgreatencouragementforresearchstudents.Mysupervisor,DrHelenaLenihan,iswellknowninherfieldofresearchandprovidesgreatsupportandencouragement.Ihavehadtheopportunitytopresentmyresearchatbothnationalandinternationalconferencesandhavepublishedapaperinaninternationallypeer-reviewedjournal.Theseexperiencesaloneareimmenselyrewardingandmakeallthehardworkmorethanworthwhile.


Professor micHAel morley


ProfessorMichaelMorleyisProfessorofManagementandHeadoftheDepartmentofManagement&MarketingintheKemmyBusinessSchool.AgraduateoftheUniversityofLimerick,ProfessorMorleyhasbeenacareeracademicforover16years.HisearlierappointmentsatULincludejuniorlecturer,lecturerandseniorlecturerinhumanresourcemanagement.HehasalsopreviouslyservedasHeadoftheDepartmentofPersonnel&EmploymentRelations,asAssistantDeanofResearchandasDirectoroftheGraduateCentreofBusiness.

ProfessorMorley’spublicationsrecordincludes18co-authored/co-editedbooks,some50bookchaptersandmorethan70refereedjournalarticlesinpublicationssuchastheJournalofWorldBusiness,AdvancesinInternationalManagement,InternationalStudiesofManagement&Organization,ManagementDecision,InternationalJournalofHumanResourceManagement,HumanResourceManagementJournal,HumanResourceManagementReviewandCrossCulturalManagement.Collaboratingwithanetworkof40businessschoolsthroughouttheworld,ProfessorMorleycontinuestoengageininternational,comparativeandcross-culturalstudiesofmanagement,leadershipandHRpractices.

ProfessorMorleyisassociateeditoroftheJournalofManagerialPsychologyandregionaleditoroftheEuropeanJournalofInternationalManagement.Inaddition,heservesontheeditorialboardsofnineotherinternationaljournals,includingInternationalJournalofCrossCulturalManagement,LeadershipandOrganizationalDevelopmentJournal,InternationalJournalofStrategicChangeManagementandInternationalJournalofEmploymentStudies.Heisthe2007–2010ElectedChairoftheIrishAcademyofManagement(IAM),theleadingprofessionalassociationformanagementresearchandeducationontheislandofIreland.

science & engineering

faculty //

science & enGineerinGComprisingthefollowing10departments,theFacultyofScience&EngineeringisthelargestfacultyinUL.

• Architecture• Chemical&EnvironmentalSciences• ComputerScience&InformationSystems• Electronic&ComputerEngineering• LifeSciences• Manufacturing&OperationsEngineering• MaterialsScience&Technology• Mathematics&Statistics• Mechanical&AeronauticalEngineering• Physics

Thefaculty’sdepartmentscurrentlydelivertaughtandresearchpostgraduateprogrammestoinexcessof1,000registeredpostgraduates,500ofwhomarepursuingdoctorateprogrammes.Theprimaryfocusisonincreasingthequalityandquantityofpostgraduatestudentsandresearchoutputs,includingPhDsandpublications.

Themainresearchobjectiveofthefacultyistoprovidearesearch-drivenenvironmentthatwillundertakebothfundamentalandappliedresearch.Promotingthepublicationofresults,attractingnationalandinternationalresearchersanddevelopingfurthercollaborativelinkswithindustryarealsokeypriorities.

Theresearchinterestsofthefacultycoverawidespectrumofdisciplinesundertheumbrellaofthreestrategicresearchinstitutes–Materials&SurfaceScience(MSSI),StokesInstituteandtheIrishSoftwareEngineeringResearchInstitute(Lero)–andalargenumberofresearchcentres,includingMACSI(MathematicsApplicationsConsortiumforScienceandIndustry).Morerecently,amajoremphasishasbeenplacedonenergyandsustainableenvironmentresearchundertheCharlesParsonsInitiative(CPI).

mAcsi - mathematics Applications consortium for science and industryTheMACSIindustrialmathematicsnetworkisthefirstofitskindinIreland–anetworkofmathematicalmodellersandscientificcomputationalanalystswhoseobjectivesinclude:


• Producingworld-classresearchandresearchtraininginmathematicalmodelling• Enablingindustrialcompaniestoimprovetheirproductsandprocessesthroughthe applicationofcutting-edgemathematicalmodellingtechniques• Providinganoutreachprogrammetoschoolstudentstoraisetheirawarenessofthe roleofmathematicsinmodernindustry

MACSIistheinitiationofanewerainIrishmathematics,whereappliedmathematiciansunderpindevelopmentsinthephysical,biologicalandsocialsciences.ThegroupissupportedbythelargestsinglegranteverawardedtomathematicsinIreland(€4.34millionfromtheSFIMathematicsInitiative).

charles Parsons initiativeTheCharlesParsonsInitiative(CPI)hasapproximately70researchersactiveintheareaofenergyandsustainableenvironmentandhasearnedmorethan€20millioninexternalresearchfundingsince2004.RepresentingamergerofsixresearchcentresatUL,CPIfocusesonresearchingenvironmentandsustainableformsofenergyacrosstheareasofelectrochemistry;physics;electronic,mechanicalandaeronauticalengineering;computerscience;mathematicsandstatistics;andaccountingandfinance.

CPIisconsideredtobealeadingplayerinEuropeintheareaofbiorefiningandhasmadesignificantprogressinthemodellingofnationalenergysystems.ThesethemesmatchthekeystrengthsofCPIwiththeneedsoftomorrow,i.e.,theproductionoffuelsandplatformchemicalsfrombiomass;storagewhichiswidelyconsideredthekeyenablingtechnologyforlarge-scalerenewableelectricitysystems;andintegratedmodellingofelectricity,heatandtransporttoenableinformeddecisionsontheprimaryscientificandengineeringchallengesofourtime.

Currentresearchactivitiesinclude:• Energygenerationusingrenewablenaturalresources(wind,solar,wave,ocean current,hydro)• Bio-fuelsandadvancedconversion• Energyconservation,storage,energyefficiency• Environmentalsensors;thermal,emissions,gases,radiation,distributedenvironment monitoring• Sustainabilityandenergy-relatedenvironmentalconsiderations• Life-cycleengineering



“Aoife finnerAn / A Postgraduate’s experience

IcompletedaBEnginManagementEngineeringwithFrenchatNUI Galway.Ergonomicsformedasubstantialpartofmyundergraduatedegree,andIdecidedIwouldliketocontinuemystudiesinthisarea.IappliedtoULbecauseoftheergonomicsfacilitiesoncampusandtheavailabilityoffunding.Iwasspecificallyinterestedinaprojectintheareaofproductivityandergonomics.

Musculoskeletaldisorders(MSDs),particularlythoseoftheupperlimb,arehighlyprevalentinindustry.ImplicationsofMSDsforindustryinclude

costandlostworkdays.MSDsalsohaveimplicationsforproductivity,notonlybecauseoflostworkdaysbutbecauseofthefunctionalincapacityofoperatorsasaresultofpainordiscomfort.MyresearchprojectinvestigatestherelationshipbetweenpainanddiscomfortresultingfromMSDsandoperatorproductivity.Itishopedthatanergonomicproductivityassessmenttoolwillbedevelopedthatwillenableanergonomisttocompleteproductivityanddiscomfortassessmentsintandem.

“

“cátHál Wilson / A Postgraduate’s experience

“ IamaPhDstudentin theEnterpriseResearch CentreintheEngineeringResearchBuilding.IgraduatedfromULwithadegreeinManufacturingEngineeringin2005andamcurrentlyfinishingmyPhDresearch.IdecidedtostayonatULanddomyPhDherebecauseofthesupervisionandsupportstructuresthatwereavailableoncampus.It’salsoagreatlocationformeasit’sagoodhalfwaypointbetweenmyindustrialcontactsinCorkandtheMidlands.

IcurrentlyworkwithDrConSheahanaspartoftheEnterprisePerformanceResearchGroup,whichisstudyingenterpriseperformancemeasurementinsmallandmediumenterprises.Myresearchisfundedbyathree-yearIRCSETscholarship.IhadagoodknowledgeofmanufacturingbeforeIstartedmyPhD.Myparentsownandrunanindustrialheatingcompany–CeramicxIrelandLtd.basedinWestCork–andI’vealsoactedasacontractconsultantintheareaofproductivityimprovementwithAndonaServicesLtd.basedinLongford.

ThetypeofresearchIamdoingmeansthatmydaysarevaried.AspartofmyresearchIspendalotofmytimewithvariouson-sitecompanies.I’vealsoactedasteachingassistantforanumberofmodulesintheDepartmentofManufacturing&OperationsEngineering,andIrantheDrawingLearningCentreforthreesemesters.In2007,withfellowstudentAndrewLynch,Iranaone-dayworkshopthatbrought30companiestothecampus.Doingpostgraduateresearchgivesyouopportunitiestopublish–todateIhavepublishedsixconferencepapers,twojournalarticlesandsomearticlesforTechnologyIrelandMagazine.



dr mArtin J. leAHy

DrMartinJ.LeahyjoinedtheUniversityofLimerickin1997asaresearchscientistwiththeDepartmentofMechanical&AeronauticalEngineering.HeiscurrentlyemployedasalecturerintheDepartmentofPhysicsandlecturesonthefollowingmodules:MedicalPhysics,MedicalInstrumentation,PhysicsforEngineers,EnergyRatings,ExperimentalPhysics,andACCircuitsandDevices.Inaddition,DrLeahy,teachesgraduatecoursesontissueopticsforphysicalandlifescientistsandchairstheinternationalBiophotonicsandImagingGraduateSummerSchool(BIGSS).

PriortocomingtoUL,DrLeahyworkedasaWellcomeTrustresearchassistantatOxfordBrookesandasresearchfellowattheDepartmentofEngineeringScienceatOxfordUniversity.Withacolleague,heestablishedOxfordOptronixLtd.inthe1990stoexploitdevelopmentsinlaser-basedbloodflowandoxygenationmeasurements,onwhichhisDPhilthesiswasbased.

DrLeahy’sresearchisalwaysappliedand,inadditiontoOxfordOptronixLtd.,hassofarledtotheestablishmentofBiomassHeatingSolutionsLtd.,MillstreamEnergyLtd.andWheelsbridgeAB.TheimplicationsofthegrowingenergycrisisanddwindlingfossilfuelreserveshavebeenrecognisedbytheUniversityofLimerickwiththeestablishmentoftheCharlesParsonsInitiative(CPI)onenergyandsustainableenvironment.DrLeahyiscurrentlyDirectorofCPI.CPIisIreland’slargestresearchorganisationinthisarea.

DrLeahy’sinterestinbiophotonicsislargelyintheinteractionofvisibleandinfraredlightwithhumantissues.Historically,thishasbeenmanifestedinthedevelopmentofinstrumentstomeasurebloodflow(laserDoppler)andoxygenation(spectroscopy),whichhavefoundmanyapplicationsduetotheroleofthemicrocirculationinallorgans.Morerecently,DrLeahy’sresearchgrouphasbeencollaboratingwiththeUniversityofLinköpingonthedevelopmentofasuiteofinstrumentsrelatedtotissueviabilityandskinaging.Thefirstofthese,the‘TiViimager’,isjustnowbecomingcommerciallyavailableviaWheelsbridgeAB.Itusesthetechniqueofpolarisationspectroscopyandapatentedimageanalysistechniquetoprovideanindexofredbloodcellconcentrationinthetissue.TwopostdoctoralresearchersandfourPhDstudentsareworkingonthesethemes,whicharecloselylinkedtoclinicalneed.Afurtherfivestudentsareworkingontheenergystoragetheme.



researchinstitutes

isks - tHe institUte for tHe stUdy of knoWledGe in societyTheInstitutefortheStudyofKnowledgeinSociety(ISKS)wasestablishedin2006withtheobjectiveofbuildingonUL’suniquereputationinIrelandforintegrated,interdisciplinaryarts,humanitiesandsocialsciencesresearch.ISKScurrentlyhas47associates,60PhDstudents,fourpostdoctoralfellowsandoneresearchscholar.ISKSwasawarded€2.5millioninPRTLI4forits‘KnowledgeInterfaces’project.ResearchersinISKSexamineknowledgeinsocietyinfourinterrelatedways:

• Knowledge innovation:creatingnewknowledgebybringingdifferentdisciplinesand groupstogether

• Knowledge transfer:translatingacademicknowledgetoinformpolicymakersand stakeholders

• Knowledge about society:understandingtheconstructionanddisseminationof knowledgebyandinsociety,withparticularemphasisonthecultural,political, linguistic,historicalandlegalaspectsoftheseprocesses

• Knowledge as an economic good:studyinghowknowledgeisdistributedand experiencedinanIrishandaninternationalcontext

OriginallybasedintheFacultyofArts,Humanities&SocialSciences,ISKShasbecomeacross-facultyinstituteservicingtheneedsofassociatesfromarangeofdiversedisciplinesinallfourfacultiesoftheuniversity.AssociatesaredrawnfromtheSchoolofLanguages,Literature,CultureandCommunication;theGraduateEntryMedicalSchool;thedepartmentsofSociology,Politics&PublicAdministration,History,Law,ComputerScience&InformationSystems,PhysicalEducation&SportSciences,OccupationalTherapy,Psychology,EconomicsandManagement&Marketing;andtheIrishWorldAcademyofMusicandDance.

ResearchinISKSisorganisedaroundanumberofinterfaces,orthemes.Thesearecollaborative,interdisciplinary,thematicprojects,whichreflectkeyISKSpriorities(alignedwithUL,nationalandEUpriorities);providesupportandinfrastructureforprojectsandapplications;createsynergiesacrossdifferentdisciplines,facultiesandinstitutions;andfacilitateinteractionwithpolicymakers,communities,professionals,industryandotherstakeholders.


ThecurrentprogrammeinISKSincludesthefollowinginterfaces:

• Shapingtechnology• Understandinghealth• Changingcommunication• Governanceandcitizenship• Modellingdevelopment• Culturalcohesionanddiversity• Understandingequality

ISKSisapartnerintheIrishSocialSciencesPlatform(ISSP),whichisfundedunderPRTLI4.ISSPistheonlyall-islandplatformofintegratedsocialscienceresearchandgraduatetraining;itfocusesonthesocial,culturalandeconomictransformationsshapingIrelandinthetwenty-firstcentury.OtherpartnersincludeNUIM(leadpartner),NUIG,DCU,UCC,MIC,QUB,TCD,ITSandWIT.FormoreinformationonISSP,seewww.issplatform.ie.

ISKScurrentlyofferstwograduateeducationprogrammes(GREPS)–orstructureddoctoralprogrammes–oneinsocialsciencesandoneinappliedlanguages.Thesefour-yearintegratedprogrammesleadtotheawardofPhDandconsistofspecialisedacademicmodules,genericmodulesandresearch.Specialistmodulesareundertakeninyears1and2,mostlyinUL,butmayalsobetakenatoneofourISSPpartnerinstitutionsinIrelandorabroad,asappropriate.Thesemodulesprovidepostgraduatestudentswithspecialistcontentandmethodologicaltrainingrelevanttotheirresearchprogramme.Genericmodulesprovidepostgraduatestudentswiththeskillsnecessarytocompletetheirresearchaswellastransferableskillstopreparethemfortheirworkinglives.

FormoreinformationonISKS,seewww.ul.ie/ISKS.


lero - tHe irisH softWAre enGineerinG reseArcH centreLerowasestablishedin2005bysoftwareengineeringresearchersfromtheUniversityofLimerick(UL–leadpartner),DublinCityUniversity(DCU),TrinityCollegeDublin(TCD)andUniversityCollegeDublin(UCD).ItwasinitiallyfundedbyScienceFoundationIreland(SFI)undertheCentreforScienceEngineeringandTechnology(CSET)programme.

Lero’smissionistodeliverworld-leadingresearchinthoseareasofsoftwareengineeringthatsupportevolvingcriticalsystems.Lero’sresearchagendaaddressesseveralcoreresearchtopicsintheevolvingcriticalsystemsfield.Thecentralresearchtopicisbuildingsoftwarethatishighlyreliableandthatretainsitsreliabilityasitevolves.LeroenhancesthequalityandcompetitivenessoftheIrishsoftwareindustrythroughsharedprojects,knowledgetransferandeducation.Lero’sresearchersdeliverinternationallyrecognisedscientificoutputs,publishinleadingjournalsandpresentatinternationalconferences

lero and industrySoftwareengineeringisanapplieddisciplineand,assuch,researchintheareamustbegroundedinpractice.Byusingresearchtomakebetterproductsinamoreeffectivemanner,companiescangaincompetitiveadvantage.However,researchiscostlyandtime-consumingandmaynotyieldusefulresults.ThisiswhereLerocomesin.Lero’sresearchersworkcloselywithIrishindustrytoidentifykeytopicsandvalidateproposedsolutions.Lerowillassistpartnercompaniesinfindingfinancialsupportforjointresearchinitiatives.

lero outreach and educationLerorunsasuccessfuleducationandoutreachprogrammethataimstomakesoftwareengineeringand,inparticular,Leroresearchvisibleandaccessibleatsecond-andthird-leveleducationinIreland.Lerohasdevelopedahighlysuccessfultransitionyear(TY)computingmodulebasedonMIT’s“Scratch”softwareincollaborationwithITTallaghtandCIOIreland.InpartnershipwiththeIrishComputerSociety,thematerialshavebeendistributedtoallsecond-levelschoolsinIreland.Formoredetails,visitwww.scratch.ie.

LerohasestablishedtheLeroGraduateSchoolinSoftwareEngineering(LGSSE),whichprovidesastructuredPhDprogramme.Inaddition,atfourth-level,theoutreachandeducationprogrammeisconcernedwithorganisingeventsandprovidingservicestopostgraduatestudentsandresearchers.Visitwww.lero.ieformoredetails.


dr Goetz botterWeck / senior research fellow

DrGoetzBotterweckisaseniorresearchfellowatLero.HereceivedhisMScinComputerScienceandInformationSystems(“Diplom-Informatiker”)andhisPhDinComputerScienceattheUniversityofKoblenz-Landau,Germany.InMarch2007DrBotterweckjoinedLero,wherehenowheadstheprojectonmodel-drivenproductderivation.Hisresearchinterestsincludemodel-drivensoftwareengineering,userinterfaceengineeringandinformationsystemsengineering.


LianpingChenisadoctoralresearcheratLero.HereceivedamastersdegreeinsoftwareengineeringfromNorthwesternPolytechnicalUniversity,China.DuringhispostgraduatestudiesinChina,hespentoneyearasaninternatIBMChinaResearchLab,Beijing.Hisdoctoralresearchfocusesondevelopingandevaluatingtechniquesandtoolsforarchitecturalknowledgemanagement.Lianpingisalsointerestedinimprovingtheuseofempiricalmethodsforsoftwareengineeringresearch.

liAnPinG cHen / doctoral researcher


HeshamShokryisaPhDstudentatLero.HereceivedaBScinElectricalandComputerEngineeringfromAssiutUniversity,Egypt.Hesham’sresearchfocusesonapproachestodesigningandevaluatingdynamicsoftwarearchitecturesforembeddedsystems.BeforejoiningLero,HeshamworkedforthreeyearsasastaffsoftwareengineerwithIBM,developingsoftwaresystemsfortheautomotiveindustry.PriortojoiningIBM,hewasaresearchengineerattheAerospaceResearchCenter,agovernmentalinstituteinEgypt,wherehewasinvolvedindevelopingavionicssoftwareandsimulationtools.

HesHAm sHokry / Phd student


mssi - mAteriAls & sUrfAce science institUteTheMaterialsandSurfaceScienceInstitute(MSSI)istheleadingnationalinstituteinmaterialsandisinternationallyrecognisedforitswork.MSSIhasgatheredtogetherfacultymembersfromarangeofacademicdisciplines(materialsscience;physics;chemistry;biochemistry;andelectronic,mechanical,biomedicalandaeronauticalengineering).MSSIutilisesthisinterdisciplinaryapproachtodevelopandcharacterisematerialsfromtheatomictothemacroscopicscale,providingnewmaterials,processesandapplications.

MSSIisthelargestresearchinstituteintheuniversityandcurrentlyhousesover220researchers.Theinstituteresidesinapurpose-builtbuildingthathousesacomprehensiverangeofstate-of-the-artequipmentandfacilitiesforthesynthesisandcharacterisationofmaterials.MSSIhasasignificanttrackrecordinsolvingfundamentalresearchproblemswithdirectapplicationinindustryandhascollaborativeresearchprogrammeswithawiderangeofcompaniessuchasCookInc,Pfizer,RusalAughinishAlumina,Merck,RocheandCrescentDiagnostics.MSSIcurrentlyhasover100activecollaborationswithresearchinstitutionsnationally,acrossEuropeandintheUS,China,IndiaandAustralia.

TheresearchactivitiesofMSSIarefocusedonfourresearchthemes:nanomaterials,biomaterials,compositeandglassmaterials,andbio/catalysisandcleantechnology.

Nanomaterials

Controlofmatteratthenanoscale(dimensionssub-100nm)isfundamentaltoarangeofmodernindustriesandinparticulartoelectronicsandphotonics.Asenhancementofmaterialanddeviceperformancethroughcontrolatthemicroscalereachesitslimits,dramaticimprovementscanbeachievedthroughthesynthesis,controlandorganisationofmaterialatthenanoscale.MSSIfocusesondevelopingnewmaterialsforsemiconductorandsolarcellapplications.


Biomaterials

Biomaterialsresearchisconcernedwiththedevelopmentofbiomimeticmaterialsinwhichin-vivodevicesfunctioninwaysthatmimictheorganortissuetheyarereplacingorsupplementing.Specifictargetareasfortheclusterareorthopaedicsandvascularrepairandreplacement,withanemphasisondevelopingmaterialsthatenableregenerationoftissue.

Composite and Glass Materials

Compositematerialsareusedwidelyinlightweight,safety-criticalapplications,suchasthosefoundinmodernaircraftstructures.Recently,theirusehasbroadenedintoarangeofapplicationsusedinbiomedicaldevicesandintheautomotiveandconstructionsectors.Ceramics,ceramiccompositesandglassesarealsousedasbiomaterialsandphotonicmaterials.Thecompositeandglassmaterialsclusterisfocusingonproducingmaterials,structuresanddeviceswithhighperformance,maximumfunctionalityandminimalenvironmentalimpactduringproductionandutilisation.

Bio/Catalysis and Clean Technology

Thisclusterfocusesonthedevelopmentofnewcatalystsandmethodsofproducingmaterialsmoreeffectivelyandefficiently.Amajorprogrammehascommencedtoexaminethemechanismbywhichcrystalsform.Thisisasignificantchallengeandaseriousissueinthepharmaceuticalsector,whichishighlyregulatedandwheretheproductionofpharmaceuticalingredientsintheincorrectformatcanbesignificantintermsofcostandwastedisposal.FormoredetailsonMSSI,visitwww.ul.ie/mssi.


dr syed A. m. tofAil / senior research fellow

DrSyedA.M.TofailisaseniorresearchfellowatMSSI.DrTofailreceivedhisBScin1996andMScin1999,bothinmetallurgicalengineeringfromtheDepartmentofMaterialsandMetallurgicalEngineering,BangladeshUniversityofEngineeringandTechnology,Dhaka,Bangladesh.HewasalecturerattheDepartmentofMaterialsandMetallurgicalEngineeringatBangladeshUniversityofEngineeringandTechnologypriortocomingtotheUniversityofLimerickin1999topursuehisPhDattheDepartmentofPhysics.HecompletedhisPhDin2002andjoinedMSSIasapostdoctoralfellowbeforetakinguphiscurrentpositionasaseniorresearchfellowin2006.

DrTofail’sresearchinterestisinthephysicalpropertiesofmaterialswithaspecificfocusonbiomaterialsandsurfaces.In2005,hediscoveredthathydroxyapatite,themainmineralcontentofboneandteeth,hadpiezoelectricproperties,whichmayhaveimplicationsforthedevelopmentofnewboneimplants.Whileheisactivelypursuingresearchinthisarea,DrTofailhasalsocommencedresearchprojectsinthemodellingandcharacterisationofmaterialsandcurrentlyleadsaresearchgroupinthisfield.

Since2005,thegrouphasreceivedover €0.4millioninfundingfromEnterpriseIrelandforresearchworkwithhydroxyapatiteandnitinol.DrTofailisProjectCo-ordinatorforBIOELECTRICSURFACE,aEuropeanCommissionFP7project.ProjectpartnersincludenineotherEuropeanagenciesaswellasNUIGalwayandIrishcompaniesBeoCareandCookMedical.Theprojectwilladdresstheinteractionsofbiologicalspecieswiththesurfacesofmedicaldevices.Theprojectteamintendstodevelopnanotechnology-derivedtextilesthatwillhelphospitalsintheirfightagainstMRSA.



dArrAGH GAffney / Phd student

DarraghGaffneyisaPhDstudentatMSSI.HereceivedaBScinChemistryfromUCDin2005.WhileattendingUCD,Darraghcompleteda12-weekUREKAplacementintheresearchlaboratoryofDrPeterRutledgeand,afterreceivinghisdegree,workedintheresearchlaboratoryofProfessorDonaldFitzmauriceforninemonths.HethenmovedtotheUniversityofLimerickafterapplyingforaPhDposition.Darraghwasveryimpressedwiththeuniversityasawhole.NotonlywasMSSIequippedwithcutting-edgetechnologybuttherewasatangiblebuzzabouttheplacethatwasgeneratedfromthemultidisciplinaryresearcherslocatedthere.

Darragh’scurrentprojectdealswiththetailoredadsorptionofenzymesontomesoporoussilicatesforthegenerationofbiocatalysts.Atypicaldayisspentworkinginthelaboratoryandtroubleshootinganyproblemsthatarise,aswellasusingarangeofinstrumentationtocharacterisesamples.Duringtheacademicyear,aportionoftheweekisallocatedtodemonstratingandteachingtoundergraduatestudents.Darragh’sproject,whichisfundedbySFI,hasgivenhimtheopportunitytotraveltointernationalconferencesfromwhichcollaborationswithotheruniversitieshavearisen.

dr Gráinne cArroll / Postdoctoral research fellow

DrGráinneCarrollcurrentlyworksasabiomedicalengineeringpostdoctoralresearchfellowatMSSI.GráinneoriginallycametoULin1999tostudyBEngMechanicalEngineering.Shewasintroducedtotheconceptofbiomedicalengineeringontheprogramme,whichcombinedherinterestinengineeringandbiology.WhilecompletingherfinalyearprojectunderthesupervisionofProfessorTimMcGloughlin,Gráinnerealisedthatshehadastronginterestinresearchanddecidedtoapplyforpostgraduatepositionsinthebiomedicalengineeringfield.ShejoinedtheCentreforAppliedBiomedicalEngineeringResearch(CABER)inMSSI.HerPhDprojectincorporatedengineeringandbiologybynumericallyinvestigatingbloodflowwithinthevenoussystemfordialysispatientsandsubsequentlyanalysingtheregulationofendothelialcellgenesbybloodflow.

DuringhertimeasapostgraduatestudentatUL,Gráinnewasabletoavailofanumberofopportunities,whichincludedpresentingherworktootherbiomedicalengineersathomeandabroad.InternationaltripsincludedtravellingtoMunichfortheWorldCongressofBiomechanicsandtoColoradoandFloridafortheAmericanSocietyofMechanicalEngineersSummerBioengineeringConference.Notonlydothesetripsprovidestudentswithachancetodeveloptheirpresentationskillsbuttheyalsointroducethemtotheinternationalbioengineeringworld.Throughtheseconferences,studentscanmakecontactswithinthebiomedicalengineeringfield,whichwillhopefullyopendoorsforthemwhentheycompletetheirpostgraduatestudies.

UponcompletionofherPhDinJanuary2008,GráinneappliedtotheFÁSScienceChallengeProgramme.UnderthisprogrammeshewenttoDukeUniversity,NorthCarolina,wheresheconductedfurtherbiomedicalengineeringresearchunderProfessorMortonFriedman.



stokes institUteTheStokesInstituteisamulti-disciplinaryteamofengineersandscientistsworkingonsolutionstochallengesinthemostadvancedfieldsofhumanendeavour.Itsmissionistwo-fold:graduateeducationandscholarship;andinnovationleadingtothecreationofenterprise.Stokes’scurrentresearchportfoliofocusesonthreeapplicationareas:ICT,aeronauticsandlifescienceresearch/moleculardiagnostics.

Information & Communications Technologies (ICT)

• Thermalmanagementtechnologies:interfacematerials;two-phaseheat spreaders;fansandactiveheatsinks;lowprofilecoolingtechniques;single-phase liquidcooling• Energymanagementfromsilicontoambientinlarge-scalecomputingand communicationsfacilities• Energyharvestingfromvibrationalandthermalsources• Reliabilityphysicsofelectronicinterconnectionandpackaging:hygro-thermo- mechanicalanalysis;corrosionscience;shockandvibrationtesting;failureanalysis; andreliabilitystatistics

Aeronautics

• Fundamentalsofaerodynamics,includingboundarylayertransitiontoturbulence• Heattransferinaircraftstructuresandcompositematerials• Energyefficiency/entropygenerationinfluidsystems

Life Science Research/Molecular Diagnostics

• Microfluidics-basedsystemsforgeneticanalysis

TheStokesInstituteisbasedinacustom-builtresearchspacewithinUL’sEngineeringResearchBuilding.Ithasasuiteoflaboratoriesthatarecomprehensivelyequippedforexperimentationandsimulationonfluidmechanics,heatandmasstransfer,andmaterialsphenomena.ItalsohasaccesstoUL’sstate-of-the-artmaterialscharacterisationfacilities.

Stokes’sresearcherspublishprolificallyandpresentfrequentlyatinternationalconferencesandmeetings.TheInstitutehasanexcellentreputationforitsgraduateeducation–ithasagrowingalumni,manyofwhomhaveprogressedtohigh-levelcareersinindustryandacademia.

Stokesparticipatesstronglyingovernmental,Europeanandindustrially-fundedresearch.Ithasfosteredparticularlydeeppartnershipswithacademia,researchorganisationsandindustry,suchasJointResearchCentre,BellLaboratories,Airbus,Nokia,Bart’sHospital,USDepartmentofEnergyandHewlett-Packard.Inparticular,Stokespridesitselfonthecreationofenterprisethroughspin-outcompanies(StokesBioLtd.)andtechnologylicenses(AMD,AsiaVitalComponents,Henkel).Forfurtherdetails,visitwww.stokes.ie.


cilliAn bUrke / A Postgraduate’s experience

DuringmyMechanicalEngineeringundergraduatestudiesatULIwasintroducedtotheworldofengineeringresearchthroughasummerplacementwiththeStokesInstitute.Iworkedonlaser-basedvibrometrytechniquestoexaminethemechanicalresponseofelectronicassemblies,complementingskillsthatIdevelopedonanine-monthcooperativeeducationplacementatAnalogDevicesinLimerick.MytimeattheInstitutealsogavegreatpracticalapplicationformanyskillslearnedthroughoutmystudiesinULandafoundationformyfinalyearproject–aninvestigationofthereliabilityofthreenewly-developedsoldermaterialsunderharshvibrationenvironments.Igraduatedwithafirstclasshonoursdegreein2008.

MyexperiencesofresearchinspiredmetoapplyforanIRCSETscholarshiptostudyatStokes,andmyapplicationwassuccessful.MyresearchfocusesonadvancedpackagingtechnologiesforMicroElectroMechanicalSystems(MEMS),devicesthatareusedextensivelyinmodernelectronicssuchasmobilephones.MyworkisbeingconductedinclosecollaborationwithAnalogDevices.IamcurrentlydevelopinganoveltestfacilitytocharacterisethemechanicalpropertiesofglassfritsealingmaterialsforMEMS.Postgraduateresearchworkischallengingandveryrewarding.MyprojecthasbeenenhancedthroughtheexperiencedguidanceofmysupervisoratStokesandthecloseindustriallinkswithAnalogDevices.IhavealreadyhadtheopportunitytopresentmyresearchataninternationalconferenceintheUS,andIhaverecentlygivenaninvitedtalkatAnalog’sR&DfacilityinBoston.

““GraduateResearchatUL//49

dr ryAn enriGHt / Postdoctoral research fellow

OncompletionofhisBEng(Hons)degreeinMechanicalEngineeringatULin2004,RyanenrolledasaPhDscholarattheStokesInstitute.Hisresearch,fundedbytheSFI-fundedCTVRTelecommunicationsprogramme,investigatedsuperhydrophobicsurfacesforthermalmanagementapplications.AconsiderableportionofhisdissertationworkwasperformedatBellLaboratories,MurrayHill.

OncompletionofhisPhDin2008,hetookupapostdoctoralpositionwiththeCTVRatULtocontinuehisresearch.Inmid2009,RyanwasawardedanINSPIRE:IRCSET-MarieCurieInternationalMobilityFellowshiptoworkatMIT’sDeviceResearchLaboratory,apositionthatfeaturescontinuedcollaborationwithStokes.Ryan’scurrentresearchinterestsareintheareasofsurfacewettability,micro-scaletransport,andthermalmanagementfornext-generationtelecommunicationsequipment.



Graduates

GrAdUAtes life after your Phd

Traditionally,themajorityofpostgraduatestudentsmovedfromPhDstudyintoacademiaandteaching.Today,however,asthenumberofstudentscontinuingtofourthlevelhasincreased,sotoohasthediversityofgraduateemployment.

Realisingthatthefutureofmanypostgraduatestudentswillfalloutsidethetraditionalroute,theGraduateSchoolatULoffersavarietyoffreecoursesintransferableskillstoresearchstudents.Thesecoursesofferstudentstheopportunitytoincreasetheirknowledgeinavarietyofareas,suchasprojectmanagement,communicationandpresentationtechniques,ITskills,teambuildingandcareermanagement.

ULalsooffersadedicatedcareerssupportservicetoresearchstudents.Afull-timecareersadvisorisavailabletomeetwithpostgraduatesonaone-to-onebasistocovertopicssuchascareeroptions,employmentopportunities,jobsearchstrategies,applicationsandinterviews.InconjunctionwiththeGraduateSchool,thepostgraduatecareersadvisordeliversasuiteoftrainingworkshopstohelppostgraduatesidentifyandprovideevidenceoftheirtransferableskills.Careersfairsandemployerbriefingsareorganisedthroughouttheacademicyearandofferstudentstheopportunitytodiscusstheircareeropportunitiesandinterestsdirectlywithpotentialfutureemployers.Inaddition,theCareersServiceliaiseswithboththeGraduateSchoolandtheInternationalEducationDivisiontodeliveraninformationseminaron‘WorkinginIrelandforInternationalStudents’.

research careers

ThecareeropportunitiespursuedbyULresearchgraduatesisevidenceofthediversityinboththerangeofsubjectareaexpertiseandtransferableskillsofourresearchpostgraduates.The2008graduatesurveydemonstratesanexcellentemploymentrecordforPhDgraduates–thesurveyshowedthatover83%ofgraduatesmoveddirectlyintoemploymentacrossallsectors,includinghighereducationresearch,academia,publicsector,consultancyandindustry.Salarylevelsvaryamongresearchstudents–averagesalariesrangefrom€32,000to€44,000perannum,dependingonthesectorofemploymentandnatureofthejob.

ULoffersresearchstudentstheopportunitytodevelopexcellentacademicresearchskillsandexpertiseaswellasexpandingontheirpersonalandprofessionaltrainingtobestpositionthemselvesforawidevarietyofcareeropportunitiesupongraduation.


Ul research Graduates

dr Helen mcQUillAn / Postdoctoral researcher

HelenMcQuillanwasrunningarestaurantbusinessinEnnisin1992whenshesawanadvertisementinherlocalnewspaperforpostgraduatecoursesinUL.JoiningtheWomen’sStudiescourse,shegraduatedwithanMAin1994andaPhDin2006.

HeleniscurrentlyworkingasapostdoctoralresearcherintheCentreforSocialandEducationalResearchinDIT.Herresearchisfocusedondigitalinclusion,youngpeopleandnewmedia,andgenderandtechnology.Despitebeingaself-confessedtechnophobewhenshejoinedUL,amoduleon‘Technology,InnovationandSocialChange’setherresearchinterestsandhercareerinadirectionshecouldneverhaveenvisaged.WhileshewasdoingherPhDsheworkedasresearchmanagerfortwomajorICTprogrammes:theEnnisInformationAgeTownProjectinIrelandandtheLocale-GovernmentProgrammeinEngland.WithuniqueinsightintocommunityengagementwithICT,HelenhasworkedasanadvisortoEU,IrishandUKgovernmentsone-inclusionpolicy.Shenowworkswithmanycommunitytechnologyprojects,includingDIT’sDigitalCommunityprogrammeandLimerickCity’sCommunityICTprogramme.

dr dAVid collinGs / senior lecturer

DavidCollingsisaseniorlecturerininternationalmanagementatNUIGalway.HeisagraduateoftheBBS,MBS(HumanResourceManagement)andPhDprogrammeatUL.AftercompletinghisPhDDrCollingsjoinedthefacultyattheUniversityofSheffield’sManagementSchoolintheUK.Hehaspublishedwidelyintheareaofhumanresourcemanagement.HisworkhasappearedinleadingjournalssuchasHumanResourceManagement,JournalofWorldBusiness,InternationalJournalofHumanResourceManagement,HumanResourceManagementReview,andinanumberofchaptersinresearchmonographsandtextbooks.Hehaseditedsixbooks,themostrecentofwhichisHumanResourceManagement:ACriticalApproachwithGeoffWood(Routledge2009).DrCollingsiscurrentlyeditoroftheHumanResourceManagementJournalandIrishJournalofManagement.

“IcannotrecommendthePhDprogrammeattheKemmyBusinessSchoolhighlyenough.MystudiesweresupervisedbyProfessorsPaddyGunnigleandMikeMorley,whoaretwooftheleadingscholarsinthefieldofinternationalHRM,notonlynationallybutinternationally.Thekeybenefitsoftheprogrammeincludedthepersonalattentionstudentsreceivedfromtheirsupervisionteam,theresearchculturewithintheKemmy


BusinessSchool,thetop-qualityfacilitiesandtheworld-classfaculty.ThefactthatIgainedapermanentfacultypositioninoneoftheUK’sleadingmanagementschoolsattheUniversityofSheffieldbeforeevenhavinggraduatedfromtheprogrammeistestamenttotheinternationalreputationwhichtheUniversityofLimerickandtheKemmyBusinessSchoolenjoyinternationally.ThePhDprogrammeattheKemmyBusinessSchoolmostcertainlyprovidedmewithaverysolidfoundationforacareerinacademia,andIwouldrecommenditwithoutreservationtoanyoneconsideringpursuingaPhDinHRMorinternationalmanagementmoregenerally.”

dr tom comyns / strength & conditioning coach

“MyPhDresearch,whichwasfundedbytheIrishRugbyFootballUnionandEnergia,focusedonappliedstrengthandconditioningtrainingmethods.Itlookedathowtoeffectivelycombineweighttrainingandplyometric( jump)trainingtoenhancethepowertrainingofIrishrugbyplayers.SincecompletingmyPhDinMay2006,IhavebeenworkingasstrengthandconditioningcoachwithMunsterrugbyandtheIRFU.Ichosethiscareerpathbecauseitwasadirectfollow-onfrommyappliedresearchandhasprovidedmewiththeopportunitytoapplymyresearchfindingstoimprovethequalityoftheMunsterrugbyplayers’strengthandpowertraining.”

dr AbiGAil mAckey / Postdoctoral research fellow

“TheprojectscarriedoutaspartofmyPhDinULwerefocusedonmonitoringtheresponseofmuscletodifferentexercisechallenges.Themainaspectofthisresearchwasdocumentingthechangesintheconnectivetissuestructureswithinthemuscle.Theworkwasperformedonbloodandmusclesamplesfromhealthyyoungmenandwomen,andthefindingswerepublishedinpeer-reviewedjournals.

SoonaftercompletingmyPhDin2003,ImovedtotheInstituteofSportsMedicine,Copenhagenforatwo-yearpost-docposition,whereIamnowpermanentlyemployed.MymainjobhereistocarryoutexperimentsaswellastoeducatePhDstudentsinmethodsrequiredfortheirownanalyses.TheworkIdoinDenmarkiscloselyrelatedtomyresearchinULfromthepointofviewoflaboratorymethodsaswellasbuildingontheknowledgebaseestablishedatthattime.WhileIcan’tsaythatIeversetouttopurposelypursueacareerinresearch,IcansaythatbeingwhereIamtodayisduetoacombinationoffactors,i.e.choosingworkthatIenjoyandthathasgoodprospects,andchoosingoptionsthatwereopentomeatvariousstagesofmycareerpath.”


dr ronAn skeHill & dr iAn rice / entrepreneurs

InNovember2009,CauwillTechnologiesLtd.wasawardedtheBest-EmergingCompanybyIntertradeIrelandintheSeedcorncompetitionandscooped€100,000.Thecompanywasfoundedin2009byRonanSkehillandIanRice.Thecompany’sproduct,PinPoints,isasmartweb-mobiletechnologythatreachesintosat-navsandprogramsthemforendusers.Cauwill’ssoftwareandservicesaresoldtothetravelindustry,andthecompanyiscurrentlyfocusingontheonlinehotelbookingenginesegmentofthemarket.

BothgraduatescompletedtheirPhDsunderthesupervisionofDrSeanMcGrathintheWirelessAccessResearchCentreatUL.DuringtheirresearchtheysecuredanEnterpriseIrelandProof-of-Conceptproject,whichfocusedonlocation-basedservicesandextendingthetechnologytomobileplatforms.Theresearchanddevelopmentconductedduringtheprojectformedthefoundationsofacommercialandpatentedpieceoftechnology,whichultimatelyledtothecreationofCauwillTechnologiesLtd,thespin-outcompany.


How to Apply

Applying for Postgraduate research

Theminimumentryrequirementtoapostgraduateresearchdegreeisanhonoursprimarydegree(level8–asdefinedbytheNationalQualificationsAuthorityofIreland)withaminimumclassificationofa2:1or2:2.Individualfacultiesorresearchcentresmayhavespecificentryrequirements.

Thefirststepinapplyingforagraduateresearchpositionistoidentifyapotentialsupervisorandproject.Up-to-dateinformationonresearchactivitiesinfaculties,departmentsandresearchcentresisavailableontheULwebsite:www.ul.ie.Atthisstageyoushouldalsotrytoidentifypossiblesourcesoffunding.

Onceyouhaveidentifiedasupervisorandproject,youshouldcompletearesearchapplicationformandsubmitittothePostgraduateAdmissionsOffice.Applicationformsareavailablefromwww.graduateschool.ul.ie.ULacceptsresearchapplicationsthroughouttheyear.

international Applicants

Inadditiontotheminimumentryrequirementsspecifiedabove,internationalapplicantsareadvisedtomeetthefollowingstandardEnglishlanguagerequirements:

IELTSscoreof6–6.5andnotlessthan6inanyonecomponentforentrytotheFacultyofScience&Engineeringandacompositescoreintherangeof6.5–7andnotlessthan6inanyonecomponentforentrytotheFacultiesofArts,Humanities&SocialSciences,Education&HealthSciencesandtheKemmyBusinessSchool.

Informationonvisas,immigration,accommodationandinsuranceisavailableontheGraduateSchoolwebsite:www.graduateschool.ul.ie.

fees

Anup-to-datescheduleoffeesisavailabletodownloadfromwww.graduateschool.ul.ie


funding

Fundingforpostgraduateresearchisavailablefromavarietyofsources.IndividualfacultiesatULmayofferscholarshipsorfundedpositionswhileexternalfundingisavailablefromIrishandinternationalresearchcouncils,otherpublicbodiesandtheprivatesector.ThetwomainresearchcouncilsinIrelandaretheIrishResearchCouncilforScience,EngineeringandTechnology(IRCSET)andtheIrishResearchCouncilforHumanitiesandSocialSciences(IRCHSS).Localauthorityfundingisalsoavailabletoresearchstudents.

for further information contact: Postgraduate Admissions Office Graduate School University of Limerick

E: [email protected] T: +353 61 23 43 77


Front cover: The Living Bridge, University of Limerick

The 350 metre long pedestrian bridge is one of the most innovative and impressive pieces of architecture on campus. Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, London and built by Eiffel Construction Metallique, the bridge connects the north and south banks of the university campus.

The bridge includes four platforms, which are designed to accommodate social gatherings, informal teaching sessions, music and dance performances as well as a wide array of educational, social and cultural activities.

Photographs: Eoin Stephenson, Rumhann Howard-Hildige

graduate research brochure

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