Launch of Dictionary of Irish Biography, Ireland’s most authoritative biographical reference work

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7 PresidentofIrelandmarymcaleese(shownabovewithFrcaoimhíno’laoide,ministerProvincialoftheIrishFranciscans)viewssomeofthetreasuresoftheUcDmícheálÓcléirighcollection

16 UcDspinoutcompany,equinome,co-foundedbyDremmelinehill(above),launchesgenetictestfor‘speedgene’inthoroughbredhorses

24 FormerPresidentofIreland,Drmaryrobinson(above)speaksattheIrish in Britain: Conversation with the Diasporaforum,atwhichshewaspresentedwiththeinauguralUcDJohnhumemedal

Parentshaveviews,teachershaveviewsandcertainlyuniversityacademicshaveviewsonwhatstudentslookforwhenmakingtheircollegeandcoursechoicesinthecaosystemeachyear.

havingspentmanyyearsmanagingpublicawarenesscampaigns,marketingcampaignsandmediastrategies,onevaluablelessonalwaysre-emerges.Youhavetoreachyouraudiencefirstbeforeyoucanengageandconvincethemofthemeritsofyourproposition.

theyouthmarketisquitedifferenttotheadultenvironment.theyliveinanetworkedworld,whereyoutubeistheprimarysourceofonlineentertainmentandjustabouteveryoneisonfacebookorsomesocialnetworkingsite.

InordertoreachthemwecreatedtheVideoWall–thecentrepieceofthisyear’scaocampaign.overthepasttwoyearswehaveenlistedstudentstotelltheirstory.Unscripted,theytalkaboutstudyandlearning,lifeandexperiences,challengesandachievements.

thisyear,theplantopassproductionovertothestudentsthemselveswaspromptedbytheneedto“keepitreal”foraveryknowledgeable,technologicallyliterateaudience.theVideosquad

weregivencamcorders,traininginhowtoshootandeditmaterial,alongwithasetofguidelinesanddeadlinesforsubmission.theresultscanbeviewedonlinewww.ucdlife.ie

Whenyouaskstudentstofilmthingsthatmightinterestnextyear’sfirstyears,theyinevitablyfocusonstudentlife.theywanttoshowofftheircampusandtheirinterpretationsrangefromgentlyfallingleavestostand-upcomedyandfloodlitsports.thereisnodoubtingtheacademicandcareerambitionofthesestudents.theytalkseriouslyabouttheirmotivationsandastheyearprogresseswillsharetheirexperiencesaroundassessmentsandlearning.

havingcommissionedthestudents,thereremainedachallenge:howtogetacrosstheprogrammemessagesinawaythatprospectivestudentswouldfindinterestingandconvincing.theoldadage—showdon’ttell—comestomind.so,intheadditionalpiecescreatedbytheUcDUniversityrelations,alanPeatlandquoteshomerwhilewieldingalethalswordof“bitterbronze”;Blanaidclarkemakescontractlawrealwitheverydayexamples;andmichaelgilchristdemonstratestheeducationalvalueoftheFastesteggalive.

theVideoWallhoststheseandmanyotherpiecesthatprojecttheholisticworldofUcD.IfyouhaveafilmofinterestoranideaofsomeaspectofUcDlife,getintouchandjointhewall.

Eilis O’Brien Director of Communication

Handing over the microphone …

Cover ImagePictured at the launch of the Dictionary of Irish Biography were, l-r: Dr James Quinn, Executive Editor; An Taoiseach Mr Brian Cowen TD; and James McGuire, Adjunct Professor, UCD School of History & Archives and Managing Editor of the Dictionary

Contributors:suzanneBailey,JohnBaker,marieBoran,carlaBriggs,JaneButler,marccaball,catherinecarey,Briancaulfield,aliceclancy,adriennecoleton,maryDaly,nicholasDaly,DamienDempsey,orlaDonoghue,Desmondearley,KyranFitzgerald,eilishennessy,louiseholden,KathleenJameschakraborty,murielKeegan,helenlewis,gerrylooby,críostóirmaccárthaigh,lilianmaher,Fionnualamcauliffe,Johnmccaffery,ginamolloy,aidanmoran,susanmuldoon,Bairbremurphy,seanmurray,Dianenegra,Valerienorton,DonnachaÓsuilleabháin,claireo’connell,Deirdreo’grady,aidano’sullivan,garyPerry,michaelPike,anthonyroche,marksimpson,marystaunton,emmateeling,cathytimlin,ríonachuíÓgáin,graemeWarren,micéalWhelan

Produced by:eiliso’Brien,clairePercy,Dominicmartella

Design:lomancusackDesign

Print:FinePrint

Thanks to:Pádraicconway,JPDonnelly,catherinegodson,annlavan,mauricemanning,clionadeBhaldraithemarsh,Damienmcloughlin,PatrickWall

Inthecompilationofthispublication,everycarehasbeentakentoensureaccuracy.anyerrorsoromissionsshouldbebroughttotheattentionofUcDUniversityrelations(communications@ucd.ie).

Wealsowelcomeyoursuggestionsforarticlesinfutureeditions.

UcDtodayisalsoavailableonlineatwww.ucd.ie/ucdtoday

23 UcDalumnusBriano’DrioscollwasonhandtolaunchtheUcDeliteathleteacademy,thenewscholarshipprogrammeforsportspeoplecompetingatthehighestlevels

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news

Inordertohelppolicymakersunderstand,locateandtackleelderabuseinIreland,theministerforhealthandchildren,maryharneytDhasannouncedtheestablishmentbythehealthserviceexecutiveofanationalresearchcentrefortheProtectionofolderPeople(ncPoP)atUniversitycollegeDublin.

oneofthefirsttasksofthencPoPistoidentifytheprevalenceofelderabuseinIreland.expertsatthencPoPwillalsoworktodevelopwaystopreventandmanageelderabuseinthecommunity.akeyelementoftheworkofthencPoPistheinvolvementofolderpeoplethemselves.theideaistoofferolderpeopleavoicetoexpresstheirexperiencesandattitudestowardselderabuse,andtoenablethemtoalertolderpeopletotheissueofelderabusethroughexistingolderpeoplenetworksandagencies.

“thereisalackofunderstandingastowhatactuallyconstituteselderabusebutthisisanissuewhichaffectseachandeveryoneofus,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,throughourfamily,

ourfriendsandourlocalcommunity”saysDrJonathanDrennan,co-directorofncPoP.

thencPoPbringstogetheracombinationofexpertisefromtheUcDschoolofnursing,midwifery,andhealthsystems;theUcDschoolofapplied

socialscience;theUcDschoolofPublichealth,Physiotherapy,andPopulationscience;theUcDschoolofmedicineandmedicalscience;andtheUcDgearyInstitute.

Research centre for protection of the elderly established

Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney TD (centre-right) and Professor Desmond Fitzgerald, Vice-President for Research, UCD (centre-left) pictured at the announcement of National Research Centre for the Protection of Older People

DippingintotheDictionary of Irish Biographyissimplynotpossible.Itmaybecataloguedasareferencebookbutreaderswillfinditimpossibletoconfinethemselvestotheiroriginalsearch.thetemptationtodelveintootherIrishlivesistoogreat.

stretchingfromearliesttimestoDecember31,2002,theDictionarypresentsanunprecedentedcatalogueofIrishmenandwomenwhohavemadetheirdistinctmark.

early20thcenturyartistssuchasmainieJellett(1897–1944)andnorahmcguinness(1903-1980),rubshoulderswithPalladianarchitectJameshoban(1762-1831),designeroftheWhitehouseinWashington.Jamesgamble(1803–91),asoap-makerfromcoFermanagh,whofoundedthenowtransnationalcorporation,Proctor&gamble,madehiscontributiontoposterityinaconsiderablydifferentmannertoDanielo’connell(1775-1847)‘theliberator’.

PublishedbycambridgeUniversityPressfortheroyalIrishacademy,theDictionaryhasbeenthelargesthumanitiesresearchprojecteverundertakeninIreland.some700scholarsfromIrelandandabroadcontributedtoninevolumeswith9,014entries,detailing9,700lives,fromthehuguenotrefugeeJacquesabbadietozozimus,theliberties-bornballadeer.

overadecade’sworkofresearching,compiling,composing,cross-referencingandproofinghasdeliveredwhatantaoiseach,mrBriancowen,tD,describedas“aseminalworkwhichwillbeconsultedforgenerations.”

“Inthemain,ofcourse,theDictionary of Irish Biographyisaboutpeoplewhomadeadifference,forthebetter,toIreland.thisisaverygoodtimetoberemindedofourrichheritageandofthesignificantachievementsofmanypeopleofIrishdescentbasedontheiringenuity,theircreativityandcapacityforhardwork.IfwethinkaboutwhatsomeofthepeoplerecordedintheDictionaryachievedandthechallengestheyfaced,wecan

drawrenewedstrengthandinspirationaswefacethechallengesofourtime.andwecanfeelproud—andfortunate—tohailfromthesamecountryassomanypeopleofnote.”thetaoiseachsaidatthelaunchoftheDictionary.

UnderDforDempsey:JackDempsey(1862–95),the‘nonpareil’,middleweightboxingchampionoftheworldinthe1880s.greturnsguinness:arthurguinness(1725–1803),brewerandcreatorofthemostfamousIrishbrand.oyieldsupnaceo’Dowd(1931-87),iconicsligofootballerofthe1950swhowaseulogisedinthreesuccessiveeditionsofthesligochampionafterhisprematuredeath.rincludesanothergaaiconwhodiedbeforehistime,thelegendarychristyring(1920–79).sbringsoutsnow:carmelsnow(1887–1961)editorofbothVogueandharper’sBazaar.WisforWadding:lukeWadding(1588–1657),Franciscanfriarandhistorian.

managingeditoroftheproject,Jamesmcguire,referstothecompilationoftheDictionaryas“agreatadventure”.alongsideexecutiveeditor,JamesQuinn,mcguireguidedtheprojectwith

whatmanyinvolveddescribedas“trueandtypicaldiplomaticaplomb.”

“Withthepublicationofthecompletedninevolumes,theprojectisnowworkingonthepreparationofthefirstofthetwice-yearlysupplements”addedmcguire.“thesesupplementswillcoverthosewhohavediedsince2002,aswellasarticlesonsubjectswhodonotfeatureinthefirstedition.Wewelcomefeedbackaboutthefirsteditionaswellasadviceonsubjectswhomightbeconsideredfortreatmentinthesupplements.”

givingthelastwordtotaoiseachBriancowen–whonotedtheenormousvarietyofbiographicalsubjectsfromartistsandarchitects;journalistsandbroadcasters;actorsanddirectors;musiciansandcomposers;sportsmenandwomen;businesspeopleandtradeunionists;doctors;scientistsandengineers;religiousfigures;writers;politicians,publicservantsandphilanthropists–“saintsandsinnersandmorebesides.”

VisittheDictionary of Irish Biographyonlineathttp://dib.cambridge.org.ForinformationonpurchasingthebookinIreland,seewww.ria.ie/projects/dib/

Saints and sinners and more besides

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Nanovation Laboratories launched by Nobel Prize-winning chemist

nobelPrize-winningscientistProfessorWalterKohnofficiallyopenednewnanovationlaboratoriesatUcDtosupporttheresearchanddevelopmentofnewenergytechnologies.Usingthefacilities,scientistsandindustrywillworktogethertodevelopnanotechnologiesandproductstargetedattheglobalrenewableenergymarketworthanestimated€113billionby2015.

nanotechnologyinvolvesthestudyanduseofmaterialsonanunimaginablysmallscale.nanoreferstoananometre(nm).onenanometreisamillionthofamillimetreoraboutoneeightythousandththewidthofahumanhair.

“atthisscale,materialscanbehaveverydifferentlyfromwhentheyareinlargerform.nanomaterialscanbestrongerorlighter,orconductheatorelectricityinadifferentway.Byfindingoutmoreaboutthenanoscaleworld,scientistsaimtousenanotechnologiestocreatenewdevicesthatarefaster,lighter,strongerormoreefficient,”saysProfessornickQuirke,PrincipaloftheUcDcollegeofengineering,mathematical,andPhysicalsciences.

ProfessorWalterKohn,whoofficiallylaunchedthenewfacilities,isoneoftheworld’sleadingscientificfiguresinthesearchforwaystoharnessthesun’senergy.hewasawardedthenobelPrizeinchemistryin1998forhisseminalworkontheelectronicstructureofmaterials.

accordingtoProfessorKohn,solarenergyisamajorpartofthesolutiontotheprovisionoffutureenergyneeds.hebelievesitoffersaneconomicallyrealistic,cleanandsafeenergysourcetohelpreplacediminishingfossilfuels.“solarenergyisquiterealisticallyestimated,intwoorthreedecades,tocontributeperhapssomethinginthevicinityof25%oftotalelectricityconsumption,”hesays.

theUcDnanovationlaboratorieswerefundedbyscienceFoundationIrelandandthehighereducationauthorityto€3.4million.over30scientistsand120PhDsandpostdoctoralscholarsconductresearchinthelaboratories,whichmeasuremorethan630squaremetres.

theofficialopeningeventwaspartofInnovationDublin2009—aweek-longfestivalofeventstoshowcase,highlight,promoteandencourageinnovationandcreativityinDublin.

Photography and International ConflictisaninterdisciplinaryresearchprojectattheUcDclintonInstitute.Itprovidesexpertcommentariesanddocumentationonthehistoriesandtheoriesofthephotographicrepresentationofinternationalconflict.

therecently-launchedprojectwebsitewww.ucd.ie/photoconflicthostsanumberofcasestudiesthatprovidedetailed,illustratedanalysesofparticulargeopoliticalconflictsandissuessurroundingthemakingandconsumptionofconflictimagery.

FundedbytheIrishresearchcouncilforhumanitiesandsocialsciences(Irchss),itbrings

togetherscholarsandpractitionersinvisualmediaandinternationalrelationstoexaminetherolesofimageproducersandthefunctionsofphotographicimageryinthedocumentationandcommunicationofwars,violentconflictsandhumanrightsissues.

Videosofpresentationsfromtwoconferencesorganisedbytheproject,‘Imaginghumanrights’and‘Photography&Internationalconflict’,areavailableintheconferencessectionofthesite,whichisdesignedasaresourceanddiscussionsiteforscholarsandpractitioners.

Dophotographsshapeourviewofinternationalconflict?

Prof Nick Quirke Principal, UCD College of Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences (left) is shown here with Nobel Prize-winning scientist Prof Walter Kohn at the launch of the UCD Nanovation Laboratories

stmichael’shousepartnershipwithUcDministerformentalhealth,JohnmoloneytDhaslaunchedauniqueteachingandresearchpartnershipbetweenstmichael’shouse,oneofthelargestserviceprovidersofservicesforpeoplewithanintellectualdisabilityinIreland,andUcD.

thepartnershipaimstoenhanceandfacilitateservice-basedresearchindisabilitiesandtosupporttheresearchandteachingstrategiesofbothorganisations.

thisisthefirsttimeinIrelandthataserviceproviderandauniversityhaveformallyagreedtojointlyundertakeresearchonanongoingbasis.

Dreilishennessey,headoftheUcDschoolofPsychologycommented,“thiscollaborativeventurewillfurtherembedresearchandpracticewithinthedevelopmentanddeliveryofinnovativeteachingprogrammesintheuniversity.”

Welcomingthepartnership,DrPhilipDodd,Directorofresearch,stmichael’shouse,said:“thisisanimportantinitiativethatwillsupportthedevelopmentofevidence-based,person-centeredservicesforpeoplewithintellectualdisabilitiesinIreland”.

The UCD School of Law hosted a conference in conjunction with the Joint Committee of the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on the topic of a Charter of Rights for the Island of Ireland. Pictured here are: Prof Brendan O’Leary, University of Pennsylvania, who gave a key-note address on “An all-island Charter of Rights as Mutual Assurance and Insurance”; Suzanne Egan, UCD School of Law, and UCD Dean of Law, Prof John Jackson. The theme for the Conference, which was opened by Dr Maurice Manning, stemmed from the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement

Somalia 1992, courtesy of Paul Lowe/Panos Pictures, is one of the photographs featured on the UCD Clinton Institute Photography & International Conflict website

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UCDFocus

Unravelling the originsItisquitefittingthatalmost150yearstothedaythatcharlesDarwin’sseminalworkOn the Origin of Specieswaspublished,scientistsaroundtheworldproposedthecreationofagenomezoo;aprojectcalledGenome 10Kaimedatuncoveringtheoriginsof10,000vertebratespeciesbygenomesequencing–ormappingtheirgeneticmaterial.

oneofthe68scientistspivotaltothisprojectisDremmateeling,UcDschoolofBiologyandenvironmentalscience,anextraordinaryscientistwithaPhDinmolecularphylogeneticsandwhoseworld-renownedexpertiseonbatsledtoherbeingchosen.

throughDarwin’sworkandallscientiststhathavefollowedinhiswake,wehaveexperiencedaparadigmshift,aworldwhereknowledgeofnaturalselectionandevolutionhasdeepenedandwherediseaseandimmunitycanbebetterexplainedbyunderstandingourgenes,whattheycontain,andwhytheyaredifferentorsimilartootherspecies.

scientistsliketeelingarelookingatDarwin’stheoriesonamolecularlevel.

“themostchallengingintellectualprobleminbiologyforthiscenturywillbethereconstructionofourbiologicalpastsowecanunderstandhowcomplexorganismssuchasourselvesevolved,”saidsydneyBrenner,pioneeringgeneticist,nobellaureateandoneoftheauthorsonthegenome10Kpaper.

teelingiswellplacedtotacklethegenome10Kundertaking.havingspentthepasttenyearsofherlifelookingattheevolutionofmammals,focusingspecificallyonbats,shewasoneoftheco-authorsonapaperaimingtouncoverthebatevolutionarytree,whichwaspublishedinsciencein2005.

“thiswasessentiallyaspringboardintobeingconsideredanexpertinbatcomparativegenomics.Iunderstoodthebatphylogenetictree,Iknewwhichtaxawereimportantforsequencingfromacomparativegenomicspointofview,andalsoIhadaccesstoasizeabletissuecollectionandknewcollaboratorswithlargetissuecollectionsoftheirown,”explainedteeling.

Inapril2009atathree-daymeetingattheUniversityofcalifornia,santacruz,teelingandothervertebrateexpertsmettodiscussgenome10K.gatheredinoneroomwereworldauthoritiesoneverythingfromrodentsandprimatestowhalesandarmadillos.

PartoftheworkteelingcarriesoutattheBatlabinUcDisakintopiecingtogetherahugejigsawpuzzlewithoutseeingthepictureonthebox

“oneofthereasonstheypickedbatswasthattheyaccountforonefifthoflivingmammalsbuttheyarealsovery,verydifferent:whenyouthinkaboutit,theirgenomemustbesostartlinglydifferentbecausetheyaremammalsbuttheycanfly,theyliveforanincrediblylongtimeandtheyuseecholocation,”explainsteeling.

Despitethesedifferencesbats,asmammals,arerelatedtousyettheyhavesmallgenomes,makingiteasiertostudygenomelimits,sothestudyoftheirDnahaswide-rangingimplicationsbeyondtheirownspecies.

WhilethehumangenomeProjectwascompletedin2003after13years’work,theresearchbeingundertakenbyteelingandherfellowscientistsisground-breaking,asitinvolvespushingtheboundariesofgenetechnologywithnextgenerationsequencers.

“oneofthereasonsthegenome10Kprojectissounusualisthatitmovessequencingtechnologyforwardtoanewlevelofdiscovery.”

“Ifwegettheimpetusandthefundingtopushitforward,thetechnologywillexistinthenextthreeyears.”

PartoftheworkteelingcarriesoutattheBatlabinUcDisakintopiecingtogetherahugejigsawpuzzlewithoutseeingthepictureonthebox,shesays:“Whensequencingagenomeyoutake,forexample,threebillionbasepairsofDna–abiglongstringofa,t,candg–andyourandomlychopitupintotinyfragmentsthatare76basepairslong:youhavetotryandpiecethesealltogether.

allthisworkisbeingcarriedout,explainsteeling,becauseitrevealsfascinatingnewinformationaboutwhatmakesoneanimaldifferentfromthenext:“Itisthepartsofthegenomethataredifferentthatmakesaspeciesunique,forexamplepartsofthegenomethatwillallowananimaltorespondtocertainchangesintheirenvironmentsuchasclimatechangeordisease”.

“Whenwelookateverysinglebasepairinagenomeandseehowitchangesovertimeinresponsetotheevolutionarychallengesthatallofthevertebrateancestorswerefacedwith:whatdoesittaketobeabird?Whatdoesittaketobeafish?Whatdoesittaketobehumanandwhyarewesodifferenttoeverythingelse.orarewereallythatdifferent?”

“Ireallythinkthatwewilluncoverhowlifeevolvedbydoingthis.I’msurewe’llalsofindthatthingsareanawfullottrickierthanwethink.

Perhapstherewillbemoretotheevolutionoflifethanthegenomealonebutthiswillnotbeknownuntilallofthesegenomesaresequenced.”

Whengenome10Kiscompleted,teelingandhercolleagueswillhavegeneticallymappedonesixthofalllivingvertebratesinascienceprojectunprecedentedinbothitssizeandambition.

specificallyattheBatlab,teelingisinterestedintheplethoraofinterestingquestionsthatcanbeansweredbystudyinghowbatsevolved.

shetalksaboutthewealthofinformationinthebatgenome,especiallytheirextraordinarilylonglifespanthatpointstonaturalimmunityevolvedovertime.

“Whatisdifferentaboutthebatgenomeincomparisontoothersthattheyhavelongevityandcanresistcertaindiseases?Ifyouwanttoknowbesthowtofightadiseaseyoustudysomethingthatalreadydoes.”

“thehumangenomeProjectwasunprecedentedbutgenome10Kisthenextstep.Becauseofthisourliveswillbeverydifferentinthenextfivetotenyears,asitwillmakepersonalgenomicsaveryrealthing,whereyoucanfindoutyourpredispositiontocertaindiseasesamongstotherthings,”explainsteeling.

“I’vetoldmyfirstyearmedicalstudentsthatinthenearfuturetheywillbedealingwiththisasdoctors;theywillbeundertakingmuchmoregenetictestingorscreening.”

thankstotheworkofteelingandthenumerousotherscientistsinvolved,genome10Kwon’tsimplygiveusinsightintobatsandothermammals,itwillbringusclosertoourselvesbothasaspeciesandonapersonallevel.

Marie Boran (BSc 2002) writes in the Technology Section of the Irish Independent and for online magazine, Silicon Republic.

Dr Emma Teeling

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Wildflowers of Offaly launched by Taoiseach

Hyperactivity label warning based on too high levels of consumption

aneweUfoodlabelwarningthatconfectionaryandsugarydrinksmayleadtohyperactivityinchildrenisbasedonunrealisticallyhighconsumptionlevels,accordingtoresearchledbyUcDscientists.

“Westronglyrecommendthattheriskassessmentprocesswhichledtothislegislationbeurgentlyreviewed,”saysProfessormikegibney,DirectoroftheUcDInstituteforFoodandhealth,whoheadedupaconsortiumofIrishuniversitiesincludingUniversitycollegecorkandtheUniversityofUlster.

“Quitesimply,nochildinoursurveyofIrishchildrenandteenagerscameevenremotelynearthedosesusedtoinformtheintroductionofthisnewadditiveslabeling,”hesays.

achildbetween7-10yearsoldwouldhavetoconsume4x56gbagsofsweetsperdaytoreachtherequiredexposurelevels,andthatwouldmeanthathalfthedailycaloriesofthesechildrenwouldhavetocomefromsweets.“therealityisthatthefigureislessthan10%,”explainsProfessorgibney.

theeUregulationstipulatesthatanyfoodonsaleintheeuropeanUnionwhichcontainsparticularfoodadditives(sunsetYellow,30carmoisine,tartrazine,Ponceau4r,allurared,andQuinolineYellow)–belabeledtoindicatethattheseadditives‘mayhaveanadverseeffectonactivityandattentioninchildren’.

TV and the Cityhowdotheurbanandthetelevisualnowcoincide,overlapandevenmutuallydefineoneanother?thiswasthequestionconsideredatthethree-dayTelevision Cities conferenceheldaspartofInnovationDublin2009,aweek-longcelebrationofinnovation,culture,environment,enterpriseandpeople.

ProfessorannamccarthyfromnewYorkUniversityopenedproceedingswithakeynotespeechon“televisionandthearchitectureofIntegrationinPostwarnewYork”.subsequentpapersaddressedthemselvestoawiderangeoftelevisionseries

includingcelebratedonessuchastheWire,sexandthecity,trueBlood,Fridaynightlightsandtheredridingtrilogy.

otherpapershomedinonlessscrutinisedbutnonethelesssignificantformsoftelevisionprogrammingsuchasWorldWrestlingentertainmentmatches,thetelevisiongeographiesofJamieoliverandtheurbanimaginariesofgaymedia.

theconference,whichwasjointlysponsoredbytheUcDschoolofenglish,DramaandFilmandtheUcDclintonInstituteforamericanstudies,alsoheardaboutsuchdiverserepresentationalphenomenaasthetelevisionbroadcastsofBishopFultonsheen,theinstallationofBBcscotlandatPacificQuayinglasgow,televisionfanpilgrimagestoVancouverandthefunctionsofoutdoortelevisionsinBeijingduringthe2008olympicgames.

Enhancing wastewater treatment through a new engineered wetland systemaby-productformedwhentreatingwatersuppliesfordrinkingcouldbere-usedtoenhancewastewatertreatmentinanew,engineeredwetlandsystem,thankstoUcDresearch.

thenovelsystem,developedbyDrYaqianzhao’steamattheUcDcentreforWaterresourcesresearchintheUcDschoolofarchitecture,landscape&civilengineering,makesuseofalumsludge,analuminum-richwasteproductofdrinkingwatertreatmentplantsthatusealuminumsaltsascoagulant.

eachyearIrelandproducesabout18,000tonnesofdewateredalumsludgefromitspublicdrinkingwatertreatmentplants,andthesludgeisentirelyland-filledatacostofabout€130pertonne.

thenewsysteminsteadusesthealumsludgeinanengineeredwetlandmatrix.apilotdemonstrationofthesystematUcDFarm,lyonsestateinnewcastle,coDublin,showedthatflushingwastewaterthroughthealuminum-enrichedsystemhelpstoremovephosphorous,particularlyfromhighstrengthanimalfarmeffluents.

Itisexpectedthatthenewsystemwillofferanewandnovelbeneficialre-usealternativetothelandfilldisposalofthealumsludge.atthesametime,itwillservetosignificantlyreducephosphorusloadinwastewaterandenhanceoverallwastewatertreatmentinthenovelengineeredwetlandsystem.

FundersincludetheenvironmentalProtectionagency,enterpriseIrelandandtheDepartmentofagriculture,FisheriesandFood,andBallymoreWatertreatmentPlantandUcDFarmassistedwiththeresearch.

How do the urban and the televisual now coincide?

taoiseachBriancowenlaunchedThe Wildflowers of OffalybyDrJohnFeehan,UcDschoolofagriculture,FoodscienceandVeterinarymedicineinDecember2009.

thebook,whichincludesbriefdescriptionsofeveryspeciesandlimitedpictures,isnotaconventionalcountyflorapublication.The Wildflowers of Offalyisuniqueinthewayitattemptstodescribethecharacteroftheplants:theirecologicalpreferences,theirusesandthebeliefsassociatedwiththem,andinparticulartheextraordinarydiversityofthestrategiestheyhaveevolvedtoensurepollinationandtheproductionofseed.ItcontainsnumerouscolourphotographsmostlytakenbyDamianegan,UcDschoolofBiologyandenvironmentalscienceandissupplementedwithaselectionofplatesdetailingtheclassicolderflorasofnortherneurope.

Publishedbyoffalycountycouncilaspartofthecounty’sBiodiversityactionPlan,thebookisdesignedtobringadeeperappreciationofwildflowerstothewiderpublic.althoughit

describesthewildflowersofcountyoffaly,thesamespecies—morethan500ofthem—occurmuchmorewidely.

Inhisreview,michaelVineyoftheIrish Timesdescribeditas‘arevelationofoffaly’swildflowerbeautyanddiversitybyoneofIreland’stopecologistsandcommunicatorsofnature.hisup-close-and-personalportraitsgiveeachplantavividanddistinctivepresence,aidedbysuperlativeillustration—anotherlandmarkinbooksaboutourcountryside’.

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UCDFocus

Partners in history takingthelongview,thecontributionoftheIrishFranciscanordertoIreland’sdevelopmentisanewandrichhistory.now,apartnershipprojectthatisbothaninsiderandoutsideraccountshedsnewlightonthecoupledfatesofIrelandandtheIrishFranciscanorder.

theFranciscans–gatekeepersofhistorytheIrishFranciscanscollectedandprotectedaveryspecialcollectionofbooks,includingcountlesssignificantworksfromthebeginningoftheprinteraanddatingbacktothesixteenthcentury.

theysetupthefirstprintingpressusinganIrishfont,establishedinlouvainin1614.thethousandsofrareworksintheUcDmícheálÓcléirighcollectionprovideanunrivalledresourcetohistoriansallovertheworld.theirimportanceisonlynowbeingrealised.

thePsalterofcaimín,likeallthepreciousworkscollectedbytheFranciscans,hasjourneyedmanymilestotheInstitute.thisuniquefragmentofanilluminated12thcenturyIrishmanuscriptfromcoclarewassavedbymícheálÓcléirigh,

theIrishFranciscanwhodirectedthecompilationoftheannalsoftheFourmasters.theannalschronicleIrishhistoryfromprehistoryto1616aD.Ócléirighwasgiventhemanuscriptforsafe-keepingbythefamilythathadpreserveditontheislandofIniscealtrathroughoutthemedievalperiod.hebroughtittolouvainwhereitremainedinthepossessionoftheIrishFranciscansuntilthenextlegofitsjourney,toitsnewhomeinUcDwhereitwillbestudiedbyscholarsfromallovertheworld.

The Irish Franciscans 1534-1990,publishedinnovember2009,istheculminationofyearsofcollaborationbetweentheIrishFranciscansandtheUcDmicheálÓcléirighInstitute,wheretheorder’svastarchiveisnowhoused.thistreasuretroveofmanuscripts,documentsandearlybookshavebeeninthepossessionoftheIrishFranciscanssincetheseventeenthcentury,butarenowunderthecareofUcDandhavebeendigitised,conserved,cataloguedandresearchedoverthelastdecade,withtheresultthatthearchiveisnowaccessibletoamuchwidergroupofscholarsandinterestedgroups.

thefloweringofthearchivehaspavedthewayforaveryunusualhistory,saysco-editorDrJohnmccafferty,DirectoroftheUcDmicheálÓcléirighInstitute.“Forsometime,theFranciscanshavebeenlookingtoahistoryoftheorder,andwewantedtoproducesomethingthatwouldreflectitslifewithawidefocus.thishistoryisnothandledbytheorderitself.Wesawnopointinreplayingthedichotomiesofinsider/outsiderhistory,whichiswhythisbookisacollectionofessaysbyacademicsfromabroadrangeofdisciplinesandbyFranciscanscholars.”

thereare18articlesintotal,withmultipleperspectives.“Irishhistoryhastendedtobewrittenfromthepointofviewofpoliticsandgreatmen,”saysmccafferty.“thisisaworkthat

focusesonhistorythroughthelensesofart,architecture,thePoor

claresistersandthethirdorder(alayreligious

movementdedicatedtostFrancis)”.thebroadspanofthebookoffersavisionofanorderthathasbeenthroughtoughtimesandsurvived.Forexample,theworkreveals,amongstthe

friarsminor,overall

numbershavefallentoabout100orbelowatleastonceineverycenturysince1500,withtheexceptionofthelastcentury.“throughthecenturiestheFranciscanshavebeencourageousandcowardly,generousandgreedy,humbleandhaughty,poorandprideful,smartandsillybutalwaysofsignificanceinIrishlife,”theintroductiontellsus.

“almosteverythingthathappenedinIrelandinthelast800yearsinvolvesaFranciscan,”saysmccafferty.“ahistoryoftheorderisahistoryofthecountry.theyhadaspecialaffinitywiththeIrishlanguage,theycontinuedtopreachinthatlanguage;thisisthereasonthatsomanyIrishremainedcatholicthroughouttheperiod.”theruinsofFranciscanfriariesareamongthestrikinginthecountry,andtheorderretainedstrongandmeaningfulrelationshipswithitscommunities.“evenafterthepenallawsandthedestructionofabbeysinplaceslikeDroghedaandennis,theFranciscanskeptcomingbacktothosecommunitieswheretheyretaineddynamic,embeddedrelationships,”Drmccaffertyexplains.

alargesectionofthebookisdevotedtocolourillustrationsofthespectacularindigenousIrishartandarchitecturecollectedandpreservedbytheorder.“everybodythoughtthatcromwelldestroyedallindigenousIrishart,”saysmccafferty.“however,thereisalotofmaterialthathaslainundiscoveredunderbedsoratthebackoflibraries;lotsofimportantreligiousartandtheillegalworkofgoldsmiths.”

thepublicationhitstwokeyanniversariesfortheorder.eighthundredyearsago,in1209,stFrancesofassisiwalkedtorometoaskPopeInnocentIIItoapprovehiswayoflife.hisrequestwasgrantedandtheFranciscanorderwasborn.Fourhundredyearsagosawtheopeningofstanthony’scollege,louvain,whichbecamehometoagroupofIrishelitewhofledDonegaltofindrefugeineuropeandseekhelpfortheircauseinIreland.

theFranciscanarchiveatUcDincludestheonlycopyofthediaryofthe1607Flightofthe

earlsbyhistoriantadhgÓcianáin.ItisthefirstdiarywritteninIrishandgivesanaccountofthemanycitiesanddignitariesvisitedbytheearlsastheymovedthroughFrance,Flanders,switzerlandandItaly.thediaryandcountlessothernationaltreasuresweresubjecttoaspecialviewingbyPresidentmarymcaleeseinautumn2009tocommemorate800yearsoftheorder.

althoughtheFranciscanlibraryisnowhousedinUcD,theorderisstillverymuchpartofthestory.Workingaspartners,theFranciscansandthemicheálÓcléirighInstitutehavere-imaginedthefutureoftheseprecioustextsandobjects.Initsnewhomethecollectionhasattractedtheattentionofscholarsfrommanydisciplinesleadingtoa“richlycontextualisedandcollaborativeunderstandingofjustunder500yearsofreligious,socialandeconomiclifeofIrishpeopleathomeandabroad,”thebook’seditorstellus.

“IfyouknownothingofIrishhistoryandread‘theIrishFranciscans’you’dlearnalot,”saysmccafferty.“Webelieveitisforeverybodyanditisintendedforawideaudience.Itwillappealtotheacademiccommunitytoo,becausetheessayshavebeenrigorouslyreviewed.theworkhasbeensubsidisedtokeepthepricelowforalltypesof

readers.”anenormousnumberofcopieshavebeen

pre-ordered–unusualforaworkofitstype.at400pagesand€26theworkpresentsavaluableopportunityforthearmchairhistoriantoenrichhiscollection.theworkalsohasappealforarthistorians,linguistsandsocialscientists.

The Irish Franciscans 1534-1990iseditedbyFranciscanJoemcmahon,DredelBhreathnachandDrJohnmccaffertyoftheUcDmícheálÓcléirighInstitute.

Louise Holden (MEd 2008), is a journalist with the Irish Times.

The Psalter of Caimín

Dr John McCafferty, Director of the Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute and co-editor of The Irish Franciscans 1534-1990

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WallscometumblingdownJustovertwodecadesagotheBerlinWallfell,literallyopeningupbarriersandcatalysingsocialandculturalchange.tomarkthis20thanniversary,a3-dayconferenceatUcDlookedathowBerlinhaschangedpostunification:the‘criticalreconstruction’ofBerlin,commemorativeprojectsandhowBerlinersandpeoplefromtheformereastgermanyhavebeenrepresentedinpopularculture.

ParticipantsexploredthewayinwhichdiversevoicesfrombothsidesoftheoncedividedcountryhaveworkedbothtodevelopsymbolsforthenewBerlinrepublicandtocontinuetoexpresstheirdistinctiveidentitieswithinit.re-Imagining the Nation: Transformations of German Cultural Identity since 1989wasco-organisedbytheUcDschoolsofarthistory&culturalPolicy,languages&literaturesandarchitecture,landscapearchitecture&civilengineering.ItwasopenedbyhisexcellencyBussovonalvensleben,thegermanambassadortoIreland.

hisworkhasbeenpublishedinsome100papersinrefereedjournals,andhastwicefeaturedonthecoverofnature.Inrecognitionofhisremarkableachievements,thegovernment’schiefscientificadviserDrPatrickcunninghamwasawardedanhonorarydegreebyUcDinDecember2009.

aUcDagriculturalsciencegraduate,Drcunningham,Professorofanimalgeneticsattrinitycollege,tookupthepostaschiefscientificadvisertothegovernmentinJanuary2007.

havingsecuredhisPhDinanimalgeneticsfromcornellUniversityintheUsain1962,DrcunninghambeganaresearchcareerwithanForastalúntais(nowteagasc),becomingDepartmentheadin1970andDeputyDirectorofresearchin1980.

“Professorcunningham’sworkinanForastalúntaisfocussedmainlyongeneticimprovementintheIrishcattlepopulation.hepioneeredmethodsofgeneticevaluation,introductionandassessmentofnewbreedsandstrains,andtheeconomicevaluationofbreedingoptionsandstrategies,”saidProfessormauriceBoland,PrincipaloftheUcDcollegeoflifescienceswhodeliveredthecitationattheconferringceremony.“thetheoreticalworkwhichaccompaniedthisresearchattractedconsiderableinternationalattention.”

In1964,professorcunninghambegantocontributetothenewly-establishedDepartmentofgeneticsintcD,andin1974,hewasappointedProfessorofanimalgenetics.

In1988,hemovedtotheWorldBankasvisitingprofessorattheeconomicDevelopmentInstitute.From1990to1993,hewasappointedDirectorofanimalProductionandhealthattheFoodandagriculturalorganisation(Fao)oftheUninrome.DuringthisperiodalsodirectedthescrewwormeradicationProgrammefornorth

africa,thelargestinternationalcampaignofbiologicalcontroleverundertaken.

“FollowingtheBsecrisisin1996,ProfessorcunninghamandhiscolleaguesdevelopedasystemofDnatraceabilityforthemeatindustry,whichhasbeenusedsuccessfullyineuropeforsomeyears,”saidProfessorBoland.“theywentontoestablishabiotechnologycompanyIdentigen,whichdeploysthesetechnologiesineuropeandtheUsa.ProfessorcunninghamisthechairmanofIdentigen.”

InternationalawardforkneejointresearchDrgarrettcoughlan,postdoctoralresearcherinthestim-XDPteamattheUcDInstituteforsportandhealth,wontheBestPaperawardatthe3rdInternationalconferenceonmovementDysfunction.

thepaperlookedatanalysisofthemotorcontrolresponsetoasimulatedkneeeffusionmodel,createdbyinjecting60mlofsalineintoahealthykneejointandinvestigatingtheeffectthatthesubsequentkneeswellinghadonhowsubjectslandedfromajump.thisworkiscriticaltotheunderstandingofhowathletesbecomesusceptibletolackofmovementcontrolthatcanresultinrecurrentinjuriesanddelayedrehabilitation.thesimulatedeffusionmodelhadpreviouslybeenstudiedbymanyotherresearchgroups,mainlyintheUsa,buthadfocussedmainlyonevaluationofitseffectsinastaticenvironment.themajorinnovationinDrcoughlan’sworkwastotakethemodeltothedynamicenvironmentwhereitsapplicabilitytothesportsfieldwasgreatlyenhanced.

thepaperwasbasedonPhDworkcompletedatUcDundertheguidanceofDrBriancaulfieldandwassupportedbyaUcDseedFundingaward.theresearchalsowasalsotheresultofsuccessfulcollaborationwithDrUlrikmccarthyPerssonfromtheUcDschoolofPopulationscience,PhysiotherapyandPublichealth,Drrodmcloughlinfromo’neill’ssportsmedicineinUcDandDr.riannPalmieri-smithfromtheUniversityofmichigan,Usa.

Dr Garrett Coughlan’s paper on motor control response was recognised with the Best Paper award at the 3rd International Conference on Movement Dysfunction

Government Chief Scientific Adviser honoured by UCD

Pictured (l-r) at the conferring ceremony: Professor Maurice Boland, Principal of the UCD College of Life Sciences; Professor Patrick Cunningham, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Irish Government; and UCD President, Dr Hugh Brady

UcDacademichonouredforteachingexcellenceInrecognitionofherexemplaryteachingandinnovativeresearch,andherabilitytosuccessfullycombinethesetworoles,Dramandagibney,UcDschoolofarchitecture,landscapeandcivilengineering,washonouredwithanationalawardforexcellenceinteaching.thePresidentofIreland,marymcaleesepresentedtheawardinDublincastleinnovember2009.

theawardswereintroducedbythenationalacademyfortheIntegrationofresearch&teaching&learning(naIrtl)in2008.candidatesarenominatedbytheirinstitutionsandselectedbyacommitteewhichincludesinternationalrepresentatives,representativesoftheIrishUniversityassociation,theInstitutesoftechnologyIreland,andtheUnionofstudentsinIreland.thisyeartherewasan80%increaseinthenumberofnominationsreceivedwithfourteenhighereducationInstitutionstakingpart.atotalof5individualawardsweremade.

Dr Amanda Gibney receiving her award from the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese

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UCDFocus

“Ultrasoundcantellusalotaboutthefoetusthatwewouldn’totherwiseknow,”saysProfessorFionnualamcauliffe,consultantobstetricianandgynaecologistandmaternalandfoetalmedicinespecialistatthenationalmaternityhospitalinhollesstreetandassociateprofessorinobstetricsandgynaecologyatUcD.

“Ultrasoundallowsustoassessthefoetus—wecanlookatfoetalwellbeingandfoetalstructure,seearetheydevelopingnormally,aretheymovingandbreathing,andmeasurebloodflow.”

thetechnologyformsanintegralpartofProfessormcauliffe’sclinicalandacademicwork,whichincludesmonitoringspecialsituationssuchastwinpregnanciesorpregnancieswherethemotherhasaconditionlikediabetesorhepatitisc,andmoregenerally,evenlookingathowamother’sdietcanimpactherbabylongafterbirth.

ProfessormcauliffewasdrawntothechallengesandrewardsofobstetricswhilestudyingmedicineatUcDbeforebuildingupherexpertiseintorontoandtheUKandthenreturningtoDublin.

“Itisafascinatingspecialty,it’sverychallenging—itcoversmedicineandsurgeryanditcanbeveryexcitingwhenthingshappenonthelabourward,”shesays.“also,theseareyoungwomenataveryhappytimeintheirlives,sothatmakesforaveryniceatmosphereinthehospital.”

Butwhilepregnancyisoftenahappytime,problemscanarise.andiftheydo,

ultrasoundhasgivenmedicalstaffnewwaysofdetectingand

addressingsomeofthosethreats,includinganaemia,or

lowironlevelsintheblood.“somebabiesare

anaemicinthewombandtheonlywayyoucandetectthisitisby

ultrasoundtolookatthebloodflowinthebrain.

ananaemicfoetuswillsendwhateveroxygenatedbloodtheyhaveuptothebrainbecausethebrainisanessentialorgan,soifthebloodflowinthebrainisincreasedit’squiteasensitivemarkerfor

anaemia.Ifwedon’tmanage

thosecasesproperlythose

babieswoulddie,”saysProfessor

mcauliffe.“andifonelooksattheannualreportsfromthe1950s,60sand70stherewerealotoffoetaldeathsfromrhesusdiseasewherethemothersarerhesuspositive,butnowwecanmonitorthosepregnanciesandcarryoutbloodtransfusions—atthenmhwedoabout30to40transfusionsperyear.”

Bloodflowproblemscanalsoariseintwinpregnancies,whereonetwingetsthelion’sshareofbloodsupply.Inseverecases,theothertwincoulddiewithoutintervention.

carefulmonitoringwithultrasoundcandiagnosetheproblem,thendoctorscanperformsurgeryinuterotofixthecommunicatingbloodvessels,explainsProfessormcauliffe.

Insomecasesthemotherhasapre-existingconditionthatcouldbepassedontoorotherwiseaffectthebaby.Forpregnantmotherswithhepatitisc,effortshavebeenfocussedonmanagingdeliverytohelpminimisetheriskof‘vertical’transmissionofthevirusfrommothertochild.

afive-yearstudyofmothersattherotundaandnmhbyProfessormcauliffeandherteamshowedthatmanagingsuchdeliverieswithaplannedcaesareansectiondidnotaffecttheriskofthevirusfrommothertochild.“somecentresinternationallyhavebeendoingc-sectionsforthesewomenbutourstudyshowedthatc-sectiondoesn’thaveanimpactinverticaltransmission,”saysProfessormcauliffe.

thefindinghasalreadyinformedpracticesattheDublinhospitalsformanagingdeliveryinhepcpregnancies,andthestudyisalsoexcitinginternationalinterest,saysProfessormcauliffe:“Wearenotdoingc-sectionsnowasaresultandIthinkitsavesalotofladiesunnecessarysections.”

Diabetestoocanposepotentialchallengesforpregnancy,andprofessormcauliffehasbeenmonitoringfoetaldevelopmentinmotherswithtypeIdiabetes.

theworkhashighlightedtheimpactofpoorlycontrolledsugarlevelsinpregnancyonthestructureandfunctionofthefoetalheart.“Wefoundthatevenat14weeks[intopregnancy]thereweredifferencesinthefoetalheartsinthewomenwithtypeIdiabetes—thatwasquitesurprisingandwewerethefirstpeopletoshowthat,”saysprofessormcauliffe.

“thenlaterinthepregnancythereweredefinitechangesintheheartandthehigherthesugarswerethemoremarkedthechangeswere.”

hermorerecentworkhasconsolidatedthestucturalfindings,showingthatthefoetalheartcanalsobeunderphysiologicalstressinpoorlycontrolledtypeIdiabeticpregnancies.

andwhilethemajorityofthebabiesinthesestudieswereclinicallywell,thefindingscouldhelpshedlightonwhythebabiesofdiabeticmotherstendtohavesomewhatincreasedrisksofobesity,cardiovasculardiseaseanddiabeteslaterinlife,sheexplains.

thelong-termimpactoftheprenatalenvironmentisalsothefocusofanotherstudytowhichProfessormcauliffeiscontributing:ahealthresearchBoard-fundedtrialtoexaminetheeffectsofmaternaldietonachild’sappetiteandweightafterbirth.

thestudyistrackingandcomparingpregnancieswheremothersareonatypical‘Western’dietandmothersonadietrichinwholegrains.

“afteryoueathighglycaemicindexfoodslikewhitebreadandpotatoesthere’sarapidriseinsugarsinthebloodstreamandthatwillcrossdirectlyovertothefoetusandcouldstimulatefoetalgrowth,”saysProfessormcauliffe.“Ifoneingestsbrownbreadandwholegrainstherewon’tbesuchariseinsugarandthefoetuswon’tbeexposedtothatsugar.”

theongoingtrialofaround700womenismonitoringfoetal,babyandtoddlergrowthandrelatingitbacktodietinpregnancy,sheexplains.

“Weareinthemiddleofanobesitycrisiswhereoneinfourofournine-year-oldsareobeseandifsomeofthatisduetomotherseatinghighsugarfoodsinpregnancythenperhapsasimpleinterventionbychangingtobrownbreadandwholegrains,”shesays.

“Fromapublichealthpolicyitcanbeveryrewardingtointerveneinpregnancy,soifforinstancemoneywasputintopromotingmaternalhealthandgoodmaternalnutrition,thatcouldreapbenefitsfor30or40yearsdowntheroadintermsofcardiovasculardiseaseanddiabetes.Ithinkthatlookingatthisareacouldhaveabigimpactdowntheroad.”

Claire O’Connell (BSc 1992, PhD 1998) is a freelance journalist.

Imaginebeingadoctorandhavingtotreatpatientsyoucan’tsee.norcanyouaskthemhowtheyarefeeling,orwhethertheyhavenoticedparticularsymptoms.that’sthechallengepresentedbyafoetusdevelopinginhisorhermother’swomb.Butoverrecentdecadesultrasoundhasprovidedaninvaluablewindowintopregnancytocheckthatalliswell.andifallisnotwell,theapproachcanpickuphard-to-diagnoseconditionslikeheartanomaliesandblooddisordersinthewomb,enablinglife-savingtreatmentsinsomecases.

A window on pregnancy

Perinatal Irelandaroundoneinevery50pregnantmothersinIrelandgetssomespecialnews:thatsheiscarryingnotonebabybuttwo.

twinpregnanciescandeliverdoublethejoy,buttheyneedtobecarefullymonitoredtoensurebothfoetusesaredoingwellinutero.

andnowthelargeststudyofitskindinIrelandhascollecteddataonaround1,000twinpregnanciesheretohelpinformclinicalpractice.

theaimistobetterunderstandhowtwinsgrowinpregnancy,explainsProfessorFionnualamcauliffe,aprincipalinvestigatorinthePerinatalIrelandconsortiumthatlinkssixacademiccentresnorthandsouthandcoversaround40,000birthseachyear.

theapproachisbuildingupawealthofclinicaldatathatcanformthebasisofresearch,andanewstudytostartin2010willexaminegrowthrestrictiontoseehowoutcomecanbeimproved,saysProfessormcauliffe,whoisaco-investigatorforUcDandthenationalmaternityhospitalintheconsortium.

Professor Fionnuala McAuliffe. Photograph Irish Times

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overthepasttwodecades,primaryteachingthroughoutthedevelopedworldhasbecomeincreasinglyafemaleprofession.Inarecentlypublishedbook,Education in Ireland, Challenge & Change,ProfessorsheelaghDrudy,UcDschoolofeducationinvestigatedthefactorsinfluencingthe‘feminisationofteaching’inIreland(north&south)toexplorespecificreasonsforthetrend.

thebook,whichwaslaunchedbyformerPresidentofIrelandDrmaryrobinson,suggeststhatmen’sinterestinfemale-dominatedfieldsis,ingeneral,lessusualthanwomen’sinterestinmale-dominatedfields.ProfessorDrudyproposesthatwhenallofthefactorsareconsidered,themaindifferenceinfluencingthedecisiontogointoprimaryteachingbetweenthegendersisthatthemenplaceagreateremphasisonextrinsicfactorssuchasincome,careerstatusandpeerreaction.

Fromthemid-1990stheincreasestoprimaryteachingwereaccountedformainlybyfemales.By2009,89%ofB.edgraduatesintherepublicofIrelandwerefemalewhileinnorthernIreland84%werefemale.

comparativeresearchofbothjurisdictionslookedattrendsinfemaleandmaleacademicpointsatentry;theroleofcareerguidance;perceivedjobsatisfactionandmakingadifferencetoothers;alongwiththequestionofstatusintheiroccupationandpeerreactionstotheirchoiceofcareer.

Inrespectofstatusandreaction,malesperceivedproportionatelymuchlowerlevelsofsupportfrominfluencerssuchasparents,guidancecounsellorsandfriendswhentheyshowedaninterestinprimaryteachingasacareer.Females,bycomparison,perceivedthattheywouldhavethesupportofalmosteverybodywhenchoosingprimaryteaching.

ProfessorDrudyaddedthatrural-urbanresidenceisanotherfactor.26%ofruraland

small-mediumtownschoolsleaversasagainst17%ofurbanschoolleaversintherepublicsaidthatteachingwasoneoftheirpreferredchoices.

“theresearchalsolookedatsocialclassbackgroundandchoiceofteachingasacareer.Itiswelldocumentedthatpupilsfromprofessional,employer,managerialandfarmingsocialclassesaremorelikelytoachievehighpoints.theinfluenceofhavingteacherswithinthefamilyishighlysignificantinthedecisiontopursueteachingasacareer.”

allofthesefactorshaveimplicationsforprimaryeducation.“Wefaceachallenge,”ProfessorDrudysaid.“thehighproportionofteacherswhoarefemale,fromruralbackgroundsandfromrelativelyhigh-incomebackgroundscreatesafairlyhomogeneousbodyofstudentteacherstoworkwithincreasinglyheterogeneouspupilpopulations.

havingsaidthis,itremainscrucialthatteachereducationcontinuetofocusonattractingcalibrestudentsratherthanattemptingtoredressthegenderimbalance.themaleteachersthemselves,althoughawareoftheimageoftheprofession,believethatitisimportantthatmenteachinprimaryschoolsandthattheyhaveavaluablecontributiontomaketoteaching.

giventhatjobsecurityfiguredprominentlyamongallsurveyrespondents,perhapsthiseconomicdownturnmaychangethisimageandpromptyoungmenandtheirparentstolookatteachinginanewlight.”

newandauthorativeeditionofnewman’sThe Idea of a UniversityFirstrectorofthecatholicUniversity,Johnhenry(latercardinal)newmanwasalreadyacontroversialfigurewhosewritingsandbeliefshadledtohisreligiousconversionandhismovetoIrelandwhenhedeliveredtheDiscourses on the ScopeandNature of University Education in Dublinin1852.thisfirstformofThe Idea of a UniversitywastobecomehislegacytoDublinandasourceofgreatacademicandintellectualdebateeversince.

nowrepublishedbytheUcDInternationalcentrefornewmanstudies,the2009editionofnewman’sTheIdea of a UniversityisanunabridgedtextwithaprefacebyteresaIglesias,ProfessoremeritusofPhilosophy.“thispublicationbringsbacktoprominenceJohnhenrynewman’sintellectualprowessandhisprovocationasaninspirationalthinkerandaneducationalist,”DrPádraicconway,DirectoroftheInternationalcentrefornewmanstudiessaidatthelaunchofthepublication.

labharfadlecách!Iwillspeaktoyouall!seoladhanfoilseachánseodeireadhnablianaseocaitesaseomramachnaimh,ÁrasUíchuinn,ancoláisteollscoile,BaileÁthacliath.IséardatáannscéaltaagusseanchasóPheigsayers,taifeadtaagradioÉireannagusanBBc.Baiadantoll.BoalmqvistagusanDrPádraigÓhéalaíarinnetrascríobharanábharfuaime.chuireadarnótaíagusréamhrá,maillelehaistriúchánleisanábhar.cégobhfuilcáilgoforleathanaranábharféinbheathaisnéisesnaleabhairPeig(1936),agusMachnamh Seanmhná(1939),isbeagdástórscéalaíochtanáseanchaisafoilsíodhroimheseo.

táglórPheigféinlecloisteáilarandádhlúthdhioscaarcuiddenbhfoilseachánLabharfad le cách!iad.rinneharryBradshawathmháistriúaranannabuntaifeadtaíatáleisanleabharagustáglórPheiglecloisteáilarnadioscaíseo.BaiadseánmacréamonnagusséamusmacaonghusaarinneformhórnadtaifeadtaídoradioÉireannin1947.IsiadnewIslandPressabhíimbunanfhoilseacháinnuaseoinabhfuilceiliúradhdhádhéanamhagrtÉ,comhairleBhéaloideasÉireannaguscnuasachBhéaloideasÉireann,ancoláisteollscoile,BaileÁthacliatharscéalaíamaireannacáiligcónaí.

BaíanfilenualaníDhomhnaillarinneanfoilseachánasheoladhsagcoBac.labhairsífaoinsaibhreasscéalaíochtaagPeig,faoinobairarinneanbailitheoirseosamhÓDálaighagbailiúscéaltaóPheigagusfaoingcnuasachábharóPheigatáanoisigcnuasachBhéaloideasÉireann,ancoláisteollscoile,BaileÁthacliath.

tásuíomhgréasáinnuaagangcnuasachBhéaloideasÉireannwww.ucd.ie/irishfolklore

Why don’t boys go into primary teaching?

Financial Times ranks MBA amongst the world’s best theFinancialtimesrankingofthetop100globalfull-timemBaprogrammes,publishedinJanuary2010,ranksUcDsmurfitschoolofBusinessamongsteurope’stop30,andmaintainingitsglobaltop100positionfortheeleventhconsecutiveyear.theschoolisamonglessthan50schoolsworldwidethathavebeenconsistentlyrankedinthetop100overthelastelevenyears,andistheonlyIrish-rankedbusinessschool.

Inautumn2009,theeconomistrankingplacedtheschool’sfull-timemBaprogrammeat37intheworldandat15ineurope.theFinancialtimes’rankingoftheworld’spart-timeexecutivemBaprogrammesputsUcDsmurfitschoolat65intheworldandat25ineurope.

Professor Sheelagh Drudy

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news

Frommedievalliterature,tomodernIrishDrama,andquestionsofrace,thebreadthofresearchactivityintheUcDschoolofenglishwasshowcasedrecentlyinsuccessionofmajorpublications.

InDecember,sixbookswerelaunchedinthechesterBeattylibrarybyProfessorDeclanKiberd,whonotedthecentralityofthebookasaresearchformatintheartsandhumanities.thebookslaunchedwere:

•Race in Modern Irish Literature and Culture(edinburghUP),DrJohnBrannigan

•Sensation and Modernity in the 1860s(cambridgeUP),ProfessornicholasDaly

•Paradise Discourse, Imperialism, and Globalization: Exploited Eden(routledge),DrsharaeDeckard

•John Keats and the Ideas of the Enlightenment(edinburghUP),DrPorschaFermanis

•Exemplary Spenser: Visual and Poetic Pedagogy in 'The Faerie Queene'(ashgate),DrJanegrogan

•The International Reception of Emily Dickinson (continuum)editedbyDrmariastuartandProfessorDomhnallmitchellfromthenorwegianUniversityofscienceandtechnology

laterinDecember,thecambridgecompaniontocontroversialIrishdramatist,JmsyngeeditedbyDrPJmathewswaslaunchedbyProfessorFrankmcguinnessattheattheabbeytheatre.Inthecompanion,fourteenleadingacademicsofferanalysesofsynge’sworks,andreflectonhisengagementswiththeIrishlanguage,theprocessesofdecolonisation,gender,modernismandeuropeanculture.

alsoattheabbeytheatre,thesecondeditionofContemporary Irish DramabyProfessoranthonyroche(Palgravemacmillan)wasofficiallylaunchedbyPatrickmasoninautumn2009,whosaidofthebook,“tonyroche’sbookisamostlimpid,clear,clean,elegant,deepanalysisandinsightintocontemporaryIrishplaysandplaywrights…Itisanecessarybook,showingintimateknowledgeoftheIrishstageanddramascholarship.Itisanactoflove.”

Making the case for equality in IrelandTwo new books from the Equality Studies Centre, UCD School of Social Justice, explore the realities of inequality and strategies for achieving equality of condition.

recenteventsinIrelandandgloballyhavehighlightedinequalitiesthatmostpeopletakeforgranted.Whathascomeoutmostclearlyaremassiveeconomicinequalitiesbetweentherichandthepoor.What’slessobviousareinequalitiesinthemoreintimatesettingswherepeoplerelyontheloveandcareofothers.

Affective Equality: Love, Care and Injustice,isbyProfessorKathleenlynch,ProfessorJohnBakerandDrmaureenlyonswithDrsaracantillon,JudyWalsh,maggieFeeley,niallhanlonandmaeveo’Brien.Itexploresthoseintimateinequalities.Itscorechaptersdrawonthirtycareconversationswithpeopleincaringrelationships,includingparentslookingafteryoungchildren,adultscaringfortheirparentsandfamilymemberswhocarefordisabledrelatives.otherchapterslookattheemotionalworkofmothers,atmen’sperceptionsofcaring,andathowlackofcareaffectedchildren’seducationinindustrialschools.thebookshowshowcarersandcarerecipientsareaffectedbyalackofsocialrecognitionforcareandbylimitedresourcesandsupports;howtheworkinvolvedinloveandcareisunequallydivided;howcaringrelationshipsinvolvecomplexinequalitiesofpower.richinpersonalnarratives,thebookhasbeendescribedbyProfessormadeleinearnotofcambridgeUniversityas‘atour de force intermsofitsdepth,range,originality,lucidityandscholarship.’

Equality: From Theory to Action,2ndeditionisbyProfessorJohnBaker,ProfessorKathleenlynch,DrsaracantillonandJudyWalsh.Itpresentsasystematicanalysisofequalityissuesinanoriginalgeneralframework.examiningboththerealitiesofinequalityandprinciplesofsocialjustice,itarguesforwide-rangingchangesineconomics,politics,education,lawandresearch.Equalityalsoaddressesthestrategicquestionsfacingegalitariansastheytrytobringaboutamoreequalworld.Firstpublishedin2004,itssecondeditionwaslaunchedinUcDbyniallcrowley,formerceooftheequalityauthority,whosaiditwasparticularlyrelevantatatime‘whenweneedtobuildabroadcivilsocietymovementtodemandamoreequalsociety.’

BothbooksarepublishedbyPalgravemacmillan.

Publishing successes in UCD School of English

Patrick Mason (left) and Professor Anthony Roche pictured at the Abbey Theatre for the launch of Contemporary Irish Drama (Second Edition). In the centre is a portrait of the Irish playwright, Brian Friel by Basil Blackshaw

Pictured at the launch of six books from the UCD School of English were: Dr Maria Stuart; Dr Porscha Fermanis; Dr John Brannigan, Prof Nicholas Daly; Dr Sharae Deckard; and Dr Jane Grogan

CDs to improve mental skillstwocD’sfromProfessoraidanmoran,UcDschoolofPsychology,inassociationwithmindcoolProductions,focusonconcentrationandvisualisationtechniquesthatcanenhancelistening,studyingandevengolfingskills.

thecDLearn to Concentrateteachesthelistenertofocustheirmental“beam”onwhatismostimportantinanysituationwhileignoringdistractions.Italsogivespracticaltipsonlisteningandstudyingmoreeffectively.

thesecondcD,Learn to Win at Golf: Doing Your Best When It Matters Most,endorsedbygolferPádraigharrington,providestipsonconsistentplaybypreparingproperly,focusingandvisualisingeffectively.Italsosuggestswaystodevelopsolidroutines,dealwithdistractions,andcopewithpressure.moreinformationat www.mindcoolproductions.com

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2009 Images of Research theannualUcDImagesofresearchcompetitiondiscoversthemostcompellingandimaginativeresearchimagesthatconveythedepthanddiversityofresearchconductedbyUcDresearchers.thisyear,adigitalexhibitionfeaturingthe325submissionsandtheresearchprojectsthatinspiredthem,isavailableatwww.ucd.ie/research/images

This image by Eleanor Cunningham, PhD student in the UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, was announced as the overall winner. It is entitled ‘Into the Deep Blue’, and depicts a microscopic image of sea lice. Sea lice are a parasite to salmon and feed on their mucus and skin. In high enough numbers, the sea lice can kill the salmon. It causes a major impact on the farming of salmon in Ireland.

In second place, for her image capturing the spirit of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti’s autobiography, ‘La grande Milano tradizionale e futurista’ was Selena Daly, UCD School of Languages and Literatures. The conflict between past and future, is an ever-present issue in Marinetti’s ideology, which strived to revolutionise all aspects of the visual arts, literature, theatre and music. This image contrasts the facade of the Duomo (cathedral) in Milan with a fragment of a temporary art installation displayed as part of an exhibition ‘Futurismo 1909-2009’ which took place between February and June 2009.

Dr Sebastien Peuchmaille, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science was awarded third prize for his image of a bat species which is adapted for hearing high frequencies inaudible to humans.

PhD Profile - Greener Farming

‘How many spots can you spot?’ image by Gráinne Meade taken in a field margin on UCD Lyons Research Farm. Ladybirds and their larvae are important in tillage production as they are natural predators of the ever present aphid (greenfly). Greenfly are carriers of numerous viral diseases which affect cereal crops. Shortlisted Image for UCD Research Images Competition 2009.

Return on investment for researcharecentreportofindependentinternationalreviewers,evidenceltd,commissionedbyForfásandthehea,findsthatIreland–andUcD–punchesabovetheirweightintermsofresearchoutput.

assessingresearchactivityviapublicationsandtheircitationperformance,theevidencereportshowsthatIreland’svolumeofresearchmorethandoubledbetween1998and2007.Bycomparison,outputsforFrance,germanyandtheUKwereroughlylevel.

accordingtotheevidencereport,theresearchbaseisdominatedbyUcD,tcDandUcc:“thepictureisofasmallnumberofhighereducationInstituteswhichsupportdiverseportfoliosandhavegrownrapidly,supportedbyanetworkofmedium-sizedandsmallerinstitutionswithnicheresearch.”

overthepastfiveyearsthenumberofpapersinallresearchfieldshasincreaseddramatically.UcD’sperformanceshowsa36.6%increasefrom2,861papersintheperiod1998-2002to4,510papersintheperiod2003-2007.thenumberofUcDresearchpaperspublishedin2007was1,079–doubletheannualoutputadecadeearlier.overall,UcDnowleadsthepublicationsrankingwith7,371paperspublishedoverthetenyearperiod.

overall,Irelandshowsanincrease(33%)intermsofresearchoutputin2007overtheprevious5years.

PursuingaPhDexaminingenvironmentallyfriendlycropproductionwasanaturalprogressionforgráinnemead.

“thenitratesDirectivewasintroducedintoagriculturallawinIrelandin2006justasIwascompletingmydegreeinUcD.thereweremanypracticalissuesinvolvingagriculturebeingdebatedandresearchneededtobeconducted,especiallyintheareaofmanuremanagementandtheenvironmentalimplicationsofmanureusageonagriculturalland,”saysgráinne,whoisoriginallyafarmincomeath,intheheartofcerealandpotatogrowinglandinIreland.

FundedbytheDepartmentofagriculture,FisheriesandFood’sresearchstimulusFund,gráinne’sresearchexaminestheagronomicandenvironmentalimplicationsofpigmanureapplicationtoIrishgrowncerealcrops.UnderthesupervisionofDrtomásmccabe,UcDschoolofagriculture,FoodscienceandVeterinarymedicine,gráinne’sresearchtacklesanumberoftopicalissuesfacingIrishfarmerstoday.

“themajorpracticalbenefitofmyresearchisthepotentialtoreducetheuseofartificialchemicalfertilisersintillagecropproductionwhilealsocreatinganewoutletforthedisposalofpigmanureontotillageland.”

“Iamalsomeasuringgaseousemissionsfromthelandapplicationofpigmanuretocerealcrops.thisisimportantsincetheintroductionoftheKyoto&gothenburgProtocolsregulatinggaseousemissionsworldwidewithagriculturebeingthehighestcontributortogreenhousegasemissionsinIreland.”

gráinneadvisesthatpostgraduatestudiesinpracticalagriculturearenotforthefainthearted:

“Youneedtobepreparedtofaceallweathers,beabletoworkwithanimalsandworkantisocialhoursbutattheendofthedayIworkinahealthyenvironmental,lovetheagriculturalwayoflife,getgreatsatisfactionfromseeingpositiveresultsandhavemetmanyinterestingpeoplealongtheway!”

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news

GENIE-US investigations of diabetic kidney diseasetheUs-Irelandr&DPartnershiphasawarded€4milliontoaresearchprogrammecalledgenIe(geneticsofnephropathy,aninternationaleffort)whichwillapplyageneticapproachcalledgenome-wideassociationstudiesinthesearchforfactorsthatinfluencethedevelopmentofdiabetickidneydisease.

genIeisledbyProfessorcatherinegodson,UcDconwayInstitute,andcollaboratorsatQueen’sUniversityBelfast(PI:ProfessorPetermaxwell)andtheBroadInstitute,harvardandmIt(PI:DrJoelhirschhorn).

Kidneydiseaseisacommonanddevastatingcomplicationofdiabetes,andrepresentsamajorpublichealthproblemworldwide.Diabetesistheleadingcauseofendstagerenaldiseasewithpatientsrequiringdialysisandtransplantation.atpresent,treatmentoptionsarelimitedanddonotreversethedeclineinrenalfunctionassociatedwithdiabetickidneydisease.

commentingontheproject,Professorcatherinegodsonsaid,“Inherited,geneticfactorsplayaroleindeterminingwhowillgetdiabetickidneydisease,andaslongasthesefactorsremain

unknown,wearelimitedinourabilitytodevelopimprovedtreatmentsandpreventivemeasures.Wehopethatthesestudieswillidentifynovelbiomarkersandtargetsfortherapeuticinterventioninthisdebilitatingdisease”.

theUs-Irelandr&DPartnershipwasestablishedtoincreasethelevelofcollaborativeresearchanddevelopmentamongresearchersacrossIreland,northernIrelandandtheUsintheareasofnanotechnology,sensortechnology,diabetesandcysticfibrosis.

UcDstudentsscoop1in4undergraduateawardsofIrelandUcDstudentswon11ofthe41UndergraduateawardsofIrelandpresentedbythePresidentofIreland,marymcaleese.morethan1,600undergraduatesfromuniversitiesacrossIrelandsubmittedpapers,essaysanddissertationsproducedasanormalpartoftheiracademiccourseworkinthehopeofwinningoneoftheprestigiousawards.

thewinnerswereselectedthroughanacademicreviewprocessby33separatepanelsmadeupofacademicsandindustryprofessionals.eachofthewinnersreceivedagoldmedalandtheirwinningessayswillbepublishedinanannualjournal.“theseawardsencourageourtopundergraduatestobelieveinthevalidityoftheirworkandintheirentitlementtoapublicplaceofrespectwithinscholarlydiscourse,”saidPresidentofIreland,marymcaleesewhopresentedtheawards.

Inadditiontotheundergraduateawards,nUIawardsgiventoUcDstudentsin2009included:travellingstudentshipsinthehumanitiesandsciences(ts);DrhhstewartliteraryandmedicalscholarshipsandPrizes(hhs);Duaischisteteachanardmhéarasaghaeilge;Frenchgovernmentmedal;andnUIPrizeforProficiencyinFrench;andthePiercemalonescholarshipinengineering.

technologybringstaradiscussiontoglobalaudience

Tara – from the past to the futurefeaturedaround40speakerswhousednewtechnologiesandnewanalyticalmethodstointerrogateandexpandtheexistingarchaeologicaldata,offeredvariousinternationalperspectivesontaraandexploredthesite’ssignificancefromthestoneagetothepresent.

hostedbytheUcDschoolofarchaeologyinconjunctionwiththeUcDJohnhumeInstituteforglobalIrishstudies,thesymposiumfeaturedthelaunchbyemeritusProfessorgeorgeeoganofThe Rath of the Synods,tara,co.meath,thesecondintheseriesofmonographsproducedbytheUcDschoolofarchaeologyarisingfromthearchaeologicalexcavationsofthe1950s.thefirstmonographwasThe Mound of the Hostagesvolume,publishedin2005.

Paperspresentedatthismostrecentsymposiumwillappearasthethirdvolumeinthetaraseries,andtheyaddressedthedatafromtheseexcavationsaswellasmorerecentfieldworkconductedundertheauspicesoftheDiscoveryProgramme,thenationalroadsauthorityandotheragencies.

aliveInternetstreamofthesymposiumattheclintonauditoriumattractedalmost1000hitsperdaywhileadesignatedtwitteraccountgeneratedconsiderableattention.QuestionsfromdistantviewerswereaddressedandProfessormikeshanksdeliveredhispresentationfromstanfordUniversityviaaweblink.

thesymposiumwassupportedbythehumanitiesInstituteofIrelandandUcDresearch,theofficeofPublicWorks,nationalmonumentsservice,heritagecouncilandmeathcountycouncil.

Pictured at the announcement of the US-Ireland R&D partnership awards, l-r, standing: Prof Finian Martin (UCD); Prof Peter Maxwell (Queen’s University Belfast); Dr David Savage (Queen’s University Belfast). L-r, seated: Prof Catherine Godson; Dara Calleary, T.D., Minister for Labour Affairs; Dr Denise Sadlier (UCD)

Frank Prendergast, UCD and DIT, addressing the symposium on his geo-spatial analysis of the enclosure discovered at Lismullin, Co Meath during archaeological excavations in preparation for the construction of the M3 motorway. Photo courtesy of Ken Williams

Pictured at the NUI Awards Day were back row (l-r): Bertrant Lucat (HHS Scholarship in English); Anthony Cullen (HHS Scholarship in Biochemistry); Robert Ffrench O’ Carroll (HHS 2nd prize, Pharmacology); David Brennan (HHS Scholarship in Physiology); Patrick Kelty (HHS Scholarship in French); Ronan O’Connell (HHS 3rd prize, General Practice) and Colin Black (HHS 2nd prize, Gynaecology and Obstetrics). Middle Row (l-r): Kimberly Geoghegan (TS Sciences); Maeve O’Hare (HS 2nd prize, Physiology); Aisling Ni Annaidh (Pierce Malone Scholarship in Engineering); Charlotte Berkery (French Government Medal and NUI prize for proficiency in French); Alice Brennan (HHS 2nd prize, Anatomy); Katie Murray (Duais Chiste Teach an Ardmhéara sa Ghaeilge); Adrienne Schofield (HHS Medical Scholarship in Diagnostic Imaging); Michelle Healy (HHS 2nd prize, Diagnostic Imaging); Alison Weldon (HHS Scholarship in German); and Caroline Daly (HHS Scholarship in Physiotherapy). Front Row, (-r): Dr David Redmond Registrar, NUI Maynooth; Dr Attracta Halpin Registrar, NUI; Chancellor of the NUI, Dr Maurice Manning; Dr Michael Murphy, Vice-Chancellor, NUI; Dr Martin Butler, Vice-President for Students UCD; and Mary O’ Riordan, Vice President for Student Services and Human Resources, NUIG

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The Silent TeachersthechurchofourladyseatofWisdomprovidedthesettingforthemultifaithserviceofthanksgivingandremembranceforthosewhodonatedtheirbodiestotheUcDschoolofmedicine&medicalscienceforeducationandresearch.

theeventwasorganisedbygaryPerrywhoisresponsiblefortheday-to-daymanagementoftheBodyDonorProgrammeatUcDandwasintendedtoserveasawayforstudentstoacknowledgetheultimategiftthatdonorshadgiventhemandthesacrificesthatfamiliesmakebyforgoingtheusualceremoniesatthetimeoftheirlovedone’sdeath.

theservicerequiredmanystudentushers,12whoreadreflectionsonthemeaningofthedonor’sgifttothem,membersoftheUcDchoralscholars,aswellasmusicians.speakersattheserviceincludedgaryPerry;theDeanofmedicine,ProfessorWilliamPowderly;Professorofanatomy,JohnBanniganandrev.Johncallanan,sJ.

thegratitudethestudentsandstaffforthepatienceoffamiliesandthegiftsofthedonors,referredtoas‘silentteachers’and‘thegreatestteachers’,wasfullyrecognisedbyeachparticipant.Followingtheservicemorethan300guestsandstudentsenjoyedrefreshmentsinthehealthsciencescentre.

FormoreinformationabouttheBodyDonorProgrammeatUcDcall(01)7166617orwriteinconfidenceto:theBodyDonorProgrammeoffice,UcDschoolofmedicine&medicalscience,healthsciencecentre,roomc231,UniversitycollegeDublin,Belfield,Dublin4.

garyPerryisalsodelightedtohavebeenawardedamaster’sDegreeinBereavementstudiesfromtheroyalcollegeofsurgeonsinIrelandforhisresearchintobereavementsupportinterventionsofferedbyfuneraldirectorsinIreland.garyisthefirstmaninIrelandtobeawardedthisdegreeandlooksforwardtocontinuingtooffersupporttodonorsandthefamiliesattheBodyDonorProgrammeatUcD.

Gary Perry, UCD School of Medicine & Medical Sciences

Core Scanner — one of its kind in Ireland — major boost to physical geography research theUcDschoolofgeography,PlanningandenvironmentalPolicyrecentlylaunchedastate-of-the-artItraX™corescanneracquiredwitha€450,000hearesearchequipmentrenewalgrant.Forthepast12months,theteamledbyDrJonathanturnerhavebeentesting,trainingandpilotingthecorescannerfacility,theonlyoneofitskindinIreland.

thescannersignificantlyenhancesthepotentialfordetailedclimatechangereconstructionfromarangeofdepositionalenvironmentsandprovidesusefulbaselinephysicalandgeochemicalcharacteristicsofsamplespriortospecialist(destructive)investigations.theinstrumentanalysesflatsamplesaswellascoresorsplitcoreswithacombinationofopticalimaging,high-resolutionradiographicdensityimagingandhighlysensitiveXrFanalysis.

thisnewfacilityisbeingusedintheanalysisofcoresamplesfromageoarchaeologicalinvestigationatBrúnaBóinne—aUnescoworldheritagesite—amongstotherprojects.

Scientists resolve controversy over wing bone of flying dinosaurtheaerodynamicsofthemembranewhichstretchedoverthe12-meterwingspanofancientflyingreptilescalledpterosaurswouldhaveinfluencedthewaytheseanimalscouldfly,butscientistshavenotbeenabletoagreeontheorientationofaparticularwing-bonethatcontrolledtheshapeofthismembrane.

newfindingspublishedintheProceedingsoftheroyalsocietyB,suggestthattheonlyconceivablepositioningofthewingboneisasidewaysorientation.

“Pterosaursarebelievedtohavehadawingspanofupto12metresandaweightofbetween80and250kilograms,”sayscolinPalmerfromtheUniversityofBristol,theleadauthoronthepaper.“Weshowthatonlyasidewayspointingpteriodwouldhavebeenabletowithstandthestressesandstrainsinvolvedinthetakeoffandflightofsuchalargeanimal.”

“aforwardpointingpteriodwouldnothaveaffordedenoughofasafetymarginagainstbreakagewhichwouldhavebeencatastrophicfortheanimal,”addsDrgarethDykefromtheUcDschoolofBiologyandenvironmentalscience.

Pictured at the launch Bank of Ireland UCD Affinity Credit Card are: Aíne Gibbons, UCD Vice-President for Development and Alumni Relations; with Des Crowley, Chief Executive, Retail Banking, Bank of Ireland. Bank of Ireland makes a one-off payment for each card and donates a percentage of the annual spend to the UCD Alumni Fund, which seeks to enhance the quality of the student experience, through grants to scholarship, clubs and societies, the Library and projects of urgent student need. More information at www.ucd.ie/alumni.

someofthepromises,paradoxesandproblemsassociatedwiththedevelopmentofadigitalcultureinthehumanitieswereexaminedatarecentUcDhumanitiesInstituteofIreland(hII)DistinguishedlecturebysallyWyatt.

WyattisProfessorofDigitalculturesinDevelopmentatmaastrichtUniversityandDirectoroftheDutchVirtualKnowledgestudioforthehumanitiesandsocialsciences.herlectureexaminedthedevelopmentofadigitalculturewhichisapparentlypoisedtotransformmethodologiesandanalyticalapproachestosourcematerials.

ProfessorWyattarguedthatthepresumptionofatransformativeimpactinregardtodigitalculturesgenerallyrequirescloserscrutinyonthepartofscholars.Digitisingknowledgeishighlycomplexandtakesmanyformatswhicharenotallperceivedcurrentlytofallwithintheambitofdigitalhumanities.Digitisationalsocallsforamorestrategicsenseofhowdataiscollectedandhowdataisrepresented(visualisationsandsimulations).shearguedthattheglobaldigital

dividewhichisessentiallyareflectionoftheeconomicdividebetweenthedevelopedanddevelopingworldsrepresentedalongwiththequestionoftheactualityofopenaccessacriticalchallengeintermsofdeepandequitableparticipation.WyattalsodescribedthemissionoftheVirtualKnowledgestudioinamsterdamwhichaimstocontributetothedesignandconceptualisationofnovelscholarlypracticesinthehumanitiesandsocialsciencesinthefieldofdigitisation.thiseventwasorganisedbythehIIinconjunctionwithitsheaPrtlI3-fundedprogrammeIrishVirtualresearchlibraryandarchive.

Digitising humanities

Pictured at the (HII) Distinguished Lecture were Professor Sally Wyatt, Maastricht University and Dr Marc Caball

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UCDFocus

theinitiativewasdesignedtotapintothewealthofcreativetalentamonggraduatesandstudentswhoneedspaceinwhichtoresearchandpeoplewithwhomtodiscussideas.

aseriesofworkshopswereorganisedwiththesupportofDublincitycouncilandthecityarchitect,aligrehan.thediscussiongroupsaddressedissuessuchasthephysicallegacyofthedownturnintheformofunfinishedsiteswhichhavemorphedintovacantlots.atotalof25workshopsranoverthesummerinvariouslocations,mainlyinfacilitiesoncampus.students,graduates,andpractitioners,someunemployed,wereinvolved.adeveloperprovidedspacefortheparticipantsinsmithfield,centralDublin.

Withthebackingofthecityarchitect,ahousedesigncompetitionwasorganised.seventeenteamsofthreetookpart.eachwasassignedasiteofsimilarscaleinDominickstreetjustnorthoftheIlaccentre.thiswasthelocationforoneofthenowabandonedpublicprivatepartnershipprojects.

aliceclancy,atutorattheUcDschoolofarchitecture,landscape&civilengineeringwhoalsoworksasanarchitecturalphotographer,wasoneofthethreemainorganisersofthe‘Whatnow?”alongwithFionahughesandJamesrossao’hare.thegrouptappedintoanexternalnetworkofcontactsandreceivedsupportfromtheIrisharchitectureFoundation.theaimwastogenerateapublicdiscussion“withaviewto

shakingthingsup.”thegrouphasestablished

ablogsite,nowwhatrichview.blogspot.com

speakingasanarchitect,alicebelievesthat“wehavealottothanktheboomfor.”Itwouldbeamistaketoconclude

thatthelasttentofifteenyearswere

completelywastedfromthepoint

ofviewofthebuilt

environment.sheremainshopefulthattheinitiativemayputdownsomeroots,inthemonthsahead.

thejointwinneroftheDominickstreetdesigncompetition,michaelPike,comesfromaslightlyoldergenerationofarchitects,havinggraduatedbackin1998.michael,andhispartner,graceKeeley,wonthecompetitionjointlytogetherwithathreepersonteamfromDItBoltonstreet,includingJamieconway,cormacnolanandelizabethgaynor.

michael’sfather,JamesPike,isoneofthebestknownarchitectsinthecountry.FounderofomParchitects,heservedasPresidentoftherIaIin2006-7.michaelgainedsomeexperiencewithhisfatherbeforebranchingoutonhisownafterhisgraduation.

hespentsometimeatthewell-knownfirm,graftonarchitects,whereheworkedontheearlystagesoftheaward-winningdesignoftheextensiontoUniversityluigiBocconiinmilan.ItlandedtheWorldBuildingoftheYearawardin2008.later,michaelsetupgKmPtogetherwithpartner,graceKeeley.

michaelandgracebroughtanapproachofliving designtotheDominickstreetcompetition.“DublincitycouncilhasbeenlookingatdevelopingtheDominickstreetsiteinsmallerparcels.thegeorgiansquaresinDublinwereoriginallybuiltinthisway.small-scaledeveloperstookleasesontwoorthreesites,builtthehousesandrentedthemout.”

Withthebigprivatedeveloperpartnershavingpulledout,thebestapproachappearstobetheincrementalone.

thesiteforthecompetitionwassubdividedintoseventeenparcelsbasedonthe1907ordinancesurveymap.“Wewereaskedtomakeaproposalforahousingprojectonsitewhichcouldincludeamixofuses.everyoneoptedforacontemporarysolution,butonewitharelationshiptothegeorgianstreet”(Dominickstreetcontainsamixofgeorgian,andtwentiethcenturylocalauthorityarchitecture)“wehadjustoneworkingdayinwhichtoproducethedesign.thetwoofus(michaelandgrace)sketchedaninitialidea.Wehadtofixonastrategyinthefirsthour.Betweenthenandlunchweworkedtogetthebonesoftheschemeworkedout.”“Imadeamodel,withverythinplywood,whilegracedidasetofdrawings.”

andthecoreproposal?“Wehadthisideaaboutmakingatalllivingroomfacingoutontothestreet,withthescaleofthepreexistinggeorgianfrontrooms.theroomsatthebackweremuchlower(inheight).”

theaimwastoavoidthesquatwindows,lowelevationsthatexistinyourtypicalrecentlybuiltbuilding.“thereweresixdwellingsinourproject.Wetriedtomakeeachdifferent,somefamilyoriented,acoupleonthegroundfloorwhich

artistsorprofessionalscoulduse,atthetop,aunitforasingleperson,orcouple,andaunitforolderpeopleonthegroundfloornexttoaprivatecourtyard.”

thepairhadpreviouslylivedinBarcelonaanddrewontheirexperienceoftheirtimethere.apartmentsaredesignedwiththeneedsoffamiliesinmind(withgenerousbalconiesandextensiveutilityspace,forexample).thecitycouncilhasintroducednewguidelinesaimedatmakingnewapartmentsmorefamilyfriendly,butunfortunately,theirintroductioncoincidedwiththedownturn.

mikewasimpressedbythe“enormousresponse”totheUcDinitiative,withthreetofourhundredattendingtheopeningnightofthe‘nowWhat?’project.healsohasstrongviewsaboutthecurrentsituationfacingIrisharchitects.

“Icertainlythinkthatthewholequestionabouthowarchitectureservicesareprocuredneedstobelookedat.”Inhisview,thepublicdesigntenderingprocessisgearedtolargerfirms,butnottothemanysmalldynamicpracticeswhichhaveemergedinrecenttimes.gKmPhassoughttogetroundthisrestrictionbyenteringcompetitions.

hisadviceonthebesttacticsforsurvivingthecurrentdownturn:“concentrateontryingtodoone’sprojecttothebeststandard—mostworkcomesbywordofmouth.”theabilitytokeepanumberofactivitiesonthegomayalsobecrucial.“IteachparttimeatUcD.thisisreallyimportantfromthepointofviewofkeepingupwithcontemporaryideas.teachinghelpsonetofocusonthemoreaspirationalsideasopposedtothedaytodayworkinone’sownpractice—aswellasbeing,initself,anenjoyablethingtodo.”

Kyran Fitzgerald, BA 1976, is a freelance journalist.

Models from the Dublin House competition. Photo Alice Clancy

What now for Irish architecture? theresilienceofthearchitectureprofessioniscertainlybeingtestedasneverbefore,rightnow.someofitsyoungermembersare,however,refusingtotakethingslyingdown.Duringthesummer,studentsandteachersattheUcDschoolofarchitecturejoinedforcestodevelopaninitiativewiththefittingtitle:“nowWhat?”

Competition winner, Michael Pike

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astudentprojecttoinvestigatealowfrequencytherapyfortemporarytinnitus,whichtookrunner-upprizeatlastyear’sBtYoungscientistandtechnologyexhibitionandwonthehealthresearchBoard’sspecialprizeformedicalinnovation,hasevolvedintoaweb-basedclientcompanyatnovaUcD.

restoredhearingoffersatherapywhichlastsforapproximatelyoneminute,andonlyrequiresabroadbandconnection,andapairofouterearheadphones.Ithasa99%successrateprovenbyscientifictrials.

theinitialprojectwascarriedoutbyeimearo’carroll,rhonatogher,andniamhchapmanwhilestudyingfortheirleavingcertificateatUrsulinecollegeinsligo.rhonaisnowafirstyearUcDsciencestudentstudyingphysicsandmaths.

restoredhearinghasreceivedinternationalinterestandsalesinIreland/UK,europe,

northamericaandaustralia.Followingarecent‘live-test’ofthetherapyonnationalDutchtV,thecompanyhavereceivedasignificantboostinsalesinthenetherlands.

HeyStaks Technologies wins European entrepreneurship competitionheystakstechnologies,haswontheinauguraleurope-wideUnIcaentrepreneurshipcompetitionforstudentsandyoungresearchers.thecompanywaspresentedwiththe€20,000prizeinrecognitionofitsrevolutionarysocialwebsearchplatformthatimprovesinternetsearches,andhelpsinternetuserstobetterorganiseandsharetheresourcestheyfindwhilesearchingandbrowsingtheInternet.

UnIcaisanetworkof42universitiesfromthecapitalcitiesofeuropewithacombinedstrengthofover120,000staffand1.5millionstudents.

Yuandongzhu,aPhDstudentinUcDschoolofcomputerscienceandInformaticshasbeenawardedthestudentmedalatthe2009Irishsoftwareassociation(Isa)awards.

theawards,sponsoredbyenterpriseIreland,WilliamFryandsoftwareskillnet,recognisedtheoutstandingcontributionofcompaniesandindividualsinthesoftwareindustrytothedevelopmentofIreland’ssmarteconomy.

Yuandongwaspresentedwiththeawardinrecognitionfordevelopingthemostcommerciallyviablepieceofresearchin2009byastudent.

heisdevelopingeasy-to-use,highlyautomatedtoolstorevolutionisecomputerforensicinvestigations.Yuandong’sresearchisfundedbyscienceFoundationIreland’s2007researchFrontiersProgramme.

Yuandongisalsotheco-promoteroftracehunter,anewventurewhichparticipatedonnovaUcD’s2009campuscompanyDevelopmentProgramme,establishedtocommercialisetheoutputofthisresearch.theotherco-promotersareDrPavelgladyshev,Yuandong’sPhDsupervisor,andJoshuaJames.

From student project to tinnitus therapy

Pictured at NovaUCD are Rhona Togher, Eimear O’Carroll and Anthony Carolan, co-founders Restored Hearing.

UCD student wins at the 2009 Irish Software Association Awards

Construction starts at new Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training

ministermaryhanafintD,ministerforsocialandFamilyaffairsperformedthegroundbreakingceremonyforthecommencementofconstructionofthenewnationalInstituteforBioprocessingresearchandtraining(nIBrt)atBelfieldInnovationParkinDublininnovember.theinvestment,intheregionof€50million,isfundedbyIDaIreland.

theministersaid“theinvestmentinnIBrtillustratesthecommitmentoftheIrishgovernmentandIDaIrelandtodevelopingIrelandasoneoftheworld’sleadinglocationsforbiopharmaceuticalresearchandproduction.BiotechnologyisoneofIreland’smostsuccessfulbusinesssectorswithover€4.5billioninvestedbycompaniesto-date.thesectoristhemajorgrowthsegmentofthepharmaceuticalindustryandnowaccountsforover30%ofallnewdrugsindevelopment.”

asthesectorworld-widesuffersfromashortageofskilledpeople,andtheindustryfaceschallengesaroundprocessimprovementandscale-up,nIBrtasauniqueonestopshopdifferentiatesIrelandbybridgingtheskillsgapandassistingindustrytoovercomethesechallenges.nIBrtwasestablishedin2006anditsresearchinitiativesandeducationandtrainingprogrammesareplayinganimportantroleinthedevelopmentofIreland’ssmarteconomy.”

Drmauricetreacy,ceoofnIBrt,thecollaborationbetweenUcD,trinitycollege,DublincityUniversityandInstituteoftechnologysligo,commented“Wearedelightedtocommenceconstructionofthisstrategicinfrastructure.thisisnotjustabuilding:thisisrealisationofavisionandtangiblemechanismtoallowthegrowthandexpansionofthebio-pharmaceuticalsectorinIreland.”

UCD company launches test for ‘speed gene’ in thoroughbred horsesabreakthroughgenetictestthatcanidentifytheoptimumracingdistanceforindividualthoroughbredhorseshasbeenlaunchedbyequinome,anewnovaUcDbiotechcompany.theidentificationof‘thespeedgene’isthefirstknowncharacterisationofagenecontributingtoaspecificathletictraitinthoroughbredhorses,andhasthepotentialtotransformdecision-makingprocessesintheglobalbloodstockindustry.

thethoroughbredhorseracingandbreedingindustryisaninternational,multi-billioneurobusiness,withmorethan100,000foalsborneachyear.Usingtheequinomespeedgenetest,racehorseownersandtrainersaroundtheworldwillbeabletoidentifyifahorseisideallysuitedtoracingovershort,middleormiddle-to-longdistances.

thedevelopmentoftheequinomespeedgenetestisaresultofresearchledbyDremmelinehill,anexperthorsegenomicsresearcherattheUcDschoolofagriculture,FoodscienceandVeterinarymedicine.Followingthesuccessoftheresearchprogramme,Drhill,alongwithtrainerandbreedermrJimBolger,co-foundedequinomein2009tocommercialisethetest.

thedatasupportingtheequinomespeedgeneispublishedinascientificpaperentitledA sequence polymorphism in MSTN predicts sprinting ability and racing stamina in Thoroughbred horsesintheopenaccesson-linePubliclibraryofscienceJournal,Plosone.Equinome was the winner of the NovaUCD 2009 Campus Company Development Programme. Co-founder Dr Emmeline Hill is shown here at the Award ceremony

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reconstructingIrishscience

VictorianandedwardianIrelandwasagoldenagefortheteachingofscienceyetthehistoryandworkoftheroyalcollegeofscienceforIreland(1867-1926)hasnotreceivedtheattentionitdeserves.Withtheaimofredressingthissituation,theIrishVirtualresearchlibraryandarchive(IVrla)has,inco-operationwiththehumanitiesInstituteofIreland(hII)fundedaresearchprojectentitled‘reconstructingIrishscience’whichisretrievingpartofthelibraryofthercsI,longheldinstorageinUcD.

thercsIwasfoundedat51st.stephen’sgreen‘to supply as far as practicable a Complete Course of instruction in Science applicable to the Industrial Arts, especially those which may be classed broadly under the heads of Mining, Agriculture, Engineering, and Manufactures, and to aid in the instruction of Teachers for the local Schools of Science’.thercsIeducatedgenerationsofyoungIrishandBritishmenandwomeninthesciencesandthecollegewasrevitalisedwhenitmovedtosplendidnewbuildingsonmerrionstreetin1911(nowgovernmentBuildings).Inoctober1922,inthemidstofcivilwar,thercsIwasofficiallyclosedfollowingabombscareandpartofitwastakenoverbytheFreestategovernmentforuseasoffices.InJune1926thercsIwasamalgamatedwithUcDaddingstaff,students,andahugelibrarytotheFacultiesofscienceandengineering.

theprojectisdirectedbyDrmarccaball(hIIDirector)andtheprojectresearcherisDrshanemccorristine.akeyobjectiveofthisprojectistoexamineandresearchtheextantrcsIcollectionheldinUcDlibraryspecialcollections.highlightsofthisimportantcollectionwillbemadeavailableinelectronicformattoresearchersandstudentsviathewww.ucd.ie/ivrla

UcDlawteammeetfact-findinggeorgiandelegatesaprogrammeofreformofthejudicialsystemhasbeenunderwayingeorgiasince2005.thenewcriminalProcedurecode,whichintroducestrialbyjuryforalimitednumberofseriouscrimes,iscurrentlybeingdiscussedbythecountry’sparliamentandisexpectedtobeimplementedfromJuly2010.

toinvestigatehowthejurysystemoperatesinothercountries,adelegationfromthegeorgianhighcouncilofJusticevisitedtheUcDInstituteofcriminologyinnovember2009tomeetwithDrDeirdrehealy,ProfessorJohnJacksonandProfessorIano’Donnell.themeetingfocussedontheselectionofjurors,mechanismsforrefusaltoserveonajury,typesofcasesthataredealtwithbyjury,votingprotocols,theuseofthejuryincivilcases,howtrialsarecoveredbythemediaandwhetherthesystemenjoyspublictrust.

Humanitarian Action graduates in Red Cross conferencegraduatesandacademicsoftheUcDhumanitarianactionmaster’sprogrammeplayedkeyrolesintherecentIrishredcrossconferencetomarkthe60thanniversaryofthegenevaconventions.

theconventions,whichtodayareuniversallyapplicable,wereadoptedin1949tolimitthebarbarityofwarandarecommonlyreferredtoas“thelawofwar”.

twomembersoftheInternationalDepartmentoftheIrishredcrossaregraduatesofthehumanitarianactionprogramme:JackieQueally,InternationaladministratorandcolmByrne,PolicyandDonorliaisonofficer.theprogrammeisdeliveredaspartofnetworkonhumanitarianassistance(noha),ofwhichUcDisakeymember.speakingattheconferenceweregeoffloane,InternationalcommitteeoftheredcrossandnohaUcDlecturer,andaislingswaine,agraduateoftheprogrammeinitsfirstyear,in1999.

accordingtocourseDirector,DrPatgibbons,UcDschoolofagriculture,FoodscienceandVeterinarymedicine,thehumanitarianactionprogrammenowhas234graduates,85%ofwhomhaveorarecurrentlyworkingindisasterareaswiththeUn,redcrossandotherngos.currentrolesincludedisasterreliefinhaiti,wheregraduatesbringcoordinationandcommunicationsexpertiseaswellasessentialadviceandexpertiseinrebuildingcommunities.

Students of the Royal College of Science for Ireland

In 2009, UCD launched a Cycle to Work Scheme which allowed staff to purchase a bicycle and associated equipment tax-free up to the value of €1,000. Response to the scheme was very strong, and pictured here are some of those who availed of it, (l-r): Patrick Walsh (History and Archives), John McCafferty (History and Archives), Elaine Cregg (College of Arts and Celtic Studies), Elaine Byrne, (Registry), Henna Laamanen, (Registry), Elva Johnston (History and Archives), Marian O’Connor (Graduate Studies), Stephen Bowie (Registry) and Marie O’Flanagan (Registry)

Pictured at the conference to mark the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions were, l-r: Aisling Swaine, PhD student and NOHA UCD Graduate; David Andrews, Chairman of Irish Red Cross; Micheál Martin T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs; John Roycroft, Secretary General of Irish Red Cross; and Geoff Loane, International Committee of the Red Cross and NOHA UCD Lecturer

Shown here at the presentation of the UCD School of Medicine & Medical Science undergraduate Summer Student Research Award Scheme (SSRA) are, back row l-r: Dr. Marion Rowland; Mr. Terence Cosgrove, Irish Medical Times; Dr. Yvonne O’Meara; Prof Bill Powderly; Prof Michael Keane. Front row (l-r); Dr Amanda McCann; Mr Brian McEllistrem, winner of SSRA poster competition; Mr Niall Nelligan gold medal winner of the Award Scheme; Mr Brendan Kelly, who was placed third in the SSRA Scheme

reconstructingIrishscience

VictorianandedwardianIrelandwasagoldenagefortheteachingofscienceyetthehistoryandworkoftheroyalcollegeofscienceforIreland(1867-1926)hasnotreceivedtheattentionitdeserves.Withtheaimofredressingthissituation,theIrishVirtualresearchlibraryandarchive(IVrla)has,inco-operationwiththehumanitiesInstituteofIreland(hII)fundedaresearchprojectentitled‘reconstructingIrishscience’whichisretrievingpartofthelibraryofthercsI,longheldinstorageinUcD.

thercsIwasfoundedat51st.stephen’sgreen‘to supply as far as practicable a Complete Course of instruction in Science applicable to the Industrial Arts, especially those which may be classed broadly under the heads of Mining, Agriculture, Engineering, and Manufactures, and to aid in the instruction of Teachers for the local Schools of Science’.thercsIeducatedgenerationsofyoungIrishandBritishmenandwomeninthesciencesandthecollegewasrevitalisedwhenitmovedtosplendidnewbuildingsonmerrionstreetin1911(nowgovernmentBuildings).Inoctober1922,inthemidstofcivilwar,thercsIwasofficiallyclosedfollowingabombscareandpartofitwastakenoverbytheFreestategovernmentforuseasoffices.InJune1926thercsIwasamalgamatedwithUcDaddingstaff,students,andahugelibrarytotheFacultiesofscienceandengineering.

theprojectisdirectedbyDrmarccaball(hIIDirector)andtheprojectresearcherisDrshanemccorristine.akeyobjectiveofthisprojectistoexamineandresearchtheextantrcsIcollectionheldinUcDlibraryspecialcollections.highlightsofthisimportantcollectionwillbemadeavailableinelectronicformattoresearchersandstudentsviathewww.ucd.ie/ivrla

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Pictured at the UCD Open Days in December 2009 were: UCD Agricultural Science graduate Mairead McGuinness MEP; and student Padraig Kelly. Ms McGuinness spoke as part of the talks programme at the Open Days, which gave prospective students a first-hand taste of life at UCD, along with graduate and current student perspectives

Science Week — beyond the labastronomy,weatherforecasting,crimesceneanalysis,websearchesandevenanightonthetileswereonthemenuforsecondaryschoolstudentswhovisitedUcDaspartofnationalscienceWeekinnovember.

theevents,partofUcD’soutreachprogramme,wereattendedbyover550secondaryschoolstudentsfrom50schoolsinDublin,Wicklow,Wexford,monaghanandsligo.

careerswereinthespotlight,andthestudentsheardfromphysicsgraduateandteacherDrstephengammellwhohasanalyseddatafromtelescopesinarizona,andfrommicrobiologistDrclárDonnellyoftheForensicsciencelaboratoryinDublin.evelyncusackfromMet Éireanngaveherinsightsintometeorologyandbroadcasting,whilecomputerscientistandentrepreneurDrmauricecoylespokeaboutturningresearchintoabusinessintheformofsearch-engineplug-inheystaks.andkeepingwithsearchenginetheme,mathematicianFergalDalyspokeabouthisworkwithgoogle.

thenfromworktoplay:DrgraemeJonesfromKeeleUniversityputonachemistryshowinaroyalsocietyofchemistry-sponsoredevent.“I’mgoingtoprovethatsciencecanhelpyouhaveabettersaturdaynightoutintown,”explainedDrJonesinhisopeningsequenceashechallenged

thestudentstocomeupwithpopsongscontainingthewordschemistry,biologyorphysics.

thenhelookedatthenatureofchemicalattractionandevengottheaudiencedancingtotherhythmofavibratingmethanemoleculeexcitedbytheabsorptionofaquantumofinfraredradiation.

Pictured at the Futurism conference held by the UCD School of Languages and Literatures with the sponsorship of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Dublino and Humanities Institute of Ireland Seed Funding were, from left: Dr Bruno Busetti Director Italian Cultural Institute; Prof Deirdre O’Grady conference organiser; Prof Pietro Frassica, Princeton University; Prof Mary Daly, Principal of the UCD College of Arts and Celtic Studies; Prof Arnaldo Di Benedetto, University of Turin. The conference, held in summer 2009 marked the Centenary of the First Futurist Manifesto

The Unthinkable Edge: International Research Seminars in PsychologyWhatmakescreativethought?accordingtothepsychoanalystottorankitiswhenweallowourideasthefreedomtocrosstheedgeofthepreviouslyunthinkable.rank’snotionofcreativitylendsitsnametotheUcDschoolofPsychology’sInternationalresearchseminarseries,“theUnthinkableedge”.

theideabehindtheseminarsistoinviteleadingresearchersfromaroundtheworldtotalkabouttheworktheyarethinkingabout,whichexcitesthemandrepresentsthecrossingoftheirunthinkableedge,accordingtoheadofschoolDreilishennessy.

theserieskickedoffwith,Jamesmaguire,ProfessorofclincialandForensicPsychologyattheUniversityofliverpool,whospokeabouthiscurrentideasonthepredictionofviolentbehaviour.

Professormaguiredrewtogetherresearchworkfromevolutionarybiology,genetics,socialpsychology,andclinicalneuropsychologytoarguethatthe‘unthinkableedge’offorensicpsychologywilltakeustoanaccuratepredictionofviolentbehaviourinindividualsandinoursociety,andleadtobetterinterventionforthereductionofviolence.

thenextinternationalguestspeakerwasProfessorJimcummins,agraduateoftheUcDschoolofPsychologyandaleadinginternationalexpertinthefieldoflanguageandeducation.nowbasedattheUniversityoftoronto,inJanuaryProfessorcumminscamebacktoUcDandaskedWhen Can You Ask Why? Exploring Language Policy Choices in Ireland, Past, Present and Future.

commentingontheseries,Dreilishennessysaid:“asaschoolweliketheideathattheseforwardlookingandinnovativeseminarsfromleadingpsychologistsarepresentedtostaff,graduatesandundergraduates,asthefutureofinnovativeresearchrequirescontributionsfromall.”

Sean Behan and Jack McIraith, 6th year Chemistry students from the Marian College with Dr Graeme Jones at his RSC sponsored Saturday Night Science show, which was held as part of UCD Science’s celebration of Science week

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UcDcomputerscientistsscoopBritishcomputersocietyawardagroupofUcDcomputerscientistshavereceivedadistinguishedawardfromtheBritishcomputersocietyfordevelopingatechniquetoimprovethehelpfulnessofuser-generatedonlinereviews.

“ourtechniqueautomaticallyanalysesonlineuser-generatedreviewsbasedonfourkeyfactors—reputation,social,sentimentandcontent—anddetermineshowhelpfulthereviewsarelikelytobetocustomersbeforepresentingthemosthelpfulfirst–includingbothpositiveandnegativereviews,”saysUcDProfessorBarrysmyth,DirectorofclarItY,oneoftheresearchersinvolvedinthework.

“someonlineuser-generatedreviewscanbebiasedorpoorlywritten,whileotherscanbebalancedandinsightful,”saysProfessorsmyth.“thatiswhyweworkedtodevelopanautomatedtechniqueofaccuratelyidentifyinghelpfulproductorservicereviewsfortheuser.”

Duringthecourseoftheirresearchthescientistsnoticedthatuserstendtobedrawnmoretowardspositivereviewsandoftenignorenegativereviews.accordingtoDrmichaelo’mahony,anotheroftheUcDresearchersinvolvedinthework,usersoftenignorenegativereviewseventhoughtheycanbeveryrevealingandinformative.“oneofthebenefitsofoursystemisthatitcanbeusedtopromotehelpfulnegativereviewsthatmightotherwisebehiddenwithinamassofreviewcontent.”

President of the UCD Women Graduates’ Association, Dr Yvonne McGarry-Groarke, presents a cheque for €2,000 to Students’ Union in aid of its Discover UCD outreach programme. Pictured (l-r) are SU Education Officer Donnacha Ó Súilleabháin; Welfare Officer Scott Ahearn; and President Gary Redmond. Now in its seventh year, the Discover UCD outreach programme sees groups of primary school children visiting UCD each March to get a glimpse of university life.

achemistryproblemwhichhasstumpedresearchersworldwideformorethan10yearshasbeensolvedbyscientistsatUcD.theresultshaveearnedthegroupthecoverstoryoftheleadingscientificjournal,angewandtechemie.theprobleminvolvedachemicalreactioncalled‘homoallenylation’whichprovides‘buildingblocks’fortheadvancementofnewchemicalcompoundsusedindrugdiscoveryanddevelopment.

“after6yearsofscientificresearchintotheapplicationsofaseriesofcompoundscalled‘chiralbis(oxazoline)ligands’whichwereportedbackin2002,wehituponreactionconditionswhichallowedthemtopromotehomoallenylationingoodyieldandwith100%selectivityforoneoftwopossibleproducts,”saysProfessorPatguiry,a

syntheticorganicchemistandDirectorofthecentreforsynthesisandchemicalBiology(cscB)atUcD,wholedtheresearchteam.

chemicalreactions,whicharesufficientlyselective,usefulandbroadinscope,areappliedinthelarge-scalemanufactureofpharmaceuticaldrugs,manyofwhicharemadeinIreland.Pharmaceuticalexportscurrentlyaccountforover50%ofIreland’sgnP.

theworkisfundedbyscienceFoundationIrelandandIrcset.thesyntheticandanalyticalfacilitiesatthecentreforsynthesisandchemicalBiology(cscB)atUcD,whichenabledtheteamtoperformthescientificwork,werefundedbythehighereducationauthorityunderPrtlIcycle3.

economicsatUcDinexcellencegroupineuropeanrankings

UcDeconomicshasbeenawarded’excellencegroup’statusinthe2009che(centreforhighereducationDevelopment)excellencerankings.theresultisduetoachievementsincitationsandtheerasmus-mundusmaster’sprogrammes.theche-excellencerankingcomparesthebesteuropeanuniversityresearchfacilitiesforprospectivemastersanddoctoralprogrammestudents.

theawardsarebasedonfiveindicatorswitheitheraresearchorientation(numberofpublications—includinghighlycitedbooksandcitationsinrelationtotheinternationalstandard)oraninternationaldimension(erasmus-mundusmaster’sprogrammes,studentmobilityandstaffmobility).

“theinclusionoftheUcDschoolofeconomicsinthe2009cheexcellencerankingsisatributetothedepthandbreadthofeconomicsscholarshipatUcD.Italsoreflectsourcommitmenttoprovidinghighqualitygraduateandundergraduateeducation,”saidProfessorDavidmadden,headoftheUcDschoolofeconomics.

In2007,thecherankingcoveredBiology,chemistry,Physicsandmathematics.In2009,itwasextendedtoincludePoliticalscience,economicsandPsychology.

threeIrishuniversitiesachievedexcellencegroupstatusinthe2009cheexcellencerankings–twoineconomicsandoneinpoliticalscience.

thecherankingsarepublishedinthegermanWeeklynewspaper,Diezeitandareavailableatwww.zeit.de/excellenceranking

Shown here are the winners of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Journalist Awards, who were selected from 115 entries across eight categories: Ciaran Hancock (Irish Times); Joe Brennan (Irish Independent); Gary McDonald (Irish News); Charlie Weston (Irish Independent); Professor Tom Begley Dean UCD Business Schools; Tom Lyons (Sunday Times); Frank Fitzgibbon (Sunday Times); Christopher McKevitt (RTE); Laura Noonan (Irish Independent); Mark Paul (Sunday Times); and Brian Carey (Sunday Times); with Laurence Crowley Chair of Judging Panel

New chemical reaction to support drug development

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anew,UcD-ledresearchclusterhasbeenfoundedtoprovideexpertisetothefinancialservicessector.

Withastrongfocusonrisk,informationandliquidity,theFmc²scienceFoundationIrelandstrategicresearchclusterwillbringtogetherexpertsinfinancialmathematics,financialeconomicsandcomputerscience.

announcedbythetánaisteandministerforenterprise,tradeandemployment,marycoughlantD,thefive-yearprogrammewillbeledbyProfessoranthonyBrabazonoftheUcDmichaelsmurfitgraduateBusinessschoolandinvolvesagovernmentinvestmentofover€4millionwithanadditionalcontributionofover€600,000fromindustrypartnersPioneerInvestments,ryancapitalltdandtheInstituteofBankersinIreland.

“FirmsintheIFscarefacingeverincreasingpressuresfromcompetitorsinotherjurisdictionssoweneedto‘upourgame’ifwewanttocontinuetogrowemploymentinthissector,”saidProfBrabazon.

“akeyenablingfactoristhedeepeningofthepoolofhigh-calibre,financially-trainedgraduateswithquantitativeskillsforemploymentinfinancialservicesfirms.

aprimeobjectiveof[this]researchclusteristosupportindustryproductandprocessinnovationinordertogrowemploymentinthefinancialservicessectorinIreland.”

theprojectteamalsoincludesmembersofUcD’scomplexandadaptivesystemslaboratory,Drmichaelo’neillfromUcDschoolofcomputerscience&Informatics,DrDavidedelmanandProfessorJohncotterfromUcDmichaelsmurfitgraduateBusinessschoolandcollaboratorsinDublincityUniversity,nUImaynooth,theUniversityofUlster,Universityofcalifornia,losangeles(Ucla),columbiaUniversity,FederalreserveBankofnewYorkandtechnicalUniversityofKaiserslautern,germany.

specialsupportschemesencouragemorestudentsfromdisadvantagedareastocompletetheiruniversitydegreesandearnhighergrades.

that’saccordingtoareportlookingattheimpactoftheUcDneweraInitiative,theschemethatengageswithprimaryandsecondaryschoolsandoffersfinancial,socialandacademicservicestoparticipatingstudentsatUcD.

theprogrammehasseenover500studentsgraduatesinceitwassetupin1997andiscurrentlysupportinganother400students.

Participantsintheinitiative,whichlinksinwith36secondaryschools,arebetween10%and15%morelikelytograduatethansimilarlydisadvantagedstudentswhowereunabletotakepartinthescheme,saysDrKevinDennyfromtheUcDschoolofeconomicsandtheUcDgearyInstitute,oneoftheauthorsofthereport.

oneapproachtheinitiativetakesistoplacevolunteerstudentsfromUcDinasecond-levelschoolonenightperweekover8weekstoofferacademichelpandactaspersonalmentors.over800UcDstudentshavevolunteeredthroughthisscheme,nowcelebratingits10thyear.“thefindingsofthisreportclearlyshowthatifwecanencouragedisadvantagedstudentstoattendthirdlevel,andprovidethemwiththerightsupports,theywillsucceed,”saysDrDenny.“Ifwecurtailtheseinitiativesduetothecurrentfinancialclimate,wewillloseoutonthefutureeconomicbenefits.”

the65-pagereport‘evaluatingtheImpactoftheneweraWideningParticipationInitiative’wasfundedunderthehighereducationauthority’sstrategicInnovationFund.

Disadvantagedstudentsbenefitfromsupportinitiatives

Research mission of the university anewbook,co-editedbyProfessorPatrickclancyfromtheUcDschoolofsociologyconsidersthechangingresearchmissionoftheuniversityandtheimplicationsofthesechangesfortheuniversityitself.

thebook,whichistheinauguralvolumeinaseriesonIssues in Higher EducationpublishedbysensePublishers(rotterdam/Boston/taipei),presentsselectedpapersfromthe2007UcD-hostedconsortiumofhighereducationresearchers(cher)conference.Professorclancyisafoundingmember,andcurrentlyamemberoftheBoardofgovernors,ofcher,whichistheleadingeuropeanbasednetworkofacademicsworkingonresearchonhighereducation.

Withastrongcomparativefocus,thepapersinThe Research Mission of the University: Policy Reforms and Institutional Responseshowthattheleadingnationsincreasinglyviewtheresearchmissionoftheuniversityasaprincipalcomponentofnationalinnovationpolicies.thepapersexaminethecurrentpreoccupationofhighereducationpolicywithconcentratingknowledgeproductiontoenhancenationalinnovationandcompetitivenessandwithassessingresearch.theauthorsexplorehowthisnewpolicyemphasishasinfluenced:researchfundingmechanisms;researchevaluation;initiativesdesignedtoencourageuniversityknowledgetransfer;andreformsofdoctoraleducation.thepapersanalysetheimpactofthesereformsandtheresponseofuniversitiestothechangingpolicyenvironment.

thebookisco-editedwithProfessorDavidDillfromtheUniversityofnorthcarolina(chapelhill).thecoverdesignfeaturesedwardFarrell’s(UcDschoolofBiologyandenvironmentalscience)Ray-zor Sharp Vision,winneroftheUcDImagesofresearchcompetition2008.

Irish financial sector set to benefit from UCD-led research cluster

aspartoftheUcDagriculturalscienceprogramme,studentsmustundertakeprofessionalworkexperience.theagriculturalscienceassociationrecentlyawardedaIB-sponsoredbursariestofourstudentstosupporttravelandothercostsassociatedwithcompletingworkexperienceoverseas.

leonDuffy,FionagavinandgeorgeBlackburnwenttoworkondairyfarmsinnewzealand.DuffyspenttimeinthecanterburyPlainsofsouthIsland,wherethebusinessoperatesonavastlydifferentscale—heworkedonadairyfarmwith1075headofcattle–theaverageherdinIrelandisaround50-strong.meanwhilesinéadgilltravelledtoKentucky,wheresheworkedwithIrish-born‘nomadic’horsetrainermichaelleahy.

International perspectives for Agricultural Science students

Picturedhereare(l-r)anneFinnegean(aIB);studentsleonDuffy,Fionagavin,sinéadgill,andgeorgeBlackburn;andDrFranko’mara(asaPresident).

Forthreeweeksduringherstayshewasinfullcontroloftheoperationwhilethetrainervisitedchicagowithtwoofthehorses.

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manycompaniesinIrelandlacksophisticatedpracticestoresolveconflictintheworkplace.that’sthefindingofacollaborativestudybetweenUcDandQueen’sUniversityBelfast.

asurveyofover500companiesinIreland,eachemployingover20people,foundthat70percentoffirmswereestablishingconflictresolutionpractices.

Keydriversincludedbeingabletoresolveconflictsin-house(93.7%),improvetheindustrialrelationsclimate(84.5%)andrespondtolegislationonindividualemploymentrights(76.9%).

Whilethemajorityoffirmshadformalpoliciesinplacetodealwithindividualgrievances,fewerthanhalfhadpoliciescoveringgroupsofemployees,andfewerthanonein10companieshadalternativedisputeresolution(aDr)practicessuchasemployeehotlines,employeeadvocates,managementreviewpanels,companyombudspersons

andpeerreviewpanels.meanwhile30%offirmsreportedthecostofmanagingconflictsastoohigh.

“noorganisationisimmunetoworkplaceconflict,itcanoccurinbigfirmsorsmallfirms,multinationalorganisationsordomesticallyownedfirmsandunionisedornon-unionorganisations,”saysUcD’sBillroche,ProfessorofIndustrialrelationsandhumanresourcesintheUcDschoolofBusiness,oneoftheresearcherswhoconductedthestudyonbehalfofthelabourrelationscommission.

henotesthatwhilefirmswanttoaddressconflictresolutionquickly,manydonothavethetoolstodoso:“significantnumbersofworkplacesstilllackbasictraditionalmechanismsforconflictresolution,muchlessthekindsofmodernaDrpracticescommonlynowseenasconstitutingbestpractice.”

Kate Cullen inaugural recipient of the Denis O’Connor KPMG Doctoral Scholarship in Accounting at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

studiesbytheUcDconfuciusInstituteandtheIrishInstituteforchinesestudiesatUcDrevealedthatthereishighdemandamongIrishcompanies(over78%)foruniversitylevelgraduateswhocombineBusinesswithchinesestudies.

Butwhile90%ofbusinessesreportedthatinformationaboutchinesebusinesspracticewasessentialfordoingbusinessinchina,threeoutofeveryfivereportedthattheyhadnotparticipatedintraininginculture,languageordoingbusinessinchina.

WhileintheUKalmost13%ofallsecondaryschoolsprovidemandarinteaching,andinaustraliaitisontheschoolcurriculumfromprimarylevel,thereportsnotedthatchineseisnotontheIrishcurriculumandthatonlysix

schoolsinIrelandhaverunteachingprogrammesofanykindinmandarinchinese.

accordingtoDrlimingWang,DirectoroftheIrishInstituteforchinesestudiesatUcD,andtheUcDconfuciusInstituteforIreland,thereportsmakeitclearthatIrelandmustactfastwithlong-termstrategies.

theministerforForeignaffairs,micheálmartintD,wholaunchedthereportssaid:“thedramaticeconomicgrowthofchinaandthedevelopmentofitsrelationswiththeinternationalcommunitypresentgreatopportunitiesformutualgrowth.”

“Ireland’sbilateraltradewithchinaisincreasingyear-on-year.theseexcellentreportswillassistgreatlyinstrategicplanningtoavailofthoseopportunities,”hesaid.

mandarinchineseinschoolswouldhelpsupportbusinessrelationshipswithchina

moreresourcesneededforconflictresolutionintheworkplace

KPMG doctoral scholarship at UCDKatecullenhasbeenawardedtheinauguralDeniso’connorKPmgDoctoralscholarshipinaccountingatUcDmichaelsmurfitgraduateBusinessschool.endowedbyKPmg,thisscholarshipcelebratestheachievementandleadershipofthelateDeniso’connor,formermanagingPartnerofKPmginIrelandwhopassedawayin2006.thescholarshipwillcontributesubstantivelytobuildingthenextgenerationofaccountingeducatorsandprofessionalsinIreland.Kate(Bcomm’03,mBs’04)willconductresearchontheareaof‘The Implications of Impression Management in Narrative Disclosures for Users of Annual Reports’.

UCD School of Archaeology has been participating in the Middle Mekong Archaeology Project for the past three years, supported by the Luce Foundation, UCD Seed Funding, National Museum of Lao PDR and the University of Pennsylvania Museum. The project is exploring the archaeology of northern Laos, with a focus on how the Mekong River has been a communication route in later South and East Asian prehistory. Recent test and training excavations turned up a jar burial cemetery with artefactual links to the Plain of Jars heritage site, the most famous prehistoric site in Laos. For further information on the project and the January 2010 findings: www.penn.museum/research-asian-section (Photo from Patrizia La Piscopi, UCD School of Archaeology)

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Inrecognitionofhiscontributiontothefieldofinnovationintechnologyandengineering,ProfessorgerryByrnehasbeenelectedasanInternationalFellowofthegermanacademyofscienceandengineering(Deutscheakademiefuertechnikwissenschaften,acatech).thisisthefirsttimeanexpertfromIrelandortheUnitedKingdomhasbeenelectedtotheacademy.

thegermanacademyofscienceandengineeringrepresentstheinterestsofscienceandtechnologyingermanyandinternationally.Itsupportspolicymakersandsocietywithtechnicallyqualifiedevaluationsandfar-sightedrecommendations.Itworkstopromotesustainedgrowththroughinnovationandactsasanadvisortothegermangovernmentoninnovation.

gerryByrneisProfessorofmechanicalengineeringattheUcDschoolofelectrical,electronicandmechanicalengineering,UniversitycollegeDublin.heisagraduateofthetechnicalUniversityBerlinwherehegainedasummacumlaudadoctoratedegree(Doktor-Ingenieur)inmechanicalengineeringin1989.healsoholdsanhonorarydoctorate(Drh.c.)fromDIt,whichhewasawardedin2006forhisinternationalcontributiontotheengineeringprofession.Following12yearsasheadoftheformerDepartmentofengineeringatUcD,ProfessorByrneservedasDeanofengineeringinUcD.

Professor Gerry Byrne with Presidents of the German Academy for Science and Engineering, Reinhard Hüttl und Henning Kagermann

economics,education,labourandrelationswithnorthernIrelandwereonthetablefordiscussionataone-dayconferenceonThe Legacy of LemassheldatUcDinautumn2009.theconferencewasheldtomarkthe50thanniversaryofhiselectionastaoiseach.

theparticipantsheardfromProfessormaryDaly,PrincipalofUcDcollegeofartsandcelticstudies,thatthelemassyears“areatimeof

massivechange,energyandactivity”.however,whileIrelandfaredbetterthanBritain,itdidworsethanallotheroecDeconomies.

DrJohnWalshfromtrinitycollegeDublinspokeon‘Education and National Salvation: Lemass and Educational Reform, 1959-66’andconsideredlemass’roleintheintroductionoffreepost-primaryeducation.conferenceorganiserProfessorDiarmaidFerriter,UcDschoolofhistoryandarchives,

tackledtheissuefromtheperspectiveoflabourinhispaper.ProfessormichaelKennedy,(royalIrishacademy)spokeon‘aroadblockhasbeenremoved’:thelemass/o’neillmeetingsinthecontextofthedevelopmentofcrossborderrelationsinIreland.”

theconcludinground-tablediscussionLemass: Writing the life and legacywaschairedbyUcDProfessor,michaellaffan,fromUcDschoolofhistoryandarchives.

UCD first in German Academy of Science and Engineering

Lemass legacy conference

UCD Bowl wins “Sportsground of the Year”UcDBowl,thehomegroundoftheUcDsoccerteamandUcDrugby,hasbeennamed“sportsgroundoftheYear”bytheFaI.

PhaseoneoftheBowldevelopments,completedinseptember2007,wasbroughttofruitionbya€1.25milliongrantallocationfromtheannualsportscapitalgrantschemeoftheDepartmentofarts,sportandtourism.thebalanceofthefundingwasmetbyUcD,bringingtotalspendonthefacilityto€1.6million.thefacilitieshavebeenradicallyupgradedwithseatingincreasedby840to1500;withfurtherstandingaccommodationfor1500,andadditionalturnstiles,spectatoraccommodation,pressfacilities,floodlightsanddressingrooms.

Indevelopingthefacility,UcDendeavouredtodeliverahigh-qualityoutdoorsportsvenue,complyingwithUeFalicensingandIrBstandardsonthequalityoftheplayingsurface,whilealsomeetingspectatorexpectationsofcomfortandsafety.

Jessica Abrahams from Dublin; Syerfiah Hisamuddin from Kuala Lampur; Sean Armstrong from Donegal and Tim Barry from Cork were among 240 students who received their white coats from the UCD School of Medicine in January 2010, signifying their progression to the clinical stage of their medical degrees.

80 of the students will return to Penang Medical College in Malaysia, where they will complete their medical training.

The remainder will continue their education at UCD through the university’s six major Dublin teaching hospitals, the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, the Coombe Women’s Hospital, Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children and the Children’s University Hospital at Temple Street and a number of affiliated hospitals and healthcare centres.

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UcDhasannounceddetailsoftheneweliteathleteacademy.thisnewscholarshipprogrammeisdesignedforstudentswho,aswellasworkingtowardsanacademicdegree,arecompetingatthehighestsportinglevels—generallyatjuniorinternational,provincialorcountylevelorhavecomethrougharecogniseddevelopmentacademy.

UcDcurrentlyhas124sportsscholarsacrossfourteensports.thosewhoareselectedfortheeliteathleteacademywillbeattheverytoprepresentativeleveloftheirsportandwillshowpotentialforinternationalornationalachievement.

“theacademyoffersspecialentryarrangements”saidDrPhilipnolan,deputypresidentofUcD.“Werecognisethatdedicationtosportatthehighestlevelcansometimespreventstudentsfromachievingthecaopointsrequiredforourdegrees.thisentryroutetakesthisintoaccountandusesanadditionalapplicationprocess,includinganinterview,toassessthestudents’capabilitiesandcapacitytoachieveinthesportingarenaandacademically.”

amongthebenefitstosuccessfuleliteathletesaretheBelfieldcampussportsfacilities,financialassistance,campusaccommodation,sportssciencementoringincludingphysiologicalandbiomechanicalmonitoring,sportmedicineandphysiotherapysupport,elitestrengthandconditioningtraining,nutritionandpsychologysupportandtailoredtrainingandtesting.studentswillalsobeassignedanacademicmentorandhelpwithbalancingtheiracademicandsportingcommitments.

“thesportssciencefacilitiesweoffermatchthebestoftheuniversitiesoverseas,”addedProfessorcolinBoreham,DirectoroftheUcDInstituteforsportandhealth.“Wewillworkwiththeeliteathletesindividuallyandalongsideanyexternaltrainertohelpthemachievetheirhighestsportingpotential.”

“thisacademybuildsontheremarkablesuccessonthesportingfieldbyourexistingstudents.”Brianmullins,UcDDirectorofsportsaid.“In2009theuniversitywontheFaIfirstdivisioninsoccer,theIrishseniorcupinhockey,theunder-20snationalchampionshipinbasketballaswellasIrishintervarsitytitlesinwomen’svolleyball,ladies’golf,men’sgolf,boxing,equestriantetrathlon,women’stennisandworldcollegiategoldinwomen’shandball.manyofoursportsscholarsarealsoonsuccessfulteamseitheratcountylevelforgaaandladies’footballoratinternationallevel.therugbyheroesofthisyear’sgrandslamvictoryincludedUcDstudents,robKearney,gordonD’arcyandJamieheaslip.”

sixIrelandunderagerugbyplayers,twinhigh-achievingfutureradiologistsfromtipperary,andatheoreticalphysicistwithviolintalentwereamongthe217UcDscholarshiprecipientsrecognisedin2009/10.

While165studentswereawardedentrancescholarshipsfortheiraccomplishmentinachievingthehighestpointsintheirdegreeprogramme,atotalof463UcDFirstYearsin2009reachedthe“highachiever”status,byattaining540pointsintheirleavingcertificate.

theentrancescholarswerejoinedatthenovember2009ceremonybyeightBordnagaeilgescholars,33firstyearsportscholars,fivesymphonyorchestrascholarsandthenewchoralscholars.

commentingontheawards,UcDregistrarDrPhilipnolansaid,“Whereastheentrancescholarshipsacknowledgetheacademiccalibreofourstudents,thesports,choral,symphonyorchestraandBordnagaeilgescholarshipsreflectthediversityoftalentthatwehavehereattheuniversity.”

twinsciaraandeimearBurke(bothstudyingradiography)fromclonmelwereamongthe2009/10entrancescholars

UcDarethe2009leagueofIrelandUnder-20Dr.tonyo’neillchampionsafteraremarkableseasonforUcDaFc.

thestudentsclaimedthetitleaftera5-3victoryoversalthillDevoninthecompetitionfinalattheUcDBowlinDecember.

salthillDevonracedtoatwogoalleadintheopening15minutes,whenBriano’gradynettedaquick-firedouble.however,aPaulcorrygoalbroughtthescoreto2-1atthehalf-timebreakandgrahamruskconvertedapenaltyinthe58thminutetolevelthescore.andjustmomentslaterUcDwereinfrontwhenseanhoustonconvertedfromcloserange,beforemakingit4-2on73minutes.salthillDevon’slarkinbroughtthe

scorebackto4-3butruskscoredUcD’sfifthinthefinalmomentstomakeit5-3.

U-20line-up:gerBarron,garethmatthews,ciarannangle,michaelKelly,michaelleahy,Paulcorry(DannyFallon),KeithWard,robbiecreevy,seanhouston,Petermcmahon,grahamrusk.

theUnder-20successcapsoffaremarkableseasonforUcD,whoseseniorsidesecuredtheFaIFirstDivisionleaguechampionshipafter5-0awaywinoverathloneinnovember.

UcDFirstDivisionwinners:gerardBarron;seanharding,ciarannangle,andrewBoyle(michaelleahy75),evanmcmillan;Paulcorry,Johnreilly(KeithWard78),ronanFinn,chrismulhall,robbiecreevy(Petermcmahon55);Davidmcmillan.subsnotused—gregBolger,BillyBrennan.

UCD Senior team celebrate their First Division League championship win

UCD launches Elite Athlete Academy UCD’s academic, sporting, music and cultural stars

Twins Eimear and Ciara Bourke from Tipperary were among the 2009/10 Entrance Scholars

Double success for UCD AFC

Pictured at UCD Institute for Sport and Health, at the launch of the UCD Elite Athlete Academy: were (l-r): 3-in-a-row TG4 Ladies’ Senior Football Championship winner with the Cork team Rena Buckley who recently qualified as a physiotherapist and is working in Cork; graduate of the diploma in sports management, captain of the Irish rugby team, Brian O’Driscoll, who is also a former sports scholar; and qualified doctor, Stephen Lucey, full back for Limerick Gaelic football and hurling teams

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In recognition for his outstanding contribution to Irish sport Brian O’Driscoll (UCD Dip Sports Mgt 1998) received the UCD Foundation Day Medal on Friday 6th November 2009.

Inaugurated in 2004 during the University’s 150th anniversary, the UCD Foundation Day Medal is the highest honour the university can bestow on a graduate. It publicly recognises the contribution made by the recipient towards the betterment of society and serves as an inspiration to the next generation of students.Previous Medal recipients include: Peter Sutherland, Patrick Hillery, Maeve Binchy, MÌcheál Ó Muircheartaigh and Pearse Lyons.

The UCD Choral Scholars received the top prize in Lyric FM’s annual Christmas Choirs Competition, succeeding over 200 other choirs and ensembles. The award, which included a €750 prize and a specially-commissioned stained-glass plaque, was announced shortly after the Scholars’ two sell-out concerts in University Church in December 2009, one of which is pictured here

Possiblythemoststrikingrevelationatthe Irish in Britain: Conversation with the Diasporaglobalforumeventinlondoninnovember2009wasthedifferentsenseofIrishnessfeltbythosewhoattendedbycomparisonwiththosewhoattendedthe2007newYorkevent.thiswasthethirdofaseriesofannualforahostedbytheUcDJohnhumeInstituteforglobalIrishstudies.organisedbythedirectoroftheInstitute,DrBrianJackson,theeventsseektoreachoutandengagewithsomeofthe70millionpeoplewhodescribethemselvesasIrish.

“UcDhaseducatedgenerationsofIrishwhohaveleftIrelandandsoughtanewlifeandnewexperiences.thismostrecentforumtapsintothethoughtsandexperiencesofourgraduatesinBritain.ItseekstodrawtogethertherelationshipbetweentheIrishandBritainandtheIrishinBritainandtounpacksomeofthereasonswhytheIrishinBritainaresodifferenttotheIrishinamerica,”saidDrJackson.

thediscussioninlondonwasdrawnaroundsomebroadthemes.thefirstsession,Towards 2016lookedatthenotionoftheIrishabroadasthesignificantengineofpoliticalchange,andwaschairedbymrJusticeadrianhardiman.theJocye-ity (Diaspora as creative impulse)themeconsidereddiaspora,emigrationandexileinIrishculture,andwaschairedbyProfessoranneFogarty.theCultural brandingdiscussionwaschairedbymícheálÓmuircheartaigh,andconsideredculturalmarketing,identityandsocialcohesionprovidedbyIrishandIrishness.

theforumwasopenedbyhisexcellency,BobbymcDonagh,IrishambassadortogreatBritainwhonoted,“relationsbetweenthetwoislandshaveneverbeencloser–ormoreimportant.theIrisharenowpartofthefabricofBritishsociety.”

theclosingsession,What does the future hold for Ireland and its Diaspora?,chairedbythechairoftheUcDgoverningauthoritymrDermot

gallagher,includedaddressesfromformertaoiseachgarretFitzgerald;conorFoleyofWorldspreads;rorygodsonofPowerscourt;ProfessormaryhickmanoflondonmetropolitanUniversity;BarrymaloneyofBaldertoncapitalandformerPresidentofIreland,Drmaryrobinson.

Inheraddress,Drrobinsontalkedfromherownpersonalexperience,inparticularnotingtheinternationalresponsetoher1995addresstothehousesoftheoireachtasCherishing the Irish Diaspora,andpraisingthecontributionsofIrishpriests,nunsandaidworkersoverseas.

Inherconcludingremarks,shelookedforwardto:“…re-establishingofaspiritofbeingabletounderstandouruniquehistory,ouruniquepositionasanislandthatwascolonisedandstruggledagainstthat-sowehaveanidentitywithmanyothercountries.acountrythatcouldbeabridgenowonclimatechangeissueswithdevelopingcountries….asenseofthepotentialofanislandthat’sluckyenoughtohavesomeseventyoreightymillionpeoplewhohavesomeconnectionwithus,andwhowanttobepartofthestory.Youcan’ttellthestoryofIrelandanymoreintermsoftheislandofIreland,richasthatstoryis.Itisastoryofconnectionsthatarebeingmadeandremadeandreinventedatalltimes.andwecanre-imagineIrelandwithmuchgreaterdynamismifweunderstandthathugeresourceofthatwiderdiaspora.”

theeventculminatedinthepresentationoftheinauguralUcDhumemedaltoDrmaryrobinson,whomUcDPresidentDrhughBradydescribedandaniconicandinspirationalfigure.hesaidthattheawardcame,inrecognitionof“herdistinguishedroleinhighlightingtherichnessandpotentialoftheIrishdiaspora;[her]outstandingglobalcontributionasUnhighcommissionerforhumanrights;andfor[her]pioneeringworkonethicalglobalisationandclimatejusticethatisongoing.”

Conversation with the diaspora

Dr Mary Robinson received the inaugural UCD Hume Medal in 2009