August 2005

- New €2.6 million centre will give Ireland a supercomputing capability- Researchers at eight Irish third level institutes today (August 29th 2005) announced that Ireland's first supercomputing centre – the Irish Centre for High End Computing, (ICHEC) will commence operation on Thursday, 1st September 2005. The centre, which will deliver a national research infrastructure, has been funded through a €2.6 million Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) grant, a €0.7M equipment loan from the HEA PRTLI funded CosmoGrid programme and an equipment loan of €1.2M from TCD's HEA PRTLI funded IITAC programme. When completed, ICHEC, will address the growing need for computational resources to assist Irish researchers in their work in disciplines as diverse as medical device simulation, marine modelling, bio-informatics, drug discovery, astrophysics and computational chemistry. High End Computing, also known as 'super computing', uses the most advanced aspects of modern computer science to produce supercomputers capable of many trillions of calculations per second. With this power many physical problems can be simulated on the computer – in silica. For example it is possible in silica to determine how a surgical implant such as a stent will fatigue during its lifetime. Doing this on a computer has clear benefits over measuring the fatigue after it has been put into a patient. The development of the centre is the first of a three-phase project with the objective of ensuring that Ireland is a leader in high end computing on a per capita basis by 2010. It is expected that the centre will be a major power house for the knowledge based economy, benefiting Universities, SMEs – through its technology transfer work – and multi nationals. Commenting on the importance of the project, Dr Andrew Shearer, Dept of Information Technology, NUI Galway and Director of ICHEC said, "Ireland's ability to compete for international science projects has been hindered by the lack of computational resources, with no machines in the country making the world's Top 500 Supercomputers list. This centre will transform computational science in Ireland, creating facilities, which will be on a par with those in the rest of Europe. "Computational science is one of the few areas where Ireland can contribute to 'big' science projects. In the future, we intend that Ireland will be a Centre of Excellence in High End Computing. The ICHEC will also be of immense importance in economic terms, by keeping Ireland competitive and attracting high tech industries to the country. As high end computing can answer almost any question that a researcher in academia or industry would want to ask, the benefits of the ICHEC are endless," he says. Prof. Luke Drury, Director of CosmoGrid said "The CosmoGrid project is delighted to be part of this exciting development which will significantly enhance our ability to deliver grid-enabled computation as a tool for Irish researchers." As well as aiding Irish academic research another important aspect of the new centre will be its role in embedding advanced computing methodology into Irish research and through spin off and collaboration, to transfer advanced computing technology and expertise to the Irish economy. The Irish Centre for High End Computing involves eight partner institutions; NUI Galway, Trinity College, Dublin, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), UCD, UCC, NUI Maynooth, Dublin City University and the Tyndall Institute. ICHEC will also have an industrial outreach programme working with those researchers and industries that do not normally have an interest in super computing. In addition, an outreach programme will be developed to encourage second-level students to develop an interest in computational science. Ends

A major international conference entitled "Enhancing Individual, Family and Community Health" will be held in NUI Galway from the 31st August to 3rd September 2005. The European Health Psychology Conference 2005, which will be attended by 620 delegates from 34 countries, brings together a range of academics, healthcare professionals and organisational psychologists who will present cutting edge research on a wide variety of topics, which are impacting health and the quality of family life in society. The diverse range of topics to be discussed include the stress of illness; sexual health; perceptions, attitudes and the experience of aging; quality of life following childhood illness; coping with cancer and chronic pain; influences of exercise and physical activity; and public attitudes towards advances in genetic technology. Professor Shelley Taylor, UCLA will deliver a keynote address on Wednesday on 'Why people tend and befriend under stress', which will address the importance and source of social support for those suffering illness or stress. For many people suffering severe stress or trauma, expressing their feelings through writing has proved both therapeutic and life-enhancing. Professor James Pennebaker, University of Texas, who has carried out extensive research in this field, will deliver a keynote address on Thursday, entitled ''Two decades of expressive writing and health.' Commenting on the conference Professor Ruth Curtis, Conference President and member of Dept of Psychology, NUI Galway, said, "We are very honoured to host this prestigious conference, which recognises the outstanding contribution that the Department of Psychology at NUI Galway has made to health psychology in Ireland. "This conference brings together many of the leaders in this field and recognises the importance of health psychology in helping us to explore and understand how we cope with and manage the impact that an ever changing society is having on people's lives. "We have a duty to ensure that policy makers understand the important role that health psychology plays in preparing strategies for the development of health services in Ireland. It is vital that the Government recognises this important role in the future and provides funded training places to enable graduates to specialise in health psychology." Health psychology can play an important role in significant health promotion initiatives such as the introduction of the smoking ban in Ireland. NUI Galway was the first university in Ireland to introduce a professional training programme in Health Psychology. -ends-

The amazing diversity of bats, of which there are 10 species native to Ireland, is the focus of a week-long conference at NUI Galway (22nd – 26th August). Over 200 scientists from 40 countries are attending the 10th European Bat Research Symposium where they will dispel myths regarding the blindness of these nocturnal creatures and explain the important role bats play in agriculture. NUI Galway's long involvement in bat research, first initiated by Professor James Fairley in the early 1980s, led to the University being chosen as the venue for the conference's first visit to Ireland. A keynote address delivered by Professor Thomas Kunz, Professor of Biology at Boston University, will focus on the role bats play in controlling agricultural pests. For example, the local bat population of the Brazilian Free Tailed Bat species in south central Texas may exceed 100 million each night. These bats disperse over varied landscapes to feed on flying insects. Some of their prey includes crop pests such as the corn earworm and the cotton hole worm. Dr James Dunne of NUI Galway's Department of Zoology explained how beneficial the creatures are in controlling Ireland's insect population. "The small bat seen first at dusk, weaving around and over trees is the Pipistrelle. This is the most common bat in Ireland and feeds mainly on midges, mosquitoes, caddis flies and crane flies. A pipistrelle may eat 3,000 small insects in a single night. A roost of 100 can account for the annihilation of many millions of harmful insects over a summer," he said. Dr Dunne also put paid to some of the more popular misconceptions about the common bat. "Despite several myths, bats are not blind, they do not entangle themselves in people's hair and the species native to Ireland, do not spread disease." Other areas to be explored throughout the week-long symposium include research which sheds light on the eating habits of bats. Although the vast majority of bats feed on insects, research by scientists in the Basque region has shown that the long-fingered bat is capable of also feeding on free swimming fish by plunging onto the water surface and grasping them with their hind feet. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat is one of Europe's rarer species and is the subject of a number of papers to be delivered at the conference. Sinead Biggane, a researcher with the Department of Zoology at NUI Galway, has been part of a team who have been studying a maternity roost in County Clare for many years. Using radio transmitters, Sinead tracked individual bats to determine their main feeding areas and pattern of feeding. She shows that the bats use mixed woodland, riparian woodland and associated habitats for foraging. They use hedgerows and stone walls to commute to their feeding areas and will not cover large open spaces. This research has important implications for the conservation of bats. The economic boom throughout Europe has resulted in the destruction of many bat inhabited old buildings. The conference will include a special workshop which will deal with the problems associated with this growing trend and also the legal obligations under European law to protect bats and their habitats will be discussed.

Reachtálfaidh Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, acadamh de chuid OÉ Gaillimh, sraith agallamh ar an Aoine, 19 Lúnasa do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh tabhairt faoi chúrsa i scileanna raidió. Beidh na hagallaimh seo ag teacht sna sála ar thorthaí na hArdteiste a fhoilseofar an tseachtain seo. Cúrsa bliana lánaimseartha is ea an Dioplóma i Scileanna Raidió a bheas ar bun in ionad an Acadaimh ar an gCeathrú Rua i gConamara. Is é seo an dara bliain ina bhfuil sé ar siúl. Cuimsíonn sé raon leathan ábhar, ón iriseoireacht go scileanna craoltóireachta, léiriú agus iarléiriú fuaime agus raidió, cúrsaí eitice agus dlí agus scileanna cumarsáide pearsanta. Tá tréimhse taithí oibre ceithre sheachtaine mar chuid den chúrsa. D'oibrigh mic léinn an cúrsa le RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ Lyric FM agus BBC Thuaisceart Éireann roimhe seo agus tugadh cuireadh do chuid acu leanúint lena gcuid oibre ann. Dar le roinnt de na mic léinn ar chúrsa na bliana seo, "oscailt súl" ar thionscal na meán ab ea an cúrsa. Tá gné den iriseoireacht chlóite mar chuid de, agus chuir mic léinn na bliana seo caite forlíonadh le chéile a foilsíodh sa nuachtán Foinse. Bhí Pádraig Ó Duithche as Corr na Móna i measc na ndaoine ar an gcéad chúrsa. "Cheap mé, cosúil le go leor daoine, nach raibh tada ann ach a ghabháil chuig an micreafón. Ach tá an t-uafás ag baint leis. D'fhoghlaim mé conas thú féin a chur i láthair agus go gcaithfidh tú tú féin a chur ar an eolas faoin ábhar a bhfuil tú ag caint faoi, má tá tú beo ar an aer ag caint," a dúirt sé. Chaith Cathal Mac Gearailt ceithre sheachtaine ar thaithí oibre le RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i gCiarraí. "Tá mé ag déanamh rudaí difriúla gach aon lá. Tá mé ag déanamh na nuachta, tá mé ag déanamh na bhfógraí agus tá mé ag déanamh na fuaime agus rudaí mar sin," a dúirt sé. Is iad na hiriseoirí Norita Ní Chartúir agus Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill na príomhtheagascóirí ar an gcúrsa. Tá taithí na mblianta ag Norita Ní Chartúir mar chraoltóir le RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta agus tá taithí ag Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill mar Eagarthóir Gaeilge an Irish Times, agus mar iriseoir le Nuacht TG4 agus le heagrais eile. Cuirtear béim mhór ar scileanna praiticiúla le linn an chúrsa, agus é mar aidhm aige na rannpháirtithe a réiteach chun fostaíocht a bhaint amach in earnáil an raidió, bíodh sin os comhair an mhaidhc mar láithreoir nó taobh thiar den deasc fuaime mar theicneoir nó mar léiritheoir. Tháinig forbairt mhór ar na deiseanna fostaíochta atá ar fáil do dhaoine in earnáil na cumarsáide Gaeilge le blianta beaga anuas. Bíonn éileamh mór ar dhaoine a bhfuil na scileanna cuí craoltóireachta, teicniúla agus fuaime acu, ag eagraíochtaí ar nós RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, stáisiúin raidió eile, TG4, Telegael, Abú Media agus neart comhlachtaí eile. Ar an iomlán bíonn os cionn 40 stáisiún raidió ag craoladh in Éirinn agus deiseanna éagsúla oibre ar fáil do lucht an chúrsa dá réir. De bharr tacaíocht fhlaithiúil Údarás na Gaeltachta ní bhíonn táille ar an gcúrsa agus íocann an tÚdarás liúntas seachtainiúil do rannpháirtithe. Cuirfear tús leis an Dioplóma i Scileanna Raidió ar an 12 Lúnasa 2005 agus é faoi réir ag Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ar an gCeathrú Rua, Co. na Gaillimhe.

Interviews to allocate the remaining places on a radio skills course, offered by NUI Galway's Irish language institute, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, are to be held on Friday, 19th August 2005, following the publication of this year's Leaving Certificate results. The one-year, full-time Dioplóma i Scileanna Raidió course, now is its second year, is based at the institute's centre in An Cheathrú Rua, Connemara. Covering a broad range of subjects including journalism, broadcast skills, sound production, post-production, ethics, law and communication skills, the course includes a four-week work placement. Previous students have worked at RTE Lyric FM, Raidió na Gaeltachta and BBC Northern Ireland where some have been offered further employment. Described by several students as "an eye opener" to the media industry, the course includes an element of print journalism which last year saw students complete a supplement that was published in Foinse. Pádraig Ó Duithche from Corr na Móna, who was among the first group to study the course. "I thought, like many people, that all that was involved in the course was sitting behind a microphone. I learned that you have to present yourself and you have to inform yourself about the subject that you are going to talk about because you talk live on air," he said. Cathal Mac Gearailt, who completed his work experience with Raidió na Gaeltachta in Kerry, said he would recommend the course to anyone. "I am doing different things every day. One day I will be presenting a programme, the next I will be working the sound desk and doing different things in the studio," he said. Course tutors include Norita Ní Chartúir, an experienced journalist who has worked with Raidió na Gaeltachta, and Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill, a former Irish language editor of the Irish Times who has also worked as a journalist with Nuacht TG4. With a strong emphasis on practical skills, the course is geared towards preparing participants for a career in radio, either in front of the microphone as a presenter or behind the sound desk as a technician or producer. Opportunities in the Irish language media have expanded greatly in recent years with the advent of TG4 where sound, presentation and technical skills are much in demand. And with over 40 radio stations on air across the country there are several career options available to graduates of the course. Course fees will be paid and participants will receive a weekly training allowance from Údarás na Gaeltachta. The Dioplóma i Scileanna Raidió begins on 12th September 2005 and is offered by Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in An Cheathrú Rua, Co. na Gaillimhe.

Dr Jane Conroy, senior lecturer at the Department of French, NUI Galway, has become the first woman and first native English speaker to be awarded the prestigious Académie Francaise prize for scholarly work in French. Dr Conroy has been honoured with the Grand Prix de la Francophonie de L'Académie Française for her research into intercultural interactions, real and imaginary, between France and other countries, especially Ireland and Britain. This is the first time since its foundation in 1986 that the award, worth €22,500, has been awarded to someone from Ireland, the UK or the US. Dr Conroy was nominated by the French academician Michel Déon, who lives in Galway and was impressed by her pioneering work on 17th century French theatre and literature, written by French travellers to Ireland between the 17th and 19th centuries. During the 17th century, many French plays were set in the UK, a fact that went largely unnoticed until Dr Conroy wrote and published her book in French Tragic Lands: England and Scotland in 17th Century French Tragedy (Gunter Naar, 1999). This award recognises that and other publications by Dr Conroy in French. A native of Rosmuc, Connemara, Dr Conroy is humanities secretary for the Royal Irish Academy and is one of a team of editors of the Irish Journal of French Studies. She will receive her award in a special ceremony at the Institute de France in Paris in December. Dr Conroy is currently in Paris where she is preparing an edition of the 18th century manuscript travel diaries of Charles-Etienne Coquebert de Montbret, written during his time as French consul in Dublin during the reign of Louis XVI. The document will be published in French by the Irish Manuscript Commission but an English version will be made available to university libraries by Dr Conroy. Several of Dr Conroy's colleagues from the Department of French are also spending the summer in Paris where they are conducting research of a very high standard. The relationship with NUI Galway and several of the most respected French institutions in this regard reflects the quality of the research work and the affinity between the two countries.

The Governing Authority of NUI Galway today (Thursday August 4th 2005) announced the appointment of Professor Roy Green as Vice-President for Research. The Dean of the University's Faculty of Commerce was appointed for a four-year term of office following a meeting of Údarás na hOllscoile/Governing Authority. The newly established post underpins NUI Galway's commitment to further strengthening the research reputation and ethos of the University. As Vice President for Research, Professor Green will create the structures necessary to ensure that NUI Galway will remain at the forefront of internationally acknowledged research excellence. Specifically, Professor Green will ensure that the University will build on previous successes in attracting competitive research funding, will support and develop opportunities for researchers across all faculties and will also ensure the University's contribution to Ireland's knowledge society by protecting intellectual property through a newly-established Technology Transfer Office. Congratulating Professor Green on his appointment, the President of NUI Galway, Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh said, "We are very pleased to announce that Professor Green, an outstanding scholar, with an established corpus of professional and personal achievement in research, will continue to lead and develop our research reputation. Professor Green is a very capable individual and under his stewardship, we look forward to ensuring that our internationally acknowledged strengths of excellence in research will continue to grow and prosper." Professor Green is internationally recognised in the fields of innovation studies, industry and labour, market analysis and economic theory. He is currently involved in a study of the ICT sector in Ireland and a research project on structural reform and the knowledge-based economy in Europe. He has contributed to the OECD National Innovation Systems Programme and is on the steering group of the Atlantic Technology Corridor. He is a member of the Irish Research Council of the Humanities and Social Sciences, a member of Enterprise Ireland's National Research Funding Board and is current Chair of the Irish Academy of Management. Professor Green joined NUI Galway in February 2000 as Professor of Management. He was the foundation Director of the Centre for Innovation and Structural Change (CISC), established in NUI Galway in 2002 with funding of €2.8 million under the Irish Government's Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI). He was previously with the University of Newcastle, Australia, where he was Director of the Employment Studies Centre. A Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, he has also played a key role as adviser to Government and Business. NUI Galway has enjoyed remarkable success in recent years in securing some 100m Euro in competitive funding from the Higher Education Authority's Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and from Science Foundation Ireland. Ends

D'fhógair Údarás Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh inniu (Déardaoin, 4 Lúnasa) go bhfuil an tOllamh Roy Green ceaptha mar Leas-Uachtarán um Thaighde. Ceapadh an fear a bhí ina Dhéan ar Dhámh Tráchtála na hOllscoile ar feadh ceithre bliana ag cruinniú d'Údarás na hOllscoile. Cuireann an post nuabhunaithe béim ar chomh dáiríre is atá Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh maidir le cáil taighde agus éiteas na hOllscoile a láidriú. Mar Leas-Uachtarán um Thaighde, cruthóidh an tOllamh Green na struchtúir chuí le cinntiú go bhfanfaidh Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh chun tosaigh i sárthaighde idirnáisiúnta. Cinnteoidh an tOllamh Green go dtógfaidh an Ollscoil ar a cumas maoiniú taighde a aimsiú, cuirfidh sé tacaíocht ar fáil agus forbróidh sé deiseanna do thaighdeoirí as na dámha uile agus deimhneoidh sé freisin inchur na hOllscoile i sochaí eolais na hÉireann, trí mhaoin intleachtúil a chosaint tríd an Oifig um Aistriú Teicneolaíochta nuabhunaithe. Agus é ag déanamh comhghairdis leis an Ollamh Green, dúirt an Dr Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, Uachtarán OÉ, Gaillimh, an méid seo: "Tá áthas orainn a fhógairt go leanfaidh an tOllamh Green air, scoláire den chéad scoth, a bhfuil cáil bainte amach aige as a chuid taighde, ag stiúradh agus ag forbairt ár gcáil taighde. Duine fíorchumasach é an tOllamh Green agus faoina cheannaireacht, táimíd ag súil go gcinnteofar go dtiocfaidh fás agus forbairt ar na réimsí taighde sin a bhfuil clú idirnáisiúnta tuilte againn mar gheall orthu." Tá cáil idirnáisiúnta ar an Ollamh Green mar gheall ar a chuid taighde i réimse an staidéir nuálaíochta, tionscail agus saothar, anailís ar an margadh agus teoiric eacnamaíoch. Tá sé ag obair ar staidéar don earnáil ICT in Éirinn faoi láthair agus ar thionscadal taighde maidir le hathchóiriú struchtúrtha agus geilleagar eolasbhunaithe na hEorpa. Tá obair déanta aige ar Chlár Náisiúnta Chórais Nuálaíochta de chuid an OECD agus ar ghrúpa stiúrtha do Dhorchla Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh. Ar lean/ Tá an tOllamh Green ina chomhalta den Chomhairle um Thaighde sna Dána agus sna hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta, den Bhord Maoiniúcháin Náisiúnta Taighde de chuid Fiontraíocht Éireann; agus tá sé ina Chathaoirleach faoi láthair ar Acadamh Bainistíochta na hÉireann. Thosaigh Roy Green ina phost mar Ollamh Bainistíochta in OÉ, Gaillimh i Feabhra 2000. Ba é an chéad Stiúrthóir ar an Ionad um Nuálaíocht agus Athrú Struchtúrach (CISC), a bunaíodh in OÉ, Gaillimh in 2002 le maoiniú €2.8 milliún faoi Chlár Rialtas Éireann um Thaighde i bhForais Tríú Leibhéal (PRTLI). Roimhe sin, bhí sé in Ollscoil Newcastle, san Astráil, áit a raibh sé ina Stiúrthóir ar Ionad Staidéar na Fostaíochta. Bhí sé ina Ánra de Clare Hall, Cambridge, agus ina chomhairleoir Rialtais agus Gnó. Tá éirithe thar barr le hOllscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh le blianta beaga anuas ag aimsiú thart ar 100m Euro san iomaíocht maoiniú don taighde trí Chlár Taighde an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas in Institiúidí Tríú Leibhéal (PRTLI) agus trí Fhondúireacht Eolaíochta Éireann a fháil. Críoch