The distinguished Cambridge University mathematician Professor Tom Körner, author of The Pleasures of Counting, will deliver a free public lecture at NUI Galway on Monday, 6 April, at 6pm in the Kirwan Lecture Theatre. Professor Tom Körner in his lectures, books and publications uses Mathematics to help people understand the world around them, and his lecture is designed to engage the general public with the subject. In The Pleasures of Counting, Professor Körner uses examples as diverse as the outbreak of cholera in Victorian Soho and the Battle of the Atlantic, to show some of the real-life problems with which mathematicians engage. Entitled 'Mathematics and Smallpox', his hour-long lecture at NUI Galway will explain in simple terms how Mathematics is used to understand disease epidemics. In the 18th century a new technique of inoculation was introduced for smallpox. The idea was controversial since, in effect, the process deliberately gave an uninfected person a form of the disease. Professor Körner will explain how in 1776, Daniel Bernoulli tried to use early statistical ideas to see whether the case for inoculation was valid. Many of his Bernoulli's ideas still resonate today. The lecture coincides with NUI Galway hosting the 61st British Mathematical Colloquium, from 6-9 April, which is being held outside of the UK for the first time. The Colloquium is a joint meeting with the Irish Mathematical Society and is expected to attract some 250 mathematicians. Plenary speakers will include: Professor David Eisenbud, University of Berkeley, California; Professor Ben Green, University of Cambridge; Professor Ron Graham, San Diego University, California; Professor Rostislav Grigorchuk, Texas A&M University; and Professor Frances Kirwan, University of Oxford. Professor Ted Hurley of the Mathematics Department at NUI Galway believes the world of Mathematics is more engaging and applicable than most people realise: "The upcoming Colloquium is a very prestigious event in the Mathematics calendar and while there will be lots of 'deep end' Mathematics discussed, the public lecture will be very accessible to anyone with a basic interest. Tom Körner is a storyteller of the Mathematics world. He demonstrates that every part of the world around us can be understood through the lens of mathematics. Mathematics is all about questioning, investigating and fulfilling curiosity". Professor Hurley added: "Mathematics develops keen thinking and problem solving skills and whatever the economic climate, those qualified in the field will be in demand, not only in obvious fields such as finance, science and computer science -particularly information theory, communications and security - but in new areas from computer game generation, through medical imaging to climate change analysis, all of which require highly numerate graduates who can understand and work with the sophisticated mathematical systems now in use in these areas". Admission to the free public lecture by Professor Tom Körner is by ticket only. For further details or to book a ticket, e-mail Mary.Kelly@nuigalway.ie or telephone (091) 492332. -ends-

Health economics will be the subject of a new intensive course at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, NUI Galway, from 26-27 March. With total expenditure on health expected to be in the region of €15 billion in Ireland this year, the programme organisers say it is vital that resources are allocated in a way that ensures the best outcome for the patient or service user. The two-day 'Executive Education Programme in Health Economics' will concentrate on a range of analytical techniques that can be used to inform health care decision-makers about the costs and consequences of healthcare programmes. The programme will provide participants with an introduction to the value and techniques of the emerging discipline of Health Technology Assessment and its use in informing budgetary decisions and wider government policy. Health Technology Assessment is not limited to new equipment or drugs, but covers any method used to promote health, prevent and treat disease, and improve rehabilitation and quality of life. Through health technology assessment, decision makers can assess the desirability and effectiveness of investing in new therapies, drugs, equipment and health promotion activities. NUI Galway is the only university in Ireland with a dedicated Chair in Health Technology Assessment. The holder of the Chair, Professor Ciaran O'Neill, is one of the organisers of the programme and commented on its target audience: "This executive education programme will be of interest to people with responsibility for strategic decision making in both the public and private health care sectors. It will also be of interest to people wishing to pursue further study in health economics. We will make extensive use of real-world examples to illustrate concepts and techniques, and include a discussion on the interpretation, presentation and dissemination of results". The course will be delivered by staff from the Department of Economics at NUI Galway and by visiting Professor from the University of Maryland, Daniel Mullins. Professor Mullins is a health economist and head of the Pharmaceutical Health Services Research Department of the University of Maryland. His research focuses on pharmaeconomics, health outcomes research and equity in health. Professor Mullins's visit is supported by the Fulbright Commission under its Senior Specialist Programme. A new Masters in Health Economics will be offered by the Department of Economics at NUI Galway in September 2009 and participants in the Executive Education programme will be eligible to apply for this Masters. A small number of places are still available on the Executive Education programme. For more information please contact Professor Ciaran O'Neill at 091 492409 or by email at ciaran.oneill@nuigalway.ie. -ends-

The first ever Galway Health Services Information Fair will be held in the Orbsen Building at NUI Galway, from 11am to 4pm, on Wednesday, 25 March. Some 50 different health-related organisations will attend to provide information on services available to people living in Galway City and county. Groups in attendance will include Ability West, Age Action West, AIDS West, Arthritis Ireland, Citizens' Information, COPE, Galway Rape Crisis Centre, Integrating Ireland and SpunOut.ie. Information on a range of topics will be available, including mental health, sexual health and complementary health, as well as fitness, health checks and health screening. This free public event is open to the general public, and people new to Galway are particularly welcome. Cindy Dring, NUI Galway Heath Promotion Officer, said: "We hope that this event will meet the needs of students, locals and people who have just moved to the area. Personal health is very much about being informed and making the right choices. This is a great opportunity to visit a 'one-stop shop' for health information and to find out about the kinds of services and supports available on your doorstep". For a number of years Galway Refugee Support Group (GRSG) has been involved in building the capacity of the refugee and asylum seeker populations to identify and advocate their health needs and concerns as part of a long-term integration strategy. Helen Bartlett, Community Development Worker of the GRSG, said: "The Galway Health Services Information Fair is significant as it will bring together education providers, health service providers, health advocacy organisations and health service users. Many people may be unfamiliar with all the health services and health advocacy organisations available in Galway". The event is a collaborate venture between NUI Galway and the GRSG, and is supported by the University's Community Knowledge Initiative. It is hoped that the Health Services Information Fair will become an annual event, increasing awareness about a wide range of health issues. For further information contact Helen Bartlett at 091 480 095. -ends-

The next in the series of NUI Galway Dublin alumni group events will feature a presentation by Declan Kelly, Executive Vice President, FTI & US Board Chair, Galway University Foundation on Wednesday, 25 March, 7.30pm at the Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2. A graduate of NUI Galway, Declan Kelly is Executive Vice President and Chief Integration Officer of FTI and Chairman of FD US and FD Ireland. With more than two decades of experience in journalism and strategic consulting, Declan is recognised as one of the leading crisis communications counsellors in the U.S., working globally across multiple industries advising large-scale corporations on a variety of reputational issues. He has been named by PR Week magazine as one of the leading communications professionals in the U.S. and has been recognized on numerous occasions for his professional achievements globally. For the past five years he has been named by Irish America magazine as one of the Top 100 Irish American business leaders in the U.S. In 2008, he became the youngest ever recipient of the American Irish Historical Society's gold medal. As part of a series of social and cultural events organised by the Dublin-based group, on Wednesday, 25 March, Kelly will present to NUI Galway alumni and invited guests offering insights into FTI's role in the management of some of the world's biggest financial and political crises, including Lehman Brothers, AIG and Northern Rock. FTI are also advisors to many governments, including several in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, on a diverse range of issues affecting their economies. The NUI Galway Dublin alumni group runs several events annually, aimed at bringing together graduates of NUI Galway. Tickets for the event will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to graduates of NUI Galway who apply via email to: colm.odwyer@nuigalway.ie or by phone to Colm O'Dwyer at: 091 493750 -Ends-

Over 200 delegates are expected to attend NUI Galway's 2nd International Nursing and Midwifery Conference from 6-7 April. The event, 'Building and Promoting Excellence in Practice', is organised by the School of Nursing and Midwifery, NUI Galway, and will give healthcare workers an opportunity to share their experiences of clinical care and research. The conference will provide a forum for debate around issues concerning the promotion of excellence in practice and will focus on five main themes: Chronic Illness; Older People; Maternity Care and Women's Health; Community and Population Health; and Teaching and Learning Practice. According to Professor Kathy Murphy of NUI Galway's School of Nursing and Midwifery: "Continuous learning and professional development is an integral part of the nursing profession. The opportunity for nurses to come together to discuss best practice is vital in the face of the new research, demanding protocols and HR constraints. Thoughtful practice is at the heart of making a difference and this conference supports this approach by providing an opportunity to share ideas, research and innovations". The conference will feature many national and international speakers with a keynote address by Dr Loretta Sweet Jemmott opening the conference. Dr Jemmott, from the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, will deliver a paper on 'How Research has Informed Effectiveness of HIV Education and how it is Delivered'. Dr Jemmott has been involved in a number of research projects focusing on designing and testing culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate, and theory-based strategies to reduce HIV risk- associated sexual behaviours. Along with her husband, Dr John B. Jemmott III, she has secured extensive funding of $92.5 million to conduct HIV risk-reduction trials in various settings, including schools, community based organisations, housing developments, clinical settings, and churches. 'Sexuality and Nursing Practice; Unveiling the Elephant' will be the subject of a presentation by Professor Agnes Higgins, Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin. Professor Higgins will discuss the often ignored issue of sexuality and mental health, and the resulting challenges in a healthcare setting. Professor Mike Clarke, Director of the UK Cochrane Centre and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Oxford will discuss 'Evidence for Evidence Based Practice Research and Reality'. Professor Clarke works on more than twenty systematic reviews across a wide range of areas of health care, in particular breast cancer. The School of Nursing and Midwifery offers a range of postgraduate nursing courses which are taught entirely through blended learning requiring only 12 days of face-to-face teaching per year. Programmes include Intensive Care, Accident and Emergency, Orthopaedics and Gerontology. Full or part-time options are available as well as the option of studying individual postgraduate modules, which may be built up to an entire programme over time. For more information on the conference visit www.nursingmidwifery.ie -Ends-