100 new Postgraduate Scholarships for full-time Taught Masters 2012NUI Galway has announced details of a new scholarships scheme for postgraduate students. In total, 100 new scholarships will be awarded at €2,000 per student. The announcement follows recent cuts to maintenance grants for postgraduate students in Budget 2011.The new initiative is open to postgraduate students, applying for a fulltime Taught Masters programme due to commence in autumn 2012. Scholarships will be awarded to students accepted on a fulltime taught masters and who fulfill the criteria as outlined by the University.Details of the new Postgraduate Scholarships include: 100 scholarships at €2,000 per student For students who have been accepted on to full-time Taught Masters programmes in 2012/13  Who have a First Class Honours undergraduate degree  And who were in receipt of a Local Authority Higher Education Grant for their undergraduate degree** Students who were admitted to their undergraduate degree programme via an NUI Galway Access Programme or through the HEAR Scheme are also eligible to apply*** There are some limitations on who will qualify for possible selection, for example, students who have previously taken a postgraduate programme for which they had a Local Authority Higher Education grant or similar awards will not be eligible for the scholarship. Interested students should visit the NUI Galway website for further detail about the scholarships and for information about the general postgraduate student application process: www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate/scholarshipsSpeaking at the announcement, which was made yesterday at the Postgraduate Open Day on campus, Dr Jim Browne, President of NUI Galway, said: “The new scholarships were developed in direct response to the recent cuts in maintenance funding for postgraduate students. We know that more and more students are looking to postgraduate study as a means of enhancing their skills and their employability, but financial constraints are a big problem. We believe that these scholarships will enable more of the brightest and most committed students to progress to postgraduate study.”Postgraduate students make up a significant part of the student population at NUI Galway, with almost 4,000 students (taught and research) across all schools and disciplines.For more information on postgraduate programmes and scholarships at NUI Galway visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate/scholarships or phone 091 492844 or email postgrad@nuigalway.ieENDS   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                        Fógraíonn OÉ Gaillimh Scoláireachtaí Nua Iarchéime100 Scoláireacht nua Iarchéime do Chláir lánaimseartha Mháistreachta Mhúinte 2012D’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh sonraí faoi scéim nua scoláireachtaí do mhic léinn iarchéime. Bronnfar 100 scoláireacht nua san iomlán ar luach €2,000 an ceann. Tagann an fógra seo sna sála ar na ciorruithe ar dheontais chothabhála do mhic léinn iarchéime a tugadh isteach i gCáinaisnéis 2011.* Tá an tionscnamh nua oscailte do mhic léinn iarchéime atá ag déanamh iarratais ar chlár lánaimseartha Máistreachta Múinte a bheidh ag tosú i bhfómhar 2012. Bronnfar scoláireachtaí ar mhic léinn a nglacfar leo ar mháistreachtaí múinte lánaimseartha agus a chomhlíonann critéir atá leagtha amach ag an Ollscoil. Seo a leanas sonraí na Scoláireachtaí nua Iarchéime: 100 scoláireacht ag €2,000 an mac léinn Do mhic léinn ar glacadh leo ar chláir lánaimseartha Mháistreachta Mhúinte in 2012/13  Agus a bhfuil bunchéim Céadonóracha acu  Agus a bhí ag fáil Deontas Ard-Oideachais ó Údarás Áitiúil dá mbunchéim**  Tá mic léinn a tháinig isteach ar chlár bunchéime trí Chlár Rochtana OÉ Gaillimh nó tríd an Scéim HEAR i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh chomh maith*** Tá srianta áirithe i gceist maidir leo siúd a bheidh incháilithe le hiarratas a dhéanamh, mar shampla, ní bheidh mic léinn a bhfuil clár iarchéime déanta cheana acu agus a fuair deontas Ard-Oideachais ó Údarás Áitiúil nó gradaim chosúla incháilithe don scoláireacht. Ba cheart do mhic léinn a bhfuil spéis acu anseo cuairt a thabhairt ar láithreán gréasáin OÉ Gaillimh chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi scoláireachtaí agus chun eolas ginearálta a fháil faoin bpróiseas iarratais do mhic léinn iarchéime: www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate/scholarshipsAg labhairt dó faoin bhfógra, a rinneadh inné ag an Lá Oscailte Iarchéime ar an gcampas, dúirt an Dr Jim Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Forbraíodh na scoláireachtaí nua mar fhreagra díreach ar na ciorruithe a rinneadh le déanaí ar mhaoiniú cothabhála do mhic léinn iarchéime. Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil níos mó mic léinn ag díriú ar staidéar iarchéime d’fhonn cur lena gcuid scileanna agus chun a n-infhostaitheacht a fheabhsú, ach tá srianta airgid ag cothú fadhbanna móra. Creidimid go dtabharfaidh na scoláireachtaí seo deis do níos mó de na mic léinn is cliste agus is tiomanta dul ar aghaidh chuig staidéar iarchéime.”Is mic léinn iarchéime iad cuid mhór de phobal OÉ Gaillimh; tá beagnach 4,000 mac léinn (ar chláir mhúinte agus thaighde) sna scoileanna agus sna disciplíní ar fad. Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil ar chláir agus ar scoláireachtaí iarchéime in OÉ Gaillimh téigh chuig http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate/scholarships  nó glaoigh ar 091 492844 nó seol rphost chuig postgrad@nuigalway.ie CRÍOCH

Comhrá Ceoil: Music and Dance Studies at the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway, is delighted to announce the inaugural lecture in the Martin Reilly Lecture Series, which will take place at 6.30pm on Tuesday, 21 February in Galway City Library. This series is dedicated to Martin Reilly, the celebrated East Galway uilleann piper, who left a rich musical legacy to generations of pipers.  The lecture series will give an opportunity to researcher-practitioners in Irish traditional music and dance to present their research in a public forum and the audience will get to hear some tunes, see some dancing and listen to some songs as well.  Galway and the West of Ireland has long been an important centre of traditional dance, music and song and this lecture series reflects the increasing interest in the study of these traditions.Supported by the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway, the first lecture will be given by Dr Jimmy O’Brien Moran, a Waterford uilleann piper and researcher well known to the traditional music community west of the Shannon.  Jimmy’s talk, ‘Folk Music Collecting in Galway before the Famine’, will focus on the Galway piper Paddy Conneely and his collectors (Petrie, the Hudson brothers, William Forde and Henry Westenra aka Lord Rossmore) and will include a mention of Martin Reilly who was, for a few years, a contemporary of Conneely. As a young student, Jimmy attended NUI Galway and currently lectures at the Waterford Institute of Technology. As a piper he has been invited to give lectures, workshops and concerts all over the world from Seattle to the Seychelles and from old Zealand to New Zealand). Jimmy said: “It is an honour to be invited to give the opening lecture in the Martin Reilly series and I am looking forward to coming back to the City of the Tribes.”A reception will take place before the talk at 6.15pm, when Jackie Small will officially launch the lecture series.  All are invited to attend both the launch and lecture.  Admission is free.Further information on this and other planned talks in the series is available athttp://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Martin-Reilly-Lecture-Series/289147347801522or e-mail: Martinreillylectureseries@gmail.com ENDS

Múscailt, NUI Galway's week-long Spring Arts Festival, opens today (Monday, 6 February) and will run until Friday, 10 February.  Revolving around the theme of Illumination/Soiliú, this year Múscailt hosts a superb line-up of art, music, performance and sculpture.The NUI Galway Artsoc's annual show, this year entitled ‘Derelicte’, will consist of drawings, paintings, textiles and pop-up sculptures, with guest artist, Sinéad Aldridge, will deliver an illustrated lecture entitled ‘Stop Making Sense-Play Havoc’.GUMS, the NUI Galway Musical Society, will once again entertain the audience with their new musical, ‘Spring Awakening’. Other performances throughout the week will include the hit puppet show ‘Mise Scéal Cailín’, poetry slam with MC Pete Mullineaux, NUI Galway staff and students will perform in ‘Solo Show’ and Dramsoc will produce ‘The Clean House’ by Sarah Ruhl.COLOURS Street Theatre Company’s ‘sculptures on wheels’ will be popping up in unexpected locations throughout the week. Other activities throughout the week will include juggling, magic, films, fiction and poetry, with performances from NUI Galway students, staff, alumni, local and national artists, and local filmmakers.Music will feature strongly during Muscáilt with a variety of performances ranging from classical music to traditional with performances from Rolf Hind, the NUI Galway Orchestra, Tradsoc, Choralsoc and Diploma in Trad music students. The judges and public will decice the winner of the ‘Witless Band Competition Final’ which will take place in the Student Union Bar.Speaking about the Festival, Fionnuala Gallagher, Arts Officer, NUI Galway said, “This year is a celebration of ‘Illuminations’ that are physical, mental, audio, visual and emotional, using the full colour spectrum. Many of the events are free and we urge the public to come along and attend all activities during the week.”All exhibitions are open Monday – Friday, for information on any of the events visit www.muscailt.nuigalway.ie or contact the Arts Office at 091 493766 or 091 495098.Tickets for events and info on Society events will be available from the Socsbox at 091 492852 or socsbox@socs.nuigalway.ie. Spring Awakening tickets are also available from Town Hall Theatre www.tht.ie or 091 569777.-ENDS-  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                       Osclaíonn an 12ú Féile Bhliantúil Ealaíon de chuid OÉ GaillimhD’oscail Féile Ealaíon an Earraigh, Múscailt, in OÉ Gaillimh inniu (Dé Luain, an 6 Feabhra) agus mairfidh sí go dtí Dé hAoine, an 10 Feabhra.  Bunaithe ar an téama Soilsiú, beidh sárchlár imeachtaí ar siúl ag Féile Múscailt na bliana seo – ealaín, ceol, taibhiú agus dealbhadóireacht san áireamh.Mar chuid de ‘Derelicte’,  seó bliantúil an Artsoc, beidh líníochtaí, péintéireachtaí, teicstílí agus preabdhealbha; agus tabharfaidh aoi speisialta, an t-ealaíontóir Sinéad Aldridge, léacht le léaráidí dar teideal ‘Stop Making Sense-Play Havoc’.Cuirfidh Cumann Ceoldrámaíochta na hOllscoile (GUMS), an ceoldráma nua, ‘Spring Awakening’, i láthair. I measc na rudaí eile a bheidh le feiceáil le linn na seachtaine beidh ‘MISE Scéal Cailín’, seó puipéad, craobh filíochta le Pete Mullineaux mar fhear an tí; scríbhinní agus léirithe nua ó mhic léinn agus ó fhoireann OÉ Gaillimh sa ‘SOLO Show’ chomh maith le léiriú de ‘The Clean House’ le Sarah Ruhl, á chur i láthair ag an Dramsoc.Beidh ‘sculptures on wheels’ le COLOURS Street Theater Company ag preabadh aníos ar fud na háite le linn na seachtaine. I measc na ngníomhaíochtaí eile a bheidh ar siúl i rith na seachtaine, beidh lámhchleasaíocht, seónna draíochta, scannáin, ficsean agus filíocht, agus léirithe ó mhic léinn, ó fhoireann agus ó alumni OÉ Gaillimh, ealaíontóirí áitiúla agus náisiúnta, agus lucht áitiúil scannánaíochta.Beidh áit lárnach ag an gceol i bhFéile Múscailt idir cheol clasaiceach agus cheol traidisiúnta agus leithéidí Rolf Hind, Ceolfhoireann OÉ Gaillimh, an Tradsoc, an Choralsoc agus mic léinn an Dioplóma sa Cheol Traidisiúnta ag ceol le linn na seachtaine. Beidh Craobhchomórtas na mBannaí Witless ar siúl i mBeár Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn, áit a mbeidh vóta ag na moltóirí agus ag an bpobal.Ag labhairt faoin bhFéile, dúirt Oifigeach Ealaíon OÉ Gaillimh, Fionnuala Gallagher, “Is ceiliúradh ar ‘Shoilsiú’ é Féile na bliana seo, soilsiú a bhaineann leis an duine go fisiceach, a bhaineann leis an inchinn, le héisteacht, le feiceáil agus le mothúcháin ag baint úsáide as speictream ildaite. Tá go leor de na himeachtaí ar fáil saor in aisce agus mholfainn don phobal teacht agus freastal ar na hócáidí ar fad i rith na seachtaine.”Tá na taispeántais ar fad ar oscailt Dé Luain – Dé hAoine. Chun eolas a fháil faoi aon cheann de na himeachtaí, téigh chuig www.muscailt.nuigalway.ie  nó glaoigh ar an Oifig Ealaíon ag 091 493766 nó 091 495098.Beidh ticéid ar fáil do na himeachtaí ar fad, chomh maith le heolas fúthu, ón Socsbox ag 091 492852 nó socsbox@socs.nuigalway.ie.  Is féidir ticéid do Spring Awakening a fháil chomh maith ó Amharclann na Cathrach ag www.tht.ie nó 091 569777.-CRÍOCH-

A range of scientific resources and handbooks to facilitate better coastal planning will be launched at a national seminar in NUI Galway on Tuesday, 21 February.The resources are the result of a three-year, €1.9 million project, funded by the EU which has assessed the extent to which coastal risks are currently considered in development plans. It appears that across Europe’s Atlantic countries, despite guidance from policy documents at national and European level to include considerations of coastal risks, existing development plans are lacking in this area.Atlantic Europe is made up of 33 regions stretching across a coastline of 1,550 miles, home to around 70 million inhabitants. The Atlantic Network for Coastal Risk Management (ANCORIM) project, led by the Aquitaine regional council in France, focused on key issues of erosion, water quality and planning. Using existing scientific knowledge and legislative instruments the ANCORIM project - a collaboration of scientists and decision-makers from Ireland, Spain, Portugal and France - has developed a set of tools to improve the current situation.A partner in the ANCORIM project, Dr Kevin Lynch of NUI Galway’s Ryan Institute, explains the challenges faced by coastal communities: “Every year, in Ireland, we are reminded of the threats posed by coastal risks to our communities, their economies and our natural environment. During the winter months, this usually surfaces in stories of coastal erosion, flooding, and storm damage, while during the summer months emphasis switches to reports of poor bathing water quality or ‘red tides’.”Examples of coastal erosion in Ireland are most pronounced in County Wexford, which has experienced coastline retreat of up to one meter a year in places. More recently, the seaside town of Strandhill in Sligo has been badly affected by erosion of its sand dunes following severe winter storms.However, Dr Lynch points out that there are other potential hazards for coastal locations: “Examples of other risks that are not always on our radar, but could potentially have considerable socio-economic and environmental impacts, include major oil or chemical spills or ocean acidification impacts on calcifying organisms which play key roles in the oceanic food chain.”The seminar on 21 February is aimed at all decision-makers involved in planning and managing our coast, including county planners, managers, engineers and councillors. Also invited are individuals and organisations who contribute to the decisions being made, such as county environmental or heritage officers, NGOs, local development groups, commercial enterprises and associations, as well as land and homeowners.Mayo County Council, a project partner, recognises the need for better coastal planning and Iain Douglas, Senior Planner with the Council, points out: “Key to addressing issues of coastal risk is prevention, and clearly this is directly dependent on good forward planning – avoiding locating homes, businesses, infrastructure and the like in areas that are potentially very hazardous.”The resources made available by the ANCORIM project (http://ancorim.aquitaine.fr/), include a range of practical guides and tool kits. A ‘Good Practice in Planning’ handbook, for example, sets out in a step by step manner details on how coastal risks may be incorporated into new development plans.To build greater awareness among a broader audience two educational guides have also been produced, outlining what coastal risks are and the issues associated with them for local communities.It is hoped that a combination of greater general awareness of coastal risks in conjunction with improved forward planning will reduce the potential impacts of these risks in the future.To register for the seminar go to the Atlantic Network for Coastal Risk Management National Seminar website at www.conference.ie.-ends-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                              Pleanáil chun cinn le deireadh a chur le Rioscaí CóstaAg seimineár náisiúnta in OÉ Gaillimh Dé Máirt, an 21 Feabhra, seolfar réimse acmhainní agus lámhleabhair eolaíochta chun pleanáil níos fearr don chósta a éascú.Tagann na hacmhainní mar thoradh ar thionscadal trí bliana ar luach €1.9 milliún, a bhí maoinithe ag an AE. Rinne an tionscadal measúnú ar an gcaoi a ndéantar cúram do rioscaí cósta i bpleananna forbartha. In ainneoin treorach ó cháipéisí polasaí ag leibhéal náisiúnta agus Eorpach chun rioscaí cósta a chur san áireamh, is cosúil go bhfuil easpa den chineál eolais seo i bpleananna forbartha reatha ar fud thíortha Atlantacha na hEorpa.Tá 33 réigiún san Eoraip Atlantach, agus cósta 1,550 míle ag baint leis na réigiúin chomh maith le daonra 70 milliún nó mar sin. Dhírigh an tionscadal Atlantic Network for Coastal Risk Management (ANCORIM), a bhí faoi stiúir chomhairle réigiúnach na hAcatáine sa Fhrainc, ar phríomh-shaincheisteanna a bhain le creimeadh, le caighdeán uisce agus le pleanáil. D’úsáid an tionscadal ANCORIM – comhoibriú idir eolaithe agus lucht déanta cinntí ó Éirinn, ón Spáinn, ón bPortaingéil agus ón Fhrainc – eolas eolaíoch agus ionstraimí reachtúla a bhí ann cheana féin chun tacar uirlisí a fhorbairt chun an staid reatha a fheabhsú. Déanann an Dr Kevin Lynch ó Institiúid Uí Riain, OÉ Gaillimh, cur síos ar na dúshláin os comhair pobail cois cósta: “In Éirinn gach bliain, cuirtear i gcuimhne dúinn na bagairtí atá ann ó rioscaí cósta dár bpobail, a n-eacnamaíochtaí agus an timpeallacht nádúrtha.  Le linn mhíonna an gheimhridh, is iondúil go bhfeictear é seo sa chreimeadh cósta, tuile, agus damáiste ó stoirmeacha, agus le linn mhíonna an tsamhraidh athraíonn ár n-aird go dtí tuairiscí ar dhroch-chaighdeán uisce snámha nó blás algach.”Is i gContae Loch Garman is mó atá creimeadh cósta le sonrú, áit a bhfuil cúlú cósta suas go méadar in aghaidh na bliana ag tarlú in áiteanna. Le déanaí, tá droch-chreimeadh le sonrú ar dhumhcha sa Leathros, baile cois cósta i Sligeach, tar éis stoirmeacha fiáine an gheimhridh.Deir an Dr Lynch, áfach, go bhfuil contúirtí eile ann d’áiteanna cois cósta: “I measc na rioscaí eile, nach mbímid ar an airdeall fúthu i gcónaí ach a d’fhéadfadh tionchar suntasach socheacnamaíoch agus comhshaoil a bheith acu, tá doirteadh ola nó ceimiceán nó na héifeachtaí atá ag aigéadú aigéin ar orgánaigh chailcithe a mbíonn ról tábhachtach acu sa bhiashlabhra aigéanach.Tá an seimineár, a bheidh ar siúl an 21 Feabhra, dírithe ar lucht déanta cinntí atá bainteach le pleanáil agus le bainistíocht ár gcósta, lena n-áirítear pleanálaithe, bainisteoirí, innealtóirí agus comhairleoirí contae. Tá cuireadh freisin ag daoine aonair agus ag eagraíochtaí a chuireann leis na cinntí a dhéantar, mar shampla oifigigh chomhshaoil nó oidhreachta, eagraíochtaí neamhrialtais, grúpaí áitiúla forbartha, fiontair agus cumainn tráchtála, chomh maith le húinéirí talún agus tí.Is comhpháirtí sa tionscadal é Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo, agus aithníonn sé an gá atá le pleanáil cósta níos fearr agus deir Iain Douglas, Pleanálaí Sinsearach leis an gComhairle:  “Cosc a chur le rioscaí cósta an bealach is fearr chun déileáil leo, agus is cinnte go bhfuil sé seo ag brath go hiomlán ar phleanáil chun cinn – gan tithe, gnólachtaí, infreastruchtúr agus a leithéid a chur i limistéir a d’fhéadfadh a bheith i mbaol.”Tá réimse leathan treoracha praiticiúla agus uirlisí curtha ar fáil ag an tionscadal ANCORIM (http://ancorim.aquitaine.fr/ ). Leagann an lámhleabhar ‘Good Practice in Planning’ amach céim ar chéim conas rioscaí cósta a chur san aireamh i bpleananna nua forbartha. D’fhonn feasacht níos mó a chothú i measc pobal níos leithne tá dhá threoirleabhar oideachasúla curtha ar fáil chomh maith. Déantar cur síos iontu ar a bhfuil i gceist le rioscaí cósta agus na saincheisteanna a bhaineann leo do phobail áitiúla. Mar gheall ar an bhfeasacht ghinearálta níos fearr atá ar rioscaí cósta agus pleanáil chun cinn níos fearr, táthar ag súil go laghdófar tionchair a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ann de bharr na rioscaí sin sa todhchaí.Chun clárú don seimineár téigh chuig an láithreán gréasáin do sheimineár náisiúnta an Atlantic Network for Coastal Risk Management ag www.conference.ie.   -críoch-

NUI Galway will host Ireland’s first Crisiscamp to raise awareness on how technology can be used to help respond to disasters and improve resilience and response before a crisis. Organised with ‘Haiti Connect’, a charitable trust based in County Galway, Crisiscamp will take place on Sunday, 26 February.Crisiscamps are a series of global events organised by members of CrisisCommons, a global community of volunteers from technology, crisis response organisations, government agencies, and individuals. Having witnessed first-hand the benefits of technology and social media in disaster response and rebuilding scenarios, the organisation is keen to raise this awareness with the general public.CrisisCamp began in March 2009 as an event to connect crisis management and global development practitioners to the technology volunteer community. During the Haiti response, CrisisCamp became a movement and added a response mechanism to the community.Since 2009, CrisisCommons has coordinated crisis event responses such as the Haiti, Chile and Japan Earthquakes and the floods in Thailand, Nashville and Pakistan. Over 3,000 people have participated worldwide in over 30 cities, across 10 countries including France, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Chile and Colombia.‘Haiti Connect’ has been running and supporting technology-based aid and rebuilding projects in Haiti since shortly after the earthquake of 2010. Through direct experience they have seen the advantages of using modern, digital technologies in these environments.Evert Bopp, founder of ‘Haiti Connect’, said: “Through this event we hope to create awareness amongst Irish crisis response organisations, government agencies and citizens on how open source software and hardware can be used to respond to disasters. Working together with NUI Galway’s Discipline of Information Technology was a logical choice when organising this event. People in Information Technology and other disciplines in NUI Galway’s College of Engineering and Informatics are already engaged in both research and voluntary work in support of crisis response. Through Crisiscamp we hope to bring together people who are working on these challenges and inspire others to apply their skills in this area.”The event will take place in the Information Technology Building on the NUI Galway campus from 10am until 7pm. Admission is free but interested parties are encouraged to register via the website www.crisiscampireland.comFor more details please contact Evert Bopp on 086 8645099 or by email on info@crisiscampireland.com.-ENDS-