September 2017

New offerings include Music, Film & Digital Studies, Arts & Technology, International and Global Languages NUI Galway this week launched seven new Arts degrees for enrolment in 2018. The new offerings respond to feedback from students, industry and employers and further expands the specialised Arts study options at NUI Galway. The programmes have a strong skills development focus and are preparing students to work in high growth industries, with an emphasis on placements, employability and provide students with an important balance of expertise in a particular field combined with a foundation in the broad study of Arts and Humanities.   With Galway the designated European Capital of Culture for 2020, Galway city is fast becoming a global creative capital. According to Professor Cathal O'Donoghue, Dean of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies at NUI Galway: “With this comes tremendous opportunities for careers in the creative industries ranging from careers in drama, film and theatre and emerging areas such as creative production and arts entrepreneurship. Four of the new Arts programmes being launched by NUI Galway are preparing students for such careers.” The BA (Music) is a much anticipated new programme. The four year degree is the study of Music along with another Arts subject. The BA (Music) will give students a deep immersion in the study of music history, traditional Irish music, vocal and choral skills, composition, keyboard skills, music technology and music management. A distinctive characteristic of the degree is the opportunity to collaborate with other students in the creative arts at NUI Galway (in film, drama and related areas) and to study in a true cultural campus. The BA (Film and Digital Media) offers students a unique combination of theory and practice across the areas of film and digital media, providing them with practical skills in filmmaking, screenwriting, and digital development and design. The programme, which includes internships with media and arts organisations and supervised research and creative projects, will position graduates for a wide range of roles in the creative industries, including film and television production, digital content creation, cultural administration, screenwriting and digital marketing. The focus of the BA (Digital Arts and Technology) is on digital technology applications in the creative arts. With extensive integration of arts and humanities with information technology and data science, students will graduate with a much sought after combination of creativity, analytic skills and advanced digital literacy. The new BA (English and Media) includes the theoretical study of media in critical and historical perspective and equip students with transferable communications and critical thinking skills that will prepare them for future success in the labour market. Professor O’Donoghue added: “The expected fallout of the exit of UK from the EU increases the need for Arts graduates to develop a global outlook and gain international experience during their studies and early in their career. The value that employers place on these graduate attributes has informed two of the new offerings.” The BA (International) is aimed at students interested in studying Arts and gaining international experience (either studies abroad or overseas work placement) as part of their degree with opportunities in year three to be based in South America, North America and beyond.  The BA (Global Languages) is a highly flexible languages degree to prepare students for careers in areas such as linguistics, translation, media, teaching, Finally, the new BA (Arts with Data Science) allows students to study and arts subject in parallel with maths, IT and data science modules, qualifying graduates for roles in applying data analytics techniques to solve global real-world human problems. The NUI Galway undergraduate Open Days are taking place on the 6 and 7 October, 2017. ENDS

The 30% Club, a global group of company Chairs and CEOs committed to achieving better gender balance in business, held its first event in Galway on Monday, 25 September in partnership with NUI Galway and KPMG. The event, which was hosted in NUI Galway, focused on the theme of ‘Growth through Diversity’ and had an attendance of over 140 business leaders, academics and MBA students from across Galway and the wider Connacht region. Guests were welcomed by President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne and heard insightful contributions from speakers including;  Deirdre McLoughlin, Leadership and Resilience Coach and accredited Psychotherapist: Margaret Sweeney, Non-Executive Director, Dalata Hotel Group Plc and Galway University Foundation; Tony Neary, Vice President and General Manager, Medtronic; Brid Horan, Steering Committee member of 30% Club in Ireland; Martin Hughes, Executive MBA Programme Director, NUI Galway; and Professor Anne Scott, Vice-President for Equality and Diversity, NUI Galway. The key message for attendees was how better diversity leverages better decision making and performance in all types of organisations, regardless of size or sector. Attendees were challenged to kick-start their diversity journey to ensure that their processes are not only fair and equal, but encourage a balance that makes business sense and will encourage future growth and development. The event also formally recognised the first winner of the NUI Galway and 30% Club scholarship programme for an executive MBA at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway, which aims to advance female leadership and executive representation in organisations. The scholarship, valued at over €13,000, was won by Galway businesswoman, Sandra Divilly. Speaking at the event, Vice President for Equality and Diversity at NUI Galway, Professor Anne Scott said: “I am delighted to see the interest in the topics of equality, diversity and inclusion both within NUI Galway and in our local business community. We are really delighted to welcome so many leaders from both the private and public sector to our event today. It is an excellent opportunity for the wider community in the West of Ireland to link with us in NUI Galway in order to share our various journeys, learn from and spread learnings and good practice in this important area.” Professor Scott added: “The recent publication of our first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual report highlights NUI Galway’s commitment to openness and transparency in tackling issues relating to equality and diversity. Cultural change in this area will take time, but as we implement our initiatives and continue to seek feedback from external experts in this area, we look forward to seeing the impact and improved inclusivity throughout the University.” Outlining the importance of the event, 30% Club Steering Committee member, Brid Horan, added: “The 30% Club is delighted to join with KPMG and NUI Galway in highlighting the value and importance of improving gender balance at all levels of leadership and particularly welcome the strong interest shown by attendees from leading businesses in the west of Ireland.” Darina Barrett, Partner, KPMG and 30% Club Steering Committee member, concluded “KPMG is a founding member of the 30% Club in Ireland and we are delighted to be supporting this event in partnership with NUI Galway. We firmly believe that diversity contributes to better all-round business performance and it’s vital that inclusivity is at the top of the agenda for business leaders across Ireland.” -Ends-

NUI Galway study looks to understand how Twitter is shaping the new political landscape New research from NUI Galway explores the ‘realities’ contained within the tweets of several American presidential nominees from three of the main political parties in the United States: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Jill Stein in the months leading up to Election Day on 8 November 2016. The research, which has been published by the International Conference on Information Systems (2017) in Seoul, South Korea, is one of the first studies to use a magical realism perspective to examine the manner with which several main 2016 US presidential election candidates used Twitter as a tool for strategic storytelling and creating specific narratives for their electorate. Magic realism is a literary style used by writers to portray irony, surreal fantasy and hyperbole within their narratives in a realistic way. Consequently, the reader’s ability to distinguish between fiction and reality becomes blurred. Magical realism has appeared in print with increasing frequency over the last few decades, appearing in a vast number of television advertisements and in the popular press. The results show that Twitter served as an effective power knowledge transfer medium for the several presidential nominees by enabling them to create political narratives which were underpinned by specific magical realism techniques. Dr Trevor Clohessy, lead author of the study and post-doctoral researcher from the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway, said: “Political actors are now eager to catch Twitter users’ attention, because they not only produce word-of-mouth effects but influence other online users’ informational choices. In this sense, Twitter users are not just passive information recipients. Rather, they are conceived as power shareholders who control information flow through their interaction with mainstream media. “Existing research suggests that users’ experiences of the credibility of a social medial platform affect their perceptions pertaining to the quality of the message being conveyed. Given the brevity and the ambiguous nature of information contained within a 140 limit tweet, users often have to rely on the credibility of the Twitter platform to interpret the extent of the credibility of the tweets being pushed out by the individuals they are following.” Dr Clohessy added: “The recent emergence of the fake news concept has threatened to negatively impact social media platforms such as Twitter’s credibility as a valid source of information. This is concerning given the power a single political tweet can wield. For instance, when Donald Trump tweeted in January 2017 that Toyota would face a ‘big border tax’ if the company went ahead with plans for a new plant in Mexico, Toyota’s shares subsequently plummeted resulting in a loss of $1.2 billion in a mere five minutes following the posting of the tweet. “As a final reflection, Twitter was a novelty in American politics in 2009, a necessity in 2012 and predicted as a medium for facilitating a more progressive and inclusive politics for the 2016 Presidential campaign. However, our findings demonstrate that in the six months prior to the 2016 US Election Day, Twitter was used as a powerful tool to deliver messages which were underpinned by magical realism elements aimed at eliciting partisan animosity and widespread popularisation. It is interesting to note that Donald Trump tweeted just 1,904 times when compared to Hilary Clinton’s 2,906 and Dr Stein’s 2,604 tweets. Whilst both other candidates may have been more active on Twitter, the divisive, incendiary and almost unfiltered nature of Donald Trump’s tweets were more successful in generating global media news coverage. The following questions then arise: What role will Twitter play in the 2020 Presidential campaign and in more immediate election cycles? Will the 2016 Presidential election serve as a blueprint for future politicians on how to use Twitter to engage the emotions and the attentions of the electorate?” To read the full study, visit: http://novoverse.nuigalway.ie/new-research/ -Ends-

NUI Galway will bring International Scholars, Artists and Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs) to discuss the culture of migration in contemporary Ireland at the upcoming symposium ‘My Story, My Words – Language and Migration’ on Friday, 29 September. The one-day symposium is part of the collaboration between the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at NUI Galway and the Immigrant Council of Ireland, on a research project concerning the language experience of migrants in Ireland. In the 2016 Irish census, more than 600,000 people reported speaking a language other than English or Irish at home; this research looks at language as a key to intercultural communication in an increasingly multicultural country. The project is financed by the Irish Research Council under the New Foundations Scheme. During the event, scholars from across Europe will bring a European perspective on language learning and language policy in multicultural societies. The staff of the Immigrant Council of Ireland will talk about their work promoting diversity in Ireland, while Irish-based artists from all over the world will perform and talk about the challenges and possibilities of making Ireland a home for their art. This includes theatre companies OT Platform - Polish Theatre Ireland, visual artist Marta Golubowska, poets Christodoulos Makris, Nita Mishra, Nithy Kasa, Ozgecan Kesici and Fiona Bolger, and film director Jijo Sebastian. Their talks and performances will show a glimpse of the innovative contribution that artists from different backgrounds are making to Irish culture and society. The day concludes with the annual Máirtín Ó Briain Lecture given by Professor Patrick Stevenson of the University of Southampton. The annual lecture is organised to commemorate the Irish scholar Máirtín Ó Briain. This year Professor Stevenson will speak about ‘Language and Migration in a Multilingual Metropolis.’ The event is open to the public and a full schedule for the day is available on the project website at https://mystorynuig.wordpress.com/symposium-2/ For further information contact: Andrea Ciribuco at andrea.ciribuco@nuigalway.ie or Anne O’Connor at anne.oconnor@nuigalway.ie    -Ends-

NUI Galway Professor discusses life on Earth, alien existence, and the vast Universe in his new book ‘Life through Time and Space’ Wallace Arthur, an NUI Galway Emeritus Professor of Zoology and Visiting Scientist at the Kielder Observatory in Northumberland, will launch his new book, Life through Time and Space next Tuesday, 3 October. Life through Time and Space brings together the latest discoveries in both biology and astronomy to examine our deepest questions about where we came from, where we are going, and whether we are alone in the cosmos. It also considers if intelligent aliens exist on a distant planet in the Milky Way, having similar evolutionary and developmental origins to life on Earth. In addressing this issue, Life through Time and Space tackles the many riddles of our place and fate in the universe that have intrigued human beings since they first gazed in wonder at the night time sky. A distinctive voice in the growing field of astrobiology, Professor Wallace Arthur combines embryological, evolutionary, and cosmological perspec­tives to tell the story of life on Earth and its potential to exist else­where in the universe. In this novel combination of biology and astronomy, Arthur provides detailed insights into the evolution of higher forms of life and the development of brains and intelligence. Speaking about his new book, Professor Wallace Arthur said:“This is a fascinating time to be alive. Our past speculations about the existence of planets and life beyond our own solar system are fast being replaced by facts, many of which are described in this book. Three years ago we found the first near-twin to Earth. We don’t yet know if it has life, but we have begun to analyse exoplanet atmospheres, and this may yield the evidence we seek. If life is indeed found soon, as seems likely, it will be one of the most significant discoveries in the history of humanity.” Along the way, readers can learn about the evolution of life from a primordial soup of organic molecules to complex plants and animals, about Earth’s geological transformation from barren rock to diverse ecosystems, and about human development from embryo to infant to adult. Professor Arthur looks closely at the history of mass extinctions and the prospects for humanity’s future on our precious planet. -Ends-

Best to Forget? Conflict, Memory, and Memoir-Writing by Irish Emigrants to the United States, c1870-c1950 The distinguished American historian Kerby A. Miller will hold a public lecture on Tuesday, 3 October in the Moore Institute at 4pm on the writing of memoirs by Irish migrants to America. Miller presents the results of his investigation into 30 different memoirs by Irish men and women from the later nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth. His talk discusses how memoirists addressed the ambiguities and conflicts in the Irish immigrant experience. He asks whether their narratives expressed a novel “American” individualism or conformed to traditional ethno-religious expectations. How did factors such as social class, religious culture, gender, and language shape their narratives? How did the weave their way between competing value systems? Professor Daniel Carey, Director of the Moore Institute, at NUI Galway said: “The vivid experience of Irish men and women who made their way to the New World is nowhere more apparent than in their own words. Kerby Miller, one of the most prominent historians of Irish America, brings his remarkable scholarship to the study of these little-known narratives.” Kerby Miller is Curators’ Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Missouri. His book Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America (1985) was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His other books include Irish Immigrants in the Land of Canaan (2003), and Ireland and Irish America: Culture, Class, and Transatlantic Migration (2008), and Catholics and Protestants in Eighteenth-Century Ireland: The Irish Religious Censuses of the 1760s (forthcoming). -Ends-

NUI Galway has this week announced the appointment of Natalie Walsh as Executive Director of Blackstone LaunchPad. Blackstone LaunchPad is a campus-based experiential entrepreneurship program open to students, alumni, staff and faculty; offering coaching, ideation and venture creation support. Blackstone LaunchPad is modelled on a successful program that originated at the University of Miami and was further expanded by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. Professor Lokesh Joshi, Vice President for Research at NUI Galway, said: “Blackstone LaunchPad is an integral part of the vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem here at NUI Galway. Natalie has been instrumental in its success to date, which has seen the LaunchPad work with over 3,500 individual members of the NUI Galway community.  In her new role as Executive Director, Natalie will undoubtedly increase the positive impact the Launchpad has on entrepreneurial activities and ideation on campus.” Amy Stursberg, Executive Director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to have Natalie assume this leadership role with Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway. We are grateful for her contributions to our growing global network to date and look forward to seeing Blackstone LaunchPad’s continued success at the University as Natalie takes the helm.” Prior to taking up the role of Executive Director of Blackstone LaunchPad, Natalie has worked as the Programme Manager of this initiative in addition to being the administrative lead on the original proposal which saw Blackstone LaunchPad choose NUI Galway as its first international site outside of the US. Natalie brings a decade of experience working in the technology and software space in addition to over 10 years’ experience working in senior roles at NUI Galway including leading the EU Horizon 2020 funding team which was announced as the highest performing Higher Education Institute in Ireland for the programme in 2015. She has worked across the public and private sectors as a mentor, program developer and lecturer. In 2016, Natalie was a finalist in the WMB Boots Empowering Women Awards.  Last week saw the announcement of the 2017 finalists and her work within the Blackstone LaunchPad programme has again been acknowledged for empowering female students on campus through a variety of supports and initiatives. The award ceremony will take place in the Shelbourne Hotel on the 2 October. A graduate of NUI Galway, with a Masters in Strategy, Innovation and People Management and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours Degree), Natalie is also studying for a PhD in Entrepreneurship at Trinity College Dublin. Blackstone LaunchPad is co-funded by the Galway University Foundation and Blackstone Charitable Foundation. Blackstone LaunchPad at NUI Galway: http://www.nuigalway.ie/blackstonelaunchpad/ -Ends-

Elizabeth Reapy, author and former student of NUI Galway, has won the €10,000 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature 2017 for her debut novel Red Dirt. Red Dirt was published in June 2016 by Head of Zeus. The story takes place in Australia, telling the tales of three young Irish migrants escaping the collapsing economy at home. Surrounded by cheap drink and drugs, they make dangerous and impulsive choices—finding themselves in unfathomable situations. Elizabeth Reapy, from Claremorris, Co Mayo, has a BA in English literature and history from NUI Galway, a diploma in education from University College Cork and an MA in creative writing from Queen’s University Belfast.  The €10,000 prize is awarded for a body of work by a young Irish writer that shows exceptional promise. The event this year, while awarding Elizabeth, also paid tribute to its benefactors, Dan and Patricia Rooney. Dan, a former US ambassador to Ireland, died this year. Literary agent Jonathan Williams, Chair of the Selection Committee for the award, said: “Red Dirt is timely in its subject matter – the migration of Ireland’s young generation - inventively narrated in three voices, and displays a sure-footed mastery of the novel form.”  The novel also won the Newcomer of the Year at the 2016 Irish Book Awards. The Irish Times review said: “Red Dirt takes the modern Irish immigrant experience and turns it into a thought-provoking, vibrant novel that grips the reader from the start.”  -Ends- 

Dr Manus Biggs, Investigator at CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices based at NUI Galway, has just published two separate research papers in top tier international journals, one in the Nature journal Nature Biomedical Engineering and another in the prestigious materials journal, Advanced Materials. Both research papers by Dr Biggs describe advances made in the fields of biomaterials and engineered bioreactor systems to direct the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in the laboratory. Advances in stem cells, gene therapy, biomaterials, medical device technology, growth and differentiation factors, as well as biomimetic environments have created unique opportunities to fabricate tissues in the laboratory from combinations of engineered extracellular matrices (scaffolds), cells, and biologically relevant stimulation or cues. In the study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the researchers from NUI Galway and University of Glasgow describe how they have used measurement technology, based on the sophisticated laser interferometer systems built for gravitational wave detection of astrophysical objects, to grow three-dimensional samples of mineralised bone in the laboratory for the first time. These 3D living bone grafts, when implanted into patients in the future, will be able to repair or replace damaged sections of bone. Mesenchymal stem cells, which are naturally produced by the human body in bone marrow, have the potential to differentiate into a range of specialised cell types such as bone, cartilage, ligament, tendon and muscle. Using patients’ own mesenchymal cells means surgeons will be able to prevent the problem of rejection, and can bridge larger gaps in bone. Dr Biggs describes his research into the stimulation of bone formation from stem cells using a nanovibrational bioreactor. This study, conducted in conjunction with Professor Matt Dalby, at the University of Glasgow, was focused on identifying the roles of high-frequency, low-amplitude mechanical stimulation in inducing mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into bone cells (the process by which a cell becomes specialised in order to perform a specific function, as in the case of a bone cell). “After blood, bone is the most transplanted tissue used in patients in the form of bone graft. Autologous graft (bone grafts taken from the patient’s own body and commonly employed for the treatments of bone cancer, trauma or infection) is in short supply and can be associated with pain and donor site morbidity. Tissue engineered bone-like graft would help meet this clinical demand as well as provide researchers with a potential tissue model for drug screening”, Dr Manus Biggs explains.  Dr Biggs research showed for the first time, that high-frequency vibrations of nanoscale amplitude alone can be used to differentiate patient derived stem cells, to form mineralised tissue in 3D. To achieve this, Professor Dalby designed and developed a totally new genre of vibrational bioreactor (a bench-top cell conditioner, which constantly vibrates lab-grown cells). Using this bioreactor, Dr Biggs and the team from the University of Glasgow demonstrated that vibrations which produce tiny nanoscale deformations (1 millionth of a millimetre), to stem cells encapsulated in a collagen gel - a process termed “Nanokicking”  can induce these stem cells to become bone-like cells without any further conditioning. By doing this they have provided a scalable pathway to control the differentiation of stem cells to bone cells for the generation of lab-grown bone tissue. In his second study published in Advanced Materials, Dr Biggs and his team collaborated with Professor Shalom Wind at Columbia University. Speaking about the study, Dr Biggs said: “Pervious studies indicate that stem cells can be easily persuaded to become bone-like cells when grown on a material which physically and chemically resembles bone tissue. In particular, substrates posessing a rigidity similar to that of bone have been shown to be favourable in inducing stem-cells to become bone cells in the lab. Although tissues can easlily be classified as rigid (bone tissue) or easily deformable (brain tissue), microscopically, tissues are comprised of a variety of micron and nanoscale elements (such as fibres, cells, crystals) with widely differing rigidity. In this way an individual cell carrying out its work in a specific tissue is subjected to many kinds of small structures, some of these small features are rigid, like the mineral deposits found in bone, while some of these features are very elastic such as neighbouring cells.” Dr Biggs and his team investigated whether a fine beam of electrons could be used to alter the rigidity at discrete regions on a soft polymer, thereby enabling the development of a new class of 2D materials possessing patterned features of increased rigidity, ranging from the micron to the nanoscale level. Electron-beam patterning allows for the fabrication of devices with nanoscale features, and has been used extensively in the microelectronics industry for the production of integrated circuits or microchips. In this work, the team showed for the first time that a beam of electrons can significantly alter the rigidity of an elastic polymer. The team then went on to investigate the response of human mesenchymal stem cells when grown on electron-beam patterned polymers, which posessed millions of ordered dots of increased rigidity. Interestingly it was observed that cells were able to perceive the tiny ‘rigid’ features beneath them and responded by changing their function – becomning more bone and cartillage like when grown in the lab. Commenting on Dr Biggs success, Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM at NUI Galway, said: “This work will establish the groundwork for a new generation of biomimetic materials. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is a key area of research at CÚRAM with a goal of finding solutions to chronic health problems and addressing unmet medical need and the use of these technologies to develop clinically translatable reparative and regenerative approaches to chronic illnesses is a major goal.” To read the Advanced Materials paper in full, visit: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201702119/full To read the Nature Biomedical Engineering paper in full, visit: http://rdcu.be/vMwt -Ends-

Áirítear i measc na roghanna nua seo: Ceol, Scannán & Staidéar Digiteach, na Dána & Teicneolaíocht, Teangacha Idirnáisiúnta agus Domhanda D’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh, an tseachtain seo, seacht gcéim nua sna Dána a bheidh ar fáil in 2018. Is toradh iad na cláir nua seo ar aiseolas a fuarthas ó mhic léinn, ó earnáil na tionsclaíochta agus ó fhostóirí agus cuirfidh siad go mór leis an rogha leathan de shainchláir sna Dána atá ar fáil in OÉ Gaillimh. Díríonn na cláir seo go láidir ar scileanna ar leith a fhorbairt agus ar mhic léinn a ullmhú chun obair a aimsiú i dtionscail a bhfuil borradh mór fúthu, le béim ar shocrúchán oibre, infhostaitheacht agus cothromaíocht thábhachtach idir shaineolas i réimse faoi leith agus bhuneolas ar an staidéar leathan a bhaineann leis na Dána agus na Daonnachtaí a sholáthar do mhic léinn.   Agus Gaillimh ainmnithe mar Phríomhchathair Chultúir na hEorpa don bhliain 2020, is príomhchathair dhomhanda chruthaitheach í cathair na Gaillimhe. Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh Cathal O'Donoghue, Déan Choláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta agus an Léinn Cheiltigh in OÉ Gaillimh: “Leis seo cuirtear deiseanna gairme as cuimse ar fáil sna tionscail chruthaitheacha, lena n-áirítear gairmeacha sa drámaíocht, scannánaíocht agus amharclannaíocht chomh maith le réimsí nua eile lena n-áirítear léiriúchán cruthaitheach agus fiontraíocht a bhaineann leis na healaíona. Cuirfidh ceithre cinn de na cláir nua sna Dána a d’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh oiliúint ar mhic léinn chun gairmeacha beatha a bhaint amach sna réimsí seo.” Clár nua a bhfuiltear ag súil go mór leis is ea an BA (Ceol). Sa chlár céime ceithre bliana seo, déanfar staidéar ar an gCeol in éineacht le hábhar eile sna Dána. Tabharfaidh an BA (Ceol) léargas domhain do mhic léinn ar stair an cheoil, ceol traidisiúnta na hÉireann, scileanna gutha agus córúla, cumadóireacht, scileanna méarchláir, teicneolaíocht an cheoil agus bainistíocht ceoil. Ar cheann de shaintréithe na céime seo tabharfar deis do mhic léinn comhoibriú le mic léinn eile sna healaíona cruthaitheacha in OÉ Gaillimh (i réimse na scannánaíochta, drámaíochta agus réimsí gaolmhara eile) agus staidéar a dhéanamh ar champas fíorchultúrtha. Beidh deis ag mic léinn an BA (Scannán agus na Meáin Dhigiteacha) meascán faoi leith a fháil de theoiric agus de chleachtadh i réimsí a bhaineann le scannán agus na meáin dhigiteacha, mar aon le scileanna praiticiúla i scannánóireacht, scríbhneoireacht scáileáin agus forbairt dhigiteach agus dearadh. Cuirfidh an clár, a áiríonn intéirneachtaí le heagraíochtaí a bhaineann leis na healaíona agus na meáin móide taighde agus tionscadail chruthaitheacha faoi mhaoirseacht, céimithe ar fáil do réimse leathan ról sna tionscail chruthaitheacha ina measc:  léiriúchán teilifíse agus scannán, cruthú ábhar digiteach, riarachán cultúrtha, scríbhneoireacht scáileáin agus margaíocht dhigiteach san áireamh. Díreoidh an BA (na Dána Digiteacha agus Teicneolaíocht) ar úsáid na teicneolaíochta digití sna healaíona cruthaitheacha. Leis an gcomhtháthú cuimsitheach idir na dána agus na daonnachtaí agus teicneolaíocht faisnéise agus eolaíocht sonraí, cáileoidh mic léinn le rogha tharraingteach de scileanna cruthaitheachta, anailíseacha agus ardscileanna digiteacha. Sa chlár nua BA (Béarla agus na Meáin) déanfar staidéar ar theoiric na meán i bpeirspictíocht chriticiúil agus stairiúil agus cuirfidh sé ar chumas na mac léinn scileanna cumarsáide inaistrithe agus scileanna smaointeoireachta criticiúla a fhoghlaim, a chuirfidh ar a gcumas rath a bheith orthu sa mhargadh fostaíochta amach anseo. Dúirt an tOllamh O’Donoghue an méid seo a leanas chomh maith: “Leis an Ríocht Aontaithe ar tí imeacht ón AE, tiocfaidh ardú ar líon na gcéimithe sna Dána a bheidh de dhíth d’fhonn dearcadh domhanda a fhorbairt agus taithí idirnáisiúnta a fháil le linn a gcuid staidéar agus i dtús a saol oibre. Is ann do dhá chlár nua i ngeall ar an luach a chuireann fostóirí ar thréithe na gcéimithe áirithe seo.” Tá an BA (Idirnáisiúnta) dírithe ar mhic léinn ar spéis leo staidéar a dhéanamh ar na Dána agus taithí idirnáisiúnta a fháil (bíodh sin ag staidéar thar lear nó ar shocrúchán oibre thar lear) mar chuid dá gcéim le deiseanna lonnú i Meiriceá Theas, Meiriceá Thuaidh nó níos faide i gcéin, i mbliain a trí dá gcéim.  Céim teangacha thar a bheith solúbtha atá sa BA (Teangacha Domhanda), céim a chuirfidh ar chumas na mac léinn gairm bheatha a bhaint amach i réimsí éagsúla ar a n-áirítear teangeolaíocht, aistriúchán, na meáin, teagasc. Tabharfaidh an BA (na Dána le hEolaíocht Sonraí) deis do mhic léinn staidéar a dhéanamh ar ábhar sna dána chomh maith le modúil sa mhata, IT agus eolaíocht sonraí, ag cur céimithe cáilithe ar fáil chun tabhairt faoi róil éagsúla i gcur i bhfeidhm teicnící anailísíochta sonraí chun fadhbanna domhanda an tsaoil seo a bhaineann leis an duine a réiteach. Beidh Laethanta Oscailte fochéime OÉ Gaillimh ar siúl an 6 agus an 7 Deireadh Fómhair. CRÍOCH

BioExcel Accelerator programme at NUI Galway, supported by Enterprise Ireland is now open to applications from entrepreneurs working in the medical technology sector An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., today announced the launch of the BioExel Accelerator programme at NUI Galway, supported by Enterprise Ireland, to further enhance the medical technology sector start-up ecosystem within Ireland and attract global talent to the Galway region. The BioExcel Accelerator programme is open to applications from potential teams or individuals both in Ireland and overseas, working in the medical technology sector. There are up to 14 slots available within the Enterprise Ireland supported Accelerator Programme over two cohorts with the first to commence later this year. Successful applicants of the BioExel Accelerator programme will receive membership and a place within NUI Galway for a period of six months, where teams will be able to build and commercially validate their technologies by working with existing entrepreneurial networks and mentors.  Announcing the launch of the BioExel Accelerator programme while on an Enterprise Ireland and IDA Multi Sectoral Trade Mission in Singapore, An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., said: “Ireland is recognised as a key hub for medical technology and innovation and the launch of this new accelerator is an opportunity to further build on our strong international reputation for excellence and innovation in healthcare and medtech. The Accelerator programme located at NUI Galway and supported by my Department through Enterprise Ireland will further enhance the High Potential Start-up (HPSU) eco-system and develop start-up capability, infrastructure and capital investment within the Galway region. We are delighted to support the initiative, which will go towards sustaining Ireland’s status as a global leader in medical technology innovation.” Professor Lokesh Joshi, Vice-President for Research at NUI Galway, said: “The vision here is to create innovative medical technologies which are affordable and transformative for patients with both acute and chronic conditions. The BioExel Accelerator programme will bring us closer to this patient-focused vision, while also stimulating innovation and job creation though high-potential start-ups. NUI Galway is proud to promote and manage this MedTech Accelerator, which will in turn benefit from our strengths in biomedical science and engineering teaching and research, as well as the CÚRAM Centre for Medical Device Research and the entrepreneurial BioInnovate Ireland Fellowship Programme which are both based here.” The Medtech Accelerator programme is part of Enterprise Ireland’s overall strategy to increase the number and quality of start-ups that have the potential to employ more than ten people and achieve €1 million in export sales within three years. Tom Early, Start Department Manager from Enterprise Ireland, said: “Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting early stage collaborative innovative opportunities between the enterprise sector and health system with the aim of internationalising medtech technologies. New and emerging enterprises will benefit from the Accelerator programme through direct collaboration and co-ordination with technology and healthcare sector stakeholders on opportunities within the marketplace. The BioExel Accelerator programme aims to improve the efficiency of the commercialisation process of new technologies, products and services, benefitting the health sector and society as a whole.” Other partnership sponsors for this Enterprise Ireland supported accelerator programme are the Western Development Commission, Galway University Foundation and the Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Equity Fund.  -Ends-

Who was St. Vincent de Paul? The charitable organisation founded in his name ensures that he remains familiar, but what was the background and history of this French Catholic priest, canonized in the eighteenth century? This year is the 400th anniversary of organisations taking him as patron and source of inspiration. A major new book by NUI Galway historian Alison Forrestal explores the thought and activities of the most famous figure of the seventeenth-century French Catholic Reformation. Her new book, Vincent de Paul, the Lazarist Mission, and French Catholic Reform, published by prestigious Oxford University Press, will be launched at NUI Galway’s Moore Institute on the Wednesday, 27 September.  Dr Forrestal’s book explores how Vincent de Paul turned a personal vocational desire to evangelise the rural poor of France into a congregation of secular missionaries, known as the Congregation of the Mission or the Lazarists. In the process he created a distinctive and influential vision for missionary life and work, and transformed the character of devotional belief and practice within the church. This is the first book to assess de Paul’s activities against the backdrop of religious reform and rule by the French Bourbon monarchy.  Professor Daniel Carey, Director of the Moore Institute, said: “This book is a major new contribution, bringing fresh perspectives on a figure of huge significance in the history of the Catholic faith and charitable missions. This important anniversary year provides food for thought on the influence of this famous figure on the ethos and works of vital charitable organizations.” -Ends-

Two new NUI Galway research projects have been awarded funding under the Science Foundation Ireland Investigators Programme announced this week by Minister for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan, T.D. A total of €2.6 million has been allocated to NUI Galway, with each project focused on generating new knowledge and improving patient care and outcomes. Minister John Halligan said: “This funding recognises some of Ireland’s top researchers and enables them to advance vital research areas in Ireland including health and technology. I am confident that the teams being supported will generate important new scientific breakthroughs.” Professor Paul Murphy from the School of Chemistry at NUI Galway leads one of the research programmes which focuses on ‘Enhancing the scientist’s toolbox using synthetic carbohydrate chemistry for glycomimetic research’. The project involves special sugars that stick to other molecules on our organs and on our immune system, which are called sugar-binding proteins. The sugar-binding proteins cause cancer and inflammation, and can lead to infections as bacteria or viruses stick to our sugars. Professor Murphy’s project aims to develop even stickier molecules called glycomimetics to block them. This research will focus on developing these glycomimetics, which are mimics of the naturally occurring sugars. It is hoped that once the glycomimetics are developed they will be very effective in treating diseases like cancer and asthma, and preventing infections like HIV and influenza which affect millions of people globally. Commenting on his award, Professor Murphy said: “The development of new therapies or drugs based on sugars found in living organisms is still underexplored and considered difficult.  However progress is being made and some glycomimetics have recently been introduced to the clinical setting. This research funding will enable us to design and synthesise novel mimics of naturally occurring sugars (glycomimetics) that will be evaluated for their potential to block cancer and infection and importantly new design concepts for glycomimetic research will be explored in the project. The work will include collaboration with international experts in drug development based on glycomimetics.” Professor Corrado Santocanale from the School of Natural Sciences at NUI Galway has been funded to uncover ‘The fundamental roles of the CDC7 kinase and of its regulatory subunits through genome editing technology’. This research will focus on a protein called CDC7, which is essential for cell division. Drugs that block CDC7 are a potential treatment for cancer. However, little is known about how CDC7 works. Using novel genetic technologies this research is now, for the first time, in a position to discover the role that CDC7 plays in several processes important for cell division. The project will greatly contribute to understanding how cells multiply and to the development of new therapeutic strategies for cancer patients. Commenting on his award, Professor Santocanale said: “This research will expand our knowledge of genome duplication and will inform us on cellular liabilities when specific CDC7 functions are compromised, contributing to the development of CDC7 inhibition as a strategy for the treatment of cancer. The research will not only indirectly contribute to the development of CDC7 inhibition as an anti-cancer strategy, but more importantly will contribute to the advancement of human knowledge on crucial processes leading to cell duplication.” Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, said: “The Science Foundation Ireland Investigators Programme funds outstanding individuals performing excellent, impactful research. The standard of applications for the SFI Investigators Programme was exceptionally high. The quality and quantity of excellent projects on the reserve list is clear evidence of the increasingly high standard of research in Ireland. I have the highest expectations for the projects funded today, and look forward to seeing the benefits to Ireland’s society and economy.” -Ends-

An online training programme developed by NUI Galway for patients with psychosis and schizophrenia has resulted in significant improvements to cognitive performance, social function, and changes in brain activity A new randomised controlled trial led by Professor Gary Donohoe from the School of Psychology and Centre for Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genetics at NUI Galway, has found that when cognitive remediation (CR) training, more commonly known as brain training, is provided even with low support in a community setting, psychosis patients’ scores improved on measures of memory, intelligence, and social and occupational functions. This first in Ireland study published today (21 September 2017) in the international journal Psychological Medicine investigated the effectiveness of a low support, and hence low cost, remotely accessed computerised working training program in patients with psychosis. An online web-based cognitive remediation training programme was developed by the researchers and specifically targeted ‘working memory’ – the ability to hold information online so that it can be used for planning and problem solving, and a key ingredient of intelligence. Funded by the Health Research Board, a total of 90 community-based and clinically stable people took part in the study aged between 18 to 65 years who had a history of psychosis, and were engaged in some activity such as, part-time work or attending a rehabilitation clinic for at least two days each week. Participants were recruited from community health teams from various clinical services in Dublin, Wicklow and Galway, and through the Dublin branch of the National Learning Network, a community based rehabilitation service.  Patients were referred by their local treatment or rehabilitation teams following a series of presentations made about cognitive remediation by the study team. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed in terms of cognitive performance, social and occupational function, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scanning) two weeks post- intervention, with neuropsychological and social function again assessed three to six months post-treatment. Trial outcomes were registered in advance, with neuropsychological performance designated as the primary outcome measure for the study, and social function and MRI task performance designated as secondary outcome measures. Lead author of the study, Professor Gary Donohoe from the School of Psychology at NUI Galway, said: “Psychological treatment for major mental disorders are significantly lacking for adults, particularly for those with psychosis. Many patients only partly respond to medication, and deficits in cognition – which often drive the level of disability experienced by patients, are not improved by treatment. Cognitive remediation is known to be effective, but these programs usually require a significant amount of direct contact with clinicians. What is important about this program is that it involved only one hour of weekly contact with a psychologist (the same as for other psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), with most of the training work being done at home. What is remarkable about this study is that, despite the challenges faced by patients with psychosis, over half were able to complete the training with relatively little support. Following this, the treatment group showed significant recovery not just of memory function and general intelligence, but also in day to day social and occupational function. Perhaps most interesting of all was that, based on MRI scanning, these changes were associated with increased cortical connectivity, which can be thought of as a strengthening of neural networks related to cognitive function.” Results from the study found that patients who completed the intervention, which consisted of 30 minutes of training at home, five days a week, supported by weekly one hour sessions with a psychologist for a total of eight weeks, showed significant gains in both cognitive and social function at both the two week follow-up and later 3-6 month follow-up timeframes. Patients who completed MRI scanning also showed improved functional brain connectivity relative to patients in the placebo condition (talking weekly to a psychologist without practicing the computerised program). The study concluded that cognitive remediation training improved cognitive and social function in patients with psychosis. This study demonstrates that, at least for some chronic but stable outpatients, a low support treatment was associated with gains that were comparable to those reported for cognitive remediation training delivered entirely on a one-to-one basis. The researchers found that cognitive remediation has the potential to be delivered even in services in which psychological supports for patients with psychosis are limited. To read the full study in Psychological Medicine, visit:  https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/effectiveness-of-a-low-support-remotely-accessible-cognitive-remediation-training-programme-for-chronic-psychosis-cognitive-functional-and-cortical-outcomes-from-a-single-blind-randomised-controlled-trial/99E28C54D71FC8B67536C98CC0D974A5   -Ends-  

Sheol OÉ Gaillimh clár i leith na Laethanta Oscailte fochéime a bheidh ar siúl Dé Aoine agus Dé Sathairn, an 6 agus 7 Deireadh Fómhair. Deis iontach atá sna Laethanta Oscailte do scoileanna, mic léinn, tuismitheoirí agus teaghlaigh blaiseadh a fháil de shaol staidéir OÉ Gaillimh, atá rangaithe i measc an 1% is fearr d’ollscoileanna an domhain, de réir Ranguithe Ollscoile an Domhain QS le gairid. Túsphointe maith atá sa phríomhthaispeántas i Halla Bailey Allen le breis is 80 seastán d’ábhar ar leith, chomh maith le cuairt a thabhairt ar cheardlanna praiticiúla eolaíochta agus seisiúin idirghníomhacha in Innealtóireacht, córais IT agus Róbataic.  Beidh turais den champas ar siúl ar feadh an dá lá agus tugtar cuireadh do thuismitheoirí freastal ar Chaint do Thuismitheoirí a bheidh ar siúl Dé Sathairn ar 11am agus a bheidh ann arís ar 1pm. Ar cheann de bhuaicphointí an chláir tá na cainteanna a thugtar ar na scoláireachtaí i dtaca le pointí breise CAO (do mhic léinn a dhéanann éacht i Spóirt nó sna hEalaíona Cruthaitheacha). Ábhar breise atá ar chlár Laethanta Oscailte 2017 is ea rogha de mháistir-ranganna, a chuimseoidh sraith de shaincheardlanna ar réimsí staidéir faoi leith, fostaíocht nó saol an mhic léinn. I measc na máistir-ranganna le linn na Laethanta Oscailte seo beidh ceardlann phraiticiúil drámaíochta, máistir-rang ar innealtóireacht sa todhchaí agus ceardlann chun léiriú do mhic léinn conas is féidir leo rath a bheith ar a gcuid oibre trí ithe go sláintiúil.  Bhí an méid seo le rá ag Sarah Geraghty, Bainisteoir Earcaíochta Mac Léinn agus For-rochtana in OÉ Gaillimh: “Am maith is ea an fómhar do mhic léinn Ardteistiméireachta agus a gcuid tuismitheoirí tús a chur leis an bpróiseas ullmhúcháin agus fáil faoi réir don tríú leibhéal sula dtosaíonn brú mór na scrúduithe. Beidh na daoine is oilte ar an láthair le linn na Laethanta Oscailte chun ceisteanna a bheadh ag mic léinn faoi phointí CAO, infhostaitheacht agus an phleanáil riachtanach ó thaobh cúrsaí lóistín, táillí agus deontais a fhreagairt. Agus an Ollscoil i measc an 1% is fearr d’ollscoileanna an domhain, beidh deiseanna den scoth ar fáil do mhic léinn nua OÉ Gaillimh ó thaobh infhostaitheachta agus aitheantas domhanda ar a gcuid cáilíochtaí.” Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil téigh chuig www.nuigalway.ie/opendays Má tá sé ar intinn agat freastal ar an Lá Oscailte moltar duit súil a chaitheamh ar an gclár, atá ar fáil anseo (http://www.nuigalway.ie/opendays/programme/) agus do lá ar an gcampas a phleanáil. -Críoch-

NUI Galway, WestBIC and GMIT recently welcomed InBIA to Galway to share knowledge and explore opportunities for collaboration. InBIA is among the world’s largest member-based entrepreneurial support network and a leader in building thriving, sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems, and supporting programs across a wide range of industrial sectors. In over 62 countries it represents 2,200 businesses, co-working spaces and entrepreneurship support organisations who are dedicated to encourage unique start-ups in their communities. InBIA is interested in integrating Galway’s dynamic start-up ecosystem with its international network of entrepreneurial supports. The meeting in Galway identified reciprocal opportunities for ‘soft-landing’ supports by facilitating west of Ireland early-stage companies to enter the US and other international markets, and for InBIA’s global network of companies to enter the EU through Galway’s start-up ecosystem. Fiona Neary, Innovation Manager at NUI Galway’s Business and Innovation Centre, said: “The region already has a strong brand globally in Research Development and Industry support, so we must continue to put the structures in place to ensure we are the go-to location for start-up supports, accelerator programmes, co-working spaces and other entrepreneurial supports committed to nurturing start-ups in the community.” InBIA’s visit was a timely follow-up to a recent report by WestBIC and Galway City Council on Enterprise and Incubation supports in Galway. An inadequate pipeline of suitable enterprise development space was identified as a key deficiency. The report also identified a key opportunity for greater co-operation between the key institutions supporting the region’s enterprise development ecosystem. As long-established key innovation enablers within this ecosystem, NUI Galway, GMIT and WestBIC deliver a closely aligned and complimentary portfolio of support measures for the start-up community. The meeting with InBIA explored further opportunities to combine these resources to enhance the participation of the west region in growing knowledge-based jobs, and accelerate regional enterprise creation. These supports are delivered from four Business Innovation Centers (covering over 120,000 square feet) including co-working space, company offices, labs, training, and innovation space. Collectively these facilities house over 160 innovative start-up companies, employ hundreds of staff, and offer enterprise supports and many regional initiatives such as; BioInnovate, Halo Business Angel programme, Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers programme, Blackstone LaunchPad, TechInnovate, Accelerator programmes, and the Empower Women’s Entrepreneurship programme. Chris Coughlan, Chair of WestBIC, says: “This opportunity could facilitate Galway to compete globally with the east coast not to mention other countries also trying to attract such start-ups to their market. By the reciprocal nature of such an arrangement, West of Ireland companies looking to enter the US market could avail of low cost support partners on the ground brokering more accurate targeting of relevant supports, plus supply of services as well as networking opportunity this brings to everyone.” “The opportunities for new business development in Galway and the West of Ireland are really exciting”, said Rick Officer, GMIT Vice President for Research and Innovation. “We look forward to working collaboratively with InBIA and our regional partners to resource and deliver even better enterprise supports. Together we can make Galway an internationally recognised hub for enterprise creation and incubation.” -Ends-

NUI Galway has launched the programme for the upcoming undergraduate Open Days taking place on Friday, 6 and Saturday, 7 of October. The Open Day is an excellent opportunity for schools, students, parents and families to explore the opportunity to study at NUI Galway, ranked in the top 1% of universities in the world, according to the recent QS World University Rankings report.  The main exhibition in the Bailey Allen hall with over 80 subject-specific stands is a great starting point, followed by a visit to the hands-on science workshops and interactives sessions in Engineering, IT systems, and Robotics. Tours of the campus will run throughout each day and parents are invited to attend the dedicated Parent’s Talk running on the Saturday at 11am and repeated again at 1pm. Talks on the bonus CAO performance points scholarships (for students who excel in Sports or the Creative Arts) are always a highlight of the programme. New for 2017, the Open Day Programme includes a range of Masterclasses, a series of specialised workshops on unique areas of study, employment or student life. The Masterclasses at the upcoming Open Days include a practical drama workshop, a masterclass on engineering in the future and a workshop to show students how they can fuel for success through good nutrition. Sarah Geraghty, Student Recruitment and Outreach Manager at NUI Galway, said: “Autumn is a good time for Leaving Certificate students and their parents to start the preparation for progression to third level before the significant pressure of exams begins. The Open Day will have the right people on the ground to answer questions on CAO points, employability and essential planning such as accommodation, fees and grants. Being in the top 1% of universities worldwide, means that the incoming students of NUI Galway have tremendous opportunities in terms of employability and global recognition of their qualification.” To find out more visit www.nuigalway.ie/opendays If you are planning to attend the Open Day you are encouraged to view the programme, available here (http://www.nuigalway.ie/opendays/programme/) and plan your day on campus.  -Ends-

Eagróidh Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh in OÉ Gaillimh sraith ceardlann san amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós. Beidh an chéad cheardlann ar siúl Dé Céadaoin, an 27 Meán Fómhair.  Is í Sarah Ghriallais, a ceapadh mar Amhránaí Cónaitheach ar an Sean-nós in OÉ Gaillimh don bhliain 2017 a bheidh i mbun na gceardlann. Is as Muiceanach, Camus do Sarah agus is amhránaí ar an sean-nós den scoth í, bhuaigh sí Corn Uí Riada, an comórtas amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós is mó le rá ag Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Bhí amhránaíocht Sarah le cloisteáil ar stáitse, i gcláir faisnéise agus i scannáin. Déanfaidh Sarah cúig cheardlann amhránaíochta in Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh, OÉ Gaillimh. Beidh an chéad cheardlann sa tsraith ar siúl Dé Céadaoin, an 27 Meán Fómhair ag 7pm. Tá na ceardlanna saor in aisce agus tá fáilte roimh chách. Is iad Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta agus an Chomhairle Ealaíon i bpáirt le hIonad an Léinn Éireannaigh in OÉ Gaillimh atá i mbun na scéime seo. Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil téigh i dteagmháil le: Samantha Williams ag 091 492051 nó Samantha.williams@nuigalway.ie -Críoch-

The Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway will host a series of sean-nós singing workshops starting Wednesday, 27 September.  The workshops will be taught by Sarah Ghriallais, the recently appointed Sean-nós Singer in Residence at NUI Galway for 2017. Sarah who is originally from Muiceanach, Camus, is a renowned sean-nós singer with exceptional talent, a previous winner of the prestigious Corn Uí Riada, the premier sean-nós singing competition at the Oireachtas. Sarah’s singing has also featured on stage, in documentaries and in films. Sarah will give a series of five sean-nós singing workshops at the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway. The first workshop in this series will take place on Wednesday, 27 September at 7pm. Workshops are free and open to all. This project is funded by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta, An Chomhairle Ealaíon and the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway. For further information contact: Samantha Williams at 091-492051 or Samantha.williams@nuigalway.ie -Ends-

Culture Night kicks off in Galway city on the NUI Galway campus with a unique lunchtime event in a hidden part of the University. The public is invited to wander through the old Geology and Physiology floors upstairs in the Quadrangle building, under the eye of the iconic clock tower. Taking the theme of ‘Time’ as inspiration, ConTempo Quartet, the Galway Ensemble in Residence, will join with students of Drama, Theatre and Performance, the NUI Galway Staff Choir, the Arts Office and the Discipline of Earth and Ocean Science for a lunchtime feast of music, drama, photography and song. The free event begins at 1pm in the Geology corner of the Quadrangle*, on the left-hand side underneath the Archway. Other Culture Night events on campus include: The Computer and Communications Museum of Ireland at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics will open its doors from 5-7pm. The public are invited to step back in time to the early days of computer gaming and enjoy the sights and sounds of the great classics, like Space Invaders, Pacman and Sonic, on renowned vintage consoles such as Atari, Nintendo, Sega Mega Drive and Playstation 1. The O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance on campus will host ‘The Spaceman’, a one-man show by Galway playwright, actor and Colours Street Theatre founder, James Fleming. The show begins at 6pm and entry is free. The James Hardiman Library will host special talks by archivist, Fiona Kearney, on the theme of ‘Periodical Literature in the Muintir na Tíre archive’, and Special Collections Librarian, Marie Boran, on the theme of ‘James Hardiman, the Historian of Galway’. These events commence at 6.30pm in the Hardiman Building foyer. -Ends-

 The science video competition, ReelLIFE SCIENCE, is open to all primary and secondary schools, community groups and clubs in Ireland NUI Galway is challenging science enthusiasts and filmmakers of all ages to produce an engaging and educational short science video for this year’s ReelLIFE SCIENCE competition. For the first time since launching in primary and secondary schools in 2013, the contest is now also inviting participants from community groups and clubs around Ireland to show their passion for science and technology. Videos can be produced on smartphones or cameras and can communicate any aspect of science. Supported by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover programme, the Community Knowledge Initiative and the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, ReelLIFE SCIENCE will award more than €5,000 for the best science videos. The winning videos will be selected by a panel of guest judges, including BT Young Scientist & Technologist of the Year 2017, Shane Curran from Terenure College Dublin; NASA Spacecraft systems engineer and aspiring astronaut Amber Gell, who said: “Videos are a great way to get students more interested and researching science-related topics and presenting in a manner reflective of this generation and their preferred communication styles. This competition seems like a lot of fun!” Closing date for submissions is Friday, 13 October and the best videos at each level (primary, secondary and community) will be announced during Science Week 2017. The winning filmmakers will be invited to attend a public screening and awards ceremony during the Galway Science and Technology Festival on 26 November. ReelLIFE SCIENCE is organised by Dr Enda O’Connell and a team of science communication enthusiasts from NUI Galway. In previous years more than 7,000 people have participated. For further information about the 2017 competition contact Dr Enda O’Connell, NCBES, NUI Galway at enda.oconnell@nuigalway.ie or 091-495435. Previous year’s winning videos and more information about the 2017 competition can also be found at www.reellifescience.com. -Ends-

The Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) at NUI Galway will welcome over 350 international delegates from across the US, South Africa, Egypt, Europe, South America and Australia, to mention a few, to the 17th International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement Annual Conference between the 14-16 September. NUI Galway is particularly proud to host this important event as this marks the first occasion that it will be held outside North America. The University has been chosen given its international reputation for placing civic engagement and service learning as a core pillar of the university experience. For three days, delegates will discuss the role of higher education within society through community engagement and service learning.  Keynote speeches will be offered by a range of international experts including Professor Imanol Ordorika from the University of Mexico on the theme of “Social Activism and Politics: A New Paradigm for Universities?” Also an international keynote panel will address the impact of community engagement on students, community and universities which will include perspectives from the US, South Africa, Europe and Ireland. Service learning is a teaching approach that connects student learning to the needs of the community. Lorraine McIlrath, Director of the Community Knowledge Initiative at  NUI Galway and Conference Programme Chair, said: “Students at NUI Galway have an opportunity to use their knowledge to connect with real world problems. Biomedical Engineering students design and build prototypes for people with physical disabilities; nursing students address the implications of nursing in an Irish multi-cultural context and law students offer pro bono legal information to community partners. We feel that this type of learning can open students’ minds to their role as agents of change within the community and society.” The theme of the 2017 conference “Gateways - Charting New Territories & Forging Relationships” has been inspired by numerous of international debates, concerns and discourses. Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland has spearheaded the discourse of ethical renewal within the context of Ireland. He is a former academic from NUI Galway, a poet, a cultural icon and philosopher who has a sharp sense of the role a university offers within the society.  Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland’s, “Presidency of Ideas” continues to encourage all to recognise and be open to new concepts of thought and action; to develop a new public discourse that places human flourishing and an ethic of active citizenship at its heart. He believes in the practice of knowledge, democracy and that “knowledge, insight and vision are but the service of the community. With the privilege to pursue knowledge comes the civic responsibility to engage and put that knowledge to work in the service of humanity.” (2012). While this is an on-going Irish debate it has international application, and is at the heart of the conference ethos and mission.  For further information contact Lorraine McIlrath, Director of the Community Knowledge Initiative on +353 87 7682099 -Ends-  

An international touring exhibition on The Irish in Latin America, commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, is now on display at NUI Galway’s Hardiman Research Building, and open to the public. This display describes the extensive but often overlooked Irish heritage in Latin American countries, with shared histories of colonialism, subsequent independence and revolutionary struggles. Each panel features an Irish figure who helped to shape art and cultural heritage, intellectual tradition, scientific scholarship as well as politics and foreign policy throughout Latin America, from Argentina to Mexico and the Caribbean. There are strong Galway connections in the exhibition, the most famous being Che Guevara, hero of the Cuban revolution, who descended from the “Tribes of Galway” through his paternal grandmother. John Riley from Clifden, Co. Galway less well known in Ireland is honoured annually in Mexico for organizing the San Patricio Battalion in the Mexican-American war of 1846-47. Irish woman Eliza Lynch, born in Charleville County Cork, is a national heroine in Paraguay. Living in Paris at a young age she met Francisco Solano-López (1826-1870), the billionaire heir to the President of Paraguay. When he became President in 1862, Eliza Lynch assumed the position of unofficial Queen of Paraguay and is immortalized in Anne Enright’s novel, The Pleasure of Eliza Lynch (2002) and in numerous films and books. They had seven children and his entire estate was left to her in 1870 making her one of the wealthiest women in Latin America.   At the inauguration of the Cork exhibition in January of this year, President Michael D. Higgins said:  “that Irish men and women had played a profound role in the development of the modern and independent republics of the region.” The President added  that the exhibition “did not shirk from showing us the complex truth that, alongside those Irish workers who were exploited as railroad workers in Cuba, were families of Irish origin who operated large sugar plantations worked by slaves.”   The exhibition is curated by Dr Margaret Brehony, currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Geography, NUI Galway. She is president of the Society for Irish Latin American Studies and co-editor of the journal of Irish Migration Studies in Latin America and has taught in Latin American Studies and Irish Studies at NUI Galway. Margaret has published on Irish migration to Cuba in the nineteenth century. The Spanish translation of the exhibition opened in Mexico City in October 2016 and has since travelled to Guadalajara; Bogotá, Colombia and Montevideo, Uruguay. It was launched in Havana, Cuba by President Higgins during the first Irish State visit to Cuba in February of this year. The exhibition will tour different public venues in Ireland during 2017, including the National Ploughing Championships. The exhibition at NUI Galway will be launched on the 13 September by Professor Nuala Finnegan (UCC), a Galway native. She will be joined by experts at NUI Galway working on Ireland and Latin America, including Professor Bill Richardson speaking on the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges on Ireland.The launch and seminar takes place at 3pm on Wednesday 13 September in the Hardiman Research Building, the Bridge Seminar Room, 1st Floor. For further information contact: Professor Daniel Carey, Moore Institute, NUI Galway at +353 83 400 2097 or Dr Margaret Brehony, NUI Galway at +353 86 805 3587. -Ends-

NUI Galway researchers provide the first assessment of microplastic pollution in marine sediments from the Irish continental shelf  Researchers from the School of Geography and Archaeology at NUI Galway have conducted the first study that investigates microplastic pollution of marine sediments on the Irish continental shelf. The study was published this week in the international journal Scientific Reports. Pollution from plastic entering into the ocean is a global issue that impacts marine life at all trophic levels as well as economically important ecosystems. Microplastics (plastics smaller than 0.5mm) are widely dispersed throughout the marine environment. An understanding of the distribution and accumulation of this form of pollution is crucial for gauging environmental risk. In this study the researchers provide the first assessment of microplastic pollution in sediments and bottom waters collected from the Irish continental shelf. More specifically, this study investigated the history of microplastic deposition on the seafloor and examined how sedimentation regimes, proximity to densely populated areas, and maritime activities may impact microplastic pollution and deposition in marine sediments. The results demonstrate that microplastic contamination is present along the western Irish continental shelf regardless of proximity to densely populated areas. The study found that a shallow layer of microplastics has formed along the Irish seafloor within marine sediments and their overlaying bottom waters. It also found a statistically significant trend of a rapid decrease in microplastic abundance with sediment depth within the fisheries near Galway Bay, which supports the assumption that microplastic deposition is increasing over time in this area. All recovered microplastics were classified as secondary microplastics as they appear to be remnants of larger items; fibres being the principal form of microplastic pollution (85%), followed by broken fragments (15%). The range of polymer types, colours and physical forms recovered suggests a variety of sources that may originate from plastic polymer fishing gear or land based contributions from nearby industry, water treatment plants, or households. Dr Audrey Morley, senior author of the study and lecturer in Physical Geography at NUI Galway, said: “The pervasive presence of microplastics on the Irish Sea floor bares significant risks for economically important Irish fisheries, for example the Galway Bay Prawn (Nephrops Norvegicus). A previous study from Scottish fisheries has shown that prawns tend to ingest high concentrations of microplastic fibres when exposed to this type of pollution. “Our results show that the Galway Bay Prawn fishery may be experiencing high exposure to this form of pollution with potential detrimental repercussions for this species, including reduced fitness and potential reproductive failure. However, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms influencing interactions of microplastics with individual species and ecosystems.” This research was an NUI Galway student-led investigation by Mr Jake Martin, a graduate of the Masters Programme in Marine and Coastal Environments: Policy and Practice within the Discipline of Geography. For his achievements he has received the Professor Micheál Ó Cinnéide Award for Academic Excellence and is the lead-author of this publication. This research was funded by a GSI Short Call from the Geological Survey of Ireland and a grant-in-aid for Ship-time on the RV Celtic Voyager from the Marine Institute of Ireland. To read the full paper in Scientific Reports, visit: http://rdcu.be/vECw -Ends-

The School of Education at NUI Galway are hosting a regional Focus Group on the new Computer Science curriculum to give teachers the opportunity to provide feedback on the new Leaving Certificate Computer Science subject that will be introduced, on a phased basis, to schools in September 2018. The curriculum specification for Leaving Certificate Computer Science is currently being developed by the NCCA - National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Dr Anna Walshe, NCCA Education Officer who will lead the discussion on the draft specification said:  “The needs and views of learners, teachers and schools are central to developments at senior cycle. Teachers and schools are at the heart of leading and supporting change that is deep and lasting. The purpose of this consultation is to achieve a closer understanding of the dynamics of change for the learner, for the teacher as a professional and for the school as an organisation.”  The draft specification, published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is available for consultation until 22 September on www.ncca.ie Please contact Cornelia Connolly at cornelia.connolly@nuigalway.ie if you wish to attend and be part of this key regional consultation on the new Computer Science subject for schools. Teachers who attend will have substitution and travel expenses reimbursed.  The Focus Group will be held on Thursday 14 September, 2017. The session will take place between 2–4pm in Room D202, Education Building, Block D (south campus) at NUI Galway. -Ends- 

Professor William Wijns, a Professor in Interventional Cardiology at the Lambe Institute for Translational Research in NUI Galway, has been honoured with a Gold Medal Award from the European Society of Cardiology in Barcelona, in recognition for his outstanding achievements and international reputation as a leading cardiologist. Professor Wijns joined NUI Galway last October as part of a Science Foundation Ireland Research Professorship Programme, which supports national strategic priorities by recruiting world-leading research and leadership talent to Ireland. This particular programme of work will focus on interventional cardiology and early evaluation of new device-based therapies. More specifically, Professor Wijns’ research focuses on preventing heart attacks and sudden death caused by unexpected blockage of arteries supplying the heart with blood and oxygen. This occurs in people exposed to risk factors such as family history, hypertension, smoking, diabetes or high cholesterol, who exhibit a vulnerable narrowing in the walls of their arteries, without being aware of it. At NUI Galway, Professor Wijns is currently spearheading a €5 million research project that uses wearable or implantable sensors to alert patients at high risk of heart attacks to triggers such as stress or high blood pressure. Pilot patient clinical trials are currently underway at the Cardiology Department at Saolta University Healthcare group, where Professor Wijns will collaborate with other clinicians engaged in translational cardiovascular research. Trigger mechanisms like anger, mental stress, high blood pressure, strenuous exercise and sleep disorders cause the narrowing to rupture inside the conduit, obstructing the artery. Professor Wijns work will look at developing medical devices that can monitor these ‘trigger’ activities electronically, at a distance, using sensors in high-risk subjects who are known to carry this vulnerable narrowing of the artery, and in doing so, anticipate and potentially prevent heart attacks.  Commenting on receiving his award, Professor William Wijns said: “I am extremely honoured to be awarded this prestigious award from the European Society of Cardiology, especially at the moment as the interventional community is celebrating 40 years of coronary dilatation and 15 years of percutaneous aortic valve replacement. I am also very thankful to Science Foundation Ireland for enabling me to continue my scientific journey by contributing to the development and evaluation of new device-based therapies, in the stimulating environment of NUI Galway’s Lambe Institute for Translational Medicine and CÚRAM, right at the centre of the Irish innovation-friendly ecosystem.” In recent years Professor Wijns has held board memberships in the European Society of Cardiology and the World Heart Federation. He is currently Chairman of PCR, co-Director of AfricaPCR and EuroPCR, the official congress of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions. Professor Wijns previously worked at the Thorax Center in Rotterdam, where he was actively involved with the first applications of nuclear cardiology, thrombolysis and coronary dilatation, at the University of Louvain in Brussels, where he was Clinical Professor of Cardiology and as co-Director at the Cardiovascular Research Center Aalst in Belgium. To watch Professor William Wijns receive his Gold Medal Award, visit: https://youtu.be/7X7eGxMxiUc?t=52m24s. Video courtesey of the European Society of Cardiology. -Ends-

NUI Galway’s sixteenth annual Volunteering Fair will take place on Tuesday, 12September in the Bailey Allen Hall, from 11-4pm. Over 60 local, national and international organisations will showcase their work to inspire creative thinking and approaches to social causes. NUI Galway is committed to encouraging the next generation of students to be innovative and entrepreneurial, all qualities needed to be part of the community as an active volunteer in a changing environment.  Charities and campus based programmes attend the Volunteering Fair to empower students. Lorraine Tansey, Student Volunteer Coordinator at NUI Galway, said: “The important skills of empathising, listening and communicating can be taught in a classroom, but our community partners connect our students to action projects to build student’s experience and confidence to be leaders of our community. We need creative problem solving to be able to live in socially and environmentally conscious ways and the Fair sparks and inspires students to be active in creating change for others and themselves.” Volunteering Fair exhibitors include: Irish Wheelchair Association; Music for Galway; The Galway Music Residency; Irish Guide Dogs; Habitat for Humanity Ireland; Galway Autism Partnership; Voluntary Service International; Helplink Support Services; Dogs for the Disabled; Galway Simon Community; Society of St. Vincent de Paul; Croí Heart and Stroke Charity; SERVE; Macnas; Conservation Volunteers Galway; Brighter Communities Worldwide; Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland; Amnesty International   Galway; Western Region Drugs Task Force; GROW Community Mental Health; MADRA; Mutts Anon Dog Rescue & Adoption, amongst others. ALIVE is NUI Galway's student volunteering programme dedicated to providing supports to students to engage in positive volunteering experiences. This has been achieved through community partnerships, events like the Volunteering Fair, and an online website of volunteer opportunities.  To book a stand or for further information visit www.nuigalway.ie/alive or email alive@nuigalway.ie. -Ends-

Research excellence was celebrated at NUI Galway this week with the announcement of a series of high-profile awards at the annual Research and Innovation Symposium. The awards were made to members of the NUI Galway research community by the University’s President. Accolades included the annual President’s Awards for Research Excellence and the Ryan Innovation Award. Announcing the awards, which are now in their fourth year, NUI Galway President, Dr Jim Browne said: “These awards are made to members of our research community in recognition of their outstanding and innovative research. Today’s event is an important event in the University’s calendar. It is about recognising and rewarding the very significant research contributions made by our staff and the importance of this in enhancing the reputation of our University internationally. Research affects daily life in many ways and ultimately the goal of most research is to understand and enhance the world around us.” The 2017 Ryan Award for Innovation went to a team led by Dr Michel Dugon at the School of Natural Sciences, whose lab is exploring the venom of Irish spiders as a potential source of antimicrobial compounds. Dr Dugon’s team also included NUI Galway’s Dr Ronan Sulpice, Professor Olivier Thomas, Professor Vincent O’Flaherty and Professor Afshin Samali. The €25,000 Ryan Award for Innovation is aimed at recognising and facilitating the development and translation of innovative ideas in the area of environment, marine and energy, into outputs with societal and economic impact. This initiative has been supported by the Tony Ryan Trust and builds upon past generous support from the Ryan Family. In addition, the winners of the 2017 President’s Awards for Research Excellence were announced as: Early Stage Researcher Dr John Cullinan (School of Business and Economics) Dr Anne O’Connor (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures) Dr Derek Morris (School of Natural Sciences) Established Researcher Professor Brian McGuire (School of Psychology) Dr Frances Fahy (School of Geography and Archaeology) Dr Paul Buitelaar (School of Engineering and Informatics) Research Supervisor  Professor Kieran Conboy (School of Business and Economics) Dr Conor O’Byrne (School of Natural Sciences) At the event, Professor Lokesh Joshi, Vice-President of Research at NUI Galway, spoke about the focus of the University’s research: “The purpose of our research is to benefit humanity, society and the economy. In pursuit of this, our talented and ambitious research community collaborate with other universities, companies and non-governmental organisations around the world. This capacity to collaborate means that our research reputation takes us from the west of Ireland, to the heart of Europe and into the top 1% of universities in the world.” The Research and Innovation Symposium also included an interactive panel session with a focus on early career researchers, as well on talks on Horizon 2020 by Dr Sean McCarthy of Hyperion, and Research Integrity by Dr Maura Hiney of the Health Research Board. -Ends-

CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices based at NUI Galway together with Galway City Arts Office have commissioned a new Community Art-Science project for Westside community in Galway City.Award winning artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly, who live and work between Paris and Ireland, have been selected to develop an art-science project with the Westside community using the research being carried out at CÚRAM as their inspiration. Their highly engaging artworks focus on vision, perception of space and the relationship with the public. They design interactive environments that often integrate new technologies and with this project, aim to create a permanent artwork which acknowledges the various communities of Westside and celebrates their connection to CÚRAM and the MedTech Industry. “We are really interested in CÚRAM’s work on corneal implants and also in advanced biomimicry, which is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems”, says Anne Cleary. “This project provides us with an opportunity to become familiar with CÚRAM’s research, potentially leading to new avenues for our own work and also to highlight CÚRAM’s work to the local community and through future art events. Our work is all about perception, how people see the world, how they adapt, how they react to a situation, and in fact the success of any medical device or implant is all about adaptation and reaction in the body, so our work has some good parallels with CÚRAMs research.” CÚRAM’s public engagement programme, which incorporates artist-in-residence projects, supports the Science Foundation Ireland objective of having the most scientifically informed and engaged public. “We aim to inspire and engage all communities with current and cutting edge research that’s happening here in Ireland”, said Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM. “Unfortunately chronic illness such as diabetes, Parkinson’s and heart disease are familiar to most Irish communities and it’s important that we provide opportunities for people to find out more about our work in finding solutions to these illnesses and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. That can be through the work of filmmakers, teachers or artists such as Cleary Connolly who use the research as inspiration and break barriers to provide another ‘way in’ to the world of science.” According to James Harold, Galway City Arts Officer, the project is a new and exciting opportunity to bring the worlds of art and science together. “I’m particularly delighted to be able to support this project which will bring a whole new world of creativity and innovation in the sciences to the Westside community. CÚRAM’s public engagement programme has a strong focus on empowering communities with knowledge and providing new and novel ways for people to engage and interact, and I am excited to see what results from the combination of science and art through such a contemporary visual art project.”James Coyne, CEO of Westside Resource Centre and Community Partner on the project says that the Westside community is a strong and vibrant one with its own annual community Arts Festival. “Westside Resource Centre is committed to providing an extensive range of activities for people of all ages. This new Art and Science Project, supported by CÚRAM and Galway City Arts Office, will add a new dimension to our programme and we’re looking forward to working closely with the artists and researchers in the coming months. We will be encouraging local people to get involved and to contribute to this interesting collaboration.” The project will be officially launched at Westside Library in Galway on Culture Night 22 September at 6pm. All are welcome to attend and find out more. Refreshments will be served at the launch and will be followed by a screening of CÚRAM’s Science on Screen documentaries. The artists will also be running public workshops later in November at the Westside Resource Centre during Science Week as part of the project. For more information on the artists and their work please visit www.connolly-cleary.com Cleary Connolly’s work is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.-Ends-

Business Information System students to pilot global digital product that manages complex digital transformation projects as part of their academic studies  The J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway has partnered with Galway based technology start-up Tr3Dent to pilot their new cloud-based project management software tool ‘Transformation Accelerator’ with their Business Information System students for the 2017/2018 academic year. The Transformation Accelerator product is an enterprise software platform that leverages visualisation technology and best practices to enable global companies to plan, build and manage the complex ecosystems required to deliver new digital services and business models. The software is currently being used by global organisations such as Oracle and Huawei technologies.  The software tool can be used for for stress testing a new business model for a software service or product prior to actually launching it into the market. For example, a company interested in adopting blockchain (a digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly) could use the platform to map out how it would impact their existing business activities before going to market. The software provides a trial run to eliminate any problems before deploying to a customer base. Transformation Accelerator was launched by Tr3Dent in May 2017, and currently has over 100 companies from Europe, North America and Asia using the product to develop new digital product offerings and to manage complex digital transformation projects such as Smart Cities, eHealth, Utilities, Factory Automation, General Data Protection Regulation and Blockchain. Tr3Dent CEO, Kevin McCaffrey said: “Our Transformation Accelerator product is specifically designed to help companies define the new business models and ecosystems needed to launch new products and services in today’s Digital Economy. By providing this product to the University we are empowering the business students with the same tools, techniques and methodologies that are currently being used by over 100 companies globally.” Chris Barry, Programme Director of the MSc in Information Systems Management at NUI Galway, said: “Our postgraduate students use a wide variety of information systems development software applications and technologies on the programme. We have used conventional project management applications until now so it is a great opportunity for our students to use innovative cloud-based project management tools, provided by Tr3Dent, a local company.” Dr Trevor Clohessy, Information Systems Management major project supervisor at NUI Galway, added: “When I initially trialled the business Transformation Accelerator software, I could immediately see the benefits that our students could derive for project managing their deliverables. It will enable them to work smarter, bridge the gap between business and IT and most significantly gain experience using organisational best practice templates and industry standards.” For more information about Transformation Accelerator, visit: www.Tr3Dent.com -Ends-

Dul chun cinn i gceithre cinn de na cúig réimsí rangaithe Dhaingnigh OÉ Gaillimh a áit mar cheann de na 250 Ollscoil is fearr ar domhan i Ranguithe Ollscoile an Domhain de chuid Times Higher Education (THE) 2017-18, ag fanacht sa réimse idir 201-250, agus ag déanamh dul chun cinn i gceithre cinn de na cúig phríomhchatagóir - dearcadh idirnáisiúnta,  taighde, tionchar tagairtí agus ioncam ó thionscal. D’éirigh linn le gairid an 243ú háit a bhaint amach ar domhan i Ranguithe Ollscoile QS an Domhain 2017/2018 a fógraíodh i mí an Mheithimh 2017, agus is é OÉ Gaillimh an t-aon ollscoil in Éirinn a rinne dul chun cinn nó a choinnigh a áit sa dá phríomhrangú idirnáisiúnta le cúig bliana anuas. Is léiriú é an feabhas leanúnach seo ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta le déanaí ag an Ollscoil a mhínigh Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an Dr Jim Browne: “Ní tomhas iad ranguithe ar chultúr ná ar an gcúis a bhfuil Ollscoil ina háit iontach le foghlaim inti, ach is teist é ar fhís agus ar obair chrua na foirne agus na mac léinn go bhfuilimid ardaithe ón 500 is fearr in 2007 go dtí an 250 is fearr anois. Bhí an t-ádh linn go bhfuaireamar maoiniú daonchairdiúil agus státchiste a chuir ar ár gcumas an campas a athrú ó bhonn le blianta beaga anuas, agus táimid anois ag feiceáil an tionchar atá aige seo agus muid ag déanamh an-dul chun cinn ó thaobh teagaisc agus taighde de.   “I ndeireadh na dála, tá sé seo tábhachtach dár gcuid mac léinn. I margadh poist idirnáisiúnta, baineann tábhacht ar leith le ranguithe. Beidh ár gcuid mac léinn mar cheannairí agus nuálaithe sa todhchaí agus nuair a bhreathnaímid ar fhorbairt gheilleagrach, ní mór dúinn a bheith cinnte go bhfuil na tacaíochtaí cuí ar fáil chun cabhrú lenár mic léinn a bheith uaillmhianach agus barr a gcumais a bhaint amach.” Tá tábla sraithe an Times Higher Education de na hollscoileanna is fearr ar domhan bunaithe ar 13 tháscaire feidhmíochta ar leith a chlúdaíonn gach croímhisean a bheadh ag ollscoil den scoth; teagasc, taighde, aistriú eolais agus dearcadh idirnáisiúnta. Tá ceann de na suirbhéanna is mó ar domhan maidir le cáil acadúil áirithe sa suirbhé seo chomh maith. Fiafraíodh de bhreis is 10,000 duine acadúil na hollscoileanna is fearr a rátáil do rangú 2017/18.  Tá Ranguithe Ollscoile Times Higher Education (THE) le feiceáil ar líne ag:  http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/  -críoch-

Advances in four of the five ranking pillars NUI Galway has consolidated its position as a top 250 Global University in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2017-18, remaining within the 201-250 range, while also improving its scores in four of the five main pillars categorised - international outlook, research, citation impact and industry income. NUI Galway is the only Irish university to maintain or increase its position in two of the main international rankings in the last five years, having recently increased to 243rd in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2017/2018 announced in June 2017. The continuous improvement reflects recent advances by the University, NUI Galway President Dr Jim Browne explained: “Rankings can’t measure culture or what makes a University a great place to learn, but the fact that we have risen from the Top 500 in 2007 to the Top 250 now is testament to the vision and hard work of our staff and students. We have been fortunate that a combination of philanthropic and exchequer funding has enabled us to transform our campus in recent years, and we’re now starting the see how this is enabling great strides to be made in our teaching and research.   “Ultimately this is important for our students. In an international jobs market, rankings matter. Our students will be the future leaders and innovators and when we look at economic development, we need to make sure we have the supports in place to help our students to dream big and reach their potential.” The Times Higher league table of the world’s top universities is based on 13 separate performance indicators covering all of the core missions of a world class university; teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The survey also includes one of the world’s largest academic reputation survey, with more than 10,000 academics asked to rate the world’s best universities for the 2017/18 ranking.  The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings is available to view online at:  http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/  -ends-  

Cuirfidh an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, Príomhoide agus Déan Choláiste an Ghnó sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath (UCD), tús lena Théarma Uachtaránachta in 2018 D’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh inniu go bhfuil an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh ceaptha mar an 13ú hUachtarán ar an Ollscoil agus go dtosóidh a théarma in Eanáir 2018. Tiocfaidh an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh i gcomharbacht ar an Dr Jim Browne ag deireadh a théarma deich mbliana.  Tá an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh ina Phríomhoide agus Déan ar Choláiste an Ghnó sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath (UCD) ó 2011, áit a bhfuil sé i gceannas ar na scoileanna i mBaile Átha Cliath (Scoil Ghnó Lochlann Uí Chuinn UCD, Scoil Chéimithe Ghnó Michael Smurfit UCD, agus UCD Smurfit Executive Development), agus ar na cláir thar lear in Hong Cong, Singeapór agus Srí Lanca. Léirigh sé ceannaireacht láidir acadúil ina róil in Victoria University Of Wellington, sa Nua-Shéalainn agus in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath. Seo mar a labhair an Breitheamh Onórach Catherine McGuinness, Cathaoirleach Údarás na hOllscoile, faoin gceapachán: “Ó thús an phróisis seo, bhí ceannaire á lorg againn atá in ann cur leis an dul chun cinn suntasach atá déanta le linn uachtaránacht an Dr Jim Browne agus atá in ann foireann agus mic léinn OÉ Gaillimh a spreagadh chun tuilleadh ratha a bhaint amach san Ollscoil iontach seo. Ón méid atá bainte amach aige mar cheannaire go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta, tá sé léirithe ag an Ollamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh go bhfuil an taithí agus an fhís atá riachtanach don ról seo aige, agus táim ag súil go mór le bheith ag obair leis ar chur chun cinn na hOllscoile amach anseo.” Chuir an tUachtarán reatha, an Dr Jim Browne, fáilte roimh an gceapachán: “Tá ceannaireacht láidir acadúil léirithe ag an Ollamh Ó hÓgartaigh agus tá go leor bainte amach aige i réimse an idirnáisiúnaithe. Cuirim fáilte roimh Chiarán chuig OÉ Gaillimh agus guím gach rath air agus é ag tabhairt ceannaireachta ar phobal iontach na hOllscoile – idir chomhaltaí foirne agus mhic léinn – chun go mbeidh deis acu ar fad barr a gcumais a bhaint amach.”  Seo mar a labhair an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh faoina cheapachán: “Is mór an onóir dom a bheith ceaptha mar Uachtarán ar OÉ Gaillimh, mo alma mater féin. Nuair a áirítear an oidhreacht agus an réigiún uathúil atá ag an Ollscoil, chomh maith le hardchaighdeán na ndaoine, agus bua agus doimhneacht an taighde agus eispéireas na mac léinn, tá deis iontach ag OÉ Gaillimh cur leis an gcáil atá uirthi agus a tionchar go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Táim ag súil go mór le filleadh ar mo chathair dhúchais agus ar an Ollscoil a chuaigh go mór i bhfeidhm orm agus le dul i mbun oibre i gcomhpháirt le mo chomhghleacaithe nua ar mhaithe lenár mic léinn agus leis an tsochaí i gcoitinne.” Beathaisnéis Tá Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh ina Ollamh le Cuntasaíocht agus Déan an Ghnó sa Choláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath (UCD), áit a bhfuil sé i gceannas ar na scoileanna i mBaile Átha Cliath (Scoil Ghnó Lochlann Uí Chuinn UCD, Scoil Chéimithe Ghnó Michael Smurfit UCD, agus UCD Smurfit Executive Development), agus na cláir thar lear in Hong Cong, Singeapór agus Srí Lanca. Ba i Scoil Iognáid agus Coláiste Iognáid a fuair Ciarán a chuid scolaíochta, agus is céimí de chuid OÉ Gaillimh é, áit ar bhain sé céadonóracha amach agus an chéad áit sa rang. Chuaigh sé i mbun traenála mar chuntasóir cairte le Arthur Andersen agus bhain sé céim PhD sa Chuntasaíocht amach in Ollscoil Leeds. Foilsíodh go forleathan é i réimse na cuntasaíochta agus tá sé tar éis tréimhse a chaitheamh ag obair i bpostanna acadúla in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath agus in Victoria University of Wellington, sa Nua-Shéalainn. Chaith sé tréimhse ar scoláireacht Fulbright in Northeastern University, Massachusetts. Bhí sé ina Chathaoirleach ar an gCoiste Iniúchóireachta sa Roinn Cumarsáide, Mara agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha agus tá sé ina bhall de Choiste Iniúchóireachta na Roinne Airgeadais. Críoch

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, Principal and Dean, UCD College of Business, to Commence Term in 2018 NUI Galway today announced that Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh has been appointed the 13th President of the University with effect from January 2018. Professor Ó hÓgartaigh will succeed Dr Jim Browne at the conclusion of his ten year term. Professor Ó hÓgartaigh has served as Principal and Dean of UCD College of Business since 2011, leading its schools in Dublin (UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and UCD Smurfit Executive Development) and its overseas programmes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Ciarán has also worked in academic leadership roles in Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand and in Dublin City University. Speaking about the appointment, Ms Justice Catherine McGuinness, Chair of NUI Galway’s Governing Authority said: “At the outset, we sought a leader who can build on the significant achievements during Dr Jim Browne’s tenure and inspire NUI Galway’s staff and students to take this remarkable University to new heights. With a track record of leadership and achievement nationally and internationally, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh brings both the necessary experience and vision to this role and I look forward to working with him as we chart the next stage in the University’s journey.” Current President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, commented: “Professor Ó hÓgartaigh brings a wealth of academic leadership experience as well as a proven track record in internationalisation. I welcome Ciarán to NUI Galway and wish him the very best in leading our terrific staff and students into a bright future where they can fully realise their ambitions.” Commenting on his appointment, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said: “I am honoured to be appointed President of my alma mater, NUI Galway. Given its unique heritage and hinterland, the quality of its people, and the strength and depth of its research and student experience, NUI Galway is exceptionally well-placed to further enhance its reputation and reach both nationally and internationally. I look forward to coming home to the ‘town and gown’ which shaped me and to working together with my new colleagues in the best interests of our students and our society.” Biography Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh is currently Professor of Accounting and Dean of Business at UCD, leading its schools in Dublin (UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and UCD Smurfit Executive Development) and its overseas programmes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Having attended Scoil Iognáid and Coláiste Iognáid, Ciarán is a first class honours, first in class graduate of NUI Galway. He trained as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen and has a PhD in Accounting from the University of Leeds. He has been published widely in the accounting field and has previously held academic positions at Dublin City University, UCD and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. A former Fulbright scholar at Northeastern University, he has served as Audit Committee Chair at the Department of Marine, Communications and Natural Resources and is a member of the Audit Committee at the Department of Finance.  ENDS

NUI Galway offers heartiest congratulations to Micheál Donoghue, his talented players and committed backroom team on their massive win yesterday against Waterford in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final, and to the Galway Minor team following their win over Cork to make it an historic double for the west. Their performance over the past season has made the University proud and highlighted the talent and commitment of the players and backroom teams. NUI Galway is particularly proud to have nine players, both students and graduates, on the 2017 panel. Brothers Cathal and Padraic Mannion, Aidan Harte, Daithí Burke, Niall Burke, Joseph Cooney, John Hanbury, Conor Whelan and Sean Loftus. Their coach Francis Forde was a former Fitzgibbon player for NUI Galway, as was Minor manager Jeff Lynskey. They join notable alumni, of what was then UCG, in lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup. I would like to personally congratulate them all on managing to excel on the field while balancing their academic or work commitments. They have truly inspired our campus community. Comhghairdeas ó chroí le fir ón Iarthar. Dr Jim Browne, President of NUI Galway__________________________________________________ Ba mhaith le OÉ Gaillimh comhghairdeas ó chroí a dhéanamh le Micheál Donoghue, lena fhoireann chumasach agus lena fhoireann dhúthrachtach sa chúlra as a mbua ollmhór inné i gcoinne Phort Láirge i gCluiche Ceannais Sinsear Iomána na hÉireann, agus le foireann mionúr na Gaillimhe as a mbua i gcoinne Chorcaí – ócáid stairiúil don Iarthar an dá chluiche a thabhairt leo. Tá an Ollscoil bródúil as a bhfuil bainte amach acu i rith an tséasúir agus léiríonn sé cumas agus dúthracht na n-imreoirí agus na bhfoirne sa chúlra. Is údar mór bróid do OÉ Gaillimh go bhfuil naonúr imreoirí, idir mhic léinn agus chéimithe, ar phainéal na bliana 2017. Na deartháireacha Cathal agus Padraic Mannion, Aidan Harte, Daithí Burke, Niall Burke, Joseph Cooney, John Hanbury, Conor Whelan agus Seán Loftus. Is iar-imreoirí d'fhoireann OÉ Gaillimh a d’imir do chorn Mhic Giobúin iad an cóitseálaí Francis Forde agus Jeff Lynskey, bainisteoir na Mionúir. Áirítear iad i measc alumni iomráiteach de chuid na hOllscoile, nó Coláiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh mar a bhí ag an am, a d'ardaigh corn Mhic Cárthaigh. Ba mhaith liom go pearsanta comhghairdeas ó chroí a dhéanamh leo ar fad as barr feabhais a bhaint amach ar an bpáirc agus cothromaíocht a bhaint amach ina saol acadúil nó oibre. Tugann siad spreagadh den chéad scoth do phobal an champais. Comhghairdeas ó chroí le fir an Iarthair. An Dr Jim Browne, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh