News Archive

NUI Galway has announced the results of elections for staff and graduates to its new Governing Authority, which sees women take up six of the 10 positions. The new Údarás na hOllscoile will come into existence on 1 February 2021 and will serve until 2025. An online election was held on Monday and Tuesday of this week to appoint the University staff and graduates to the new Governing Authority. President of NUI Galway Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh thanked all those who stood for election and welcomed the new members. “All those who stood for election to the Údarás deserve huge credit for supporting our University’s democracy and raising the profile of the Governing Authority and the important work it does,” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh said. “And congratulations to all those who have been successful. The work of the members of the new Údarás in the coming months and years will be crucial as our University implements our strategic plan Shared Vision, Shaped by Values and assesses and supports all the other initiatives and developments that we are pursuing. “The range of talent, commitment and experience that our graduates, academics and professionals bring to the new Governing Authority will be an enormous asset for our University as we work to ensure the high levels of transparency, accountability and ambition fitting for our university as an institution for the public good.” The following have been elected to the new Governing Authority: :: Academic staff - Dr Rachel Hilliard; Dr Anthony Grehan; Dr Dara Cannon :: Professional service staff - Sinéad Beacom; Eric Mortimer; Monica Crump :: Graduates - Edel Browne; Conor Fottrell; Retired Brigadier General Ger Aherne; Nuala Ní Chonghaile More than 5,000 graduates and staff voted in the election. Three Professors were appointed to the Governing Authority ahead of the election after the number of nominations matched the number of available positions. They are Professor Aisling McCluskey, School of Mathematics, Statistics & Applied Mathematics; Professor Michal Molcho, Children’s Studies, School of Education; and Professor Jim O’Gara, School of Natural Sciences. Student elections to elect four representatives to the Governing Authority will begin in late January. Caroline Loughnane, NUI Galway Secretary for Governance & Academic Affairs, said: “We have experienced unprecedented levels of interest in this election from staff and graduates. It is really inspiring to see the range and quality of candidates who are willing to invest their time and energy in shaping the future of the University. “There has never been a more important time for effective and agile governance. As universities navigate the uncertain landscape created by the Covid-19 pandemic and look ahead to impending changes in governance legislation from Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science, Minister Simon Harris, the role of the Governing Authority is crucial in setting the strategic direction for higher education.” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh also paid tribute to the members of the outgoing Údarás. “It was a privilege for our University to have someone like former Supreme Court judge Catherine McGuinness chair the Údarás for the last number of years, working with members who had such a breadth of expertise and knowledge for the betterment of our University. Thank you to everyone who served on the Údarás and supported its work over the last five years,” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh said. Ends

D’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh torthaí thoghcháin na foirne agus na gcéimithe d’Údarás nua na hOllscoile, ina bhfuil sé áit as deich bainte amach ag mná. Tiocfaidh Údarás nua na hOllscoile i bhfeidhm an 1 Feabhra 2021 agus beidh sé ann go dtí 2025. Tionóladh toghchán ar líne Dé Luain agus Dé Máirt chun comhaltaí foirne agus céimithe de chuid na hOllscoile a cheapadh ar Údarás nua na hOllscoile. Ghabh Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh buíochas le gach duine a sheas sa toghchán agus chuir sé fáilte roimh na comhaltaí nua. “Tá creidiúint mhór tuillte ag gach duine a sheas sa toghchán don Údarás as tacú le daonlathas ár nOllscoile agus próifíl an Údaráis a ardú agus an obair thábhachtach a dhéanann sé,” a dúirt an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh. “Agus tréaslaím le gach duine ar éirigh leo. Beidh obair chomhaltaí an Údaráis nua sna míonna agus sna blianta amach romhainn ríthábhachtach de réir mar a chuirfidh ár nOllscoil ár bplean straitéiseach Fís i gCoiteann, Múnlaithe ag Luachanna i bhfeidhm agus muid ag déanamh measúnú ar agus ag tabhairt tacaíocht do na tionscnaimh agus na forbairtí eile atá á saothrú againn. “Is acmhainn ollmhór dár nOllscoil an raon cumais, tiomantais agus taithí a thugann ár gcéimithe, lucht acadúil agus gairmithe chuig Údarás nua na hOllscoile agus muid ag obair chun na leibhéil arda trédhearcachta, cuntasachta agus uaillmhéine a oireann dár n-ollscoil a chinntiú mar institiúid ar mhaithe le leas an phobail.” Toghadh iad seo a leanas ar Údarás nua na hOllscoile. :: An fhoireann acadúil – An Dr Rachel Hilliard; an Dr Anthony Grehan; an Dr Dara Cannon. :: Foireann na seirbhíse gairmiúla – Sinéad Beacom; Eric Mortimer; Monica Crump. :: Céimithe – Edel Browne; Conor Fottrell; an Briogáidire-Ghinearál Ger Aherne; Nuala Ní Chonghaile. Vótáil breis agus 5,000 céimí agus comhalta foirne sa toghchán. Ceapadh triúr Ollúna ar Údarás na hOllscoile roimh an toghchán ós rud é go raibh líon na n-ainmniúchán mar a chéile le líon na n-áiteanna a bhí ar fáil. Is iad sin an tOllamh Aisling McCluskey, Scoil na Matamaitice, na Staitisticí & na Matamaitice Feidhmí; an tOllamh Michal Molcho, Léann Leanaí, Scoil an Oideachais; agus an tOllamh Jim O’Gara, Scoil na nEolaíochtaí Nádúrtha. Cuirfear tús le toghcháin na mac léinn chun ceathrar ionadaithe a thoghadh ar Údarás na hOllscoile ag deireadh mhí Eanáir. Dúirt Caroline Loughnane, Rúnaí Gnóthaí Rialachais & Acadúla OÉ Gaillimh: “Bhí spéis nach bhfacthas riamh cheana sa toghchán seo ag comhaltaí foirne agus ag céimithe. Is mór an spreagadh é réimse agus caighdeán na n-iarrthóirí atá toilteanach a gcuid ama agus fuinnimh a infheistiú i dtodhchaí na hOllscoile. “Ní raibh rialachas éifeachtach agus solúbtha chomh tábhachtach riamh cheana. De réir mar a thugann ollscoileanna aghaidh ar an saol éiginnte a chruthaigh paindéim Covid-19 agus iad ag tnúth le hathruithe atá le teacht ó reachtaíocht an Aire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta & Eolaíochta, an tAire Simon Harris, tá ról Údarás na hOllscoile ríthábhachtach maidir leis an treo straitéiseach a leagan amach don ardoideachas.” Thréaslaigh an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh le comhaltaí an Údaráis atá ag dul as oifig. “Ba phribhléid é dár nOllscoil iarbhreitheamh na Cúirte Uachtaraí, Catherine McGuinness a bheith ina cathaoirleach ar an Údarás le roinnt blianta anuas, ag obair le comhaltaí a raibh an oiread sin saineolais agus eolais acu a chuir siad chun tairbhe na hOllscoile. Mo bhuíochas le gach comhalta a bhí ar an Údarás agus a thacaigh lena chuid oibre le cúig bliana anuas,” a dúirt an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh. Críoch

NUI Galway will hold a virtual information evening on Wednesday, 13 January, from 7-9pm, focusing on the needs of Mature Students and Adult Learners who may be considering full-time or part-time studies for the 2021 academic year. This online information evening is designed particularly for those aged 23 or over wishing to find out more about study options at NUI Galway, and will assist attendees in making the right decision which suits their personal circumstances and professional development needs. Trish Bourke, Mature Student Officer at NUI Galway, said: “Mature Students are a valued asset to our university and they bring enthusiasm and motivation to learn and manage family life and studies to reach their goal of attaining a rich education.” The University’s Career and Development Centre will deliver a lecture focusing on what course of study will best suit individual circumstances and career pathways, and there will be an opportunity to hear from a diverse panel of current Mature Students. Staff from NUI Galway’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses, along with representative from the University’s Support Service will also be present to guide attendees on the range of course options and supports offered at NUI Galway.  Academic staff will also be available to answer specific queries on degrees and progression. Members of the Access Centre will be available  to answer questions on pre-university courses in terms of Access courses, and the Disability Support Services, who have expertise in supporting students at third level who may have a long-term health condition (physical or mental), or a specific learning difficulty, will also be in attendance to give guidance to prospective students. Registration for this event is essential. Please register at http://www.nuigalway.ie/caoevents/ or contact maturestudents@nuigalway.ie. -Ends-

D’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh go mbeidh toghchán Údarás na hOllscoile ar siúl an tseachtain seo chugainn, agus gur mná iad níos mó ná leath na n-iarrthóirí. Tá 30 comhalta foirne agus céimí ollscoile san iomlán ag seasamh i dtoghchán Údarás na hOllscoile, lena n-áirítear 18 gcéimí, seachtar comhaltaí foirne seirbhíse gairmiúla na hOllscoile agus cúigear comhaltaí foirne acadúla. Toghadh triúr ollúna go huathoibríoch cheana féin. Tá thart ar 50,000 céimí agus comhalta foirne Ollscoile i dteideal vóta a chaitheamh, agus beidh an bhallóid ar líne oscailte ar feadh 27 uair an chloig – ó 9am Dé Luain, an 11 Eanáir 2021 go dtí meán lae Dé Máirt, an 12 Eanáir 2021. Mhol Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh go láidir do gach comhalta foirne agus alumni incháilithe a vóta a chaitheamh. “Tá spéis nach bhfacthas riamh roimhe sa toghchán don chéad Údarás eile, agus alumni ar fud an domhain ag clárú le vótáil agus tá spéis á léiriú trí na hardáin meán sóisialta atá againn. Taispeánann sé an luach a chuireann pobal na hOllscoile sa bhaile agus thar lear ar Údarás na hOllscoile,” a deir an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh. “Is é an tÚdarás an coiste is tábhachtaí inár nOllscoil – is ann a leagtar amach ár bhfreagracht agus ár dtrédhearcacht mar institiúid ar mhaithe le leas an phobail agus is ann a fhorbraítear agus a thacaítear lenár gcuid smaointe, ár n-uaillmhianta agus ár straitéisí. Ba mhaith liom buíochas speisialta a ghabháil le gach duine a chuir a n-ainm chun cinn le bheith páirteach in obair an Údaráis sna blianta amach romhainn. Léiríonn an réimse leathan aoise, taithí, oideachais agus scileanna an luach atá ag ár n-alumni ar an Ollscoil agus an fonn atá orthu rud éigin a thabhairt ar ais. “Molaim do gach duine atá cláraithe gan dearmad a dhéanamh a vóta a chaitheamh.” Tá sonraí an 30 ainmní do chéad Údarás na hOllscoile eile ar fáil anseo. Táthar ag súil torthaí an toghcháin a fhógairt Dé Máirt, an 12 Eanáir 2021, agus rachaidh an chéad Údarás eile i mbun oifige an 1 Feabhra 2021. Ceapadh triúr Ollúna ar Údarás na hOllscoile mar go raibh líon na n-ainmniúchán mar a chéile le líon na n-áiteanna a bhí ar fáil – an tOllamh Aisling McCluskey, Scoil na Matamaitice, na Staitisticí & na Matamaitice Feidhmí; an tOllamh Michal Molcho, Léann Leanaí, Scoil an Oideachais; agus an tOllamh Jim O’Gara, Scoil na nEolaíochtaí Nádúrtha. Cuirfear tús le toghcháin na mac léinn chun ceathrar ionadaithe a thoghadh ar Údarás na hOllscoile ag deireadh mhí Eanáir. Ag labhairt di faoin raon éagsúil tréithe atá riachtanach do bhallraíocht Údarás na hOllscoile, dúirt an Rúnaí Gnóthaí Rialachais & Acadúla, Caroline Loughnane: “Tá ról Údarás na hOllscoile mar phríomhchomhlacht cinnteoireachta ríthábhachtach maidir le treo na hOllscoile sa todhchaí a fhorbairt. Tá meascán éagsúil scileanna, taithí agus tréithe pearsanta riachtanach do Bhord a fheidhmíonn go maith agus is ábhar mór misnigh é an éagsúlacht sin a fheiceáil i bpróifílí na n-iarrthóirí atá san iomaíocht sa toghchán. Tá rogha iontach ar fáil don lucht vótála agus mholfainn go láidir don fhoireann agus do chéimithe a gcuid vótaí a úsáid chun a dtuairimí a chur in iúl sa toghchán seo.” Dúirt an tOllamh Ó hÓgartaigh: “Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le baill uile Údarás na hOllscoile atá ag dul as oifig as a dtiomantas agus a gcuid oibre le blianta beaga anuas agus buíochas speisialta le Cathaoirleach Údarás na hOllscoile, Catherine McGuinness. Bhí sé de phribhléid ag ár nOllscoil tairbhe a bhaint as eolas, as taithí agus as neamhspleáchas iarBhreitheamh na Cúirte Uachtaraí ar feadh an oiread sin blianta. Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh freisin leis na hollúna a ceapadh ar an gcéad Údarás eile – táim cinnte go gcuirfidh siadsan go mór leis an ról agus táim ag súil le bheith ag obair leo agus le gach ball d’Údarás na hOllscoile i gcinntiú go mbaintear amach leibhéal freagrachta agus uaillmhéine mar atá leagtha amach inár bplean straitéiseach, Fís i gCoiteann, Múnlaithe ag Luachanna, dár gcuid mac léinn, dár sochaí agus dár bpláinéad.” Críoch

NUI Galway has announced the election of a new Governing Authority will take place next week, with women making up more than half of the candidates. A total of 30 university staff and graduates are standing for election to Údarás na hOllscoile, including 18 graduates, 7 from the University’s professional service staff and 5 academic staff. Three professors have been automatically elected. Around 50,000 University graduates and staff are eligible to vote*, with the online ballot open for 27 hours – from 9am on Monday 11 January 2021 until midday on Tuesday 12 January 2021. President of NUI Galway Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh urged all eligible staff and alumni to use their vote. “The election for the next Údarás has seen unprecedented interest, both from alumni across the world registering to vote and also through our social media platforms. It demonstrates the value which our University community at home and abroad places on our Governing Authority,” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh said. “The Údarás is the most important committee in our University - it is the place where we establish our accountability and transparency as an institution for the public good and where our ideas, our ambitions and our strategies are shaped and supported. "I want to extend a special word of thanks to everyone who stood up and put themselves forward to play a part in its work in the coming years. The breadth and range of ages, experience, education and skills highlights the value our alumni attach to the University and their desire to give back. “I would encourage all those who have registered to vote to remember to cast their ballots.” Details of the 30 nominees for the next Governing Authority are available to view online https://www.mi-event.info/event/nuigalway2021election. The results of the election are due to be released on Tuesday 12 January 2021, with the next Governing Authority to take office on 1 February 2021. Three Professors were appointed to the Governing Authority after the number of nominations matched the number of available positions. They are Professor Aisling McCluskey, School of Mathematics, Statistics & Applied Mathematics; Professor Michal Molcho, Children’s Studies, School of Education; and Professor Jim O’Gara, School of Natural Sciences. Student elections to elect four representatives to the Governing Authority will begin in late January. Speaking about the diverse range of attributes required in the membership of the Governing Authority, Caroline Loughnane, NUI Galway's Secretary for Governance & Academic Affairs, said: “The role of the Governing Authority as the ultimate decision-making body is pivotal in shaping the future direction of the University. A diverse mix of skills, experience and personal attributes are essential components of a well-functioning Board and it is really encouraging to see such diversity in the profiles of the candidates running for election. Voters are spoiled for choice and I would strongly encourage staff and graduates to use their votes to make their voices heard in this election.” Professor Ó hÓgartaigh added: “I would like to thank all the members of the outgoing Governing Authority for their commitment and work in recent years and a special word of thanks to the Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile Catherine McGuinness. Our University was privileged to be able to call on the former Supreme Court Judge’s knowledge, experience and independence for so many years. "I would also like to congratulate the professors who have been appointed to the next Governing Authority - I am sure they too will bring a wealth of talent to the role. I look forward to working with them and all the members of our Governing Authority in ensuring a level of accountability and ambition which matches our place in the world, as set out in our strategic plan, Shared Vision, Shaped by Values, for our students, for our society and for our planet.” Ends * This figure includes eligible Alumni who have registered their emails with the Alumni Office for communication purposes. The total number of graduates eligible to vote is higher. For graduates on the Alumni database who are eligible to vote and may not have access to email, a web landing page has been developed to enable such voters to access their vote on Jan. 11th and 12th at the following link:  https://www.mi-vote.com/nuigalway2021/.

The Moore Institute in association with the MA in Public Policy at NUI Galway will host a webinar on Thursday 4 March, analysing the outcome of the EU-UK Trade Agreement signed in late December 2020. Three leading commentators on European trade, diplomacy, and Northern Ireland will take part in the discussion: Carlo Trojan, David O’Sullivan, and Katy Hayward. Carlo Trojan spent his career as senior European Commission official, working on competition policy, agriculture, German unification, and Northern Ireland (as head of the Commission’s Task Force). He served as European Commission secretary general 1997-2001 and EU Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation. He will provide an overall assessment of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. David O’Sullivan recently retired as EU Ambassador to the Unites States. He formerly served as Director General of Trade for the European Commission and as secretary general. He will discuss the Irish perspective on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the concept of “Global Britain” and the prospects of a UK-US trade agreement. Katy Hayward is Professor of Political Sociology at Queen’s University Belfast and a Senior Fellow of UK in a Changing Europe. She will discuss Northern Ireland and the implementation and resistance to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Professor Daniel Carey, Director of the Moore Institute at NUI Galway, said: “The deal to reach an EU-UK trade agreement came at the 11th hour. This webinar provides a chance to examine how the two parties fared in the negotiation, with contributions from a remarkable panel of experts.” Professor Niall Ó Dochartaigh, Director of the MA in Public Policy, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway, said: “As the implications of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement begin to become clear there is an urgent need to consider how it will shape relations between Ireland, Britain, Europe, and the world in the coming decades. Our three speakers have unique expertise on the topic.” The online event will take place on Thursday, 4 March at 12pm. To attend this free webinar, register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8R8iWPubTRS0rxdWB83E9g For further information contact daniel.carey@nuigalway.ie. -Ends-

Research from NUI Galway in collaboration with the University of Zaragoza, Spain has carried out a study on how Instagram Likes affect people. Instagram recently piloted an initiative of hiding the number of Likes a post receives from other users. A rationale for hiding Likes was to support wellbeing through reduced competition for Likes. In an experiment with 280 Instagram users in the United States, the researchers investigated the effect of hiding Likes on negative affect (a subjective form of emotional distress, for instance being upset, ashamed, or nervous) and loneliness. Results show that this new measure introduced by Instagram can improve users’ wellbeing. In the study, which had 62% male and 38% female participants with an average age of 34, Instagram users were asked how many Likes they would expect to receive for a post. On average 145 Likes were expected. The participants were then given scenarios where they received a lot more or far fewer Likes than they expected, and also that their followers could or could not see how many Likes they received. Following each scenario, the participants’ negative affect and their loneliness were measured using a questionnaire. The study’s author, Dr Elaine Wallace, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, NUI Galway, said: “We already know, for instance, that people who are lonely tend to be bigger users of social media, and tend to generate and consume more Instagram content. We also know that social media use can lead to social comparison, or ‘sizing up’ how we are doing relative to others, and this can lead to negative outcomes. "In this study, we wanted to investigate whether hiding Instagram Likes would have an effect on users’ wellbeing, when they received a high or a low number of Likes for a post. If, for instance, I expect to get 10 Likes for a post, does getting far more than 10 Likes make me feel less lonely? If others cannot see how many Likes I get, does that have any effect?” Dr Wallace continued: “In our study we found that competition for relative position in terms of number of Likes may be making people unhappy. People are seeking Likes to feel less lonely, but getting those Likes also increases negative affect - those feelings of being upset or ashamed or nervous. We found this especially when Instagram users know that others can see how many Likes they get. Hiding the visibility of an Instagram users’ Likes from others could therefore be a good idea.” The study also found that when Likes were much lower than Instagram users hoped, they were more lonely, but they did not experience negative affect, even when those Likes were visible to others. The researchers believe this may be because these people feel they have already ‘lost’ to others in the relative competition for Likes, so it did not matter to them whether their Likes were visible or not. The study also looked at Instagram users who are vulnerable narcissists, individuals who might be especially sensitive to image threat and to interpersonal rejection and may engage in tactics to try to avoid rejection. In the study, vulnerable narcissism was associated with greater loneliness. Dr Wallace added: “Vulnerable narcissists have a great fear of being evaluated. Our study shows that, for vulnerable narcissists, getting higher numbers of Likes reduces loneliness. These users are especially sensitive to social comparison, and they may be engaging in Like-seeking to seek validation and avoid rejection.” Co-author Isabel Buil, from the University of Zaragoza, Spain, concluded: “Like-seeking can become a vicious cycle, as our findings suggest that when people receive more Likes they feel less lonely, but receiving more Likes can also make them feel more unhappy, especially when others can see those Likes. This could trigger Like-seeking behaviours again. We find little evidence to suggest that well-being is improved by showing Likes to Instagram followers.” Read the full study in the journal, Elsevier ScienceDirect, here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886920307005?via%3Dihub. See a short video about the study here: https://youtu.be/LEeKaSFYAy4. -Ends-

NUI Galway study finds problem and non-problem gamblers differ in the gratifications they seek from mobile gambling Non problematic mobile gambling is associated with positive mood Advice for regulators and mobile gamblers on how to avoid gambling harms A study carried out by the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway has examined how the different gratifications sought from mobile gambling explain problematic versus non-problematic patterns in highly involved gamblers. For a subgroup of vulnerable individuals, gambling involvement can be pathological and reflects a personality disorder. For many others though, gambling is a non-problematic recreational activity.  The study focused specifically on mobile gambling, whereby people gamble online using their smartphones through specially designed apps and websites. Mobile gambling differs from land-based and traditional forms of gambling in that the opportunity to place bets and engage with casinos is constantly present and easily accessible. Instead of going to a physical bookmaker or casino, mobile gambling is done quickly and swiftly, anytime, anywhere, with a few taps on a mobile device, and mobile apps have been found to promote a form of gambling that is more impulsive and habitual in nature. The study found that high involvement in mobile gambling is not essentially problematic.  Problem and non-problem gamblers differ in the gratifications they seek from mobile gambling. Using gambling apps to facilitate social interaction and avoid boredom are key motivations for problem gamblers, but not for non-problem gamblers. Moreover, the person’s mood depends on the type of passion they hold for mobile gambling. When their passion is obsessive, mood tends to be low, but is much higher when the passion is harmonious and under control. Lead author of the study, Dr Eoin Whelan, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway, said: “The pandemic and the lockdown that followed has led to a surge in people gambling through their smartphones. We know that mobile gambling is different to traditional forms of gambling in that it attracts younger people and is more conducive to risky behaviour. However, for some highly involved mobile gamblers, it is not a harmful activity and can actually be associated with positive mood. For others, it can have severe adverse effects on them and their families.  “Our study sought to find out what differentiates the two groups with the findings suggesting social gratifications are much more pertinent in problematic gamblers. The link between social gratifications and obsessive gambling could be a result of the broader cultural normalisation of mobile gambling. Regulators wishing to promote responsible gambling should consider restricting gambling app promotions from depictions and associations with social inclusion.” The research was based on a global sample of 327 people who use gambling apps on a weekly basis, and was authored by Dr Whelan with Samuli Laato and Najmul Islam of the University of Turku, Finland, and Joël Billieux of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. A copy of the full study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, is available at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246432 -Ends-

NUI Galway is to host a series of online events on Monday 1 March 2021 as part of Traveller Ethnicity Day. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris T.D., Senator Eileen Flynn, children’s author Richard O’Neill and US-based academic Professor Sharon Gmelch are among those taking part. March 1 2021 marks five years since the Government officially recognised Irish Travellers as an ethnic group. To mark the anniversary, the flag of the Mincéirs Whiden Society, the only university society for Irish Travellers, will fly above the Quad at NUI Galway and a series of films will be shown including a specially produced short documentary Travellers in Higher Education: Building a Sense of Belonging. Other events planned for the day include panel discussions on pathways to education and a career in teaching and what the State’s recognition of Traveller ethnicity has meant for the community. The full schedule of events and how to access them is available at https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/nui-galway-irish-traveller-ethnicity-day-2021-32639303919  Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of NUI Galway, said: “Even with the limitations placed on the University because of COVID-19, the events planned for March 1st 2021 are both hugely symbolic and an important showcase and support for the Travelling community. They resonate with our values of openness and respect. “I look forward to taking part on the day. Being able to highlight the opportunities in our University is central to the strategy we are pursuing at NUI Galway of Shared Vision, Shaped by Values. Our community, of which the Travelling community is a part, is proud to see initiatives like this, for the public good.”  Imelda Byrne, Head of NUI Galway's Access Centre, said: “We are delighted to celebrate Traveller Ethnicity Day again this year, and to further embed the progress made by the Access Centre in supporting Travellers to access higher education and become a part of NUI Galway community.”  Owen Ward, Programme Coordinator in NUI Galway’s Access Centre who is leading the day’s events, said: “We are highlighting the openness of NUI Galway, its commitment to showcasing the rich heritage of the Travelling community and the importance of building bridges between all communities.  “NUI Galway are the only university in Ireland to officially celebrate Traveller Ethnicity Day annually through a day long series of events and there is a great commitment to widening the participation of Irish Travellers in third level education. Through a strong collaboration of numerous partners across the NUI Galway community, this event creates the opportunity for all students, including Irish Travellers, to start planning to study and build their sense of belonging at NUI Galway.” Ends   Lá Eitneachais na dTaistealaithe á reáchtáil ag OÉ Gaillimh Tá OÉ Gaillimh le sraith imeachtaí ar líne a reachtáil Dé Luain, an 1 Márta 2021 mar chuid de Lá Eitneachais na dTaistealaithe. Tá an tAire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta Simon Harris, an Seanadóir Eileen Flynn, an t-údar do leanaí Richard O'Neill agus an tOllamh acadúil atá lonnaithe i Meiriceá Sharon Gmelch ina measc siúd a bheas ag glacadh páirte. Beidh sé cúig bliana an 1 Márta 2021 ó thug an stát aitheantas foirmiúil do Thaistealaithe na hÉireann mar ghrúpa mionlach eitneach. Chun é a chomóradh, beidh bratach Chumann Mincéirs Whiden, an t-aon chumann ollscoile do Thaistealaithe na hÉireann, ar foluain os cionn na Cearnóige in OÉ Gaillimh agus taispeánfar sraith scannán lena n-áirítear clár faisnéise gairid Travellers in Higher Education: Building a Sense of Belonging a léiríodh go speisialta. I measc na n-imeachtaí eile atá beartaithe don lá tá plé painéil ar chosáin chuig an oideachas agus chuig gairm sa mhúinteoireacht agus an méid a shíleann an pobal Taistealaithe faoi aitheantas an Stáit d’eitneacht na dTaistealaithe. Tá sceideal iomlán na n-imeachtaí agus an bealach le rochtain a fháil orthu ar fáil anseo https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/nui-galway-irish-traveller-ethnicity-day-2021-32639303919 Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Fiú amháin leis na srianta  a cuireadh ar an Ollscoil mar gheall ar COVID-19, tá na himeachtaí atá beartaithe don 1 Márta 2021 an-siombalach agus is iontach an léiriú agus an tacaíocht iad don phobal Taistealaithe. Tá na himeachtaí ag teacht lenár luachanna a bhaineann le hoscailteacht agus le meas. Táim ag súil go mór le páirt a ghlacadh sa lá. Is cuid lárnach den straitéis atá á saothrú againn in OÉ Gaillimh, Fís i gCoiteann, Múnlaithe ag Luachanna, é a bheith in ann aird a tharraingt ar na deiseanna inár nOllscoil. Is cúis bhróid é dár bpobal, a bhfuil an pobal taistealaithe ina chuid de, tionscnaimh mar seo a fheiceáil, ar mhaithe le leas an phobail. " Dúirt Imelda Byrne, Ceann an Ionaid Rochtana in OÉ Gaillimh: “Tá an-áthas orainn Lá Eitneachais na dTaistealaithe a cheiliúradh arís i mbliana, agus forbairt a dhéanamh ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta ag an Ionad Rochtana maidir le tacú le Taistealaithe rochtain a fháil ar ardoideachas agus a bheith mar chuid de phobal OÉ Gaillimh.” Dúirt Owen Ward, Comhordaitheoir Cláir in Ionad Rochtana OÉ Gaillimh atá i gceannas ar imeachtaí an lae: “Táimid ag cur béim ar oscailteacht OÉ Gaillimh, a tiomantas chun oidhreacht shaibhir an phobail Taistealaithe a thaispeáint agus an tábhacht a bhaineann le hathmhuintearas idir gach pobal. “Is í OÉ Gaillimh an t-aon ollscoil in Éirinn a cheiliúrann Lá Eitneachais na dTaistealaithe go hoifigiúil gach bliain trí shraith imeachtaí lae agus tá sárthiomantas anseo chun rannpháirtíocht Thaistealaithe na hÉireann in oideachas tríú leibhéal a leathnú. Trí chomhoibriú láidir idir comhpháirtithe éagsúla ar fud phobal OÉ Gaillimh, tugann an ócáid seo an deis do gach mac léinn, lena n-áirítear Taistealaithe, tosú ag pleanáil don staidéar agus don mhothú muintearais in OÉ Gaillimh.” Críoch

NUI Galway is delighted to announce a new partnership with Rowing Ireland as an official 'Rowing Ireland Partner Pathway University' that will help develop the high-performance programme at NUI Galway. This partnership builds on the already strong working relationship between the University and Rowing Ireland over the past number of years.  NUI Galway will become a Pathway University, to develop talented pathway athletes for international selection at Under 23 and eventually Olympic level. In addition to this, the partnership will provide value to NUI Galway coaches as Rowing Ireland help to upskill these coaches to improve the rowing programme on campus. This will in turn increase the number of NUI Galway athletes on the national squad.  Mike Heskin, Director of Sport and Physical Activity at NUI Galway, said “We are very excited about this New Partnership with Rowing Ireland’s High Performance Programme. The University has been developing partnerships with a number of the High Performance Sport programmes in Ireland involving both domestic and Olympic sports. These partnerships will prove hugely beneficial to our University athletes by providing a clean pathway for them to archive their athletic goals.  "We are especially delighted to be in partnership with Rowing Ireland to build on the existing relationship which has provided Olympians in our recent past. We hope to see a number of other sports follow Rowing’s Lead and operate a high performance programme from the NUI Galway’s campus.”  Rowing Ireland and NUI Galway will work hand in hand to develop a sustainable and robust pathway of young athletes from Junior to Under 23 World Championship level before progressing to the senior Olympic team. NUI Galway head coach, Ciro Prisco will continue to build on his experience as part of Rowing Ireland's High-Performance coaching team (Under 23 World Championships 2019 and Junior European Championships 2020) by taking up the new position of temporary High-Performance assistant coach, working with the team at the National Rowing Centre while combining his duties as NUI Galway head coach, overseeing the development of the club programme in Galway.  Commenting on today's announcement, High-Performance Director Antonio Maurogiovanni, said "We are delighted to have NUI Galway as a partner in supporting the High-Performance Programme Pathway. Along with our partnership with Queens, NUI Galway will have an essential role in our High-Performance programme's success in the years to come. "We welcome Ciro Prisco to our High-Performance team in an important role as Assistant Coach for our High-Performance Senior Athletes. Ciro will be a valuable member of the team, and we look forward to working with him and supporting him alongside his role in NUI Galway." Michelle Carpenter, Rowing Ireland Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are delighted to welcome NUI Galway as a new partner and as a Pathway University. NUI Galway has a history of producing World Class athletes, and this partnership will benefit both NUI Galway and Rowing Ireland for the future. This partnership is a testament to the vision and hard work that our High-Performance Team has put in. I want to thank Antonio Maurogiovanni and Fran Keane for their hard work in getting this over the line."  -Ends-

Call for researchers, at undergraduate or early postgraduate level, to apply for the first All-Ireland MS Research Network Research Summer Scholarships Researchers in NUI Galway, Queen’s University Belfast and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have launched the All-Ireland MS Research Network today (24 February 2021). The All-Ireland MS Research Network will join together the largest number of scientists, clinicians, healthcare professionals and people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to accelerate collaborative research across the island of Ireland. Going from the patient to the bench and bringing discovery research forward to the patient, the network holds potential to limit the progression of multiple sclerosis, to train future generations of researchers and to contribute to global multiple sclerosis research. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, immune-mediated condition of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord and optic nerve). In multiple sclerosis, myelin damage results in a range of symptoms including impairment of mobility and vision as well as cognitive difficulties and severe fatigue. As one of the most common causes of neurological disability in young people, multiple sclerosis is increasing in incidence and prevalence around the world. Currently, there are approximately 13,500 people on the island of Ireland living with multiple sclerosis (4,500 in Northern Ireland and 9,000 in the Republic of Ireland). The goals of the All-Ireland MS Research Network are to: Deliver cutting-edge research in multiple sclerosis that focuses on limiting disease progression Train the next generation of leaders in multiple sclerosis research Communicate multiple sclerosis research activities and discoveries to the public, research community and key stakeholders Collaborate on multiple sclerosis research programmes nationally and internationally to achieve the mission of the network Founding investigators Professor Denise Fitzgerald, Dr Alerie Guzman de la Fuente and Dr Yvonne Dombrowski (Queen's University Belfast), Dr Claire McCoy (RCSI) and Dr Una FitzGerald and Dr Jill McMahon (NUI Galway), reached out to dozens of multi-disciplinary multiple sclerosis researchers across the island of Ireland, North and South. Network members are drawn from hospitals, multiple sclerosis day-care centres, Universities, and from those who have multiple sclerosis. Dr Una Fitzgerald, Biomedical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, NUI Galway, said: “The founding members have worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to define the All-Ireland MS Research Networks's goals, aspirations and research mission. We firmly believe that closer collaborations and sharing of ideas and expertise across the network will lead to exciting discoveries that better explain multiple sclerosis pathology and symptoms, and that could be the basis of new approaches to MS disease management. The network will facilitate excellence in new multiple sclerosis research discoveries that might otherwise not happen.” Dr Chris McGuigan, consultant neurologist, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, UCD Clinical Professor, and a network participant, said: “The formation of All-Ireland MS Research Network is an exciting new venture that will promote and accelerate  research into multiple sclerosis on the island of Ireland, enhancing our reputation for research excellence worldwide. It will provide coordinated information on developments in multiple sclerosis research nationally including the latest laboratory research outputs and novel technical advances. The network is multi-disciplinary, cross-sectoral and cross-community, and will partner with global collaborators to ensure continued opportunities to participate in the latest bench-to-bedside studies to improve care for people living with multiple sclerosis and inspire, engage and train a new generation of clinical and academic researchers in Ireland.” Alexis Donnelly, has lived with progressive multiple sclerosis for nearly 30 years, and is excited by the formation of All-Ireland MS Research Network. “This network will facilitate multiple sclerosis researchers throughout the island to cooperate across institutional and disciplinary boundaries, linking them not only with each other but with international colleagues and allowing fresh results and insights to flow back and forth. This can only accelerate the pace of research into progressive multiple sclerosis both nationally and internationally. “I am reminded of the story of Professor Alan Thompson, Professor of Neurology in University College London and chair of the Scientific Steering Committee of the International Progressive MS Alliance, of which I am a member. Alan's interest in progressive multiple sclerosis was piqued initially by the discovery, in the basement of a Dublin Hospital, of an empty room labeled ‘MS research’. This network promises to replace that empty room with a vibrant community of multiple sclerosis researchers. It will hasten the day when no more people have to bear the burdens of progressive multiple sclerosis. I am also impressed by the equal status that people with multiple sclerosis themselves will enjoy in that effort. Our own experiences and perspectives will enrich this initiative and the focus of its work.” MS Research Summer Scholarships Coinciding with the launch, the network is opening a call for budding multiple sclerosis researchers, at undergraduate or early postgraduate level, to apply for the first All-Ireland MS Research Network Research Summer Scholarships. Following a generous donation from Eamonn Haughton and Declan Smith, of Chemical Systems Control Ireland, the first scholarship will be awarded in 2021 to a successful candidate who is considering a multiple sclerosis-focused research career. Eamonn Haughton, Chemical Systems Control Ireland, said: “New therapies for multiple sclerosis will be built on state-of-the-art research. Funded junior researchers will spend time in research groups based in at least two of the participating organisations. It is hoped that the seeds sewn by this research will help to bring multiple sclerosis treatments to the next level.” For more information visit www.aims-rn.org and for more details about the scholarship call see www.aims-rn.org/funding or follow on Twitter @aims_rn. -Ends-

Professor Pat Dolan, UNESCO Chair and Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society at NUI Galway, has been awarded a prestigious D’Arcy McGee Beacon Fellowship from the Board of Trustees of the Ireland Canada University Foundation, a scholarship program which supports the development of connections between Canada and Ireland through online engagement.  The D’Arcy McGee Beacon Fellowship facilitates critical connections over distance. This programme enables leading Irish and Canadian academics, researchers and thinkers to connect online, in a programme of activity designed to nurture and develop strong and fruitful collaborations which will enrich connections between both countries and the wider international community. Speaking about the award, Professor Dolan said: “I am delighted to have been awarded this highly prestigious D’Arcy McGee Beacon Fellowship from the Board of Trustees of the Ireland Canada University Foundation. At a time when it is so important to feel connected with others, the programme will facilitate collaboration with academic colleagues in Canada. The particular focus of the Fellowship will be to promote Empathy education in Canada and Ireland which is a particular research interest of mine.” This award follows on from the launch of a new initiative last year to introduce Empathy education for secondary school students in Ireland.  The programme, Activating Social Empathy, is part of a suite of work undertaken by a team of researchers at the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre NUI Galway that has developed a concrete basis for understanding empathy education among adolescents. A major focus of the UNESCO Chair’s work both nationally and internationally, is the role of empathy in the development of social understanding and its potential to enable young people to foster better social responsibility, civic behaviour and critically, action.  Professor Dolan is joint founder of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and Director of the Institute for Lifecourse and Society at NUI Galway, and holds the prestigious UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement, the first to be awarded in the Republic of Ireland. He is currently Co-Principal Investigator on a UN Global Study measuring the social impact of COVID 19 on youth world wide - the study involves over 100 countries and all UN Regions. For over 20 years, Professor Dolan has completed an extensive body of research on family issues including longitudinal research on adolescents, youth mental health, resilience and social support networks and has over 100 publications a wide range of academic publications including authored books and journals. His major research interests are Civic Engagement, Social Empathy, Family Support, Youth Mentoring, and Resilience. He has also extensive policy experience both nationally and internationally having worked with the Irish Government as well as UNESCO, UNICEF, and the United Nations Youth Office in New York, USA. As part of the fellowship, Professor Dolan, along with host Dr Derek Gladwin, Department of Language and Literacy Education at University of British Columbia, Canada will be delivering a formal online public lecture as a Beacon Fellow and a series of workshop events later this year. For more information on the D’Arcy McGee Beacon Fellowship visit http://www.icuf.ie/scholarships/darcy-mcgee-beacon-fellowship/  -Ends-

NUI Galway’s Student Law Society have unveiled their programme of events to mark their 100th Anniversary which takes place from 1-8 March. LawSoc is  one of the oldest and pre-eminent societies in Ireland and fosters unity amongst students, providing them with a social outlet. To mark the centenary, the society are hosting a series of virtual events featuring some of the most respected legal minds in the country. The virtual event over the course of the week will feature guests including: The Honourable Mr Justice Frank Clarke, Chief Justice of Ireland, President of the Supreme Court; Dr Tom Courtney, Author of ‘The Law of Companies’, FE1 Company Law Examiner, and NUI Galway Alumnus; and NUI Galway alumni representatives from A&L Goodbody Solicitors; and Frank Greaney,Courts Correspondent for Newstalk/Today FM, multi-award winning Journalist and NUI Galway Alumnus. On Monday, 8 March, LawSoc marks the end of the Centenary celebrations with a Webinar marking ‘International Women’s Day, with guests Michele O’Boyle,2020 President of the Law Society of Ireland; Maura McNally, Chair of the Bar Council of Ireland; andAnne Marie McMahon, Deputy Commissioner of An Garda Síochána. The event will be moderated by NUI Galway law lecturer, Ursula Connolly. Niamh Lynch, Auditor of the Law Society said; “During such unprecedented times for the world over, I am reminded of the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, that “so often in life, things that you regard as an impediment turn out to be great, good fortune. We are delighted to launching our LawSoc100 Centenary Celebrations. We  hope that the celebrations will allow us an opportunity to reflect on the last 100 years of the Law Society, which has grown to become one of the largest societies in NUI Galway, and indeed one of the oldest in the Country. “We also hope that the celebration events will show the adaptability, perseverance and tenacity of the Society in reaching this significant milestone – traits which we aspire to in the present times. The past 100 years have taught us that adaptability and catering to changing times are assets which have become embedded into the values of the Society. Here, at LawSoc, we hope our attempt at embracing persistence throughout these challenging times, will result in good fortune for the society and its members. We stand at such a significant time in history and we intend to reflect that through our recent developments of further expansion into the digital world, examples being from our podcast ‘The Legal Lens with NUI Galway’s Law Society’; to our monthly LawSoc Gazette Newsletters; to these very celebrations. I hope you enjoy the Centenary Celebrations, and that you can join us as we journey the new chapter of our Society’s history.” Patrick McWalter, Vice-Auditor of the Law Society commented: “At the very core of LawSoc’s character is the desire for community, debate, engagement, and kinship – it is for this reason that we are more determined than ever before to ensure that we mark this momentous occasion- given that our community is now physically further apart than ever before. The Law Ball is the highlight of every Law Student’s calendar in NUI GALWAY, and for that reason we will be hosting our online Law Ball – let it never be said that a hidden virus stopped us from marking our Centenary in style. “We, as a society, are honoured to be joined by some of the brightest legal minds in the country for our celebrations, and we know that our members – past and present – will find these events both stimulating and engaging. As we stand at the end point of our first centenary, and as we look towards our next 100 years as a Society, we hope as a Society to proudly carry the baton from the previous ninety-nine committees, and to look towards the hundred years knowing that there is nothing that can weather the desire for citizenship, debate, and most of all, togetherness with our friends, colleagues and members.” President of NUI Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh commented on the Centenary: “The Society encapsulates what NUI Galway is about – here for our Students, for civic Society, in terms of social justice, human rights and how we maintain good society more generally. The Law Society encapsulates values of respect for each other, excellence, openness and sustainability. The 100th Anniversary is significant in that the Society has sustained the student traditions over the years – a place I remember as one of oratory and  welcome. The Law Society starts a new century now, and in doing so we recognise the importance of law in Society, especially for those most vulnerable in Society who very often need the protection of law.” All events take place online, and registration is essential. Registration is first come first served via Eventbrite. Students are also invited to the Virtual Law Ball, on Friday, 5 March. For more information see NUI Galway Law Society Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn pages. Events include: The Honourable Mr Justice Frank Clarke Chief Justice of Ireland, President of the Supreme Court Monday, 1 March, 5-6pm Free Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/141820399633 Dr Tom Courtney Author of ‘The Law of Companies’, FE1 Company Law Examiner, NUI Galway Alumnus. “The Conflicting Interests of Company Directors” Tuesday, 2 March, 5-6pm Free Registration : https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/141723000309 A&L Goodbody Solicitors, Dublin Brian O'Malley, Partner; Bríd Nic Suibhne, Senior Associate, Employment; Eugenée Mulhern, Senior Adviser, Corporate and M&A; Eoghan Kenny, Senior Manager, Data Projects Back to the Future: How an International Law Firm has evolved over 100 years, and is preparing for the next 100. Wednesday, 3 March, 5-6pm Free Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/141854820587 Frank Greaney, Courts Correspondent for Newstalk/Today FM, multi-award winning Journalist and NUI Galway Alumnus. “Media and the Law” Thursday, 4 March, 5-6pm Registration: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/141727036381 The Roaring 20’s, at a distance – The Virtual LawSoc Law Ball featuring cocktail making demonstrations, Comedian and MC Tom O’Mahony from Damo & Ivor, Republic of Telly and Irish Pictorial Weekly, Spot Prizes and lots more. Friday, 5 March, 7-9pm Tickets €10 from SocsBox website, (redeemable against your cocktail ingredients). https://cutt.ly/Ck4G4AA Women in Law : “Celebrating International Women’s Day” Michele O’Boyle 2020 President of the Law Society of Ireland, Maura McNally (Chair of the Bar Council of Ireland) and Anne Marie McMahon, Deputy Commissioner of An Garda Síochána Moderated by Ursula Connolly, School of Law, NUI Galway. Monday, 8 March 2020, 5-6pm Registration coming https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/NUI Galway-lawsoc-celebrates-international-womens-day-tickets-142226387955 -Ends-.

Feedback will help bring about change in Higher Education institutes GMIT and NUI Galway have issued a joint call urging third-level students in the west to take part in studentsurvey.ie, the findings of which will be used to further improve their institutes.  Students can take part online by going to studentsurvey.ie from today Monday 22 February until Sunday 14 March. The survey, now in its ninth year, is open to all first year and final year undergraduate students, as well as students on taught and research postgraduate programmes. Questions relate to students’ experiences of higher education, including their academic, personal, and social development, as well as focusing on student engagement such as the learning experience, interaction with faculty and support services and activities. By taking part in the online survey and sharing their experiences, students can have a real impact and help bring about change in their higher education institution. Feedback from the annual survey has informed recent initiatives like the new Student Information Hub and Graduate Mentor scheme in GMIT. In NUI Galway, student feedback has led to the roll out of the CÉIM academic peer support programme, plans for the redevelopment of the library as a Learning Commons and improved pathways for accessing education by building on the University of Sanctuary designation. Last year, 44,707 students in 26 higher education institutions took part in the survey and almost 40% of eligible students in GMIT and NUI Galway participated. Aedín Ó hEocha, Assistant Registrar at GMIT, says: “In previous surveys, GMIT students have consistently rated the quality of their interactions with staff and the effectiveness of teaching highly.  Feedback from students is especially important given the changes that COVID has brought to Higher Education over the last 12 months. It is more important now than ever before that students let us know what we are doing well, and where we could improve.” Professor Michelle Millar, Dean of Students at NUI Galway, says: “NUI Galway had the highest level of student engagement of any university in last year’s survey and almost nine out of 10 of our students said they would choose us again. It is testament to the value that our University community places on high standards and of giving people a voice, particularly our students. We want to maintain these high levels of engagement and satisfaction and learn from our students’ experiences, particularly the impact of Covid-19 and digital learning on student life and education.” ENDS

Cuideoidh an t-aiseolas le hathrú a dhéanamh ar institiúidí Ardoideachais Tá GMIT agus OÉ Gaillimh le chéile ag impí ar mhic léinn tríú leibhéal san iarthar páirt a ghlacadh i studentsurvey.ie, 2021 agus úsáidfear na torthaí chun a n-institiúidí a fheabhsú tuilleadh. Is féidir le mic léinn an suirbhé a dhéanamh ar líne ag studentsurvey.ie ón lá inniu Dé Luain, an 22 Feabhra go dtí Dé Domhnaigh, an 14 Márta. Tá an suirbhé, atá naoi mbliana ar an bhfód anois, ar fáil do gach mac léinn fochéime sa chéad bhliain agus i mbliain na céime, chomh maith le mic léinn ar chláir iarchéime múinte agus taighde. Baineann na ceisteanna le heispéiris na mac léinn ar an ardoideachas, lena n-áirítear a bhforbairt acadúil, phearsanta agus shóisialta, chomh maith le díriú ar rannpháirtíocht na mac léinn cosúil leis an eispéireas foghlama, idirghníomhú leis an bhfoireann teagaisc agus le gníomhaíochtaí tacaíochta. Trí pháirt a ghlacadh sa suirbhé ar líne agus a dtaithí a roinnt, is féidir le mic léinn tionchar dáiríre a imirt agus cuidiú le hathruithe a dhéanamh ina n-institiúid ardoideachais. Chuir aiseolas ón suirbhé bliantúil le tionscnaimh atá tagtha chun cinn le déanaí cosúil leis an Mol nua Faisnéise do Mhic Léinn agus scéim Meantóirí Iarchéime in GMIT. In OÉ Gaillimh, cuireadh tús leis an gclár tacaíochta piaraí acadúla dar teideal CÉIM, ár bpleananna d’fhorbairt ár leabharlainne mar Ionad Foghlama agus bealaí feabhsaithe chun rochtain a fháil ar oideachas trí chur lenár n-ainmniúchán mar Ollscoil Tearmainn. Anuraidh, ghlac 44,707 mac léinn as 26 institiúid ardoideachais páirt sa suirbhé agus ghlac beagnach 40% de mhic léinn incháilithe in GMIT agus in OÉ Gaillimh páirt ann. Deir Aedín Ó hEocha, Cláraitheoir Cúnta GMIT: “I suirbhéanna roimhe seo, léirigh mic léinn GMIT go raibh caighdeán ard ag baint lena n-idirghníomhaíochtaí leis an bhfoireann agus le héifeachtacht an teagaisc.  Tá aiseolas ó mhic léinn an-tábhachtach i bhfianaise na n-athruithe atá tagtha ar an Ardoideachas le 12 mhí anuas de bharr COVID. Tá sé níos tábhachtaí anois ná riamh go gcuirfeadh mic léinn in iúl dúinn céard atá go maith, agus cén chaoi a bhféadfaimis feabhsú.” Deir an tOllamh Michelle Millar, Déan na Mac Léinn in OÉ Gaillimh: “Bhí an leibhéal is airde rannpháirtíochta ag mic léinn OÉ Gaillimh as gach ollscoil i suirbhé na bliana seo caite agus dúirt beagnach naonúr as deichniúr mac léinn go roghnóidís an ollscoil seo arís. Is léiriú é ar an luach a chuireann pobal na hOllscoile ar ardchaighdeáin agus ar dheis a thabhairt do dhaoine a dtuairimí a roinnt, go háirithe dár gcuid mac léinn. Ba mhaith linn na leibhéil arda rannpháirtíochta agus sástachta seo a choinneáil agus foghlaim ó eispéiris ár gcuid mac léinn, go háirithe maidir le tionchar Covid-19 agus foghlaim dhigiteach ar shaol agus ar oideachas na mac léinn.” CRÍOCH  

NUI Galway will hold its annual Spring Postgraduate Open Day on Tuesday, 2 March at 11am. The virtual event is open to the public and offers the opportunity to explore the over 400 taught and research postgraduate programmes enrolling in 2021. The open day is traditionally an important event for professionals, graduates and current undergraduate students who are aiming to upgrade their qualification, broaden their skills-set, increase their specialist knowledge, and improve their job prospects and earning power. The virtual event will provide visitors with the opportunity to explore courses and careers by attending live talks with the option to ask questions and to hear directly from Programme Directors on the career opportunities and emerging trends in their fields. Sarah Geraghty, Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach at NUI Galway, explains why so many are considering 2021 as the right time to pursue a postgraduate programme: “At times of uncertainty in the jobs market in the short term, there can be great reassurance in investing your time and energy in education. You can be safe in the knowledge that enhancing your skills and improving your qualifications will place you in a better position to compete for the jobs and careers that you really want to pursue in the long term. We would like to invite anyone thinking about how they can best develop their careers to join us for the postgraduate open day to explore the possibilities.” In addition to subject and programme specific talks, the virtual event will include presentations on all the practicalities of preparing for postgraduate study. Through talks, panel discussions and live Q&A’s, key topics including fees and funding, scholarships, employability and research opportunities will be explored thoroughly. NUI Galway is also launching a number of new postgraduate programmes for entry in 2021 which will be included in the open day showcase. The College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies is launching a number of new postgraduate options including: MSc Adolescent Health; MA/PDip Child Youth and Community; MA/PDip in Public Policy; and options also in Consumer Psychology and in Education Studies. The College of Science and Engineering is also offering a new MSc Genomics Data Science that combines highly-sought after skills in genetics, statistics, and data analytics and will provide advanced training in the computational techniques used to analyse and understand genomic data, allowing graduates to work in the emerging field of genomic and precision medicine. Visitors to the virtual event will also be able to get more information about an Advanced Practice Midwifery course, approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, which aims to enable experienced registered midwives to develop advanced clinical midwifery knowledge and skills to enhance optimum care and improve clinical outcomes for women and their babies. Those interested in finding out more can book their place and view the open day programme by visiting http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate-open-day/. -Ends-

CÚRAM publishes new research on the potential of injectable hydrogels to repair heart muscle damage after a heart attack Researchers at CÚRAM, the SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices based at University of Galway, and BIOFORGE Lab, at the University of Valladolid in Spain, have developed an injectable hydrogel that could help repair and prevent further damage to the heart muscle after a heart attack. The results of their research have just been published in the prestigious journal Science Translational Medicine. Myocardial infarction or heart disease is a leading cause of death due to the irreversible damage caused to the heart muscle (cardiac tissue) during a heart attack. The regeneration of cardiac tissue is minimal so that the damage caused cannot be repaired by itself. Current treatments lack an effective method to prevent death and subsequent cardiac tissue repair following a heart attack. "This project involved the development and testing of an elastin-based hydrogel derived from a naturally occurring biomaterial in the human body", explains Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM at University of Galway and project lead. The hydrogel is based on a family of unique biomaterials, called elastin-like recombinamers, that BIOFORGE-UVa had developed in the search for advanced hydrogels for regenerative medicine. "The hydrogel was developed to mimic the environment around the heart following an infarction and then customised to have the ability to protect and promote regeneration of the cardiac tissue", says Professor Pandit. The therapeutic effect of multiple injections of this hydrogel into the cardiac tissue was assessed during the first-ever preclinical study of its kind, demonstrating its efficacy for cardiac tissue remodelling following a heart attack. The international research team, which included researchers from Ireland, Spain, Sweden, France and Italy, were able to show that if their hydrogel was injected into the heart muscle shortly after a heart attack, it resulted in less fibrosis (scarring of the cardiac tissue) and an increase in the generation of new blood vessels in the area. They were also able to observe the rise in the preservation and survival of cardiomyocytes, a type of cell that allows the heart to beat, in the affected area. Professor Abhay Pandit added: "This project demonstrates the efficacy of a unique biomaterial-only system able to induce a positive healing effect on cardiac tissue following a heart attack event. The functional benefits obtained by the timely injection of the hydrogel supports and highlights the potential use of this treatment in the clinic. The next step will be to develop a prototype for a delivery system for the hydrogel." Professor Mark Da Costa, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Galway and senior co-author of the study, said: "In this study, we employed a model to specifically look at a type of heart attack that has increased in incidence and is not often treated until the acute phase resolves. Scar tissue that forms after the heart attack often remodels negatively, causing future problems like heart failure. The timely injection of this hydrogel appears to change the way the heart muscle heals after a heart attack. There is a significant positive histological, biological and functional recovery of the injured heart muscle. Work is progressing now to deliver this to the sites of injury in different clinical settings and will be followed with translation into a clinical trial.” The full research team also involved John Newell, Michelle Kilcoyne, Peter Owens and Peter Dockery from University of Galway, CÚRAM PhD graduate Paolo Contessotto, Doriana Orbanić and José C. Rodríguez-Cabello from the BIOFORGE Lab at the University of Valladolid in Spain, Chunsheng Jin and Niclas G. Karlsson from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Sandrine Chantepie and Dulce Papy-Garcia from the Laboratory Cell Growth, Tissue Repair and Regeneration at the University Paris Est, Créteil, France, and Clizia Chinello and Fulvio Magni from the University of Milano-Bicocca, Vedano al Lambro, Italy. CÚRAM's research focuses on developing diagnostic devices, biomedical implants, cell-device and drug-device combination products to address unmet clinical needs. The recent announcement of a €46 million reinvestment in CÚRAM by Science Foundation Ireland in February 2021, demonstrates the Government's strong commitment to the MedTech industry in Ireland, supporting the continuation of substantial academic, industry and clinical collaborations that are central to CÚRAM's work. To access the full paper, visit https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/13/581/eaaz5380.   -Ends-

A study carried out by the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology has found that the provision of home support services for older Travellers and older homeless adults must be considered as a fundamental right, promoted as a viable and accessible support for these groups, regardless of their housing circumstances and where they live. The findings were reported at the launch of research findings yesterday, held as a part of the Irish Gerontological Society’s webinar series on Marginalised Ageing and Inclusive Systems. There are currently efforts to improve the design and quality of home care services for older people in Ireland, with the aim of enshrining the rights to, and regulation for, these services within legislation (i.e. Professional Home Care Bill 2020). There is a critical need to ensure any new home care reforms are accessible and relevant to the most marginalised of older populations. Older members of the Traveller community and older people who have experienced homelessness are two such groups, who are more likely to encounter health inequalities, poor health outcomes, and challenges in accessing care services. The study aimed to capture older Travellers’ and older homeless adults’ perspectives on and preferences for home care, and in doing so to use their lived experiences to improve policy and practice in the area. Highlighting a range of barriers in accessing home support services, the study shows the potential for these groups to fall through the cracks in Ireland’s long-term and community care system. Barriers can include communication and cultural issues, eligibility criteria (where older members of these communities requiring these services are not always aged 65 years), willingness to accept care, the suitability of environments for receiving care, and, more broadly, discrimination and stigma,   The research which was conducted by NUI Galway’s Irish Centre for Social Gerontology in conjunction with co-investigators from NUI Galway, Queen’s University Belfast, Newcastle University and University of Limerick. Speaking at the event, Professor Kieran Walsh, Director of the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology and lead investigator, said: “There are a number of critical gaps evident in the care for older Travellers and older homeless adults, and in part, these stem from the structural disadvantages that both groups encounter in our communities, and society. “While the gaps are reinforced by our failure to properly account for the needs of these populations in care provision, they impact not only individual older people, but also put significant pressure on families, charity organisations and primary and community care providers working with the groups.” Dr Bridin Carroll, a member of the research team, said: “The findings show that without the significant cross-sector efforts, particularly at grass-roots level, and the resilience of many older Traveller and older homeless individuals themselves, the welfare of these populations would be even more at risk. But this situation is really not sustainable. ‘The research highlights that home care for these groups requires sensitivity to people’s individual circumstances, and the sorts of social exclusions they have faced. To secure better health outcomes for these populations, the research calls for home supports that are flexible, well-communicated, free of stigmatisation and discrimination, and that target both the instrumental provision of care and the enablement of individuals.’ Putting forward 20 recommendations for policy and practice on home care, the research calls for public, private and voluntary long-term care providers to develop care and support protocols targeting marginalised and diverse older populations, including older Travellers and older people who have experienced homelessness. Professor Walsh concluded: “It is difficult to talk about the situation of older Travellers and older homeless adults without acknowledging the massive deprivation of rights with respect to adequate housing, health, and equality of treatment that has been experienced by these populations. Without these efforts to ensure that future care provision is relevant to the situations of older Travellers and older homeless adults, and help to address some of these deprivations, we run the risk of further exacerbating inequalities for these growing sections of our ageing society. To read three briefing papers on the project, and for more information on the study visit: https://icsg.ie/our-projects/otoh/.  This study was conducted in collaboration with the HSE National Social Inclusion Office, Safety-Net Primary Care, Galway Traveller Movement, Age and Opportunity, Community Healthcare Organisation 8, and Pavee Point. It was funded by the HSE, Department of Health, and Atlantic Philanthropies, through the Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative (HaPAI) partnership [HAPAI/2017/KW].  -Ends-

Research raises key questions about farm succession, considering issues of access to land for younger farmers and the impact and effect of retirement on the older farmer Dr Shane Conway, Postdoctoral Researcher in the Discipline of Geography’s Rural Studies Unit at NUI Galway, was recently announced as the winner of the Geographical Society of Ireland (GSI) Doctoral Research Award 2020. Dr Conway was presented with the award for his PhD research that explored the human dynamics affecting intergenerational farm transfer in later life . This prestigious national award, adjudicated by a panel of senior academics, was open to any graduate of a Higher Education Institute on the Island of Ireland who had successfully defended their PhD degree since January 2016. Commenting on receiving the award, Dr Conway said: “I am delighted and honoured to have received this award from the Geographical Society of Ireland for my PhD research. None of this would have been possible without all the farmers who generously took time out from their busy schedules to provide inestimable data and information for this research. Their candour and willingness to open up and share their stories and experiences provided me with a unique insight into the world as farmers perceive it. It is clear that the majority of farmers opt to maintain the facade of normal day to day activity and behaviour in later life, and such empirical findings will help inform more appropriate, ‘farmer-sensitive’ generational renewal in agriculture policy directions, and as a consequence, help prevent older farmers from being isolated and excluded from society, almost by accident rather than intention.”  Dr Conway’s winning PhD research, supervised by NUI Galway’s Dr John McDonagh and Dr Maura Farrell, provides an in-depth, nuanced understanding of the various emotional and social factors governing the attitudes and behaviour patterns of older farmers towards the ‘twin processes’ of farm succession and retirement. Dr Maura Farrell, Lecturer with the School of Geography and Archaeology at NUI Galway, said: “Dr Shane Conway is highly deserving of this award from the Geographical Society of Ireland, having completed excellent research on generational renewal in farming, which has become widely acclaimed both nationally and internationally.  Shane’s research raises key questions about farm succession, considering issues of access to land for the young farmer, but also deliberating extensively on the impact and effect of succession on the older farmer.  Shane has made excellent advancements in questioning current generational renewal policy and putting forward key ideas for the future direction of succession and inheritance practices on national and international family farms. “ This important research revealed that the reasons why older farmers fail to plan effectively and expeditiously for the future as are expansive, and range from the potential loss of identity, status and power that may occur as a result of engaging in the process, to the intrinsic, multi-level relationship farmers have with their farms in later life. The common denominator however, is that intergenerational farm transfer is about emotion. The so-called ‘soft issues’, that is the human dynamics involved, are the issues that distort and dominate the older generation’s decisions on the future trajectory of the farm. Such issues have resulted in intractable challenges for farm succession and retirement policy over the past fifty years and are the issues which future generational renewal in agriculture strategies and interventions must take into account. Farming is a way of life for many older farmers, and there can be detrimental consequences to their emotional wellbeing if they are cut off from their daily routines on the farm in later life. -Ends-

An Cumann Staire, NUI Galway’s History Society will host a talk on Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes, delivered by Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, NUI Galway Lecturer in the Discipline of History and an internationally recognized scholar of modern Irish history. The virtual event will take place on Wednesday, 24 February at 6pm over Zoom. With the Irish government’s decision to seal records of the homes in late 2020, and the recent publication of the Commission of Investigation into the Mother and Baby Home’s final report, there has been confusion and disappointment into information surrounding the homes. This event aims to inform on what exactly the homes were, their distinction from the Magdalene laundries, and what happened to those who came to the homes. Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley is an esteemed historian of gender, women and childhood in Ireland. She is co-principal investigator of the Tuam Oral History Project, which aims to form a public archive of stories from survivors of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. Grace Carolan, Auditor of An Cumann Staire, NUI Galway, said: “From Tuam to Thomastown, thousands of Irish woman and children passed through the mother and baby homes. We hope this event will help us educate ourselves on what happened to those within them, so please join us for an engaging evening of information on a subject less spoken about.” The Zoom event is free to attend and open to the public. To book a place or for further information visit https://www.nuigalwayevents.ie/cumann-staire. -Ends-

Dr Evan Keane of NUI Galway's Centre for Astronomy has been awarded seed funding to examine how the next generation Very Large Array radio telescope can be designed to identify signatures of extra-terrestrial intelligence. Radio telescopes are particularly well suited for identifying technosignatures, technological signatures of life, from exoplanets. Radio waves, which can be transmitted across, and be detectable over, greater distances than other forms of light, can encode large bandwidths of information Currently in the design stages, the next generation Very Large Array will be the largest radio telescope in the Northern Hemisphere, consisting of hundreds of radio dishes, spread over 8,000 kilometres in North America working in tandem together. The details of the design are still being debated, investigated and studied by astronomers and engineers worldwide, including Dr Keane. Dr Keane and his collaborators in Canada and the United States will examine how the next generation Very Large Array should be designed to maximise its abilities in the search for technosignatures of extraterrestrial intelligence. How should the dishes be spaced, what frequency bands should be used, what search algorithms should be deployed and what supercomputing backend capabilities do these require? And how to do this while simultaneously performing all the other cutting edge astrophysics studies that the observatory will do? Dr Keane said: “I am very excited to be investigating how to tackle perhaps the most difficult challenge there is in science. These searches for technosignatures are also now happening on Irish soil too. With my collaborators in Berkeley, and across Ireland, we have been enabling a technosignature search system on the Irish Low Frequency Array station in Birr, Co. Offaly. This is a great opportunity for upcoming Irish scientists to tackle these questions at home.”  Prior to joining NUI Galway in January, Dr Keane was Project Scientist for the Square Kilometre Array, the two largest telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere, where he worked the technical design ensuring that the telescopes deliver on the observatory's scientific priorities. Construction for the Square Kilometre Array gets underway this year. Since his arrival Dr Keane has also brought a joint NUI Galway-Berkeley summer internship programme which will hire two research interns to work with the telescope in Birr this summer.  The funding for this work comes from an ngVLA Community Study, a programme run by the United States’ National Radio Astronomy Observatory. For more information on the next generation Very Large Array radio telescope visit https://ngvla.nrao.edu/page/science. -Ends-

This webinar will present research findings on older Traveller and older adult homeless groups and will critically assess current gaps and future opportunities NUI Galway’s Irish Centre for Social Gerontology will lead the second webinar in the ‘Marginalised Ageing and Inclusive Systems Webinar Series’ on Thursday, 18 February at 3pm. This webinar is a part of the Irish Gerontological Society’s 2020/2021 scientific programme, and draws on findings of the Older Traveller and Older Adult Homeless study, conducted by NUI Galway’s Irish Centre for Social Gerontology (ICSG), and in conjunction with co-investigators from NUI Galway, Queen’s University Belfast, Newcastle University and University of Limerick. The study aimed to centralise the lived experiences of these older populations in the development of flexible and equitable care for positive health and ageing. Highlighting a range of barriers in accessing home support services, the study shows the potential for these groups to fall through the cracks in Ireland’s long-term and community care system. During the webinar, researchers will present their findings and launch three briefing reports with their recommendations from the study. It will also feature perspectives of key stakeholders, international experts and members of the older Traveller and older homeless communities.  Professor Kieran Walsh, Director of the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology and lead investigator in the research study, said: “It is difficult to talk about the situation of older Travellers and older homeless adults without acknowledging the massive deprivation of rights with respect to adequate housing, health, and equality of treatment that has been experienced by these populations. A concerted effort is required to ensure that future provisions of care help to address these deprivations, and not compound existing challenges to positive health and ageing for these growing sections of our ageing society.” The briefing reports will be available after the webinar at www.icsg.ie/otoh. To register for the event visit https://bit.ly/3tMM9jy. This study was conducted by NUI Galway in collaboration with the HSE National Social Inclusion Office, Safety-Net Primary Care, Galway Traveller Movement, Age and Opportunity, Community Healthcare Organisation 8 and Pavee Point. It was funded by the HSE, Department of Health and Atlantic Philanthropies through the Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative partnership.  -Ends-

Competitions focus on sustainable solutions in the area of food waste and plastics. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD, today announced the 15 teams that have been shortlisted as part of the SFI Future Innovator Prize, including two teams collaborating with researchers from NUI Galway. The two challenge-based prize programmes, with a prize fund of €2 million each, as part of the SFI Future Innovator Prize, are calling on the research teams to develop innovative solutions to food waste and plastics. Five teams have been shortlisted under the SFI Food Challenge and 10 under the SFI Plastics Challenge. At the end of the 12-month programme two overall winners will be announced. The two NUI Galway collaborations shortlisted under the SFI Plastics Challenge include: Turnkey, a project between NUI Galway researcher Corine Nzeteu, with Ramesh Babu Padamati (TCD), and Stephen Nolan (Green Generation). The team’s challenge will look at turning plastic and food waste into key value-added products; Green Lab Services (GLaS) team of Una FitzGerald (NUI Galway), Michael McCormack (Irish Manufacturing Research), and Sinéad Ní Mhainín (Connacht-Ulster Regional Waste Management Office) who will look at Ireland's lab plastic problem. Congratulating the competing teams, Minister Harris said: “I am delighted to announce the fifteen teams who will go on to compete as part of the SFI Future Innovator Prize. The SFI Future Innovator Prize is a challenge- based prize funding programme that seeks to support Ireland’s best and brightest, to develop novel, potentially disruptive, technologies to address significant societal challenges. On this occasion, it is about tackling food and plastic waste. I am really excited to see the outcome of their work and the response to these key national challenges.” The SFI Food Challenge will support the development of sustainable solutions to reduce food loss and waste across the full breadth of the food supply chain, addressing topics such as premature spoilage of fruit and vegetables; undernutrition and promoting healthy aging through optimisation of diet; the shelf-life salad leaves; valorising food waste into value added commodities and waste in the fishing industry. The SFI Plastics Challenge will support the development of innovative STEM-led solutions that will enable the sustainable use of plastics in a circular economy, restore and preserve our oceans’ health, and maximise how we use the earth's finite resources. The projects aim to address problems across a number of strategic challenge areas including removing plastics from coastal areas; reducing reliance on single use plastics in laboratories; upcycling plastic waste and utilising plastic waste for sustainable battery technologies. Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General, SFI and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, said: “I would like to congratulate the fifteen teams who have been shortlisted as part of the SFI Future Innovator Prize competition. We have seen a fantastic calibre of innovative thinking and truly novel approaches as part of the submissions, and I look forward to seeing the different solutions that develop in the areas of food waste and enabling the sustainable use of plastics, as the competition continues. I would like to commend each team on their hard work and dedication, and to wish them every success in the rest of the competition.” The SFI Future Innovator Prize, funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science through Science Foundation Ireland, is part of an overall government plan to cultivate challenge-based funding in Ireland. -Ends-

Pannelits will include the eminent journalist Dan Balz from the Washington Post and academics from Harvard and Columbia University and Barnard College The Moore Institute at NUI Galway will host a free webinar with leading commentators to discuss “Democracy in America”. Panellists include the eminent journalist Dan Balz of the Washington Post. The event will take place on Tuesday, 16 February at 3pm. The United States has emerged from the traumatic and transformative presidency of Donald Trump, which concluded with an assault on the Capitol on 6 January by a violent group loyal to the then president. Key questions being considered during the webinar range from the depth of political division in the country to the implications of the radical right, the impact of conspiracy theories, the rural/urban divide, race in America, the future of Trumpism, and prospects for unity pledged by President Biden in a moment of shattering conflict. Professor Daniel Carey, Director of the Moore Institute, NUI Galway, will chair the session. He said: “The constantly changing landscape of American politics has darkened in the Trump era, through support for white supremacy, manipulation of truth, and armed insurrection. The fate of American democracy is at stake as we enter the Biden presidency. Which way the country will turn remains the crucial issue.” Dan Balz will be joined by academics specialising in the history, sociology, and culture of the United States that include Michèle Lamont (Harvard University), Stephanie McCurry (Columbia University), and Monica Miller (Barnard College). To register to attend the free webinar logon to: https://bit.ly/2YJrrTt or contact Professor Daniel Carey at daniel.carey@nuigalway.ie. -Ends-

CÚRAM SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices based at NUI Galway, will present a webinar and series of panel discussions with EU policy makers and Medtech industry leaders in the European Union. The event takes place on Tuesday, 16 February. The webinar will bring together leading researchers from industry and academia, along with policymakers and regulators to consider a consolidated research agenda for medical devices within the context of the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, which began in January 2021. The titled webinar 'A Research Agenda for Medical Devices in the EU' will present key recent developments in next-generation medical device technologies and their potential to impact health outcomes and improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses. It will also consider the enabling policy and the regulatory environment necessary to sustain the competitiveness of this highly innovative European sector. The webinar will be hosted by Professor Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM at NUI Galway. High profile speakers attending the event include Sean Kelly MEP, Maria da Graça Carvalho, MEP, Professor Mark Ferguson, SFI Director General, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland and Chair of the European Innovation Council Advisory Board and Karina Angelieva, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Bulgaria. The webinar will consist of eight panel sessions led by research and industry leaders across the US and EU and will be attended by MEPs. The panel topics include: Medical Device Research in Europe; Artificial Intelligence Medical Devices; Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products; Global Perspectives: Medical Devices for the Sustainable Development Goals; Regulation; Research; Data Infrastructures and Science Capacity Building for Medical Devices; Skills and Education for a Competitive Future. In advance of the webinar, CÚRAM has launched a consultation White Paper providing stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute to a medical devices research agenda for the European Union. This research agenda aims to help inform EU level decision-making, such as the implementation of Horizon Europe (the research and innovation framework programme running from 2021-2027), as well as national and regional research agendas. It will also serve as a reference document to advance partnerships and innovative collaborations to address pressing global challenges. CÚRAM aims to radically improve health outcomes for patients by developing ‘smart’ medical devices and implants. It develops these devices through collaborations with industry partners and hospital groups to enable their rapid translation to clinics, positioning Ireland as the driver in developing medical device technologies that will provide affordable transformative solutions for chronic diseases. CÚRAM’s researchers are designing and manufacturing implants to respond to the body’s environment and delivering therapeutic agents exactly where they are needed and its outputs will particularly benefit patients with chronic ailments such as heart disease, wound healing, diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases. For full agenda and speakers details, visit: https://cordis.europa.eu/event/id/148320-a-research-agenda-for-medical-devices-in-the-eu. -Ends-

Years of suffering and billions of euro in global health care costs, arising from osteoporosis-related bone fractures, could be eliminated using big data to target vulnerable patients, according to researchers at Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software and National University of Ireland Galway. A study of 36,590 patients who underwent bone mineral density scans in the West of Ireland between January 2000 and November 2018, found that many fractures are potentially preventable by identifying those at greatest risk before they fracture, and initiating proven, safe, low-cost effective interventions.  The multi-disciplinary study, led by Lero’s Professor John J. Carey, Consultant Physician in Medicine and Rheumatology, Galway University Hospital, Mary Dempsey, Mechanical Engineering, NUI Galway, and Dr Attracta Brennan, Computer Science, NUI Galway has just been published in the British Medical Journal. The Irish dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) Health Informatics Prediction (HIP) project on bone mineral density now plans to assess current diagnostic classification and risk prediction algorithms for osteoporosis and fractures, according to Prof. Carey. Professor Carey pointed out that while Ireland has one of the highest osteoporosis rates globally, currently there is no national public or government policy to address the healthcare requirements of osteoporotic fractures, with costs rising rapidly.  “In Ireland, public hospital bed days have increased by almost 50% in the past decade for osteoporotic fractures and outnumber heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and many other illnesses that receive much greater attention,” he said. “Preliminary estimates suggest the number of fragility fractures and deaths following fracture for Irish adults aged 50 years and older in 2020 was similar or greater to the numbers with COVID infection, but there is no daily report on the numbers tested, hospitalised or who die following a fracture. Use of these and other data could help close those gaps,” he continued. Professor Carey said there is a global osteoporosis health crisis, with predictions of American medical costs associated with osteoporotic-related fractures including productivity losses and caregiving expenditure to exceed $94 billion (€77.6bn) annually by 2040. He added that previous studies have shown, for example in 2010, approximately 43,000 European deaths were fracture-related while expenditure related to osteoporosis exceeded €37 billion. “A modest 5% reduction in those costs would result in an annual saving of €1.85bn at 2010 prices,” he stated. “We now have big datasets, similar to the one utilised in our study, available throughout the globe. Cost-effective, innovative forms of data interrogation such as AI  (Artificial Intelligence) will enable the timely identification and treatment of patients vulnerable to osteoporosis fractures, providing them with better care and using precious resources efficiently. There will be many opportunities to provide better patient outcomes and save billions of euro,” he added. Professor Carey believes this collaboration between clinicians, big data scientists, engineering and computer scientists in Ireland, Britain and China will help leverage innovation, critical thinking and international partnerships to accelerate their programme and opportunities. Director of Lero, Professor Brian Fitzgerald, said the utilisation of AI, as envisaged by Professor Carey and his team, shows how software development initiatives can directly impact people’s lives at a fundamental level. Lero is a world leader in research on connected health and human performance. “When Lero’s work can help alleviate suffering, improve patient outcomes and free up resources, then we are doing the job we were established to do, and that’s very rewarding for all concerned,” he concluded. -Ends-

Lesbian and gay youth are twice as likely to engage in volunteer work as heterosexual teens, research by academics at NUI Galway has revealed. The findings are part of studies by the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Ireland team, based in the Health Promotion Research Centre at the University. Of the 3354 young people participating in the study, 3% reported being attracted to the same sex, while 6.3% said that they are attracted to both boys and girls. A report on the study - Connected, Respected, and Contributing to Their World: The Case of Sexual Minority and Non-Minority Young People in Ireland - revealed that bisexual youth were more likely than the other groups to be discriminated based on their age and gender. It also found that bisexual youth were less likely than their heterosexual peers to report high family support or having a caring adult whom they can trust and that they were half as likely to feel that they are valued and respected. Bisexual youth were also less likely to report that they feel comfortable while being with their friends. Analysis also showed that lesbian and gay young people were almost twice as likely to report often taking part in volunteering work. Dr András Költő, of NUI Galway’s Health Promotion Research Centre and lead author of the report, said: “Not surprisingly, sexual minority adolescents were more likely to feel discriminated against based on their sexual orientation. They were also more likely to report discrimination based on their age and gender. However, a positive finding is that lesbian and gay youth are almost twice as likely to be engaged in volunteer work. “This an aspect of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people’s lives that Irish studies have not previously explored. Lesbian and gay adolescents, probably because they have often faced discrimination and bullying, are often more aware of social inequalities and injustice than their non-minority peers and therefore may be driven to fight against injustice by volunteering. Other studies had shown that LGBT+ individuals often have compassion and empathy towards other minority groups (e.g., people with immigrant background or living with a disability) and are ready to advocate for their interests. “LGBT+ communities often provide a safe haven and a source of support and care to them. It is important to make bisexual youth also feel welcome in LGBT+ communities and in society.” Dr Költő added: “The results we have detailed are a key piece of research as part of the wider study of youth behaviour trends. It suggests that we should not think about LGBT+ young people as a uniform group. Our findings support that those identifying as bisexual are faring worse than those who identify as lesbian or gay. “It is important to note, however, that there are adolescents who are still exploring their sexual orientation, and it may change even in adulthood. Those young people who feel that they are attracted to both boys and girls or identify as bisexual may need more help and support from their families, peers and teachers.” The study compared findings across sex and social classes in the overall sample of 15 to 17-year-olds. While a large majority of young people were not likely to report experiencing discrimination, girls were more likely to feel discriminated against based on their gender and age than boys. Dr Elena Vaughan, contributing author of the report, said: “This finding suggests that sexism is an ongoing concern among young people in Ireland. Further studies to investigate how and in what contexts this is experienced by girls and young women would be helpful in identifying and implementing policy measures to address this issue.” Dr Költő and Dr Vaughan said they hope that these findings will complement Ireland’s National LGBTI+ Youth Strategy 2018-2020, the world’s first governmental strategy that aims to improve sexual and gender minority young people’s health and wellbeing.  Ends

The Mincéirs Whiden Society at NUI Galway has awarded Owen Patrick Ward honorary life membership. Mr Ward, a programme coordinator in the University’s Access Office, has been honoured for his involvement in the society since its inception and for his distinctive contribution to its work. Jason Sherlock, chairperson of the Mincéirs Whiden Society, said: "It is a great privilege that we can recognise Owen for the work he has done for Irish Travellers in NUI Galway and the wider community. “Owen never shies away from a challenge and he is always there to support any student, not only Irish Travellers but any student who might experience educational disadvantage. He was an early school leaver with no Junior or Leaving Certificate and he has overcome many barriers in his life to be where he is today. He is an inspirational role model.” Mr Ward is a Programme Coordinator in the NUI Galway Access Centre and last year was elected to the University's Governing Authority, Údarás na hOllscoile. He completed his Masters in NUI Galway, he is a fully qualified post-primary school teacher and he was key to the organisation of the hugely successful NUI Galway Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day on campus in February 2020. Vice-chairperson of the Mincéirs Whiden Society Anna Keane said: “Our members will forever be in Owen’s debt due to his work, endeavours and the support he has given. Owen is a true inspiration to all.” Dean of Students at NUI Galway Professor Michelle Millar said: “Owen has proved himself to be a brilliant ambassador for both the Travelling community and for our student body. He embodies the meaning of inclusion. I am delighted to see him honoured by his peers and look forward to celebrating and supporting him and his work as he helps our University to build on our shared values, including openness and respect.” NUI Galway Mincéirs Whiden Society, which means Travellers Talking in the Cant language, is the first Irish Traveller student society. Since 2018, it has contributed to increased Traveller participation in third-level education, while providing a safe and welcoming space on campus. The society has also built positive relationships with the student and staff body in the University, by winning the NUI Galway Best New Society for 2020. When the society was launched in 2018, Mr Ward said: "One of the main objectives of the society is to empower members of the Travelling community to enter third-level education while being encouraged and supported by NUI Galway. At present, there are a small number of Traveller students studying at NUI Galway across numerous disciplines. Also, it is of paramount importance to build positive alliances and relationships between Traveller students and the student and staff body at NUI Galway as well as the wider community." Ríona Hughes, NUI Galway’s Societies Officer, said: “We are immensely proud to be the first third level institution in Ireland to count Mincéirs Whiden among our list of societies. It has been a joy to work with Owen and all the other talented and inspiring students who have provided a platform and a welcoming space for future students from the Travelling community. Praise is indeed due to Owen for his foresight and vision in making this a reality." Ends

Cuirfear tús le sraith de cheardlanna amhránaíochta fiorúil ar an sean-nós le Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, atá ceaptha mar Amhránaí Cónaitheach ag OÉ Gaillimh, 2021. Beidh na ceardlanna a reachtáil gach Céadaoin ag a 7pm ar an 17 agus 24 Feabhra, agus 3, 10 agus 24. Is cainteoir Gaeilge ó dhúchas í Saileog a tógadh le Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath. Is as Aill na Brón a hathair, an t-amhránaí clúiteach Peadar Ó Ceannabháin, agus is é Peadar an chéad fhonnadóir a chuaigh i bhfeidhm go mór uirthi. Chaith Saileog roinnt mhaith ama ó bhí sí an-óg ag éisteacht le fonnadóirí as Iorras Aithneach agus tá Seán 'ac Dhonncha, Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, Dara Bán Mac Donncha agus Seáin Jeaic 'ac Dhonncha i measc na bhfonnadóirí is mó a chuaigh i bhfeidhm uirthí. Tá dhá album eisithe ag Saileog I bhfíor-dheiriú oidhche, cnuasach amhrán a bhailigh Séamus Ennis in Iorras Aithneach sna 1940idí, agus Roithleán. Tá na ceardlanna saor in aisce ar Zoom agus beidh fáilte roimh chách. Beidh an nasc Zoom ar fáil anseo: https://bit.ly/2O7geu3. Tá tuilleadh eolais le fáil ag www.facebook.com/NUIGalwayCentreforIrishStudies. Tuilleadh eolais ó Samantha Williams ag 091-512428 nó samantha.williams@nuigalway.ie Is iad Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta, An Chomhairle Ealaíon agus Ionad Léann na hÉireann, OÉ Gaillimh, a mhaoiníonn an tionscnamh seo. -Ends-

Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, the Sean-Nós Singer-in-Residence at NUI Galway, will give a series of online sean-nós singing workshops beginning on Wednesday, 17 February at 7pm. The weekly online workshops will take place on the 17 and 24 February, and the 3, 10 and 24 March. A sean-nós singer, musician and composer, Saileog learned and played both traditional and classical music from a very young age. She grew up listening to singers from Iorras Aithneach and cites Seán 'ac Dhonncha, Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, Dara Bán Mac Donncha agus Seáin Jeaic 'ac Dhonncha as formative influences on her approach and singing. She has released two albums; I bhfíor-dheiriú oidhche , a collection of songs collected by Séamus Ennis in Iorras Aithneach in the 1940s, and Roithleán. The workshops are free and open to all via Zoom at https://bit.ly/2O7geu3. More information is available at www.facebook.com/NUIGalwayCentreforIrishStudies. Further information available from Samantha Williams at 091-492051 or samantha.williams@nuigalway.ie This project is funded by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta and An Chomhairle Ealaíon in association with the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway. -Ends-