News Archive

Marking fifty years since the opening of the new Lyric Theatre in Belfast in October 1968, a new digital online exhibition from the Hardiman Library at NUI Galway, opens up the archive of the Lyric Theatre this week. Founded in 1951 as the Lyric Players Theatre, Mary O’Malley worked on growing a theatrical venture, initially for friends and family within her home, that later became the largest and one of the most important theatres in Northern Ireland and internationally. Mary, working with her husband, Dr Pearse O’Malley, created a dynamic and diverse arts centre within Belfast that became synonymous with verse drama of W.B. Yeats and Austin Clarke but which also brought important international works by the likes of Anton Chekhov, August Strindberg, and Henrik Ibsen, to Belfast audiences for the first time. As the Lyric Theatre expanded its repertoire, it also grew in artistic ambition. The Lyric Theatre included an art gallery, an academy of music and drama, a craft shop, as well as publishing an internationally respected literary journal, Threshold, which included works by the likes of Mary Beckett, Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel, John Hewitt, John Montague, and Mary Lavin, as well as cover art-works by Colin Middleton and Louis Le Brocquy. The Lyric Theatre maintained a constant presence and operation during the worst years of the Troubles and sectarian conflict. The Lyric Theatre premiered important plays reflecting contemporary experience in the North such as Over the Bridge by Sam Thompson, The Flats by John Boyd, and later works by Stewart Parker and Christina Reid. Actors such as Liam Neeson and Ciaran Hinds got their start at the Lyric Theatre with others such as Stella McCusker having a career-long association with the theatre. The archive of the Lyric Theatre is housed at the Hardiman Library in NUI Galway. Comprising over eighty boxes of files, the archive contains voluminous correspondence with important literary figures, photographs of productions, annotated prompt-scripts, finance and board records of the Lyric, as well as programmes, posters, and other ephemera from the Lyric’s rich history of over five decades. Curated by Dr Barry Houlihan and Betty Attwood, the digital exhibition from NUI Galway opens up the history of the Lyric Theatre to a global audience for the first time through hundreds of previously unpublished letters, photographs, scripts, and other archive documents. NUI Galway Archivist, Dr Barry Houlihan, says: “The digital exhibition mirror’s the Lyric Theatre’s own archive – a record of artistic ambition, success and many challenges through the decades. The digital archive material showcases to the world not just the vision of its founder, Mary O’Malley, but also her craft and vision as a director and producer, and also how the Lyric Theatre earns its place within a proud and rich theatre heritage internationally.” Professor Lionel Pilkington from NUI Galway, said: “The Lyric Theatre / Pearse and Mary O’Malley archive in the James Hardiman Library at NUI Galway is a powerfully important resource for anyone interested in any aspect of Northern Ireland’s cultural history from the early 1950s to the late 1980s. As well as encompassing an extraordinarily rich correspondence with the leading figures of Ireland’s literary, political and cultural life, the archive includes meticulously documented minute books, annotated scripts and prompt books, photographs and audio tapes. This is an archive that tells the story of a vibrant (and frequently overlooked) all-Ireland cultural initiative operating with verve and enthusiasm within the context of an often suspicious and sometimes hostile political state.” To view the Exhibition online, visit: https://tinyurl.com/y7v68gtq -Ends-

Event to demonstrate what an exciting and diverse career women can have in the geoscience sector, which was worth €3.27 billion to the Irish economy in 2016 The second ever ‘Girls into Geoscience Ireland’ event will take place in the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway on Saturday, 10 November. This free event introduces female secondary school and early stage university students to Earth Sciences and demonstrates the breadth of careers available to geoscience graduates. Girls into Geoscience Ireland consists of a mix of interactive workshops, talks and one-to-one networking sessions where attendees will have the opportunity to speak with current undergraduates, academics, and working professionals about the career opportunities available in Earth Sciences and ask the questions they want to during the ‘Ask a Geoscientist’ session. Leading the event, Dr Aoife Blowick, post-doctoral researcher in Earth and Ocean Sciences at NUI Galway and chair of the Irish Association for Women in Geosciences said: “This one-day event is an exciting way for young women to discover what geoscience is, how it helps people and why there will always be a need for more geoscientists. The potential of job opportunities in Earth Sciences are limitless, and we want to show what an exciting and diverse career women can have, from engineering geologists who drive innovation, technology and infrastructure to hydrogeologists who ensure we have clean and sustainable sources of water. In one day we are going to dive into the world’s oceans, discover the force of volcanoes and earthquakes, explore the hidden secrets of sand and drill into the ground beneath your feet! These are just some of the thing’s geoscientists do every day around the world and this free event gives young women a taste of that.” Dr Fergus McAuliffe from the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG), added: “Girls into Geoscience Ireland is about showcasing the vast array of exciting careers in geosciences. Attendees will meet professional female geoscientists, hear their amazing career journeys that have taken them around the world, and get involved in hands on activities to show what being a geoscientist feels like. iCRAG is delighted to spearhead this programme which we hope to grow year on year.” In 2016, the geoscience sector was worth an estimated €3.27 billion to the Irish economy and employed close to 25,000 people (according to Indecon International Economic Consultants, 2017). Geoscientists are employed in a wide range of sectors both in Ireland and abroad in areas such as; raw materials, environmental geoscience, energy resources, natural hazard mitigation, hydrogeology, engineering geology and research. With such a vast array of areas, many geoscientists move between sectors easily while travelling around the world. Jessica Franklin, now a PhD candidate in Earth and Ocean Sciences at NUI Galway, was an exploration geologist in eastern Canada prospecting for gold before commencing her current research project investigating the sources and pathways of sediment in ancient river systems offshore of Ireland over 200 million years ago. Catherine Jordan is a marine scientist at NUI Galway using satellite technology to study Phytoplankton blooms in the Atlantic Ocean. Her work involves expeditions aboard the Marine Institute’s Celtic Voyager and Celtic Explorer research vessels. Previously Catherine worked as a scientific officer for the Loughs Agency in Derry where part of her work involved monitoring the native oyster fishery on Lough Foyle. Megan Dolan is a geotechnical engineer at NUI Galway studying a large infilled bedrock depression in the Galway region, which is intended to be used for the placement of a tunnel as part of the N6 Galway City outer bypass. Her work involves both field surveying and laboratory testing of field samples to better understand their formation and interpret the history of the area. Invited speakers include Rebecca Bradford, Geological Survey of Ireland and Professor Maeve Boland, School of Earth Sciences, UCD and iCRAG, who will discuss their career experiences in geoscience both in Ireland and abroad. Through two hands-on workshops, participants will first investigate what lies beneath their feet, digging for precious resources and fresh water in County Galway, before exploring the marine realm and investigating the effects of ocean acidification with climate change. A wide range of geoscientists including academic researchers and public sector professionals from across the country will be there to talk with attendees and discuss why geoscience is a great career choice for them. This event is being led by NUI Galway and the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences, in collaboration with the discipline of Earth and Ocean Sciences at NUI Galway, the Irish Association for Women in Geosciences and the Geological Survey of Ireland.   The free event is open to all female students and takes place in the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway on Saturday, 10 November from 10am to 4pm. To register, visit: www.eventbrite.ie and search ‘Girls into Geoscience’. For more information, logon to: www.girlsintogeoscienceireland.wordpress.com and www.irishawg.wordpress.com/events/. Follow on Twitter @GirlsintoGeo_ie, on Facebook at GirlsintoGeoIreland and on Instagram @girls_into_geo. -Ends-

NUI Galway undergraduate student, Troy Gawley, was recently awarded the Hamilton Prize in Mathematics by the Royal Irish Academy (RIA). The award ceremony, which took place in Dublin, honoured the top nine undergraduate mathematics students in Ireland. Troy, from Knocknacarra, Galway City, is currently in the final year of his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical Science. Troy was judged to be the most outstanding student in all the mathematical degrees taught in NUI Galway. Dr Rachel Quinlan, Head of the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics at NUI Galway, said: “My warmest congratulations to Troy on the 2018 Hamilton Prize and on all of his academic achievements. He is an excellent representative of the outstanding community of students with whom we work with every day in the School of Maths. It is wonderful to see the achievements of mathematics students recognised by the Royal Irish Academy through the Hamilton Prizes, now in their 17th year.” Every year, the Royal Irish Academy celebrates the anniversary of William Rowan Hamilton’s discovery of quaternion algebra on 16 October 1843. Hamilton Day 2018 began with a masterclass for students and early career researchers in mathematics, given by this year’s Hamilton speaker, Professor Martin Hairer from Imperial College London. The masterclass was hosted by ARUP, sponsor of Hamilton Day, and gave young researchers the opportunity to learn from a leading expert in the field. -Ends-

“Dear President, having our voice heard even though we are too young to vote” a collection of personal letters and poems compiled by 13-18 year-olds in Ireland NUI Galway recently launched ‘Dear President’ a unique publication curated by the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway, which contains over 80 inspiring letters and poems by youth too young to vote in next Friday’s Presidential Election. The project which was setup by NUI Galway’s Professor Pat Dolan, UNESCO Chair for Children Youth and Civic Engagement and supported by a range of youth work agencies, notably Foroige, was open to young people from across the Republic of Ireland aged between 13 and 18 years. Young people too young to vote were invited to write a letter or poem outlining what it is like for them as a young person to live in Ireland today, their dreams for a future Ireland and how they would like the next President to represent them during their next term of office. The range of contributions from young people (see samples in Notes to Editors) covered a wide variety of issues including being disabled and young, poverty, Brexit, LGBT, and being young, undocumented and living in Ireland.  Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: “We need to value youth in Ireland for what they contribute now and not just when they become adults, and the Office of the President of Ireland can be a key advocate in enabling this to happen.” Speaking in a special video message to the young people who attended the ‘Dear President’ launch at NUI Galway, actor Cillian Murphy and Patron of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre urged all of the presidential candidates to read, listen to and hear the voices of youth as they finalise their campaigns. All six presidential candidates were invited to attend the launch of the letters on 13 October in NUI Galway but due to clashes with a media presidential debate were unable to attend. However, each candidate was offered the opportunity to provide brief responses, of which three of the six candidates did; President Michael D. Higgins, Liadh Ní Riada and Senator Joan Freeman, and one more is expected from Gavin Duffy. To read the full ‘Dear President’ publication of letters and poems, visit: http://www.childandfamilyresearch.ie/media/unescochildandfamilyresearchcentre/Dear-President-National-Project-2018.pdf -Ends-

The 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking novel, Frankenstein, will be celebrated this Hallowe’en with a series of free events at NUI Galway and in Galway City. A movie night, staged reading, and public lecture, organised by lecturers and students from the discipline of English at NUI Galway, take place from 30 October to 1 November, joining literary communities across the world in celebrating this most famous, and most misunderstood, of literary monsters. Events taking place in Galway include: Screening of Young Frankenstein will take place on Tuesday 30 October in the Black Gate Cultural Centre from 5-7pm Staged readings from Frankenstein will take place in the O’Donoghue Theatre, NUI Galway, on Wednesday 31 October from 6-8pm A public lecture entitled, ‘Frankenstein’s Chemistry: Vital Motion and the Science of Life’, will be delivered by Dr Mary Fairclough (York) in the Anatomy Theatre, NUI Galway, on Thursday 1 November from 7-9pm 1818 saw the publication of an anonymous three-volume novel entitled Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus in a small edition of 500 copies. Despite the modest circumstances of its publication, Mary Shelley’s work would become one of the most culturally significant novels of the century, spawning a slew of imitation, adaptations, and dubious Hallowe’en costumes. Frankenstein is a novel whose cultural significance transcends its original publication. Regularly hailed as the book which launched the genre of science fiction, the story of its composition is also legendary. Though the novel and its monster have become cultural staples in literature, film, and theatre ever since, the original publication and its story are often misunderstood, unknown, and unread. The aim of Frankenreads NUI Galway is to place Shelley’s novel at the centre of the bicentenary commemorations as well as celebrating its rich and varied afterlife.   The project is a branch of Frankenreads, the international celebration of the 200th anniversary of the novel for Halloween 2018 organised by the Keats-Shelley Association of America. It is also part of the EXPLORE initiative at NUI Galway, where students and staff collaborate to deliver their innovative ideas and projects. Featuring staff and students from English, Frankenreads NUI Galway is also supported by the University’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Project Fund and by the Moore Institute for Research in the Humanities and Social Studies. Lead NUI Galway student organiser Ciara Glasscott, who is studying for a PhD in English, said: “I’m so excited to be involved in the Frankenreads project because it provides a great opportunity to get more people to engage with Dr Frankenstein and his creature as they were created by Mary Shelley, rather than just as the cultural phenomena they have morphed into over the last two hundred years. As a massive fan of Mary Shelley, I’m so thrilled to get the chance to be involved with a series of events which aim to bring together experts and people with a more casual interest in a celebration of Shelley’s iconic creation.” For more information on the events taking place around Galway visit https://bit.ly/2NLLdG7. Tickets for all events are free, but should be booked in advance at https://frankenreads-movie.eventbrite.com,  https://frankenreads-readings.eventbrite.com, or https://frankenreads-lecture.eventbrite.com. -Ends-

NUI Galway’s 2018-2019 Arts in Action programme in association with the James Hardiman Library is delighted to present an evening with the legendary traditional musician and composer, Joe Burke on Wednesday, 24 October. The event is free and open to the public. Joe Burke will be speaking to piper and RTÉ broadcaster, Peter Browne, with live music from special guests, Frankie Gavin (fiddle), Deirdre McSherry (flute and piano), Eileen O’Brien (fiddle) and Conor Tully (fiddle). Joe Burke was born in Kilnadeema, Loughrea, Co. Galway in 1939. In 1956 with Paddy Downey he formed the Leitrim Céilí Band. He has won several All-Ireland fleadhanna and has toured as an accordion player in both England and America, living in St. Louis for a number of years. In 1990 he married the noted musician Ann Conroy and in 1992 moved to Loughrea. He is the recipient of several music awards including RTÉ Traditional Musician of the Year, The Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish World newspaper and Gradam an Chomhaltais. Speaking about this special event, Mary McPartlan, Artistic Director of Arts in Action at NUI Galway, said: “The James Hardiman Library Special Collections have inspired me greatly in the curation and development of the Arts in Action programme. The archives generally are a major resource and it has been a great pleasure to put this special event in the Arts in Action programme which honours the great musician Joe Burke.” Kieran Hoare, Archivist from the James Hardiman Library, NUI Galway, added: “The bulk of the collection covers a period of fifty years and reflects Joe Burke’s music career, both in terms of his stylistic roots and musical fellowships. The collection consists of 850 photographs, c.250 items of correspondence and nearly 400 press-cuttings and 120 reels of sound recordings.” An Evening with Joe Burke will take place from 6pm-7pm on Wednesday, 24 October in the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway. To view the full 2018-2019 Arts in Action Programme, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/artsinaction/. -Ends-

NUI Galway will host a Placemaking Symposium and Workshops as part of the Architecture at the Edge (AATE) celebration of exceptional architecture in the West of Ireland on Friday, 26 October. The event will take place in the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance from 9.30am to 5pm. This year’s Placemaking Symposium and Workshops will focus on the regeneration of Nun’s Island, led by NUI Galway with support from the urban design team at BDP, and the recent announcement of Galway City Council’s own Public Realm strategy. These two important initiatives will have a profound influence on the shaping and the future of Galway.  The symposium will include presentations and discussion in the morning, followed by an afternoon of workshops on Nun’s Island, Galway’s Public Realm Strategy, and Placemaking in Towns and Villages. Keynote presentations will be delivered by Gareth Maguire, Architect Director of BDP, Caroline Phelan, Senior Planner with Galway City Council and Simon Wall, Senior Executive Architect of the Mayo County Council. Coordinator of the event and NUI Galway Professor Kevin Leyden said: “Placemaking is all about working together to plan and build inviting places that inspire creativity, culture, sustainability and community and attract businesses and residents alike.” The afternoon workshop on placemaking in towns and villages, led by Simon Wall, town architect in Westport, will explore the experience of smaller communities in the west of Ireland and address the challenges and opportunities in shaping their future. Whether in the dramatic landscape which attracts visitors or the farmed environment supporting the local economy, the revitalisation of smaller towns and villages and their environs is of vital importance for the entire region. The Placemaking Symposium and Workshops is free and open to the public but advance registration is essential at https://www.architectureattheedge.com/new-events/2018/10/26/placemaking.  For more information on the AATE festival and the events taking place visit https://www.architectureattheedge.com/. -Ends-

Dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula), which are an abundant small shark species in Irish coastal waters, have been shown to have a very varied diet, preferring soft-bodied animals over crabs and fish, according to a new study by marine scientists at the Ryan Institute in NUI Galway. The study was published in the Journal of Fish Biology.  Previous studies which were purely based on examining what is found inside the stomach of a dogfish had described these sharks as mainly feeding on crabs and fish. In this new study, the researchers extracted muscle tissues from these sharks and analysed them using chemical tracers, called stable isotopes, to determine whether these ecologically important predators actually feed on other prey types. Using a combined approach of novel chemical tracers and analysis of the stomach contents of the dogfish, the researchers were able to show that these small sharks feed mainly on soft-bodied animals such as sea squirts and other soft-bodied organisms. The reason crab and fish prey might have been over-estimated in the past is because these hard-bodied prey types tend to be over-represented in the dogfish’s stomach contents due to their slower rates of digestion. Dogfish are one of the most abundant sharks and can be found from Norway down to western Africa and are common along all Irish coasts. In contrast, other species of predatory fish such as cod, are described to be on the decline due to an increase in heavily-overfished areas worldwide. Alina Wieczorek, lead author of the study from the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway, says: “It is important to know what dogfish feed on because with the decrease in commercially important fish, these small sharks are likely to become the top predators of our future coastal ecosystems.” The researchers were able to infer from a muscle sample of the shark what it primarily had been feeding on in the preceding 200 days. This is due to the fact that some chemical tracers of elements such as carbon accumulate in different ratios in the animal’s tissue, depending on what they have been feeding on. The higher up the foodchain an organism feeds, the more carbon stable isotopes can be found its tissues. Alina Wieczorek, added: “A vegetarian, for instance, would have less of the heavier carbon in their muscle than someone who prefers a meaty diet. So the sentence, ‘You are what you eat’ isn’t that far-fetched.” The research article resulted from Ms Wieczorek’s undergraduate project which was supervised by Dr Anne Marie Power, and was carried out during the final year of her B.Sc. in Marine Science at NUI Galway.  Professor Mark Johnson, the coordinator of the B.Sc. Marine Science course at NUI Galway, explains: “We feel it is important that teaching should be research-led and this is a great example of how undergraduate students can produce high quality research during their final year projects.” This research was funded as part of the NEPHROPS project (www.nephrops.eu) by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme.  To read the full study in the Journal of Fish Biology, visit: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jfb.13770 -Ends-

NUI Galway’s Colin O’Dowd, Professor in the School of Physics and Director of the Ryan Institute’s Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS) was recently elected last week to the Academia Europaea, the pan-European Academy of Humanities and Sciences. Election to the Academia Europaea is widely considered to be one of the highest honours that a European scientist or scholar may receive and is by invitation only. Its formation was initiated in 1988 by the Royal Society and supported by the key National Academies across Europe. During this announcement Professor O’Dowd was also a recipient of NUI Galway’s 2018 President’s Award for Research Excellence in the Established Researcher category. Academia Europaea elects into membership scientists and scholars of international distinction and who have demonstrated sustained academic excellence in their field of research. Professor O’Dowd who is only the second NUI Galway academic to be elected, was elected to the Earth and Cosmic Science section and is one of the leading experts in the area of air pollution, atmospheric composition and climate change. He has published extensively on this topic and has been listed as being in the top 1% most cited researchers in his field, a category also regarded as hosting the world’s most influential scientific minds. In addition, he was a contributing author to the last inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report.  In addition, Professor O’Dowd has the distinction of being a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Physics. These awards add to his portfolio of previous awards comprising the Royal Meteorological Society’s Mason Gold Medal, the Institute of Physics Appleton Silver Medal, the Royal Irish Academy’s Gold Medal in Geoscience and the German Aerosol Society’s Smoluchowski Award. Professor O’Dowd is Director of the Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies which operates the Mace Head Air Pollution and Climate research station near Carna in Co. Galway along the Atlantic coastline. Mace Head is one of the most renowned research stations worldwide, having started discrete research campaigns 60 years ago to measure how clean the air entering Europe, or, more precisely, monitoring how polluted the cleanest air in Europe has become. It is a World Meteorological Organisation Global Atmosphere Watch station and provides realtime and webcast data for air pollution and greenhouse gases on a 24-7 basis (see http://co2.climate-kic.org/). It’s long term (35 year) continuous air pollution, greenhouse gas, and ozone depleting substances records, are critically important for informing clean air and climate change policy. For more information about Mace Head, visit: www.macehead.org. -Ends-

NUI Galway’s Centre for Disability Law and Policy project, The Voices of Individuals: Collectively Exploring Self-determination (VOICES), celebrates its completion and the launch of its edited collection with an exhibition in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission from 22-24 October.   Participants from eleven countries and five different continents worked together to co-author a chapter of an edited collection entitled, ‘Global Perspectives on Legal Capacity Reform: Our Voices, Our Stories’. The edited collection will be launched by Rosaleen McDonagh in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission on Wednesday, 24 October at 6pm. Professor Eilionóir Flynn, Principal Investigator on the VOICES Project and Director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy at NUI Galway, said: “By publishing this edited collection, VOICES demonstrates that it is no longer acceptable for the law to silence disabled people and deny their personhood – and that those who have experienced rights violations are best placed to imagine better and design a more equal, just and compassionate world.” In the book Helen Rochford Brennan, an Irish dementia advocate, shared her experience of travelling and the lack of support available to people with dementia in airports and other settings. She said: “When I arrive at an airport, most of the time there is a wheelchair waiting for me and I have to explain that I don’t need the chair, but I do need someone with me. I have to explain that I can walk but that my anxiety is heightened and my cognitive ability to navigate a large airport is limited. I have to say, ‘Look I have Alzheimer’s’. You feel like pulling out your dementia card. I had a business card made up that says on the back ‘I have Alzheimer’s disease. Please be patient with me’.” Claire Hendrick is one of the few people in Ireland to be discharged from the Ward of Court system. In her chapter Claire reflects on her experience: “Now that I look back, wardship is a disgrace. It is like mental torture. I was a prisoner. People playing games with you every day. They take away your power, your power to make your own decisions. Living independently now with the support of my aunt and cousin is the best way for me. I would have preferred this all along and would have chosen this if I was offered it by the solicitor instead of being made a Ward. I’m now treated like a human being.” Dermot Lowndes is a self-advocate from Dublin. In his chapter, Dermot shared his experience of getting legal advice and making decisions regarding inheritance after his mother’s death. He said: “Do you know, when you are a working-class person the law is very complicated and for person with a disability it is very complicated as well. There is no legal advice for a person, or no private solicitor that can come and say, well, I’ll do this for the person with a disability. Because they think, because you have the disability, that you don’t understand the law because you have a disability.” The VOICES project is funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant, awarded to Professor Eilionóir Flynn, the youngest person to ever receive such an award. Further information is available at www.ercvoices.com or by contacting Clíona on ercvoices@nuigalway.ie or 091 494272. -Ends-

Professor Louise Allcock from the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway is a co-author of a new book published by Ivy Press. With more than 150 stunning photographs from leading underwater photographers, Octopus, Squid & Cuttlefish: A Visual Scientific Guide is a comprehensive guide to the biology and behaviour of cephalopods, a small group of highly advanced and organised marine animals. The book features profiles of individual species and fascinating facts, including how the mimic octopus contorts its shape to resemble other animals, how the flamboyant cuttlefish can produce bands of roving colour along its body, and why the spawning ground for giant Australian cuttlefish is a site for elaborate fights between competing males. Professor Allcock along with her co-authors, Roger Hanlon and Mike Vecchione reveals the evolution, anatomy, life history, behaviours, and relationships of these spellbinding creatures. Octopus, Squid & Cuttlefish: A Visual Scientific Guide is a treasure trove of scientific fact and visual explanation, which offers a comprehensive review of these fascinating and mysterious marine invertebrates. While whale brains look somewhat similar to ours, cephalopods carry a large percentage of their brains in their arms. They are capable of learning, and of retaining information. They have eyes and other senses rivalling those of humans, they change texture and body shape, and they change colour faster than a chameleon. Speaking about the book, Professor Louise Allcock from NUI Galway, said: “Cephalopods intrigue us with their intelligence, but we wanted also to capture their extreme diversity, from nautiluses, which look so like their fossil ancestors, to female pelagic blanket octopuses, with their patterned sail-like webs and dwarf males. We dive into their ancestry, unique anatomy, life histories and behaviours to showcase what are undoubtedly the most spectacular invertebrates on earth.” Professor Louise Allcock is head of Zoology at NUI Galway and is a cephalopod coordinator for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red data list, former president of the Cephalopod International Advisory Council, and an expert in octopus systematics and evolution. The book is published by Ivy Press and is available to purchase online at RRP €24.00 from Kennys Bookshop Ireland, at: www.kennys.ie -Ends-

Empathy Jam Galway, a user experience research and design event, will be held in the Portershed on Saturday, 3 November. The first Empathy Jam took place in New York in 2016 and this is the first time an event of this nature will be held in Galway. Empathy Jam will bring together Galway residents and technologists to collaborate on new ways to feel connected, supported, and excited about imagining and creating our future. Participants in the event will be given a challenge to solve in relation to improving the everyday lives of those around them. With help from experienced mentors, they will then collaborate and innovate to reach a creative solution while learning or practicing User Experience Design methods. Through Empathy Jam, participants will learn how empathy can connect us all, solve problems, and build something with lasting impact. UX (user experience) advocate, NUI Galway alumnus and event co-organiser, Diarmaid Ó Fátharta: “From my experience of attending Empathy Jam in New York last year, I discovered how important and essential the skill of empathy is to the development of solutions for current and future challenges. We hope that Empathy Jam Galway will show this also and will give participants the opportunity to learn about empathy and to become aware of this ability when working in various scenarios, including building technological solutions.” Mairéad Hogan, Lecturer in Business Information Systems at NUI Galway, said: “This event is a fantastic opportunity to bring together students, industry and residents. Working together, in an empathetic way, we can produce solutions to the problems that affect us all in this city.” Tickets to Empathy Jam Galway are now sold out. Those still interested in attending can add their name to a waiting list at https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/empathy-jam-galway-tickets-50373580736.  Empathy Jam Galway can be contacted at empathyjamgalway@gmail.com. -Ends-

UNESCO Chairs in Children and Youth and the Lumos Foundation:  Supporting Families – Alternatives to Institutionalisation NUI Galway hosted an event yesterday (October 16) that showcased the results of the collaboration project between international children’s rights organisation Lumos, founded by J.K. Rowling, and UNESCO Chairs in the area of Children and Youth at NUI Galway and Pennsylvania State University. The partnership is working to increase global momentum to transform the lives of children separated from their families in orphanages. The three-year project (2015-2018), funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies (Ireland), involved training 97 experienced child care and protection trainers across 14 countries who then shared their expertise with over 14,000 practitioners through workshops, training courses, conferences, events and individual sessions, with a further 19,000 practitioners reached through articles and blogs. An estimated eight million children worldwide live in institutions and so-called orphanages, though at least 80% have living parents, most of whom could look after them with some support. Lumos is an international foundation working to end the institutionalisation of children around the world by transforming education, health and social care systems to move towards providing family-based and community care. The partnership is based on a number of shared goals including finding practical, ‘real world’ and sustainable ways to support families and children, particularly those who have been marginalised, to stay together in the community, and empowering children and families to play a meaningful role in changing attitudes and practices.  Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: “Our work with Lumos is built on a mutual objective that governments, communities and professionals begin to move away from reliance on institutionalisation as the default solution for vulnerable children and instead, focus their resources, capacity and skills on community-based solutions.” Alex Christopoulos, Lumos’ Deputy CEO, said: “The joint programme between Lumos and the UNESCO Chairs in Children and Youth, kindly supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies (Ireland), has played a pioneering role in helping to understand how child care and protection systems can be reformed in different contexts and cultures. With the shared goal that no child should be in an institution, the programme explored the role practitioners, communities, families and children and youth play in reforming systems – moving away from an institutional one size fits all approach, to building the frameworks, skills and resources needed to enable children to flourish in families.” The event featured a documentary that focuses on the journey embarked upon by frontline practitioners undertaking de-institutionalisation. The film, Together we Stared at the Moon, produced by Irish filmmaker Niamh Heery, set in Bulgaria and Colombia, features the stories of practitioners who are working with alternatives to institutional care in their countries.    The partnership is part of a number of initiatives under the Global Network of UNESCO Chairs in Children, Youth and Communities. The UNESCO Chair programme offers a unique platform to raise issues at the highest levels of policy.   For further information on Lumos, visit:  https://wearelumos.org/ To view a promo of the film Together we Stared at the Moon, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=9w3h1kH8jng. -Ends-

Dr Breandán Mac Suibhne, a Fellow with NUI Galway’s Moore Institute, has been shortlisted for the Royal Irish Academy’s inaugural Michel Déon Prize for non-fiction for his book The End of Outrage: Post-Famine Adjustment in Rural Ireland.   Six books have been shortlisted from over 240 titles nominated through the Royal Irish Academy’s website, and the judging panel made their choice from the eligible titles. In shortlisting the titles they were looking for originality, quality of writing and contribution to knowledge and/or public debate. The €10,000 prize for the winning author is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The author will also have the opportunity to deliver ‘The Michel Déon Lecture’ in France in early 2019.  Focused on a small community in the west of Ireland, The End of Outrage: Post-Famine Adjustment in Rural Irelandtells the story of schoolmaster who turns informer on a secret society – ostensibly in order to protect a farmer, James Gallagher, who had acquired land from his neighbours in the immediate aftermath of the Famine. It is at once a history and a memoir as the author’s forebears were among those who had lost land to Gallagher, and Dr Mac Suibhne probes how his own people came to terms with their loss. The End of Outrage was The Irish Times Irish Non-fiction Book of the Year in 2017, and in 2018 the American Conference for Irish Studies awarded it the Donnelly Prize for Books in History and Social Science. Congratulating Dr Mac Suibhne on the nomination, Professor Daniel Carey, Director of the Moore Institute at NUI Galway, said: “The recognition conferred by this nomination is well-deserved. The End of Outrage is a remarkable achievement – a brilliantly written and researched book that gives a hugely compelling account. As a work of style and storytelling it is worthy of Michel Déon. The connection with NUI Galway is also apt since Michel Déon was a great supporter of the library and donated thousands of French books to the collection over many years.” To reflect the work and interests of the French writer Michel Déon, who made Ireland his home from the 1970s until his death in 2016, the eligible categories for the prize were: autobiography, biography, cultural studies, history, literary studies, philosophy, travel. Authors of any nationality currently living on the island of Ireland who had published a non-fiction book in the period July 2016 to July 2018 were eligible.  The winner will be announced at an event in early December 2018. For full details of the prize visit www.ria.ie/michel-deon-prize. -Ends-

NUI Galway’s School of Law will host a one-day conference on Medical Negligence Litigation at the University on Saturday, 20 October. The conference, aimed at medical and legal practitioners, will address key issues in medical negligence including how to defend medical negligence claims; how to ensure that you have received informed consent; recent statutory developments on candour and open disclosure; and key issues in providing expert evidence. Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, former President of the Irish High Court will deliver the keynote address. He will be joined by an expert panel of speakers including: Margaret Muldowney, solicitor; Ursula Connolly, Lecturer at the School of Law, NUI Galway; Damien Tansey, solicitor. and Stephen Kearns, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Bon Secours Hospital, Galway, who is also a co-organiser of the conference. Law lecturer and co-organiser of the event, Ursula Connolly, said that the conference is timely given the recent scandals to hit the health system: “Recent events have highlighted the importance of patient safety and open disclosure and we are delighted to have been able to bring together an expert panel to discuss these issues. The conference organisers are particularly honoured to have the keynote address delivered by Mr Justice Kearns, one of the leading judges in the area of medical negligence.”   After a panel discussion, conference delegates will have the opportunity to engage with the experts through a Q&A session.    The conference will take place in Room HBB GO19, Human Biology Building, NUI Galway from 9am to 4.30pm. Five Continuous Professional Development hours will also be granted for attendance at this conference. Advance booking is required and delegates can register at www.conference.ie.    -Ends-

Scholarship to Advance Female Leadership in Business Organisations Following the success of the inaugural 30% Club Scholarship in 2017 for the Executive MBA (Masters in Business Administration) programme at NUI Galway, the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway are delighted to announce that the Scholarship, worth in excess of €13,000, has been awarded to Siobhain Quaid of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inverin and Emma Corcoran of Creganna Medical, Galway City. The 30% Club Ireland was officially launched in January 2015, with a goal to achieve better gender balance at all levels of business in Ireland. The 30% Club believes that gender balance on boards and executive leadership not only encourages better leadership and governance, but further contributes to better all-round board performance, and ultimately increased corporate performance for both companies and their shareholders.  Application numbers for the 30% Club Scholarship exceeded expectation with a very high calibre of strong female applicants. The judging panel noted that while most had enormous career potential and would have been worthy recipients, ultimately the award had to be split between two candidates. Reacting to the announcement Emma Corcoran commented: “I am beyond honoured to have been chosen to receive the 30% Club Scholarship for the Executive MBA at NUI Galway. In an evolving world where inclusion and diversity are the key to successful businesses the 30% Club is a fantastic initiative to promote balance at a leadership level in organisations. I am very excited to begin my MBA journey in NUI Galway. I chose the Executive MBA at NUI Galway due to their holistic business learning coupled with a focus on team dynamics and networking which enable peer and academic learning. To date I have enjoyed a challenging and rewarding career in the Medical Device Manufacturing Industry as an Engineer and an Operation Manger. I feel the executive MBA will be the spring board of my career in pursuing a leadership role along with enabling further networking between Creganna/TE Medical and NUI Galway. I am very grateful to NUI Galway and the 30% Club for providing me with this exciting opportunity to undertake the Executive MBA.”  Siobhain Quaid added: “I am hugely thankful of the 30% Club and NUI Galway for selection as recipient of the scholarship. The partnership in this initiative is testament to recognising and understanding the growing importance of diversity and inclusion in the development of successful leadership for organisations. I have thus far enjoyed a fulfilling and challenging leadership journey within the Pharmaceutical Industry and value the opportunity to study the Executive MBA at NUI Galway to continue to learn and grow as an influential leader and role model for many others. The Executive MBA at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, NUI Galway joined the 30% Club in promoting gender balance in business by awarding a scholarship toward half of the cost of an Executive MBA.  The NUI Galway Executive MBA has attained AMBA accreditation which is the global mark of excellence for MBA education. An MBA is one of the world’s most recognised and respected business and management qualifications. Critical to this is choosing an MBA programme with a proven track record that meets the highest international standards for MBA education. Professor Breda Sweeney, who was on the judging panel at the J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, NUI Galway, said: “The 30% Club scholarship has been a great addition to the Executive MBA programme at NUI Galway and continues to attract high calibre applicants. The Executive MBA can transform careers of graduates across diverse functional areas. Cutting-edge business concepts are discussed in the class room among peers and expert faculty and applied to real life scenarios to resolve business challenges. We at NUI Galway look forward to collaborating with the 30% Club in the future and welcome Emma and Siobhain to its new cycle of Executive MBA students.” For more information about the Executive MBA programme at NUI Galway please visit www.nuigalway.ie/mba. -Ends-

The University will also confer Honorary Degrees on Catherine Corless, Sharon Shannon, Helen Rochford Brennan, Brendan Dunford To view a video of the Honorary Conferring proceedings click below: Catherine CorlessSharon ShannonHelen Rochford BrennanBrendan Dunford Almost 2,700 students will graduate from NUI Galway during the Autumn Conferring Ceremonies which takes place from 15-19 October. This year there will be two sessions a day, at 10.30am and 3.30pm. A range of degrees from Undergraduate Certificates, Diplomas, Honours Bachelors, Higher Diplomas, Postgraduate Certificate and Diplomas, and Masters will be awarded to students graduating over the five days from the College of Engineering and Informatics; College of Business, Public Policy and Law; College of Science; and the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies. Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of NUI Galway, said: “On behalf of NUI Galway, I congratulate all our graduates and extend a warm welcome to their parents, families and friends. We are delighted to acknowledge their outstanding achievements and wish them continued success in the future.” The University will also confer four Honorary Degrees throughout the week on: Catherine Corless, local historian, campaigner on behalf of survivors and deceased of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home Sharon Shannon, internationally-recognised traditional Irish musician Helen Rochford Brennan, activist for rights of people with dementia Brendan Dunford, biodiversity campaigner and founder of BurrenBeo Trust. In recognising the recipients of honorary degrees, President Ó hÓgartaigh said: “In honouring these exceptional individuals, we signal what we value in a range of areas that matter to us and to our society – advocacy and human rights, local history, disability rights, music and environmental sustainability. NUI Galway is very pleased to recognise these exceptional individuals.  On behalf of NUI Galway I am delighted to honour them and their achievements in this way.” The annual Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development ceremonies took place on Saturday, 13 October, where awards were conferred on over 1,000 students who completed their certificate, diploma and degree courses at many locations across the country. For further information on conferring ceremonies and live streaming options visit: www.nuigalway.ie/conferring -Ends- Bronnadh Céimeanna an Fhómhair in OÉ Gaillimh  Bronnfaidh an Ollscoil Céimeanna Oinigh chomh maith ar Catherine Corless, Sharon Shannon, Helen Rochford Brennan, Brendan Dunford Bainfidh beagnach 2,700 mac léinn céim amach in OÉ Gaillimh sna Searmanais Bronnta Céime a bheidh ar bun idir an 15-19 Deireadh Fómhair. I mbliana beidh dhá sheisiún sa lá ann, 10.30am agus 3.30pm. Déanfar Teastais Fochéime, Dioplómaí, Céimeanna Baitsiléara Onóracha, Ard-Dioplómaí, Teastais Iarchéime agus Dioplómaí Iarchéime, agus Máistreachtaí a bhronnadh ar mhic léinn a bheidh ag fáil a gcéime ó Choláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na hIonformaitice; Coláiste an Ghnó, an Bheartais Phoiblí agus an Dlí; Coláiste na hEolaíochta; agus Coláiste na nDán, na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta agus an Léinn Cheiltigh. Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh: “Thar ceann OÉ Gaillimh, déanaim comhghairdeas lenár gcéimithe ar fad agus tá fearadh na fáilte roimh a dtuismitheoirí, a dteaghlaigh agus a gcairde. Tá ríméad orainn aitheantas a thabhairt dá gcuid éachtaí agus guímid gach rath orthu san am atá le teacht.” Bronnfaidh an Ollscoil ceithre Chéim Oinigh chomh maith i rith na seachtaine ar na daoine seo a leanas: Catherine Corless, staraí áitiúil, feachtasóir ar son na ndaoine a tháinig slán agus ar son na ndaoine a fuair bás in Áras Máithreacha agus Naíonán Thuama Sharon Shannon, ceoltóir traidisiúnta a bhfuil cáil dhomhanda uirthi Helen Rochford Brennan, gníomhaí do chearta daoine a bhfuil néaltrú ag gabháil dóibh Brendan Dunford, feachtasóir bithéagsúlachta agus bunaitheoir Iontaobhas BurrenBeo. Agus aitheantas á thabhairt aige do na daoine ar bronnadh céimeanna oinigh orthu, dúirt an tUachtarán Ó hÓgartaigh: “Trí onóir a thabhairt do na daoine eisceachtúla seo, léirímid na luachanna atá againn i réimsí a bhfuil tábhacht leo dúinne agus don tsochaí ina mairimid - abhcóideacht agus cearta daonna, an stair áitiúil, cearta do dhaoine faoi mhíchumas, ceol agus inbhuanaitheacht timpeallachta. Tá an-áthas ar OÉ Gaillimh a bheith in ann aitheantas a thabhairt do na daoine eisceachtúla seo.  Thar ceann OÉ Gaillimh tá áthas orm onóir a bhronnadh orthu agus ar a gcuid éachtaí.” Bhí searmanais bhliantúla an Ionaid Foghlama agus Forbartha Gairmiúla d'Aosaigh ar siúl Dé Sathairn, an 13 Deireadh Fómhair, áit ar bronnadh dámhachtainí ar níos mó ná 1,000 mac léinn a chríochnaigh a gcúrsaí teastais, dioplóma agus céime in ionaid éagsúla ar fud na tíre. Tá tuilleadh eolais faoi na searmanais agus na roghanna sruthaithe beo le fáil anseo: www.nuigalway.ie/conferring -Críoch-

Researchers at NUI Galway are undertaking a study that seeks to better understand what influences people’s decisions to take part in clinical trials in Ireland. Clinical trials are research studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans. NUI Galway is inviting members of the public to participate in focus groups to gain an understanding of people’s opinions and perceptions around clinical trials that will be used to inform an online questionnaire. The study does not require people to take part in a clinical trial. Clinical trials are a core component of medical advances and are an important step in discovering new treatments for breast cancer and many other more diseases, as well as new ways to detect, diagnose, and reduce the risk of disease. One of the biggest challenges today is that very few of the Irish population with common diseases are currently enrolled in clinical trials. Lead researcher of the study, Dr Michelle Queally from the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, said: “We are currently seeking members of the public to take part in some conversations around clinical trials as part of a focus group. The focus groups will take one hour and we will discuss topics around what would, or what has influenced a person’s decision to take part in a trial. We want to hear from individuals who have experience in participating in a clinical trial or are about to embark on a clinical trial, and also those who have never participated in a clinical trial before.” This study is funded by CÚRAM, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Medical Devices at NUI Galway. Ethics approval has been granted for this study. The focus groups will be held at a location in Galway city and at a time that is convenient for everyone who attends. Refreshments will be provided. For more information and interest in participating in the focus groups contact, Dr Michelle Queally, NUI Galway at michelle.queally@nuigalway.ie or phone 091 492934. -Ends-

Event will also feature an open session for members of the public NUI Galway will hold the Alliance for Research and Innovation in Wounds (ARIW) Autumn 2018 Seminar Series on Friday, 19 October. The series, entitled ‘The Burden of, and Opportunities in Chronic Wound Care in 2018’, will take place in Áras Moyola, beginning at 9am. Wounds, whether they are as a result of a surgical procedure or due to an underlying condition such as diabetes or vascular disease affect up to 4% of the population. The majority of wounds will heal without incident but for approximately 30%, these wounds can last for weeks and in some cases years. Research studies have shown that having a wound, and in particular a chronic wound such as a leg ulcer, has a huge impact on the lives of those affected. They can cause depression, pain, isolation, and loss of time from work, and often a fear that they will reoccur. By working with affected members of the public, the ARIW aims to find solutions for these issues. Key speakers in the seminar include: Professor Julian Guest, visiting professor of health economics at King's College London and principal of Catalyst Consultants, who will discuss ‘The economic impact of chronic wounds’ Dr Jan Stryja, Salvatella Ltd, Czech Republic, and European Wound Management Association (EWMA) Council member, will deliver a talk on ‘Surgical site infections - report from European Wound Management Association’ Suzanne Moloney, CEO and Founder of HidraMed Solutions Ltd. will talk about ‘The burden of everyday wound care in hindradenitis suppurativa - the patient perspective’ Dr Ger O'Connor, Head of School of Physics at NUI Galway and CÚRAM funded investigator, will discuss ‘Star gazing - what opportunities lie ahead in wound care devices’ Professor Abhay Pandit, Medical Director of CÚRAM, will deliver the closing address The symposium will be followed by an open, round table discussion for people with a chronic wound from 2 -3:30pm, also in Aras Moyola. The open session aims to hear and take record of concerns that are of importance to the person with a wound and in so doing, help shape the type of research that should be conducted. Dr Georgina Gethin, School of Nursing and Midwifery, NUI Galway, said: “To date, research into finding interventions to help healing has been decided by scientists, clinicians, industry and academics, each with their own particular area of interest. But, the real experts in this area are the people and their families who live with wounds. The time has come for us to address this gap and to listen to, and work with, the public to understand what is really important to them and to know what problems they are having that we need to find solutions for. Ultimately we may be spending millions of Euro developing devices and dressings that do not address the really important issues for the patient.” The Alliance for Research and Innovation in Wounds was borne out of the need to bring together the expertise in research, education and clinical practice that exists in NUI Galway, Saolta and among private healthcare partners into one unit that will strive to further develop and expand wound care in Ireland and internationally. Attendance is free but delegates must register for the symposium at https://bit.ly/2NvRS7e, and for the open session at https://bit.ly/2Pz56ln. For more information on the open session please call 089 4899789. -Ends-

In September 2018, NUI Galway admitted its first cohort of students undertaking a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Music. This is an exciting development for music making and music education in the west of Ireland, and builds on the University’s established reputation for excellence in creative arts subjects. A feature of the four-year BA degree is that all students will have the opportunity in their third year to undertake a music-related placement. Students will also be able to work with top musical professionals throughout their degree, notably the current Galway Musicians in Residence, the ConTempo String Quartet, who performed at the official launch this week at the University. Speaking at the launch, Dr Aidan Thomson, newly appointed Senior Lecturer in Music at NUI Galway, said: “The new degree is ideal for students wanting a career in music. It combines rigorous musical training with the chance to work with top musical professionals from a variety of fields. I am confident that it will attract academically excellent students, for it has already done so: this year, the Leaving Certificate points for entry to the course were the highest for any Music degree in Ireland.” The core of the degree is a thorough grounding in musicianship - theory, harmony, keyboard harmony and critical listening - and training in the repertory and culture of western classical and Irish traditional music. Students will also take core modules in performance, composition and sound technology over the course of their first two years. The degree is thus aligned with the requirements of the Irish Teaching Council, meaning that graduates would be equipped to take postgraduate teaching qualifications in Music at primary and secondary level. Students will be able to learn from leading professional musicians during their degree through masterclasses and concerts. The university is developing strategic partnerships with the Galway Music Residency and Music for Galway, and is building on existing expertise in Music in different disciplines within the institution. The degree complements many other disciplines within the College of Arts: English, Irish Studies, modern languages, and, most significantly, Drama and Film Studies. Students will have the chance to take modules that look at the relationship between music and theatre, and music and words, both academically and practically. In their final year, they will also take a module in writing about music and performance criticism, which is a feature of all creative arts subjects at NUI Galway. For more information on the new BA in Music visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/artsmusic or watch a video about the programme at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_P4RTwVNVQ.  -Ends-

NUI Galway student Jemima Burke was awarded joint-second place at the recent Bursary Awards of the Press Council of Ireland. The bursary awards are run annually and open to all students of media, journalism and communications in universities and colleges. Jemima, from Castlebar, Co. Mayo recently completed a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and will graduate from NUI Galway at the conferring ceremonies next week. Jemima receives her award of €500 for a series of features articles which were published in the Connacht Telegraph. The subjects of her articles were quite disparate, from a Belarusian woman now living in a small village in Mayo, to a young farmer’s hopes for the future, to a retired national school teacher who now offers Irish language classes to adults, to the role that tennis played in making a Dublin woman feel at home in Castlebar. All features stories told in a light and engaging manner with imagination and energy. Speaking at the event Seán Donlon, Chairman of the Press Council, said that in spite of the difficulties facing journalism today it was heartening to see so many good students undertaking journalism courses. He said that the standard of work submitted for the Bursary Awards was impressive and that he looked forward to seeing the winners’ by-lines in years to come. -Ends-

The Annual Research and Innovation Symposium, which took place on campus recently, featured the President’s Awards for Research Excellence. The aim of the President’s Awards for Research Excellence is to reward and celebrate the outstanding contributions of academic and research staff to excellent, relevant, and innovative research that enhances NUI Galway’s reputation at an international level. In the Early Stage Researcher Category, the winners were Dr Aideen Ryan from the School of Medicine for her research in the field of colon cancer immunology and inflammation; Dr Ted Vaughan from the College of Engineering and Informatics whose research focuses on the development of modelling techniques to address problems in areas such as composite materials, bone biomechanics and bone mechanobiology; and Dr Gerry Molloy from the School of Psychology for leading research on describing, understanding and seeking to change medication taking behaviour. In the Established Researcher Category, the winners were Dr Alison Forrestal from the Department of History for her research on the impact of the Catholic Reformation on early modern society, including clerical culture, missions and charitable welfare; and Professor Colin O'Dowd, Director of the Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies for his outstanding and distinguished contribution to atmospheric and climate science nationally and internationally, and is a world-leader in the atmospheric aerosol and climate field. Research Supervisor Awards went to Dr Caroline Heary from the School of Psychology for her research in the social context of health and illness during childhood and adolescence and a Co-Director on the PhD in Child and Youth Research; and Professor Michel Destrade from the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics for his research in applying the principles of Continuum Mechanics to the modelling of soft matter, including biological tissues and gels. Announcing the awards, which are now in their fifth year, NUI Galway President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said: “I congratulate you on this tremendous recognition of your commitment to driving innovation and research excellence. On behalf of the University community, I want to commend you for this commitment, and for the impact your research is having upon society and the economy.” At the event, the Ryan Award for Innovation in the area of marine, environment and energy was also announced. Now in its fifth year, the award went to PhD researcher, Conall Holohan from the School of Natural Sciences for his research project ‘Fat Anaerobic Digestion to Energy (FADE) Biotechnology’. Conall Holohan’s project aims to bring a new technology to market to treat fat contained in wastewater, and simultaneously produce renewable energy (biogas). Through utilising the latest breakthroughs in engineering and microbiology the project will work to make the food and beverage industry more sustainable. The €25,000 Ryan Award for Innovation is aimed at recognising and facilitating the development and translation of innovative ideas in the area of environment, marine and energy, into outputs with societal and economic impact. This initiative has been supported by the Tony Ryan Trust through Galway University Foundation and builds upon past generous support from the Ryan Family. At the event, Professor Lokesh Joshi, Vice-President of Research at NUI Galway, spoke about the focus of the University’s research: “NUI Galway is committed to engaging in research with impact to address societal challenges. Our research contributes to new breakthroughs, findings, insights and ways of understanding the world. Through collaborations with other universities, companies, non-governmental organisations and citizens our talented research community is driving this impact and with it, our reputation globally.” The Research and Innovation Symposium also included keynote talks and panel sessions on ‘Open Research’ and ‘Innovation and Collaboration’ featuring Dr Lidia Borrell-Damian, Director of Research at the European University Association (EUA) and Dr Thomas Jørgensen, Senior Policy Coordinator at the EUA. -Ends-

NUI Galway will host the 4th Annual Trial Methodology Symposium 2018 at the Salthill Hotel on Thursday, 11 October from 9am-5pm. This flagship event brings together a host of individuals with an interest in trial methodology in Ireland. The Health Research Board-Trials Methodology Network (HRB-TMRN) based at NUI Galway, will welcome some of the world’s leading experts in trial methodology to the symposium with the theme for this year’s event entitled ‘Methodological Innovations in Randomised Trials’. Randomised trials, which can include clinical trials, healthcare interventions, clinical evaluations and behaviour change interventions, are studies conducted to evaluate the potential benefits and risks of healthcare interventions such as new medical treatments, and which provide the best evidence base for informing decisions on the effects of interventions. These are exciting and challenging times for clinical trials. The number and variety of treatments available is growing, increasing pressure on researchers to determine how these compare to current treatments. However, rising costs and regulations can make these trials expensive and complex. Now more than ever, high quality research is needed to ensure that the right trials are carried out, in the right way, and reported fairly and clearly. The HRB-TMRN promotes and encourages collaborative methodological research relevant to trials, to accelerate implementation of the most effective and appropriate methods to improve the quality of trials and ultimately, patient care. Those attending the symposium can expect a day filled with presentations from the world’s leading experts on innovative trial methodologies. Attendees will hear about a range of topics such as how novel methods are applied in clinical trials, the role of novel design in the trialist’s toolkit, innovative trial methodologies and robust evaluation of interventions, new opportunities for methodological innovation, and the future of evidence-based medicine in research, education, and clinical care. Guest speakers at the event include: Professor Gordon Guyatt, McMaster University; Professor Deborah Ashby, Imperial College London and founding co-director of Imperial Clinical Trials Unit; Professor Marion Campbell, Health Services Research Unit; Professor David Richards, University of Exeter; and Matt Sydes, University of London. Professor Declan Devane, Scientific Director of the HRB-TMRN at NUI Galway, said: “We are delighted that through the HRB-TMRNs growing reputation and increasing membership, it has attracted such an eminent panel of speakers to share their wisdom and expertise with us. We have no doubt that they will provoke and stimulate us to think more deeply about trial methodology and the part we can all play in ensuring that the science of how we do trials makes a meaningful contribution to how people experience healthcare.” Early booking is advised to secure a place. To register, visit: www.eventbrite.ie and search for ‘4th Trial Methodology Symposium’. For more information about the HRB-TMRN, visit: https://www.hrb-tmrn.ie/ or follow on Twitter @hrbtmrn. -Ends-

The School of Medicine at NUI Galway is conducting the H-FIT study, which aims to improve access to healthcare for people on the autism spectrum. The research team are currently recruiting people on the autism spectrum and their caregivers. Participants who take part in the study will be asked to complete anonymous questionnaires and/or interviews about their experiences in healthcare. This study is being carried out as people with autism are more likely to experience mental and physical health problems than the general population, and they also tend to use the accident and emergency department and general healthcare more often. However, this is not a result of being on the autism spectrum, but because people with autism experience more difficulties when accessing healthcare than others. Reasons for difficulties in accessing healthcare include a lack of knowledge and training about autism for healthcare providers, and the hospital environment itself (having bright lights, unfamiliar noises or smells). Chloe Walsh, a PhD researcher in the School of Medicine at NUI Galway, who is leading the study, said: “Many of the challenges faced by people on the autism spectrum can be overcome relatively easily by making small changes in how healthcare is delivered. We need to identify the specific challenges that exist so that we can develop effective strategies to overcome them. It is hoped that this research will be used to develop a training program for healthcare professionals and students so that we can make healthcare visits more autism-friendly.” The H-FIT study is funded by the Irish Research Council. For more information or to participate in the H-FIT study, contact Chloe Walsh, School of Medicine, NUI Galway at chloe.walsh@nuigalway.ie or 091 493647. For more information, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/icapss/research/#heal. -Ends-

Tomás Ó Neachtain, the 2018 Sean-Nós Singer-in-Residence at NUI Galway, will give a series of sean-nós singing workshops beginning at 7pm, Tuesday, 9 October, in the Seminar Room at the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway. Born and raised in Coilleach, An Spidéal, Tomás is part of a family which has a long and rich tradition of sean-nós singing. It is from his father, Tomás, that he heard and learned most of his singing, and indeed his father had learned from his father before him. His son Seosamh, a renowned sean-nós dancer and musician, was appointed as the first Sean-nós Dancer in Residence at the Centre for Irish Studies in 2009. The workshops are free and open to all. 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- Ceardlann Amhránaíochta ar an Sean-nós in OÉ Gaillimh  Cuirfear tús le sraith de cheardlanna amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós san Ionad an Léinn Éíreannaigh, Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh, ag 7pm, Dé Máirt, 9 Deireadh Fómhair. Rugadh agus tógadh Tomás i gCoilleach, sa Spidéal. Chaith sé seal i Sasana mar fhear óg, ach is sa Choilleach a thóg sé féin is a bhean chéile Nancy a gclann. Bhí an teach inar tógadh Tomás lán d’amhránaíocht agus thug sé leis go leor amhrán óna athair, Tomás, a shealbhaigh an traidisiún áirithe sin óna athair féin. Dar ndóigh, ceapadh a mhac Seosamh mar Rinceoir Cónaitheach Sean-nóis in OÉ Gaillimh sa bhliain 2009, an chéad duine riamh ar bronnadh an gradam sin air. Tá na ceardlanna saor in aisce agus beidh fáilte roimh chách. Tuilleadh eolais ó Samantha Williams ag 091-492051 nó samantha.williams@nuigalway.ie. -Críoch-

  NUI Galway OPEN DAY Programme   NUI Galway has announced the full programme of events for its next CAO Open Day on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th October, 2018. Open Days are an excellent opportunity for prospective students, parents and families to explore NUI Galway’s courses, facilities and university life. Visitors will learn first-hand from lecturers and students about the learning experience at NUI Galway and career prospects for each of the degree programmes.   Sarah Geraghty, Student Recruitment and Outreach Manager stresses the importance of making your course choices. “An open day is one of the most important days in planning for making a CAO application as visitors can discuss their concerns with experts and thoroughly explore and compare different study options all in one place. Feedback from previous open days tells us that students and parents leave the event better informed and with better clarity on the course and career choice that is right for them.”   There is a packed programme of events, sample lectures and Masterclasses lined up for the day, including:   Over 80 stands providing information on courses, CAO points, employability, career progression routes, accommodation and fees. Over 100 subject talks designed to give students a real insight into studying at NUI Galway. Interactive sessions in Engineering, Information Technology and robotics. Tours of the campus, including the state-of the-art sports complex and student accommodation, and tours and talks as Gaeilge.   Parents are also advised to leave time in the schedule to attend the Parents Talk, a chance to experience the full range of Support Services on offer at the University, so that they can be reassured that their sons and daughters will be fully supported and reach their full potential during their time at NUI Galway.   Talk highlights for students include Sports and Sports Scholarships at NUI Galway, Career Opportunities and Inspiring Women in Engineering. For parents, a range of special talks focusing on topics such as SUSI Grants, Scholarship Applications and Student Life are scheduled.   To get the most out of your day visitors are encouraged to view the timetable of talks at www.nuigalway.ie/opendays ENDS     Clár LAETHANTA OSCAILTE OÉ Gaillimh D’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh an clár iomlán imeachtaí do na Laethanta Oscailte CAO a bheidh ar siúl Dé hAoine, an 5 Márta agus Dé Sathairn, an 6 Deireadh Fómhair 2018.Is deis iontach atá sna Laethanta Oscailte do dhaoine ar spéis leo freastal ar OÉ Gaillimh amach anseo, dá dtuismitheoirí agus dá dteaghlaigh eolas a chur ar chúrsaí, ar áiseanna agus ar shaol na hollscoile. Gheobhaidh cuairteoirí eolas ó léachtóirí agus ó mhic léinn faoin taithí foghlama in OÉ Gaillimh, agus faoi na deiseanna gairme a bhaineann le gach clár céime. Leagann Sarah Geraghty, an Bainisteoir Earcaíochta Mac Léinn agus For-rochtana béim ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le do chúrsa a roghnú. “Tá an lá oscailte ar cheann de na laethanta is tábhachtaí agus iarratas CAO idir lámha mar gur féidir le cuairteoirí aon ábhar imní atá acu a phlé le saineolaithe agus roghanna staidéir éagsúla a chur i gcomparáid lena chéile in aon áit amháin. Léiríonn an t-aiseolas atá faighte againn ó laethanta oscailte a bhí againn cheana go bhfágann daltaí agus a dtuismitheoirí an ócáid agus níos mó eolais agus soiléireachta acu maidir leis an rogha cúrsa agus gairme is fearr a fheileann dóibh.” Tá clár lán le himeachtaí, léachtaí samplacha agus máistir-ranganna eagraithe don lá, lena n-áirítear: Os cionn 80 seastán a chuirfidh eolas ar fáil faoi chúrsaí, pointí CAO, deiseanna fostaíochta agus deiseanna le dul chun cinn gairme a dhéanamh, lóistín agus táillí. Os cionn 100 seisiún eolais chun léargas ceart a thabhairt do mhic léinn ar an staidéar in OÉ Gaillimh. Seisiúin idirghníomhacha san Innealtóireacht, Teicneolaíocht Faisnéise agus róbataic. Turais den champas, lena n-áirítear an t-ionad spóirt den scoth agus loistín na mac léinn, mar aon le turais agus cainteanna trí mheán na Gaeilge. Moltar do thuismitheoirí chomh maith am a fhágáil ar leataobh sa sceideal chun freastal ar Chaint na dTuismitheoirí, áit a bhfaighidh siad eolas ar an réimse iomlán Seirbhísí Tacaíochta atá ar fáil san Ollscoil, ionas go mbeidh siad cinnte go dtabharfar tacaíocht iomlán dá gclann agus go mbainfidh siad barr a gcumais amach le linn a gcuid ama in OÉ Gaillimh. I measc na gcainteanna do mhic léinn beidh cainteanna ar Spóirt agus ar Scoláireachtaí Spóirt in OÉ Gaillimh, Deiseanna Gairme agus Mná Spreagúla san Innealtóireacht. Do thuismitheoirí, beidh raon cainteanna speisialta ag díriú ar ábhair cosúil le Deontais SUSI, Iarratais ar Scoláireachtaí agus Saol na Mac Léinn. Chun an tairbhe is fearr a bhaint as an lá moltar do chuairteoirí breathnú ar amchlár na gcainteanna ar www.nuigalway.ie/opendays.    

National Launch of Newly Revised MindOut Programmes for Schools   The MindOut programme, developed by NUI Galway and the HSE is proven to strengthen young people’s coping skills and improve overall mental health and wellbeing   The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, T.D., and Minister of State for Health Promotion, Catherine Byrne T.D., have launched the revised MindOut programme for schools and the youth sector. Training in the programme will be provided by the HSE and the National Youth Health Programme.   The programme, developed by the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI Galway and the HSE’s Health Promotion and Improvement Department, has been proven to strengthen young people’s social and emotional coping skills and improve their overall mental health and wellbeing.   The MindOut programme has been developed to support the social and emotional wellbeing of young people aged 15-18 years in Irish post-primary schools and youth sector settings. It aims to give teenagers time and space to identify what impacts on their mental health and to develop the skills needed to deal with these issues in their lives.   Launching the programme in Dublin, Minister Richard Bruton, said: “I am keen during my time as Minister to make sure that we are doing all we can to support students, teachers and schools in the area of Wellbeing. It is so important that our young people are equipped with the necessary resilience and coping skills to successfully manage whatever challenges they encounter in their lives. The MindOut programme supports students at a critical time, late teens, which can often be a stressful time for young people. The revised programme has been trialled in DEIS schools with very positive results so I’m delighted today to announce that it will now be rolled out to post primary schools all across the country.”   Minister with responsibility for Health Promotion, Catherine Byrne T.D., said:“The MindOut programme is an excellent resource offering support for students and young people in improving their social and emotional wellbeing. It has been developed in consultation with young people, teachers and youth workers, and the results to date are very encouraging. They show that the programme has a very positive impact in our schools and in the youth sector, helping young people to cope in difficult situations, improving their mental health, and enabling them to reach their potential, to think well and be well.” The schools-based programme involves 12 classroom-based sessions, whilst the youth sector version is designed in modular format to be responsive to the needs of the particular group. The revised programme was piloted in DEIS schools and Youthreach centres before being finalised in 2017. A total of 18 training days will be provided to teachers and six training days will be provided to youth workers across the country this autumn.   Referring to the results, Professor Margaret Barry from the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: “The study findings show that the MindOut programme has very positive benefits for adolescents, leading to improved social and emotional skills such as coping and emotional regulation, and reduced levels of stress and depression, including for the most vulnerable young people. These findings support the delivery of the MindOut social and emotional learning programme in the senior cycle curriculum and the important impact it has on enhancing students’ resilience, mental health and emotional wellbeing, which play a key role in supporting positive outcomes in school and life more generally.”   Dr Cate Hartigan, Assistant National Director, HSE Health and Wellbeing said that the programme revisions were informed by the extensive research with the participating schools. Dr Hartigan also acknowledged the contribution of all involved in the development of the MindOut programme including young people, teachers, youth workers, the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI Galway, NEPS, HP&I, CAMHS, Jigsaw, NYCI, youth workers and Youthreach tutors.   The MindOut programme was originally developed in 2004, and was revised in August 2017 based on the feedback received from teachers, youth workers and young people following an evaluation of the original programme. This extensive evaluation, supported by additional PhD funding from the Irish Research Council, has been conducted by Professor Margaret Barry and PhD student, Katherine Dowling from the Health Promotion Research Centre, NUI Galway.   Teachers can register for MindOut Training on, www.sphe.ie and Youthworkers can register for MindOut Training on, www.nyci.ie.   To read the full MindOut programme Executive Summary Report, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/media/healthpromotionresearchcentre/files/MindOut-Executive-Summary-Report-2018.pdf   -Ends-

Winners of the Inaugural NUI Galway Explore Innovation Awards 2018 Announced   Creating life-like skin, helping disabled drivers and introducing philosophy to children among winning concepts   Thursday, 4 October, 2018: The winners of a new competition to uncover innovative ideas with significant potential to become a business or social enterprise have been announced by NUI Galway.   The inaugural ‘Explore Innovation Awards’ uncovered some of the most promising and innovative activity on campus. Winning ideas included: creating life-like skin for use by surgical trainees; helping disabled drivers locate parking spots; and introducing philosophy to primary school children.   NUI Galway staff and students attended a special prize-giving ceremony hosted by the University’s Innovation Office where the winners across the two separate categories for staff and students were announced.   In the student awards category: First prize was awarded to Bronwyn Reid McDermott a Masters student in the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at NUI Galway for her novel innovation “Sutureself’ a simulated skin for advanced surgical trainees. Second prize went to Eoghan Dunne, Eviasmar Almeida and Guilherme Vaz de Melo Trindade, PhD students in the Translational Medical Device Labs in NUI Galway for their project ‘I can see you now’ which seeks to use imaging technology to develop a medical device to improve patient diagnosis for prostate cancer. Third prize was awarded to Aidan Breen, a PhD student in the College of Engineering and Informatics whose social innovation ‘Blue Spots Parking’ aims to help disabled drivers locate accessible parking spots in Ireland. This social innovation project will launch later in 2018.   In the staff awards category: First prize was awarded to Dr Orla Richardson from the Philosophy Discipline at NUI Galway for ‘P4C’. The project works with schools, community groups and organisations that want to think more deeply and effectively, together. Second prize was awarded to researchers Dr Peadar Rooney of CÚRAM, a researcher with CÚRAM, Dr Diana Gaspar of REMODEL, and Joshua Chao of REMEDI. Their project ‘Three Blind Mice’ aims to create Podcasts to promote science communication to non-scientific audiences. Third prize went to Dr Ed Osagie from Insight whose project ‘CDN’ aims to utilise crowd discounts utilising network effect models. Speaking at the event David Murphy, Director of Innovation at NUI Galway said: “The depth and breadth of proposals in these our inaugural Explore Innovation awards shows the diversity and creativity that we have across our campus. These awards give both students and staff the opportunity to flourish and develop their innovative ideas in a supportive, enabling and results driven environment. Over 30 applications to the competition were received and we are delighted to invest close to €10,000 in supporting these early stage ideas. The team will support the students and staff involved through the next stage of their projects.”   NUI Galway has been actively fostering new ideas and supporting over 100 collaborative staff and student projects since 2012 through its EXPLORE programme. EXPLORE is part of a wider innovation ecosystem at NUI Galway, explains David Murphy: “Many of the outputs of NUI Galway’s extensive research portfolio are licensed to industry or leads to a new spin-out company. Our Business Innovation Centre and the wider campus is currently home to over 40 companies, where we provide business supports and excellent facilities including labs and co-working spaces to start-ups. This all feeds into and connects with the wider region, supporting innovation and enterprises here in the west of Ireland.”   For more information about Explore, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/explore/   -Ends-

NUI Galway Symposium to Critically Examine the Grey Areas of Sexual Consent   Negotiating sexual consent Today: What Role Can Performance Play in Changing the Script?   NUI Galway will host a one-day symposium that will bring together leading theatre practitioners and scholars to reflect on performance’s role in critically examining the boundaries and grey areas of sexual consent. The event is free and open to the public and will take place in the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway on Friday, 12 October from 10am-6pm.   Featuring live performance, film screenings and panel discussions, participants include; Marc D. Rich and company members from the internationally acclaimed US-based social justice interACT Performance Troupe, cast members from Landmark Productions’ adaptation of author Louise O’Neill’s, Asking For It (adapted by playwright Meadhbh McHugh), and Lisa Fitzpatrick, author of Rape on the Contemporary Stage.   This symposium puts the participants work in conversation with ongoing NUI Galway-based Sexual Consent research led by Dr Charlotte McIvor from Drama and Theatre Studies and Dr Padraig MacNeela and Dr Siobhan O’Higgins from the School of Psychology, on the role of theatre, film and media in sexual attitude and behavioural change amongst third-level students. This follows on from the researchers’ autumn 2018 launch of their education and awareness campaign, Consent=OMFG (Ongoing, Mutual, Freely Given) designed in collaboration with Drama Theatre and Performance and Psychology students at NUI Galway during the 2017-2018 academic year.   The symposium will also premiere the second of four short interactive consent films Dr Charlotte McIvor has developed with her Drama and Theatre Studies students as part of the Consent=OMFG multimedia public health campaign for third level students. The new film, ‘Kieran and Jake,’ one of a short series of four, was collaboratively written and researched by the students led by Dr McIvor. The interactive film gives the viewer control over characters’ decisions at key points, leading to three possible endings to each film. The four films (co-directed by McIvor and Mick Ruane) portray sexual encounters from heterosexual and LGBTQ perspectives, as well as long-term and casual sexual relationships.    Dr Charlotte McIvor says: “These short interactive films on consent invite viewers to experiment actively with the idea that one sexual encounter can have many possible outcomes when it comes to the negotiation of consent between partners. Through these interactive short films and the Consent=OMFG campaign, we aim to empower third-level students with the knowledge and confidence to make informed and ethical choices everyday regarding consent in their sexual lives across all relationships, all genders, and all sexual orientations.”   The Consent=OMFG awareness campaign sends out the message that consent should always be ongoing, mutual, and freely given. The campaign amplifies the messages at the heart of Dr MacNeela and Dr Higgin’s ‘SMART Consent’ workshops in order to spread them throughout the campus community. SMART Consent workshops were created through research led by MacNeela on sexual consent and sexual experiences of third-level students in Ireland, in partnership with organisations including Rape Crisis Network Ireland.   SMART Consent workshops have been provided at NUI Galway, UL, QUB, DCU, NCAD and GMIT, with over 2,000 students taking part to date resulting from research data from over 3,000 students nationwide being utilised to design the activities used within the SMART Consent workshops. To launch the campaign, the NUI Galway researchers launched a new report, ‘Are Consent Workshops Sustainable and Feasible in Third Level Institutions?’ last August.   During 2017-18, the researchers trained over 100 facilitators to lead SMART Consent workshops at NUI Galway, Queens University Belfast, the National College of Art and Design, Dublin City University, the University of Limerick, and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. The report compares Pre-Workshop and Post-Workshop attitudes of 761 of the students who took part in a workshop with those trained facilitators during 2017-18:   This symposium is supported by the School of Drama and Theatre Studies, School of Psychology and the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies Research Support Scheme The first film, ‘Tom and Julie’ can be viewed at: http://www.nuigalway.ie/consent=omfg/ and the second film ‘Kieran and Jake’ will be available on the same link on the day of the symposium.   To register for the symposium, visit: www.eventbrite.ie and search for ‘Negotiating Sexual Consent’.   For more information about Consent=OMFG (Ongoing, Mutual, Freely Given)campaign, visit: www.nuigalway.ie/consent=omfg/.   To read more about Smart Consent, visit: www.nuigalway.ie/smartconsent/.    For more about interACT Performance Troupe, visit: http://www.cla.csulb.edu/departments/communicationstudies/interact/our-team/.   -Ends-

NUI Galway Scientist’s TEDx Talk Will Broadcast to a Global Audience of 30 Million on TED.com Dr Michel Dugon from the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway has had his TEDxGalway 2017 talk, ‘Spider Dust and Scorpion Juice: Are Bugs the Future of Therapeutic Drugs?’ selected by TED.com and it will feature on their website on Friday, 5 October, 2018. The talk will be distributed to over 30 million registered TED.com users around the world, a significant opportunity for an Irish academic to showcase their work to a global audience. Dr Michel Dugon, a lecturer in Zoology and founder and lead researcher of the Venom Systems and Proteomics Laboratory in NUI Galway, investigates the toxicity and the medical properties of spider venom with the hope of developing next generation antibiotics. His work focuses on the evolution of venom systems and on the potential of arthropod venom as a source of novel therapeutic agents. In his TED talk, Dr Dugon outlines the potential of spider venom as a source of novel chemicals and therapeutic compounds. Only about 0.01% of spider venom compounds have been characterized so far and millions remain to be discovered. Some of these complex compounds may be harvested in the future to address global concerns such as antimicrobial resistance. Dr Dugon is also the founder and director of the Eco Explorers science outreach programme at NUI Galway where he dedicates a sizable amount of his time promoting ecological awareness in the media and in schools throughout Ireland. Dr Dugon’s work has been featured on national and international networks including RTÉ, the BBC, Euronews and Sky. Dr Dugon says: “TED.com offers the largest online stage for academics to share ideas with a global audience. It is a huge honour to be featured on their website and this would not be possible without the fantastic work by organisers of local TEDx events throughout Ireland. I hope that my experience will encourage other academics to take to the stage in the future and inspire members of the public to engage with Irish science and technology.” Michel Dugon was awarded the 2015 Irish National Teaching Award in Higher Education and the 2017 NUI Galway Ryan Award for Innovation, and is currently working on developing the Venom Investigations for the Development of Antimicrobial Agents (VIDAA) network in collaboration with Irish, French and Belgian researchers. To ‘Take Action’ and support Dr Dugon’s continued research into Venom Investigations for the Development of novel Antimicrobial Agents, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/zoology/research/venom/ To view Dr Michel Dugon’s talk on TED.com on Friday, 5 October at 11am EST, visit: www.go.ted.com/micheldugon To read more about antimicrobial resistance and how the scientific community tries to address it, visit World Health Organization, at: http://www.who.int/antimicrobial-resistance/en/ -Ends-