2023

Professor John Morrissey has published a new strategy paper for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The UNDP is currently reforming and extending the interventionary and global governance strategy of the UN and John has been working as a Policy Advisor on Human Security in advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and a more holistic vision of global security. The strategy paper, Envisioning Security for a More-Than-Human World, sets out the cooperative global security vision required in tackling the wide set of human-environmental crises currently unfolding on the planet. It conceptualizes a move away from narrow, prioritised and counter-productive military security concerns to a conjoined sense of human-environmental security to effectively respond to the globe’s multiple overlapping precarities.

Geography's Kathleen Sokes recently published the article ‘Doing the work: Locating labour in infrastructural geography’ in Progress in Human Geography with co-author Alejandro De Coss-Corzo (University of Edinburgh), which can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325231174186

MIDP students Xurxo Alonso Vázquez, Mai Ditie and Evench Gomez received a Certificate from the UN’s Food and Agriculture (FAO) Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Training at UCC in April. Also in the photo is Jannie Armstrong, from FAO's Global Support Unit who conducted the training. Following a study of the IPC technical manual, this training is supporting Xurxo, Evench and Mai to have a food security focus in their Research Projects for their MIDP Dissertations.

A team from Galway attended the First ENLIGHT European Dialogue in Uppsala University May 11th and 12th. The theme was sharing ideas on methodology for collaboration projects between universities and cities. Dr. Mark Justin Rainey, from Geography presented work on Community Conversations on Creative Space with a focus on Nuns Island and Dr. Una Murray attended to meet colleagues on ENLIGHT’s equity workpackage. Presentations from the event are available on the ENLIGHT Youtube channel and slides are published on the ENLIGHT website. 

Prof Frances Fahy and Dr Benjamin Schmid are in Berlin this week to meet with partners of the Horizon 2020 EnergyPROSPECTS project, led by the University of Galway. The partner meeting kicks off the final year of the project, which is investigating different forms of energy citizenship and the corresponding policy frameworks across Europe.

Dr Eugene Farrell is lead author on a research report 'Planning for change: coastal management abd climate adaptation in Derrynane, Co. Kerry'. The community participation workshop was done in partnership with the MSc Coastal and Marine Environments class, OPW and Vincent Hyland (Wild Derrynane). [Read]

Professor John Morrissey and Dr Una Murray from the Discipline of Geography, University of Galway, at the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) Annual International Affairs Conference on “Human (In)Security in an Unsettled World” on May 2nd. Prof. Morrissey was the conference organiser and one of the speakers. Both university academics are members of the RIA’s Standing Committee for International Affairs. The conference plenary address was given by Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office at the UNDP, who discussed the key global challenges of human security and human development the world faces today. The keynote was given by the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, who outlined how Ireland is approaching its relations with China.  [Read]

Dr Eugene Farrell edited a new special issue in the world leading geomorphology journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms with colleagues from the UK (Prof Irene Delgado-Fernandez; Dr Thomas Smyth), China (Dr Bailiang Li) and USA (Dr Christy Swann). This volume contains 25 manuscripts providing a unique snapshot into the state-of-knowledge of coastal dunes. On the back of this very successful two year long initiative, Dr. Eugene Farrell was invited (and accepted) to be an Associate Editor for the prestigious journal ESPL for the next four years. [Read more here]. 

Dr Eugene Farrell is lead author on a research report 'Planning for change: coastal management abd climate adaptation in Derrynane, Co. Kerry'. The community participation workshop was done in partnership with the MSc Coastal and Marine Environments class, OPW and Vincent Hyland (Wild Derrynane). [Read]

Prof Frances Fahy and Dr Emily Gray attended the Shared Green Deal Clean Energy Training in Vienna, Austria, 26-27th April 2023.

The Bsc. Social Sciences students recently visited Barcelona on their fieldtrip. Some of the themes we covered included: living cities, creative cities, the right to the city, housing and politics. Dr. Rachel McArdle, Dr. Kathleen Stokes and Dr. Mike Hynes led the fieldtrip.  

The 33rd Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium (Environ 2023) was hosted in Letterkenny (Donegal) at the beginning of April. The conference was organised by the Atlantic Technological University (Letterkenny) and the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland (ESAI). Two PhD students from the Geography Department returned to Galway with different prizes. Silvia Cascone got the prize for the “ESAI Best Overall Poster Presentation” with her poster titled “Coastal Dune Vulnerability Assessment as a Proxy for Nature-based Solution in Ireland” and Elena Aitova got the prize for the “Best Natural History Presentation” with her presentation titled “Carbon Balance of a Restored Irish Raised Bog: Comparing Model to Estimate GHG Emissions”.

The public are being urged not to walk on the dunes at Bertra beach this summer. The dunes at the popular beach overlooked by Croagh Patrick, located between Westport and Louisburgh, are being eroded for a number of reasons but primarily due to climate change and overuse. [Read]

The public are being urged not to walk on the dunes at Bertra beach this summer. The dunes at the popular beach overlooked by Croagh Patrick, located between Westport and Louisburgh, are being eroded for a number of reasons but primarily due to climate change and overuse. [Read]

Members of the Irish Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) Secretariat visited Maharees, Co. Kerry to get a guided tour of work done by a local volunteer group and Dr. Eugene Farrell. The CCAC learned how current government agencies are not set up to nimbly react to needs of coastal communities and how communities can identify their specific needs and articulate their own vision for a sustainable future in their area. The visit was highlighted in an opinion piece in the Sustainability and Climate Change Hub of the Irish Examiner [Read] 

A number of BSc Social Sciences students have published in the recent Mnágazine- International Voices on a number of topics including social media, friendship, sport and other topics. This magazine was created as part of the 2023 European Women's Studies class and includes articles, puzzles, poetry and more. This magazine includes many inspirational stories about women from across the world. Happy International Women's Day! 

Dr Kathleen Stokes, and co-author Dr Mary Lawhon (University of Edinburgh) have recently published a new research article “What counts as infrastructural labour? Community action as waste work in South Africa” in Area Development and Policy.

The Planning and Sustainability research cluster in Geography at University of Galway was delighted to host Leon Hirt, researcher at the Renewable Energy Systems group in the University of Geneva, this week. Leon presented an overview of Socio-technical theories and a case study of ST transition dynamics of solar PV in Switzerland.

UrbanLab Galway invites you to our Speak Out sessions where citizens present key issues and concerns about local development and discuss the future of Galway and the wider region. How can we make a better place? Let's hear what you have to say. If you wish to present or share your thoughts contact UrbanLab Galway via email at urbanlab@universityofgalway.ie   Galway Speakout Wednesday 22 March 2023 7.30 - 9.00 pm Upper Floor, Mick Lally Theatre Druid Lane Galway   Gort Speakout Thursday 23 March 2023 7.30 - 9.30 pm WB Yeats Room, Lady Gregory Hotel Ennis Road, Gort County Galway  H91 KN2N  

Associate Professor Maura Farrell was invited by the European Commission to Brussels on the 28th November to speak at the European Startup Village Forum. Maura presented on the University of Galway led, FLIARA (Female led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) project. 

Human (In)Security in an Unsettled WorldIn our unsettled world of intersecting human and environmental crises, an urgent global governance challenge lies in actioning new visions and strategies of overlapping human and environmental security. This year’s RIA Standing Committee for International Affairs conference takes up the challenge of envisioning a wider discourse of global security, and setting out how to address the planet’s overlapping insecurities more holistically. It aims to attract papers that reflect on the multiple (in)securities of our contemporary moment, how they intersect in complex ways, and how more effective security responses can be achieved. Further details are available here. For additional information, please contact Prof. John Morrissey.Conference Website 

Dr Eugene Farrell is lead author on a new research report with colleagues from SFI MaREI. The project identified key institutional barriers (governance; legal responsibility; stakeholder forum; tourism) and technical barriers (climate adaptation; funding; environmental designation; lexicon of climate resilience and sustainability; erosion and flooding; seasonal tourism) to coastal communities building resilience to climate change. The results illustrate the importance of empowering and resourcing local authorities and communities to manage their own coastlines and an urgent need to develop a coherent national policy that prioritises erosion and flood risks. [Read]

Dr Eugene Farrell was invited to present his Marine Institute funded project ("Increasing Coastal Resilience Using Terrestrial & Ocean Based Nature Based Solutions"; 2022-2026) to the marine team in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (January 2023).  Ireland has made a commitment under the newly developed Marine Strategy Framework Directive Programme of Measures to ‘Develop Nature based Solutions to conserve and restore estuarine, coastal and marine habitats'. Dr Farrells ongoing and future research programmes with colleagues in Geography, Civil Engineering and Earth & Ocean Sciences in the University of Galway will help deliver a roadmap to identify these solutions.

As Davos 2023 opened this week, Professor John Morrissey published a critique of neoliberalism in The Conversation that makes a plea to leaders to place human and environmental security ahead of endless profit.

Professor Frances Fahy and Dr Kathy Reilly have won the ‘Spotlight on Sustainability’ national award from Fáilte Ireland for their work organising EUGEO 2019, an international geography conference that attracted more than 500 delegates from over 25 countries to University of Galway campus. Further details available here. In addition to this national recognition, Professor Fahy and Dr Reilly were honoured as Fáilte Ireland National Conference Ambassadors. The event was held on Wednesday November 22nd at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin.

Congratulations to  Prof Frances Fahy, winner of the 2023 IRC Research Ally Prize Award for supervision and mentorship. The awards were announced at the SFI Awards Ceremony in Cork on November 20th 2023.

Countermapping the Sperrins by V'cenza Cirefice published in counter/cartographies the 2023 issue of "you are here: a journal of creative geography"  [Read]  

Dr Eugene Farrell was invited to present his research on 'coastal community resilience' to the European Marine Board webinar series on November 16, 2023. The presentation is available to view on the EMB youtube channel.  The research highlights the enablers and barriers for coastal communities trying to manage their coastlines and is featured as a case study in the EMB Position Paper 27.

University of Galways Geographer Dr Eugene Farrell is co-author on the new European Board Board Position Paper 27 ' Building Coastal Resilience in Europe'. The paper provides an overview of concepts and frameworks for building coastal resilience, a six-step approach for their use in coastal management, and an overview of key pressures facing European coastal social-ecological systems and their impacts.  Read more here:  https://www.marineboard.eu/publications/building-coastal-resilience-europe

Geography PhD student Mr. Daithí Maguire (supervised by Dr Eugene Farrell) presented the final results his research at the TerraSAR-X / TanDEM-X Science Team Meeting at the German Aerospace Center (Oberpfaffenhofen) on the 19th October 2023. His presentation entitled “A Sigma0 Percentile Approach for Monitoring Shoreline Change” detailed a new approach for monitoring coastal erosion using satellite-borne synthetic aperture radar (SAR). 

Dr Benjamin Schmid attended the General Conference of the European Consortium for Political Research ECPR in Prague on behalf of the EnergyPROSPECTS project. In a section on Energy Politics, he presented the paper “Qualitative Comparative Analysis of the conditions for energy citizen initiatives to contribute to a more sustainable and democratic energy system”.

Prof Frances Fahy and Dr Ben Schmid (EnergyPROSPECTS European Project) from Geography at University of Galway, in collaboration with colleagues from Maastricht University and the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris hosted a policy-makers workshop on ‘Energy Citizenship in Ireland’ in Dublin, last month. With a group of 14 participants representing communities, local and national authorities and academia, the workshop examined the role that citizens can play in Ireland's energy transition and how the transformative impact of energy citizenship can be enhanced. Key themes that emerged included: ·       Importance of institutional anchoring of energy citizenship in public policy and policy cohesion ·       Risk of energy citizenship and transition becoming exclusively a middle-class concept ·       Need for tailored messaging to different societal groups and avoidance of overly technical language ·       Criticism of offloading too much risks onto citizens and energy communities ·       Potential to improve procedures and costs of grid connection and remuneration for medium-scale renewable energy projects

Dr Karen Taylor has been awarded an SFI-IRC Pathway research grant to establish a long-term record of natural climate variability to inform future climate predictions for Ireland. The CORE project is co-funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and Met Éireann. The four-year project is hosted by the Palaeoenvironmental Research Unit (PRU), School of Geography, Archaeology and Irish Studies, in collaboration with Dr Aaron Potito, Dr Karen Molloy and Jacob Nguyen. In the press release on Friday the 3rd of November 2023, the Director of Met Éireann, Eoin Moran, welcomed the announcement, adding: “Met Éireann is also proud to support talent in partnership with the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme. We are delighted to fund research which will help us ‘make Ireland weather and climate prepared’. As we develop climate services to indeed help the country prepare for resilience in a warming world, we look forward to co-funding the project to better understand our past climate’s variability to inform future climate predictions.” For more details see the press release. [READ]

Dr Rachel McArdle represented the University of Galway at the ENLIGHT workshop, ‘A Just Sustainable City’ at the University of Uppsala in October 2023. 

Dr Rachel McArdle and Dr Mike Hynes recently brought the first year BASS students on a fieldtrip to Roundstone, Connemara, stopping at Recess on the way. We had a lovely sunny day and the students enjoyed walking and getting to know each other as well as the landscapes of Co. Galway.  

Professor Seamus Grimes deliveres talk titled 'China's evolving positioning within the semiconductor global value chair' in Shanghai on Thursday 26th October, 2023 

Dr. Marie Mahon and Dr. Therese Conway last week received an Irish Planning Institute Award. This award was for a project delivered in partnership with students from the University of Galway MA Rural Futures Planning and Innovation, Neil Galway, Queen's University Belfast, and students from MSC Planning and Development, Planners in Galway County Council (Brendan Dunne, Brian Corcoran, Liam Ward), their counterparts in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council & Craigavon Borough Council and teachers and students from Presentation College Athenry; Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew; New-Bridge Integrated College, Loughbrickland, Banbridge; Royal School, Armagh. The project was funded by SCoTENs (Standing Committee for Teacher Education North and South).  This project develops empirical and practical applications of geographical knowledge in solving spatial planning problems through a practice-based approach whereby students are co-creators of knowledge with the planning authority. It gives students a sense of ownership of planning strategy and outcomes that have implications for the places that they themselves are from. It allows them to reflect on the contribution of their geographical knowledge and skills to local spatial planning development and problem-solving.  The Award was sponsored by the Office of the Planning Regulator 

MA in Intl Development Practice Students went on a field trip to the Ploughing Championship on 21st of September 2023, and met with NGOs, Irish Aid and others to ask about how they view the SDGs. MIDP students also met the MSc in AgriFood Sustainability & Technology class from the University of Galway

Dr. Una Murray and PhD student Tomy Ncube recently attended a research conference in London, Brighton. Tomy presented a poster titled "Digitalising Social Protection Systems for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: Insights from Zimbabwe". [Further Info]

John Morrissey has been appointed to the IAP Panel on Human Security, which is currently working with the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and World Academy of Art and Science on a global campaign to promote Human Security For All (HS4A). The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) is a global organization that produces evidence-based statements and reports examining major priorities for sustainable development, and provides independent and authoritative advice to national governments and international institutions including the UN. It is also an observer organization of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Belmont Forum.

Geography PHd student Yuhan Zheng will take part in the coming BRICS youth energy summit. [Further Info]

The 54th Conference of Irish Geographer was hosted in Wexford (Ireland) and the main theme for this year’s conference was ‘Resilience`. PhD student from the Geography Department, Silvia Cascone, presented her recent research findings in the session titled “Climate, Coasts and Communities: Nature-Based Solutions at the Nature-Society Nexus” focusing on the utility of coastal dune vulnerability indices for Nature-based Solutions implementation in Ireland.

PhD Researcher Chris Stewart (advised by Dr Gordon Bromley) recently presented a poster on his work at INQUA Roma 2023 (https://inquaroma2023.org/). His research focuses on recreating the deglaciation and environment of western Ireland since the Last Glacial Maximum; this is the first official publication of his PhD work to date.

PhD Students from School of Geography, Archaeology, & Irish Studies participated the 54th Annual Conference of Irish Geographers held in Wexford from the 16th to the 19th of May 2023 supported by Prof. Frances Fahy. Komang Trisna Pratiwi Arcana, the first year PhD student had the opportunity to speak in front of geographers about her ongoing research project on rural tourism businesses and the future of rural tourism development in the emerging tourism destinations of Bali, Indonesia, supervised by Dr Therese Conway and Dr Maura Farrell.

PhD student Maeve McGandy recently presented findings from her current research on community led climate adaptation planning at the 54th Conference of Irish Geographers in Wexford. As chair of the Postgraduate and Early Career Network of the Geographical Society of Ireland, Maeve also presented the award for GSI’s annual postgraduate poster competition to Geography’s own Lisa Coleman.

Dr Kevin Lynch and Maeve McGandy recently led a one-day field visit for students on the ENLIGHT summer school on Equity in Sustainability Transitions. Visiting students from universities across the ENLIGHT network were introduced to two unique coastal sites, in Galway City and County Mayo, where they analysed, discussed and evaluated two distinct experiences of climate adaptation planning at the community scale.

Professor Janet Stephenson, Otago University, New Zealand  2pm Wednesday July 12th, AC113 Geography Seminar room      How does culture relate to sustainability? Janet Stephenson draws from her new book Culture and Sustainability to show how cultural analysis can help with sustainability endeavours in research and policy.  She introduces the cultures framework, a well-tested approach for analysing culture at any scale and in any context.  Using examples of its diverse applications around the world, Stephenson illustrates how culture can in some circumstances be highly resistant to change, and in other circumstances can change rapidly. Cultural analysis can assist with policy development and reveal why some policy interventions have unintended consequences. Understanding sustainability problems through a cultural lens can bring new insights into the potential for transformational change. [further info]

University of Galway's Discipline of Geography has announced the successful accreditation of its one-year MA Rural Futures Planning and Innovation by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). This accreditation will mean students of the programme can become chartered members of the SCSI through their planning and development APC pathway. The SCSI is an affiliate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) meaning graduates may apply for a globally recognised and respected professional qualification. Currently, in Ireland, there is a lack of planning graduates coming through postgraduate programmes and there is an abundance of surveying and planning vacancies across the country. This programme is now creating professional graduates that can pursue these career opportunities. Graduates of this degree are qualified to work with contractors, sub-contractors, local authorities, government departments or as a consultant in a private practice. The School of Geography, Archaeology and Irish Studies are currently accepting applications for the next programme starting in September. For further information on the MA contact Programme Director Therese Conway on 091 493510 or therese.conway@universityofgalway.ie

In May 2023 Dr Eugene Farrell travelled to the Salton Sea in California to participate in USA NSF funded field experiments led by Prof Douglas Sherman (University of Alabama, USA) to test the potentially paradoxical or enigmatic role of granular electrification in modifying wind-blown sand transport rates from those associated with wind forcing alone. 

First, Dr Mike Hynes will be presenting a paper entitled ‘Eco-Apps for Change? Evaluating the use of mobile apps to promote and support sustainable lifestyles changes’ at the SCORAI-ERSCP-WUR Conference in Wageningen, Netherlands in early July. This paper stems from research undertaken as part of the Climate CAMPAIGNers EU Horizon 2020 project, and is co-authored with Prof Frances Fahy and Dr Kathleen Stokes. More information is available here: https://www.scp-conference-2023.com/web

Dr Eugene Farrell and Dr Kevin Lynch delivered two fieldtrips (Grattan Beach; Silverstrand) to celebrate ‘Love Your Beach Week 2023’ - a series of community focused events organised by Galway City Council. They had lively discussions with members of the public on why coasts are valuable and the different options we have to protect our coast.

Dr Eugene Farrell has been invited as the international speaker by the University of West Indies to give a seminar on coastal Nature-based Solutions as part of the 'Sustainability Research + Innovation Congress 2023' in Panama City, Panama. Read more here: https://sricongress.org/