Monday, 5 November 2018

NUI Galway is delighted to announce a public launch of a special exhibition of its Yeats Collection. The launch will take place on Friday, 9 November, at 5pm in the James Hardiman Library’s Special Collections Reading Room. Following controversial sales in the UK and Ireland of material from the Yeats’ family, the University is proud to confirm that its recent acquisitions ensure many valuable artefacts are to remain in Ireland. Now newly on display at NUI Galway’s James Hardiman Library, the display enhances the University’s existing special collections in the visual arts, and in English and Irish literature and theatre, showcasing its vibrant holdings of Irish cultural life. Most of all the exhibition highlights the art and culture of the west. It draws attention to the work of women in renewing Ireland’s culture, and the early years of Ireland’s theatrical renaissance. Fourteen original drawings of human and animal island life by Elizabeth Rivers reveal the sensitivity of an artist who spent more time on the Aran islands than all the Yeatses and Synges combined. Shown alongside original woodcuts and fine art books, these drawings, unusually, were made as illustrations for the very last Cuala Press book Stranger in Aran. Cuala Industries, founded by sisters Elizabeth and Lily Yeats as a feminist artistic collective, had by then become the foremost design workshop in Ireland. Its contributions to embroidery and printing are honoured by a unique hand painted banner used for publicity in art fairs. Further rarely-seen items highlight the contributions to the west of Lady Augusta Gregory and her son Robert Gregory, whose untimely death one hundred years ago in the First World War is remembered as part of forthcoming Armistice Day commemorations. A group of academics, writers, artists, and concerned citizens, including the poets Paul Muldoon, Vona Groarke, Michael Longley, Nick Laird, and Marie Heaney, widow of Seamus Heaney, led by NUI Galway’s Dr Adrian Paterson and Trinity College’s Dr Tom Walker wrote an open letter to then Minister of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphries, calling on her to save the collection for the nation. The sale and the controversy attracted worldwide interest, with questions asked in the Oireachtas, and feature articles published in the New York Times, the Irish Times, and other outlets. While it is clear that some items were saved, the sale still went ahead with all items available to the highest bidder. Curator of the exhibition, Dr Adrian Paterson from NUI Galway’s English Department, said: “As well as being exquisite pieces of art, these works represent the breadth of culture in the west of Ireland. We get to see famous actors, including a future president of Ireland, in rehearsal; we catch glimpses into the lives of farmers, fishermen, and all the varied fauna of the Aran islands; and view early examples of advertising as pioneering women promote their work in craft fairs. As the world gathers to remember Armistice Day, original drawings by Robert Gregory (who died near the front when his plane crashed one hundred years ago) are a reminder of what might have been. But it's not a sombre exhibition. It's an exciting one. These intimate pieces reveal the talent of unsung artists like Elizabeth Rivers and Elizabeth C. Yeats, as well as more famous ones like Jack B. Yeats and his poet brother W.B. And they tell us how much we still owe to that generation of artists.” The Yeats family collection is one of the most important to come out of Ireland this century. It features an entirely unique trove of material relating to the poet and Nobel Prize-winner W.B. Yeats, his brother Jack B. Yeats, their father the artist John Butler Yeats, and their sisters Susan (Lily) and Elizabeth (Lolly) Yeats. More than a family collection, it describes the making of modern Ireland by telling the story of the collaborations of the Irish Revival. The rescue of such important items for the nation and future generations in the west by NUI Galway is thus cause for celebration. To mark the acquisitions and to highlight existing artwork the new Yeats Collection Exhibition runs until Christmas. For more information contact the exhibition curators Adrian Paterson adrian.paterson@nuigalway.ie and Barry Houlihan barry.houlihan@nuigalway.ie. -Ends-

Monday, 5 November 2018

The First World War was a devastating conflict, but how did artists at the time use cartoons to tell the story? An international conference held at NUI Galway will explore this question, discussing the impact of cartoons in Ireland and Europe during the war. The conference will take place in the University’s Moore Institute on Saturday, 10 November, in association with the 2018 Galway Cartoon Festival. The conference is coordinated by the discipline of French at NUI Galway, in collaboration with the French Honorary Consul to Galway and Connacht, Catherine Gagneux. The event is also supported by the French Embassy in Ireland, the Embassy of Belgium and Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI), the agency responsible for the external relations of the French-speaking communities of Belgium. The conference will highlight the cultural significance of the Franco-Belgian tradition of cartoon drawing, comic book production and graphic novel design. This is an artistic universe, and a major industry, typically referred to as bande dessinée, in which Franco-Belgian writers and artists have consistently been at the cutting-edge of formal and thematic innovation. The conference takes place in conjunction with the centenary of the Armistice that finally brought the devastation of the 1914–1918 conflict to an end. Invited presentations will explore the stylistic evolution and political exploitation of the cartoon and the comic strip over the course of the Great War and in the peace that followed. Professor Grace Neville of University College Cork, a leading specialist in Franco-Irish relations and the recipient of the French state’s highest award, the Légion d’Honneur, will deliver a keynote presentation. Professor Neville will discuss the influence of press cartoons in Ireland after 1916, together with representations of Ireland abroad. Also speaking will be the prize-winning Belgian graphic novelist, Jean-Claude Servais, who will discuss how his work highlights the role played by women in local resistance to wartime occupation in Belgium. French Honorary Consul Catherine Gagneux will give a presentation on the rise, use and influence of cartoons since WW1, using original drawings that will be exhibited at the conference. From the discipline of French at NUI Galway, Professor Philip Dine will explore the post-Armistice world order as portrayed in Hergé’s famous Tintin adventures, while his colleague Dr Coralline Dupuy will focus on the politics of gender representation in French-speaking cartoons published during the First World War. Director of the Moore Institute, Professor Daniel Carey, said: “The remarkable tradition of storytelling through comics – even of tragic events – is one of the great strengths of Franco-Belgian graphic art. This conference provides a unique opportunity to discuss this tradition and its connections in Ireland.” In a follow-up event, on Thursday 15 November, Sylvie Mossay, discipline of French and Education, NUI Galway, will invite students from second-level schools across Ireland to explore related issues through drawing, in an art workshop led by professional cartoonists and comic book artists. -Ends-

Friday, 2 November 2018

Tá sé fógartha ag RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta inniu gur ar Ghearóid Ó Tuathaigh a bhronnfar Gradam RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i mbliana. Is as Luimneach do Ghearóid Ó Tuathaigh ó dhúchas, Ollamh Emeritus le Stair in Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh, cé go bhfuil a shaol oibre caite aige i gCo. na Gaillimhe agus é ag cur faoi i  mBearna ansin i gceantar Chois Fharraige le blianta fada.  Tá sé aitheanta mar dhuine de staraithe móra ár linne, agus bíonn sé le cloisteáil go rí-mhinic ar chláracha ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i mbun plé, anailíse agus díospóireachta ar cheisteanna polaitiúla agus socheolaíochta na tíre.  Níor leasc leis riamh a chuid léinn agus saineolais a roinnt go fiail leis na héisteoirí, agus tá meas air dá réir, agus don ómós a léirigh sé féin don teanga agus do phobal na Gaeltachta riamh anall.  Is Iar-Chathaoirleach é ar Chomhairle RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, agus tá tréimhsí caite aige mar chathaoirleach ar Údarás na Gaeltachta agus mar Chathaoirleach Gníomhach ar Bhord na Gaeilge, mar leas uachtarán ar Ollscoil na hEireann Gaillimh agus ar Chomhairle an Stáit, gan ach cuid acu a lua.  Tá sé pósta ar Mharie Gleeson as Leitir Ceanainn, agus tá triúr clainne orthu - Colm, Eimear agus Caoimhe.  Dúirt Gearóid Mac Donncha, Ceannaire Gníomhach RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta: “Tugann Gradam RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta deis don tseirbhís aitheantas a thabhairt do dhaoine nó do ghrúpaí as a saothar ar son na teanga agus ar son phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta, agus is cinnte go bhfuil a chuid déanta ag Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh sa ngort sin le blianta fada anuas agus is pribhléid dúinn  a bheith in ann an gradam seo a bhronnadh air i mbliana.  Tá urraim mhór ag pobal an Raidió dó, agus é sin thar a bheith tuillte aige.  Léiríonn a chuid oibre a ghrá is a phaisean don Ghaeilge, don stair, don oideachas, don phobal....agus don gCumann Lúthchleas Gael chomh maith.  Tréaslaím a ghradam leis, go mba fada buan é.” Bronnfaidh Gearóid Mac Donncha Gradam RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltacha ar Ghearóid Ó Tuathaigh oíche Dé Sathairn le linn Chorn Uí Riada ag Oireachtas na Samhna i gCill Airne.  Is é Jarlath Daly a dhear an dealbh cré-umha a bhronnfar air. Beidh Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh faoi agallamh maidin Dé Domhnaigh ar an gclár An tSeachtain le Máirín Ní Ghadhra ag 9.30 am beo  ón Oireachtas i gCill Airne. -CRÍOCH- Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Professor Emeritus NUIG, awarded Gradam RTÉRnaG Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Professor Emeritus of History in NUI Galway, was presented with Gradam RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta at the Oireachtas festival at the weekend.  This award recognises people and organisations for their work for the Irish language, and the Gaeltacht and Irish-language communities. Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh is originally from Limerick, but has spent his working life in Galway and he has lived in Bearna for many years now.  He is recognised as one of the great historians of our time, and is a regular contributor to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta programmes, particularly political and historical shows.  He has demonstrated an unwavering generosity with his knowledge of Irish history and society, and offers insightful analysis of contemporary events.  Gearóid is a former Chairperson of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Council, and has also spent time as Chairperson of Údarás na Gaeltachta, as Acting Chairperson of Bord na Gaeilge, as Vice President of NUIG and on the Council of State, to name but a few. He is married to Marie Gleeson, and they have three adult children, Colm, Eimear and Caoimhe. Gearóid Mac Donncha, Acting Head of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, presented the award to Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh on Saturday night at the Oireachtas festival in Killarney.  He said: “Gradam RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta offers us an opportunity to recognise people or groups for their work for the language, and for the Gaeltacht and Irish-language communities, and it’s a privilege for us to be able to present Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh with this award for his work in this area over many years.  He is held in very high esteem by Raidió na Gaeltachta listeners, and rightly so.  His work demonstrates his commitment and passion for the Irish language, culture, history, education, the community and the GAA, and I’d like to congratulate him on this award.” The bronze award was created by Jarlath Daly, and features a book, a quill and the Celtic Triskele. -ENDS-

Thursday, 1 November 2018

Research conducted by scientists at NUI Galway in collaboration with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) has revealed that climate change will reduce the nutritional quality of one of the world’s major staple crops, the common bean. The research, published today in the international journal Nature Scientific Reports, indicates that both the nutritional quality and the yields of the common bean will be reduced under drought stresses arising in southeastern Africa by 2050 as a result of climate change. The scientists conducted crop simulation modelling, combined with field trials and molecular laboratory experiments to analyse the yields and the nutritional quality of the crop. The crop modelling analysis revealed that the majority of current common bean growing in areas in southeastern Africa will become unsuitable for bean cultivation by the year 2050. They also demonstrated reductions in yields of common bean varieties in field trial experiments at a research site that was representative of future predicted drought conditions.   The nutritional analysis of the different common bean varieties, grown under the level of drought stress that will occur due to climate, revealed that important micronutrients for human health, such as iron, were reduced in all of the bean varieties, while anti-nutritional compounds such as phytic acid and lead were increased. The NUI Galway research, funded by Irish Aid, Science Foundation Ireland and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), indicates that under climate change induced drought scenarios, future bean servings by 2050 will have lower nutritional quality, posing challenges for ongoing climate-proofing of bean production for yields, nutritional quality, human health, and food security. Lead scientist of the study, Professor Charles Spillane, Director of the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway, said: “Our research, and recent research by other groups, is generating an emerging body of evidence that climate change will reduce the nutritional quality of many of the world’s staple crops due to the effects of rising temperatures, reduced rainfall and rising CO2 levels on the nutritional composition of the crop-derived foods that underpin global food security and human health. “As it takes decades to develop and disseminate new crop varieties, major investment is needed now to climate-proof our crops and cropping systems so that both their yields and nutritional quality can be resilient to future climate change stresses. Our results highlight the need for accelerated development and seed-system distribution of heat-tolerant and drought-tolerant common bean varieties that can maintain yields while also improving nutritional quality, for example, through genetic ‘biofortification’ breeding under future climate change scenarios.” Dr Andy Jarvis, from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, indicated: “Given that diets in Africa rely significantly on plants, there is major cause for concern if climate change leads to lower levels of essential nutrients such as protein, iron and zinc in our diets by 2050. Such loss of dietary nutrients in foods will further aggravate the nutritional deficiency experienced by hundreds of millions of people, particularly the poorest in developing countries in Asia and Africa.” NUI Galway PhD students, Marijke Hummel and Brendan Hallahan, further added: “Dietary deficiencies of micronutrients such as iron constitute major public health problems globally, particularly amongst women and children in sub-Saharan Africa. The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s 2018 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the world has indicated that for the third year in a row there has been a rise in world hunger, where climate variability and extremes are now a key force behind the recent rise in global hunger. In addition to negative impacts on crop yields, our group’s research reveals that the nutritional quality of our crop-derived foods will decline under climate change stresses, which will most heavily impact on the poorest and most nutritionally insecure in our societies.” The research was conducted between Malawi and Ireland as a collaboration between NUI Galway, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). NUI  Galway is one of the 13 strategic research partners globally for the CCAFS program. To read the full study in Nature Scientific Reports, visit: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-33952-4 -Ends-

Thursday, 1 November 2018

NUI Galway-coordinated EU funded NEPHSTROM project announces patients with diabetic kidney disease are now being enrolled in a clinical trial studying the use of a novel stromal cell immunotherapy NEPHSTROM, a large European Union Horizon 2020-funded research project coordinated by NUI Galway is now actively enrolling patients in a clinical trial. NEPHSTROM, which includes 12 academic, clinical and commercial partners from Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and the UK, is carrying out a randomised, placebo controlled clinical trial of a novel allogeneic stromal cell therapy to treat diabetic kidney disease. Diabetic kidney disease is the single leading cause of end stage renal disease in the industrialised world, accounting for 40% of new cases of end stage renal disease in the US and EU and has a five-year mortality rate of 39% – a rate comparable to many cancers. The NEPHSTROM team is carrying out a first in man clinical trial of a novel stromal cell therapy called ORBCEL-M, for diabetic kidney disease. ORBCEL-M was discovered by Dr Stephen Elliman, Chief Scientific Officer at Orbsen Therapeutics, an NUI Galway spinout cell therapy company. ORBCEL-M performed well in pre-clinical models as a therapy for diabetic kidney disease demonstrating significant improvements in kidney function and structure. The NEPHSTROM clinical trial represents a significant step towards preparing this therapy for clinical use. The pan-European NEPHSTROM clinical trial is being led by the renowned nephrologist, Professor Giuseppe Remuzzi at the Mario Negri Institute in Bergamo, Italy with clinical trial recruitment sites in Italy, Ireland (HRB Clinical Research Facility, NUI Galway), and the UK (UHBFT, Birmingham and BHSCT, Belfast). The primary aim of the clinical trial is to establish the safety and efficacy of ORBCEL-M. The NEPHSTROM team of researchers also hope to show that important markers of diabetic kidney disease are improved, meaning that the therapy actually works, as well as being safe. Professor Timothy O’Brien from NUI Galway, founding Director at Orbsen Therapeutics and coordinator of the NEPHSTROM consortium, said: “In my clinical practice, I encounter patients commonly with diabetic kidney disease who face the unpleasant possibility of dialysis or kidney transplantation. The outcome of this clinical trial may give patients another alternative and new hope.” Steve Elliman, Chief Scientific Officer in Orbsen Therapeutics at NUI Galway, said: “Encouraged by the promising results of the pre-clinical models, we are optimistic taking ORBCEL-M to the next stage to further investigate the immunotherapy as a solution to slow or stop progressive diabetic kidney disease. On behalf of Orbsen, we are privileged to be engaged with some of the European Union’s leading researchers and institutions through NEPHSTROM.” Professor Giuseppe Remuzzi, Mario Negri Institute, Bergamo, Italy, and the clinical trials lead investigator, commented: “It’s a privilege to have the first patients enrolled and receiving the experimental treatment at the Mario Negri Institute. The complementary skills and expertise of the four participating European centres provide a critical network demonstrating the clinical feasibility of this innovative therapy and the opportunity for additional coordinated trials in diabetic patients with progressive kidney disease for whom new therapies are urgently needed.” For more information about the project and enrolling patients in the clinical trial, contact Professor Matthew Griffin, NEPHSTROM clinical lead, NUI Galway at matthew.griffin@nuigalway.ie or 091 495436.   For further information about NEPHSTROM (EC Project code 634086) visit: www.nephstrom.eu.                                 -Ends-

Wednesday, 31 October 2018

NUI Galway will hold its annual Postgraduate Open Day on Tuesday, 6 November, from 12-3pm in the Bailey Allen Hall, Áras na Mac Léinn. The Open Day is an important event for professionals, graduates and current undergraduates who are focusing on their future, with the aim of upgrading their qualification, broadening their skills-set, increasing their specialist knowledge and ultimately improving their job prospects and earning power. The Open Day will showcase over 170 of NUI Galway’s full-time and part-time postgraduate taught programmes, and an extensive range of research masters and doctoral research options. Academic staff and students will be on hand to answer questions on specific courses and opportunities at the University. Talks at the Postgraduate Day will include a panel discussion on Postgraduate Practicalities, chaired by the Director of Student Services John Hannon. Professor Lucy Byrnes, Dean of Graduate Studies, will give a talk on Funding for Postgraduate Research (PhDs and Research Masters). The Career Development Centre will also be hosting a Personal Statement Workshop on the day. Valerie Leahy, Postgraduate Recruitment Officer, explains why students should seriously start researching their options early: “A key part of the decision to pursue a postgraduate qualification is finding out as much as possible about the application process and the funding options available. The upcoming Open Day brings together all the key people and organisations that provide support to postgraduate students.” NUI Galway is also launching a number of new programmes for entry in 2019, and the Open Day will showcase these offerings including a number of new Masters of Education options: MEd Special Inclusion Education; MEd (Education in Design, Learning and Technology); and MEd Education Leadership. The Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway also recently launched LLM International Migration and Refugee Law and Policy, which will focus on developing knowledge of international, regional and domestic law, policy and practice in areas of migration, human trafficking and refugee law. Those interested in finding out more about this unique programme will have the opportunity to meet academic staff at Postgraduate Open Day. Other new courses being launched include MSc AgInnovation, MSc Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine, MSc Cheminformatics and Toxicology. To explore NUI Galway’s suite of new and unique postgraduate programmes, and to book your place at the Open Day visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/postgraduate-open-day/. -Ends-

Wednesday, 31 October 2018

NUI Galway’s Arts in Action and The James Hardiman Library in association with An Taibhdhearc, will host a very special evening celebrating the life and legacy of one of Ireland’s greatest actors, Siobhán McKenna, on Wednesday, 7 November. Set against an evocative multi-visual backdrop of archive film, TV and theatre footage, Lelia Doolan will pay tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of her friend, Siobhán McKenna. The event will feature archive material sourced from Siobhán McKenna and Druid Theatre archives in the Hardiman Library at NUI Galway. Celebrating 90 years of An Taibhdhearc, this unique evening will feature a live performance by acclaimed Irish singer, Rita Connolly who will perform a collection of songs by the award-winning Irish composer for film, TV and theatre, Shaun Davey, renowned for his large-scale concert works, The Brendan Voyage, The Pilgrim and The Relief of Derry Symphony. Rita Connolly will also perform The Deer’s Cry, which she recently performed in Croke Park during the Papal visit, the Special Olympics anthem May We Never Have to Say Goodbye and Ripples in the Rockpools from Granuaile. Speaking about the event, Mary McPartlan, Artistic Director of the Arts in Action programme at NUI Galway, said: “Arts in Action is about collaboration and highlighting the value and the historic richness of the Irish Language, Irish Culture and the Arts in general, that exists in the City and County of Galway. Having the opportunity to celebrate An Taibhdhearc 90, is a privilege for our students and staff at NUI Galway.” Aodh Ó Coileáin, Chair of An Taibhdhearc and Programme Director of the MA (Cleachtas Gairmiúil sna Meáin), Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, said: “An Taibhdhearc has always been proud of Siobhán McKenna’s association with the Middle Street Theatre. Her early memories included attending the Christmas pantomimes, but eventually in 1950, she was to amaze Galway audiences with her portrayal of Joan of Arc at an Taibhdhearc. It is fitting that town and gown should join to celebrate Siobhán McKenna’s legacy and also the historic links between an Taibhdhearc and the University. An Taibhdhearc’s Archive has been held at the James Hardiman Library in NUI Galway since 1990.” The evening will be opened by Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President of NUI Galway. This special event will take place at An Taibhdhearc, Middle Street, Galway on Wednesday, 7 November at 8pm. Tickets are €20 and concession €15. To book tickets, visit: www.antaibhdhearc.com or phone 091 562024. For more on Arts in Action 2018-2019 programme of events, visit: www.nuigalway.ie/artsinaction/  and view An Taibhdhearc's promotional video about the event, here: https://youtu.be/buR9owlwiXA -Ends-

Wednesday, 31 October 2018

NUI Galway’s J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, will hold a practical symposium on Leadership on Friday, 9 November, with a view to a shift in conversation on Leadership from a focus on Personality and Behaviour to a focus on Capability, Capacity, Complexity and Development. The symposium will be led by Leadership Coach Jennifer Garvey-Berger and Director of Harthill Consulting, David Rooke. Jennifer, author of Changing on the job: Developing leaders for a complex world, is a Leadership Coach with Cultivating Leadership. She designs and teaches leadership programs, coaches senior teams, and supports new ways of thinking about strategy and people with clients facing these dramatic shifts in complexity, volatility, and change in their workplaces and markets. She blends deep theoretical knowledge with a driving quest for practical ways to make leaders’ lives better. David Rooke is Director of Harthill Consulting, which he co-founded in 1985. Since that time he has been working to develop ever more capable leadership within organisations. Inquiry lies at the heart of his work, he believes as contexts and people change, what is useful can only be understood and improved through explorations that move fluidly between the personal, the relational and the systemic. David has also authored Personal and Organisational Transformations and co-writer of the award winning Seven Transformations of Leadership article for Harvard Business Review. Speaking in advance of the event Dr Martin Hughes, MBA Programme Director at NUI Galway, said: “Accelerating leadership potential is a key element of the Executive MBA at NUI Galway and we are delighted to welcome this incredible panel for what promises to be a thoroughly engaging and interactive symposium.” Those attending can expect to walk away inspired by a heightened awareness of: the growth potential of your own personal leadership capacity, how you can develop in the company of others, how you can impact the growth of those round you, developing them as leaders practical ideas for developing Leadership in today's complex environment, how you can create a learning and action orientated community to bring about personal and systemic change. In addition to the symposium, participants are invited to join the speakers on Saturday, 10 November for a reflective discussion. Admission fee is €299 and places are limited to 90 and early booking is advised. For more details visit  www.leadershipforcomplexity.com.   -Ends-

Tuesday, 30 October 2018

Minister Mitchell O’Connor Launches NUI Galway Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Initiatives  University Publishes Annual Report, New Gender Identity Policy and LGBT+ Ally Programme   Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD has launched NUI Galway’s annual report on equality, diversity and inclusivity for the academic year 2017/2018 as well as its new Gender Identity Policy and a new LGBT+ Ally Programme at an event on campus.  The annual report outlines key achievements during the year, including: The achievement of Athena Swan Bronze in May 2018 by both the University and its School of Medicine. The establishment and launch of the NUI Galway LGBT+ staff network. The launch of a University of Sanctuary campaign, with a view to being recognised among international universities for making education more accessible and welcoming to asylum seekers and refugees. Reform of University governance structures, with the reconstitution of Academic Council, which plays a critical role in setting the academic direction of the University and now has a minimum requirement of 40% male and 40% female membership. Speaking at the launch, Minister O’Connor said: “I’m delighted to launch this report which pulls together many strands of work to highlight that NUI Galway is embracing difference and has a solid foundation in place as it strives to be a bastion of equality and diversity.  NUI Galway has broken new ground in areas such as consent education and the work of its LGBT+ network, and it’s important that the education sector learns from such developments as we collectively work towards greater inclusivity.” NUI Galway’s Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, Professor Anne Scott added: “I am delighted to see this report of our programme of equality, diversity and inclusivity initiatives launched today by Minister Mitchel O’Connor. This annual report provides clear evidence that we in NUI Galway have made significant progress in building a sustainable equality, diversity and inclusivity culture in our university. We all appreciate that we are on a stimulating journey with significant challenges ahead. However our commitment to this broad-based agenda is clear and the publication of our Gender Identity and Gender Expression Policy and the launch of our new LGBT+ Ally programme is testament to that. We look forward with confidence to building on these achievements and continuing this important work in Academic Year 2018 - 2019.” The University also launched a new Gender Identity and Gender Expression Policy following extensive staff and student consultation.  The policy outlines NUI Galway’s commitment to recognise and support individuals’ gender identity and gender expression so that all members of the university community experience a positive and accepting environment where every member is treated with dignity and respect. The policy outlines the processes, facilities and structures introduced in order to help all members of our community improve their understanding of gender identity issues. A new LGBT+ Ally Programme was also announced on campus.  The Ally Programme is a staff-based initiative working towards increasing the knowledge, awareness, and support of LGBT+ colleagues and students. In partnership with the Students’ Union and Schools/Units within NUI Galway, the LGBT+ Ally Programme aims to create a safe and inclusive environment for staff and students of all sexual identities and genders at NUI Galway and to advocate for a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion. To access the annual report, gender identity and expression policy and information on the LGBT+ ally programme, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/equalityanddiversity/ ENDS

Tuesday, 30 October 2018

Students interested in studying at NUI Galway are invited to an Information Evening in Athlone on Thursday, 8 November. Students, parents, guardians and guidance counsellors are invited to attend the event which runs from 7-9pm in the Radisson Hotel, Athlone. The evening will begin with short talks about NUI Galway and the undergraduate courses it offers. Afterwards, current students and NUI Galway staff will be on hand to answer any individual questions in relation to courses and practical issues like accommodation, fees and scholarships, and the wide range of support services available to our students. The ever-increasing popularity of NUI Galway is in-part due to its innovative programmes developed in response to the changing needs of the employment market. NUI Galway is launching three new Arts degrees for enrolment in 2019. This includes a BA (History and Globalisation), BA Government (Politics, Economics and Law) and a BA Education (Computer Science and Mathematical Studies).  The University will also launch a new degree in Law and Human Rights for 2019 and Dr Conor Hanly from the School of Law will give a short presentation on Law at NUI Galway. The event will have representatives from across the University’s five Colleges available to answer questions about the programmes on offer, entry requirements, and placement and employment opportunities. Shannon College of Hotel Management will also attend the event. Sarah Geraghty, Student Recruitment and Outreach Manager at NUI Galway, said: “NUI Galway is dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning with a focus on developing highly skilled and employable graduates and dedicated to providing a positive, welcoming and inclusive student experience. As a result of our achievements in these areas, NUI Galway was named the Sunday Times University of the Year 2018 and our Information Evening in Athlone is an opportunity for students to take a closer look at the opportunities available at NUI Galway and explore what it means to study at a world class university.” To find out more about the information evening in Athlone, contact NUI Galway's Schools’ Liaison Officer, Caroline Duggan at 087-2391219 or email caroline.duggan@nuigalway.ie -Ends-

Tuesday, 30 October 2018

A new lecture series at the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies at NUI Galway, will continue with Professor of Health Psychology, Molly Byrne, on Thursday, 8 November at 5pm, in the Moore Institute. In her talk, Professor Byrne will track how her behavioural intervention research has evolved, changed and improved over the last decade. She will present some of the behaviour change intervention studies she has conducted, highlighting novel approaches, methodologies and tools which have improved the quality and impact of her research. She will reflect on the key lessons she has learnt along this research journey, as well as outline some ideas about current opportunities and challenges relevant to researchers in the area of health behaviour change. Dr Seán Crosson, Vice-Dean College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies at NUI Galway, said: “We are delighted to continue this lecture series which provides a great opportunity for our College and the University to make the general public more aware of the world-leading innovative research being undertaken in the college. This is the fifth speaker in the series which has featured contributions to date in the areas of social policy, education, political thought, online therapies, and language transmission.” Professor Enrico Dal Lago of NUI Galway’s Department of History will deliver the next lecture of the series on Thursday, 13 December at 5pm. Professor Dal Lago lecture is entitled The Social Origins of Agrarian Violence in Comparative Perspective: The First Ku Klux Klan in South Carolina and the Early Mafia in Sicily, 1865-1875’. -Ends-

Thursday, 25 October 2018

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-

Thursday, 25 October 2018

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-

Wednesday, 24 October 2018

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-

Wednesday, 24 October 2018

“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-

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

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-

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

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-

Monday, 22 October 2018

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-

Monday, 22 October 2018

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-

Monday, 22 October 2018

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-

Monday, 22 October 2018

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-

Friday, 19 October 2018

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-

Monday, 22 October 2018

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-

Wednesday, 17 October 2018

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-

Wednesday, 17 October 2018

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-

Wednesday, 17 October 2018

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-

Tuesday, 16 October 2018

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-

Tuesday, 16 October 2018

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-

Tuesday, 16 October 2018

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-

Monday, 15 October 2018

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-