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Construct Innovate, the Enterprise Ireland technology centre hosted by University of Galway, has secured €2million funding under a Government programme to invest in specialised equipment and testing facilities. Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney T.D. made the announcement under the 2023 Capital Equipment Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland through the Technology Gateway and Technology Centre Programmes. Construct Innovate secured grants to fund three projects at University of Galway and one project at University College Dublin. The 2023 Capital Equipment Fund will allow Construct Innovate to develop a building envelope testbed, expand and upgrade their structural testing facilities and enable the development of modern methods of construction (MMC) through automated and process technologies. Construct Innovate directors, Prof Jamie Goggins and Dr Magdalena Hajdukiewicz, welcomed the announcement of the Capital Equipment Fund results. Dr Hajdukiewicz said: “Construct Innovate facilitates industry-led, independent and evidence-based research supporting innovation and sustainability in the construction sector. This recent funding will provide our partner institutions with state-of the-art equipment that supports the development and testing of new materials and systems, including modern methods of construction and utilisation of digital technologies.” The funding supports the development of a Building Envelope Testbed at University of Galway. The 3-cell facility will have the capacity to conduct various types of tests measuring the performance of building envelope assemblies, including thermal characteristics, moisture transfer, solar and luminous characteristics of glazing, air permeability, water tightness, acoustic performance, energy performance (including renewable energy systems), and indoor environmental quality incl. thermal comfort. The testbed’s design and specifications were developed to ensure it meets the specific needs of Irish companies developing complex, innovative envelope systems, for which they expect short and efficient testing in full-scale real conditions. Secondly, a suite of equipment is being funded to extend the capabilities within the Large Structures Testing Laboratory at University of Galway to be suitable for testing construction elements at or near full-scale, such as novel floor makeups, timber elements, concrete structures, and connections for off-site structures. Over the coming years, the facility will be used for construction-based projects involving the mechanical performance testing of building elements and prefabricated building system components used in MMC. The funding will also go towards an Autonomous Mobile Robot in the Advanced Manufacturing Lab at University of Galway, for furthering the automation of next-generation technology for on-site construction and inspection technology. This will also be deployed for off-site construction and assembly process development, specifically focusing on production scale-up capability. This technology represents the coming together of the forefronts of the construction sector (rapid build, modular construction, MMC) and of Industry 4.0 (mobile automation). University College Dublin were awarded funding for equipment to create an Automated Structures Innovation Hub. This will expand their automation and prototyping capabilities and also double the current capacity to perform structural/material tests. The new hub will promote engagement with companies in R&D, enable pilot manufacturing capability and prototyping for new product / process development and also enhance concrete printing technology. Ends

University of Galway has welcomed the 2023 Hardiman PhD Scholarship recipients to campus. The 21 successful scholars come from 12 different countries and are embarking on doctoral studies after being selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants from around the world.  The Hardiman PhD Scholarships are fully funded for four years, with a stipend of €19,000 per annum, plus fee waiver. The scheme offers opportunities for suitably qualified students to pursue a structured PhD at the University on topics aligned to five key areas of research: - Enhancing policy and society - Enriching creativity and culture - Improving health and wellbeing - Realising potential through data and enabling technologies - Sustaining our planet and people Since the scheme was introduced in 2011, University of Galway has awarded scholarships to almost 300 individuals. Professor Dónal Leech, Dean of Graduate Studies at University of Galway, said: “Our 2023 Hardiman Research scholar recipients represent the diversity, depth and distinctiveness of Galway research, with each scholar recruited for their excellence and supported over four years to develop their research skills and to generate new knowledge for the betterment of our society.” Applications for the for 2024 Hardiman PhD Scholarships will open on Friday December 1, 2023, and will remain open until Friday February 9, 2024 at 5pm. Further information on the Hardiman PhD Scholarships is available at www.universityofgalway.ie/hardiman-scholarships. The 2023 Hardiman PhD scholars include: Scholar Country of origin College and subject area of study Dayle Leonard Ireland College of Science and Engineering –  Investigating scorpion venoms as a source of novel antimicrobial and antivirulent compounds.   Mariia-Valeriia Morris Israel  College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies –  Troubles Studies, representations of political violence in 20th century Ireland in film and comics.   Durre Zehra Syeda Pakistan College of Science and Engineering –  Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.   Mohammad Khaboushani Afghanistan College of Science and Engineering –  Fatigue and fracture analysis of Submarine Power Cables.   Christine Ayu Indonesia College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences –  Researching innovative treatments, particularly stem cell therapy, for degenerative diseases, such as Diabetes Mellitus.   Aoife O’Connell Ireland College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences –  Pharmacology & Therapeutics, specifically using electrophysiology to improve our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and evaluate a novel therapeutic strategy.   Amanie Issa Palestine College of Business, Public Policy and Law –  Human Rights: Exploring the role of ‘state’ and law at perpetuating Gender-Based violence against women and girls with disabilities.   Simon Ngorok Uganda College of Business, Public Policy and Law –  Climate Change Impacts, and Adaptation - modelling loss and damage from flood events in sub-Saharan Africa.   Duduzile Unathi Ndlovu South Africa College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies –  Sociology of higher education, towards critically (re)considering fallist student movements and their calls to decolonise Higher Education in South Africa.   Luke McDermott Ireland College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies –  Researching the ways that analogy, metaphor and conceptual comparison manifested in Neo-Assyrian writing by applying Cognitive Linguistic and Intertextual methodologies.   Ronan O'Hanlon Ireland-UK College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies –  An intellectual history of George Berkeley, exploring the origins and influence of his work.   Kristal Jericho Australia College of Business, Public Policy and Law –  The impact of gendered norms and hegemonic masculinity on the mental health and wellbeing of commercial aviation pilots.   Rebecca Lane Ireland College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences –  An Investigation of the Endocannabinoid System and the Gut Microbiome in Patients with Abdominal Visceral Pain and Co-Morbid Negative Affect.   Fatemeh Fotouhi Chahooki Iran College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences –  Research into drug-like compounds inhibiting RIPK1-FADD interaction in FADDosome complex, mitigating chemotherapy agent side effects.   Dave Cormican  Ireland  College of Science and Engineering –  Mathematics with a focus on abstract algebra of zeta functions over rings.   Pouya Motienoparvar Iran College of Science and Engineering –  Evolutionary Biology, with focus on Agricultural Biotechnology to study the evolutionary paths by which newly evolved genes facilitate abiotic stress adaptation in plants.   Fatemeh Adelisardou Iran College of Science and Engineering –  Soil microbial community and carbon cycling in the Anthropocene.   Darcy Ireland USA College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies –  Analysis of a late eighth-century Latin exegetical text, the Irish Reference Bible.   Louisa Klatt Germany College of Business, Public Policy and Law –  An interdisciplinary study combining constitutional law, creative futures, and social science methodology.   Abdolvahed Noori Afghanistan College of Science and Engineering –  Revealing quorum sensing-based microbial communication in anaerobic digestion systems for enhancing biogas production.   Fatemeh Karamifard Iran College of Science and Engineering –  Development of computational models for bioresorbable metal matrix composites in medical implants. 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Tabharfar aitheantas do Chéimithe Oinigh as a gcuid oibre i gcearta sibhialta, cearta an duine, na meáin, ceol traidisiúnta na hÉireann, na healaíona, leigheas, daonchairdeas agus an saol acadúil   D’fhógair Ollscoil na Gaillimhe inniu na daoine a mbeidh Céimeanna Oinigh á mbronnadh orthu ag Searmanais Bhronnta an Gheimhridh 2023. Beidh an ceiliúradh ar siúl ó Dé Céadaoin, an 22 Samhain, go dtí Dé Céadaoin, an 29 Samhain, agus beidh an dream a mbronnfar Céim Oinigh orthu i gcomhluadar níos mó ná 3,000 mac léinn a mbeidh céimeanna á mbronnadh orthu i gcaitheamh na sé lá sin.  Baineann na daoine a bhfuil Céimeanna Oinigh á mbronnadh ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe orthu ag Bronnadh an Gheimhridh 2023 le saol na gceart sibhialta, cearta an duine, na meáin chumarsáide, an ceol, na healaíona, an leigheas, an daonchairdeas agus an saol acadúil. Frankie Gavin (Dochtúir Ceoil (DMus)): Duine de na fidléirí is fearr ar domhan, is ilionstraimí agus cumadóir é Frankie Gavin as Gaillimh ó dhúchas atá ag seinm go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta le breis is trí scór bliain.   Bronnadh Gradam Ceoil TG4 mar Cheoltóir na Bliana air in 2018. Mary Warde Moriarty (Dochtúir le Dlíthe (LLD)): Duine den Lucht Taistil, gníomhaí cearta daonna agus údar, ag obair go dian dícheallach le beagnach leathchéad bliain chun cearta daonna an Lucht Taistil a chur chun cinn agus chun caidreamh a chothú idir an pobal socraithe agus Taistealaithe na hÉireann. Comhbhunaitheoir an chéad Ghrúpa Tacaíochta do Thaistealaithe Thuama a bunaíodh in 1984.  Bhí Mary ina hUachtarán ar an Lárionad Eorpach do Thaistealaithe na hÉireann agus bhí sí i gceannas ar fhorbairt leabharlainne atá tiomnaithe do stair agus do bhunús Thaistealaithe na hÉireann. Comhbhunaitheoir ar Chomhairle Náisiúnta na dTaistealaithe, Cónaidhm Náisiúnta Thaistealaithe na hÉireann agus Chumann Náisiúnta Lárionad na dTaistealaithe, bhí sí ina comhbhunaitheoir ar INVOLVE, an soláthraí is mó Seirbhísí Óige do Thaistealaithe óga. Hugh Logue (Dochtúir le Dlíthe (LLD)): I mbéal an phobail ar dtús mar cheannaire sna cearta sibhialta ag deireadh na 60idí, mar bhall de choiste Chumann Cearta Sibhialta Thuaisceart Éireann agus mar Leas-chathaoirleach ar Chumann Cearta Sibhialta Dhoire Thuaidh. Duine de bhunaitheoirí an SDLP, toghadh é chuig Tionól Stormont don pháirtí in 1973, 1975 agus 1981. Chuaigh sé go dtí an Coimisiún Eorpach ansin agus d’oibrigh sa Bhruiséil ar feadh scór bliain ina dhiaidh sin mar oifigeach sinsearach don Choimisiún. Sa ról sin bhí sé an-tábhachtach ó thaobh obair an Aontais Eorpaigh i bpróiseas síochána Thuaisceart Éireann agus i gComhaontú Aoine an Chéasta. An tOllamh Peter Piot (Dochtúir Leighis (DMed)):  In 1976 bhí an tOllamh Piot ar dhuine den dream a d’aimsigh an víreas Ebola sa tSáír le linn dó a bheith ag obair san Institiúid do Leigheas Trópaiceach in Antuairp, sa Bheilg, agus bhí sé i gceannas ar thaighde ar VEID/SEIF, galair ghnéas-tarchurtha agus sláinte na mban, san Afraic fho-Shahárach den chuid is mó. D’oibrigh sé san Eoraip, san Afraic agus sna Stáit Aontaithe agus bhí sé ina Stiúrthóir Feidhmiúcháin bunaidh ar UNAIDS agus ina Fho-Ard-Rúnaí ar na Náisiúin Aontaithe ó 1995 go dtí 2008, agus bhí sé ina Stiúrthóir Comhlach ar an gClár Domhanda ar SEIF de chuid na hEagraíochta Domhanda Sláinte. Is iomaí gradam eolaíoch agus cathartha agus bonn daonnúil atá bronnta air agus tá os cionn 600 alt eolaíochta agus 17 leabhar foilsithe aige. Alan Esslemont (Dochtúir Litríochta (DLitt)): Rugadh Ard-stiúrthóir TG4 in Albain agus d’oibrigh sé sa Fhrainc, san Eilvéis agus ar an Eilean Sgitheanach. D’oibrigh sé san ollscoil anseo, le Telegael, Teilifís na Gaeilge, agus TG4.  Bhí sé ina chomhalta boird bunaidh agus ina chisteoir ar Acadamh Scannán agus Teilifíse na hÉireann agus tugann sé an-tacaíocht do phleanáil teanga agus d'ábhar Gaeilge a chur ar fáil do TG4. Eva Bourke (Dochtúir Litríochta (DLitt)): File a bhfuil an-mheas uirthi agus údar seacht gcnuasach filíochta i mBéarla, eagarthóir trí chnuasach filíochta agus próis i mBéarla, agus aistritheoir dhá chnuasach filíochta ó Ghaeilge go Gearmáinis; duine mór le rá i litríocht chomhaimseartha na Gaeilge, ball d’Aosdána. Patricia Forde (Dochtúir sna Dána (DArts)): Céimí de chuid na hollscoile, dátheangach ó aois an-óg, chuaigh sí isteach sa Taibhdhearc agus í deich mbliana d’aois mar aisteoir agus stiúraigh sí drámaí ansin níos déanaí. Bunaitheoir Fhéile Idirnáisiúnta Ealaíon Babaró do Leanaí na Gaillimhe in 1996 agus duine de bhaill tosaigh Macnas. Chaith sí tréimhse ina Stiúrthóir ar Fhéile Idirnáisiúnta Ealaíon na Gaillimhe go luath sna 1990idí.  Iarchathaoirleach ar Leabhair Pháistí Éireann. Miriam Hand agus Lourda McHugh (Dochtúir le Dlíthe (LLD)): Aitheanta as a dtacaíocht, a gceannaireacht agus a dtiomantas docht maidir le hairgead a chruinniú le haghaidh taighde ailse chíche trí chomhpháirtíochtaí pobail agus eagraíochtaí spóirt. Comhaltaí boird le fada an lá ar Institiúid Náisiúnta don Taighde ar Ailse Chíche ag tacú le forbairt áiseanna taighde in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, le ceapacháin bhunaithe taighde agus acadúla, agus le scoláireachtaí iarchéime as a dtagann tionchar acadúil agus dul chun cinn taighde ailse. Neil Johnson (Dochtúir le Dlíthe (LLD)): Príomhfheidhmeannach Croí (carthanas na Gaillimhe do shláinte chardashoithíoch). Céimí de chuid Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, Comhalta Cliniciúil Oinigh i Scoil an Leighis ó 2015 agus bronnadh gradaim ‘Duine na Bliana’ Rehab agus na Gaillimhe araon air. Tá bunús, fás agus forbairt tionscadal suntasach i gcur chun cinn na sláinte cardashoithíoch feicthe ag Neil. Tá roinnt tionscnamh tiomsaithe airgid de na milliúin euro curtha i gcrích aige agus Ionad Croí agus Stróc sa Chaisleán Nua tógtha faoina stiúir. Marie Reddan (Dochtúir Oideachais (DEd)): Leabharlannaí ar scor ó Leabharlann Shéamais Uí Argadáin.  Chuir Marie go mór le saol, saibhreas agus só na Leabharlainne mar ionad barr feabhais náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta. Bhí ról lárnach ag Marie in athfhorbairt Leabharlann Shéamais Uí Argadáin agus iad ag aistriú ón gcló go dtí an ré dhigiteach, agus i ngníomhaíochtaí cartlainne na leabharlainne. Comhbhunaitheoir IReL cuibhreannas Leabharlanna Taighde na hÉireann. Ag labhairt dó sular thosaigh na searmanais bhronnta, bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Uachtarán Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh: “Thar ceann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, tá lúcháir orm a bheith in ann aitheantas a thabhairt don ghrúpa daoine eisceachtúla seo, agus an gradam seo a bhronnadh orthu agus muid ag ceiliúradh chomh maith ar a bhfuil bainte amach ag breis agus 3,000 dár gcuid mac léinn i gceithre Choláiste na hOllscoile.  Tá cion fir agus cion mná déanta ag gach duine díobh ar mhaithe leis an saol poiblí, chun cur leis an tsochaí agus chun leasa an chine dhaonna, agus rinne siad a gcuid le hathrú chun feabhais a dhéanamh ar an domhan, dualgas atá orainn ar fad. “Is iontach freisin a bheith in ann éachtaí ár gcéimithe den scoth agus iad siúd a bhfuil gradam oinigh á mbronnadh orthu den chéad uair faoi ainm nua agus faoi fhéiniúlacht nua na hOllscoile a cheiliúradh. Déanaimid gach rud a seasann Ollscoil na Gaillimhe dó a cheiliúradh, idir ár luachanna, ár gcuid oibre ar son leas an phobail agus an ceangal láidir atá againn leis an áit ina bhfuilimid lonnaithe.” Tá sceideal iomlán shearmanais bhronnta an gheimhridh 2023 le fáil ag https://www.universityofgalway.ie/conferring/. Críoch