NUI Galway's Department of Surgery will host the 33rd Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture and Surgical Symposium on 5-6 September 2008. Dr Ernest E. Moore, from Denver General Hospital, will deliver the Memorial Lecture at 5pm on the first day of the conference, in the University's Arts Millennium Building. Dr Moore is Chief of the Department of Surgery at Denver Health Medical Centre and Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado, USA, and is presently the President of the World Society of Emergency Surgery. He is widely published on trauma, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Trauma and Journal of Emergency Medicine, as well as being Co-Editor of the benchmark textbook Trauma. His lecture will be called 'Role of the Gut in Post Injury Multiple Organ Failure'. Commenting on the upcoming lecture, Oliver McAnena of NUI Galway's Department of Surgery, said: "Dr Moore is widely recognised as the leading figure in the surgical management of trauma. The increase in incidence of penetrating trauma injuries in Ireland will ensure that his presentation will have national appeal to all surgeons who have to deal with such emergencies. Denver General Hospital has been used frequently as the focus for many trauma television programmes, particularly on the discovery channel." On Saturday, 6 September, Professor Frank Keane will present the State of the Art Lecture entitled 'Governing Ourselves'. Professor Keane is President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Consultant in General and Colorectal Surgery at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, incorporating The National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin. His predominant interest throughout his career has been in Gastrointestinal Surgery, particularly in minimally invasive techniques. As the largest surgical conference in Ireland, the Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture and Surgical Symposium hosted by Professor Michael Kerin and Mr Oliver McAnena provides a platform for healthcare professionals to present their research and clinical work and allows for the merging of both scientific and clinical information. It is named in memory of the Galway-born surgeon, Sir Peter Freyer, who performed the first successful surgical operation to remove an enlarged prostate in 1900. For further information on the Sir Peter Freyer Memorial Lecture and Surgical Symposium, please contact Grace Clarke at 091-524390 or grace.clarke@nuigalway.ie -ends-

As Ireland's Olympic Team returned home, NUI Galway has applauded the tremendous talent its Olympians displayed during the world games. NUI Galway students and alumni competing on track and field were Paul Hession and Olive Loughnane, and from the heavyweight four team rowers Cormac Folan and Alan Martin. President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, commented: "We, at NUI Galway, are delighted with the performance of our students and alumni in the Beijing Olympics. Their achievements have brought lustre to Ireland and to this University and we look forward to honouring Paul, Olive, Cormac and Alan at a reception later in the year". Paul Hession (200m), Ireland's fastest man is a fourth year medical student at NUI Galway. Paul was third in his heat (20.59) and produced a heroic performance when he won his quarter final heat (20.32). The semi-final finish saw him finish at a time of 20.38 denying him a spot in the 200m final. The fastest man in Irish sprint history finished tenth overall from an original field of 63, missing the final by just .13 of a second or one place. Paul said: "It's not over. I'll keep racing until the legs fall off!" Olive Loughnane (20km Walk) is from Loughrea, Co. Galway, and a graduate of NUI Galway. Olive represented NUI Galway Athletic Club from 1993 to 1995 and was selected for a Sports Award in 1996. In this her third Olympic Games, Olive finished the 20k walk in seventh place (of 48 competitors) in a new personal best time of 1.27.45, over a minute inside the Olympic record. "If you told me last night I was going to walk to 87:45, I'd have said - hope you have the flag ready", Olive commented after the race. "There were eight people inside the Olympic record today and I was the seventh one. I did amazingly well. I could not have done anymore". Cormac Folan (Rowing) is a graduate in Engineering and formed part of the crew for the Men's Heavyweight Four Rowing team. Cormac, from Barna, Co. Galway, was awarded an NUI Galway Rowing Sports Scholarship from 2003 to 2007. Alan Martin, also a graduate in Engineering was awarded an NUI Galway Rowing Sports Scholarship from 2001 - 2006. The Salthill rower was selected as the fifth member of the Heavyweight Four Team in Beijing. The crew came third in their heat (6:02:85) to go straight to the semi-finals. They came sixth in the semi-final (5:58:14) and fourth in the B Final which left them tenth overall. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games commenced on 8 August with the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony took place on 24 August.

Welsh NUI Galway PhD student names new insect after Ireland NUI Galway's Dr Chris Williams has made a discovery of international significance by finding a new insect species. The Postdoctoral Fellow based at the Applied Ecology Unit and the Environmental Change Institute discovered a new species of parasitic wasp (genus Mesoleptus) while undertaking field investigations in Ardkill Turlough, Co. Mayo. This is the first time a parasitoid species new to science has been discovered in the genus Mesoleptus in this country and only three species of this genus are currently recorded for Ireland. A number of families of wasp lay their eggs inside fly larvae or pupae and are known as parasitoids. The wasp eggs then hatch out and feed on the maggot or pupa, eventually killing it. Subsequently, the wasp larvae pupate inside the maggot, or fly pupa, and emerge as adult wasps. Chris, originally from Wales, made the discovery while researching snails as part of his PhD research on snail-killing Marsh Flies under the supervision of Dr Mike Gormally, Director of NUI Galway's Applied Ecology Unit. Chris recalls, "I came across two little black Marsh Fly puparia [case of the pupa] and kept them in jam jars on my desk expecting that adult Marsh Flies might hatch but what emerged were two different species of parasitic wasp. Much scientific teamwork ensued with international experts including Dr Lloyd Knutson (Italy), Dr Gavin Broad (The Natural History Museum in London) and Drs Ilari Sääksjärvi and Reijo Jussila (Finland) becoming involved in the identification process. When we finally discovered that one of these insects had never been recorded before, the question then was what to call this creature. After resisting the temptation to name it after someone I know – who really wants to be named after a parasite? – we settled on naming it Mesoleptus hibernica in honour of the country where it was discovered." As a researcher, Chris is particularly interested in Marsh Fly pupae as the larval stages of the Marsh Fly feed on a range of aquatic snails. He explains, "Mud snails carry liverfluke and the larvae of Marsh Flies act as biological controls, having a positive impact on the instances of liverfluke by keeping the snail populations down. Any species impacting the Marsh Fly population will have a negative effect on the natural control that exists for the liverfluke carrying mud snails." NUI Galway has a team of people involved in ecological monitoring and biodiversity conservation in Ireland. Other biodiversity researchers are investigating topics such as seaweeds as invasive species and/or biomonitors, soil microbial communities, and factors affecting marine algae primary productivity. -Ends-

NUI Galway's brand new €22 million Sports Centre, is now open for students, staff and the general public. The 6,500 sq.m. sports and leisure complex includes a 25 metre 6-lane swimming pool with moveable floor, squash and racquetball courts, a three-court basketball hall, multipurpose studios, a substantial gym and a high-tech climbing wall. The facility, which is situated on campus near the Quincentennial Bridge, will be operated by Kingfisher Fitness Group. Mary O'Riordan, Vice-President for Student Services and Human Resources, NUI Galway, welcomed the opening of the Centre: "Sport contributes to the health, well-being and education of students here at NUI Galway. The new sports complex will serve a huge range of recreational and competitive sporting interests. The timing is also perfect, as early September is the beginning of the 2008-2009 academic year. We look forward to new and returning students benefiting from all that the Sports Centre offers." The NUI Galway Sports Centre is part of a €400 million capital development programme, 'Campus of the Future', to provide the highest standards of physical infrastructure to support excellence in teaching and research. Funding for the new facility came partly from the student body at NUI Galway, who voted in 2003 to increase their student levy to support the project. Student membership rates are significantly discounted for this state-of-the-art facility. NUI Galway Students' Union President, Muireann O Dwyer says the new facilities will improve student life on campus: "This is a real example of co-operation between the student body and university management. We have over 40 active sports clubs on campus and those groups will be able to use this new centre. Also, all students will be able to become members for a reduced fee, as will alumni. Sport and leisure activities are good for mind and body, so the Sports Centre will take quality of life on campus to a new level." Greg Power, Planning and Projects Officer at NUI Galway, pointed out the eco-friendly aspects to the structure: "The building incorporates significant 'green energy' initiatives giving it a relatively low carbon footprint. Technology used includes a Combined Heat and Power unit, generating electricity for the facility and recycling the heat for re-use in the building." The team that worked on the building project included world-renowned architects Faulkner Browns, in conjunction with Holohan Design, and local builders Glenman Corporation. According to Joe Cosgrove, Managing Director of Kingfisher Fitness Group, who already run six successful leisure centres across the country: "We are delighted to be serving the vibrant community on campus here at NUI Galway, as well as with the wider public in the area. Whether it's signing up for a year's gym membership, or popping by for a 'Splash and Dash', we have offers to suit everyone's sporting and fitness needs. Our staff are available to answer any queries about possible membership, and the public are welcome to view our extensive facilities at any time. " To contact the NUI Galway Sports Centre call 091 570 800 or email nuigalwayinfo@kingfisherclub.com. For further information visit www.kingfisherclub.com Ends

Tá Ionad nua Spóirt OÉ Gaillimh, ar chostas €22 milliún, oscailte do mhic léinn, don fhoireann agus don phobal. Tá achar 6,500 m² san ionad ina bhfuil linn snámha 6-lána 25 méadar. Is féidir an t-urlár a ardú agus a ísliú inti. Tá cúirteanna scuaise agus raicéadaíochta, halla ina bhfuil trí chúirt cispheile, stiúideonna ilchuspóireacha, giomáisiam an-mhór agus balla dreapadóireachta ann chomh maith. Is ar an gcampas atá an t-ionad in aice leis an droichead, agus beidh sé á rith ag an Kingfisher Fitness Group. Chuir Mary O'Riordan, Leas-Uachtarán um Sheirbhísí do Mhic Léinn agus Acmhainní Daonna, OÉ Gaillimh fáilte roimh oscailt an Ionaid: "Cuidíonn spórt le sláinte, leas agus oideachas na mac léinn anseo in OÉ Gaillimh. Is iomaí cineál spóirt a bheas ar fáil san ionad nua, idir chaitheamh aimsire agus spórt iomaíochta. Tá sé iontach é a bheith ag oscailt anois freisin mar gurb é seo tús na bliana acadúla 2008-2009. Beidh mic léinn ag filleadh ar an Ollscoil agus mic léinn eile ag tosú anseo agus iad araon ag baint tairbhe as an Ionad nua Spóirt." Is cuid é an tIonad seo de chlár caipitil €400 milliún, 'Campas na Todhchaí', chun na caighdeáin is airde d'infreastruchtúr fisiciúil a éileamh ar mhaithe le tacú le feabhas sa teagasc agus sa taighde. Mhaoinigh mic léinn OÉ Gaillimh cuid den ionad, nuair a vótáil siad in 2003 tobhach mic léinn a mhéadú chun tacú leis an tionscadal. Faigheann mic léinn lascaine mhaith ar bhallraíocht san ionad. Dúirt Uachtarán Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn in OÉ Gaillimh, Muireann O Dwyer, go bhfeabhsóidh an t-ionad nua saol an champais do mhic léinn: "Léiríonn an áis nua seo comhoibriú maith idir na mic léinn agus bainistíocht na hOllscoile. Tá 40 club spóirt ar an gcampas agus féadfaidh siad úsáid a bhaint as an ionad nua. Gheobhaidh mic léinn agus alumni lascaine mhaith freisin. Tá spórt agus fóillíocht go maith don intinn agus don chorp, mar sin feabhsóidh an tIonad nua Spóirt saol an champais ar bhealach eile chomh maith." Dúirt Greg Power, Oifigeach Pleanála agus Tionscadal OÉ Gaillimh, go bhfuil an struchtúr seo éiceabhách: "Is foirgneamh glas é seo sa chiall gur beag dochar atá á dhéanamh aige don chomhshaol. Leis an teicneolaíocht atá in úsáid san Ionad tá leictreachas á ghiniúint agus á athchúrsáil le húsáid san fhoirgneamh arís." D'oibrigh na hailtirí cáiliúla Faulkner Browns ar an tionscadal, i gcomhar le Holohan Design, mar aon leis na tógálaithe áitiúla Glenman Corporation. Dúirt Joe Cosgrove, Stiúrthóir Bainistíochta Kingfisher Fitness Group, a bhfuil sé ionad áineasa acu cheana féin sa tír: "Tá an-áthas orainn freastal ar champas OÉ Gaillimh agus ar mhuintir an cheantair seo. Má fhaigheann tú ballraíocht bliana nó más fearr leat Íoc-mar-a-Úsáidtear, feilfidh an tIonad nua seo duit. Freagróidh an fhoireann anseo ceist ar bith faoi bhallraíocht agus tá fáilte roimh an bpobal breathnú ar na háiseanna anseo am ar bith. " Glaoigh ar Ionad Spóirt OÉ Gaillimh ar 091 570 800 nó seol ríomhphost chuig nuigalwayinfo@kingfisherclub.com. Tá eolas breise le fáil ar www.kingfisherclub.com críoch