Atlantic Technological University - Issue 10

Issue Ten | October 2023

02 – St Angelas – ATU’s Newest Campus 10 – ATU Alumni Network Launch 36 – Connacht Rugby and ATU Partnership Flourishes

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

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Welcome from the Editor

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

02 University Updates

- A TU Signs HEA’s Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles

- S t Angelas – ATU’s Newest Campus

- M entoring in Higher Education

- A TU Welcomes over 4,630 new Students

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- Meet the Presidents of our Students’ Unions

Research News - H elping Communities find Solutions to Societal Challenges - S potlight on Research at St Angelas - M aking Publicly Funded Research Easily Accessible

10 Editor: Anne Donnelly

Alumni

Design: The Foundation

- A TU Launches its New Alumni Network

Photography: Alison Laredo, James Connolly, Jessica Priddy, Mike Shaughnessy, Clive Wasson, Aengus McMahon and ATU staff Cover photo: Sarah Purcell, rugby player with Creggs RFC, one of the many players who have benefitted from ATU’s ongoing partnership with Connacht Rubly.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: If there is anything you would like to see in future issues of this magazine, please email anne.donnelly@atu.ie

- Alumni in the News - A TU Alumnus wins the Conor Farrell Design Award

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43 ATU Celebrates - ATU Global Launch - F issure Art Exhibition

26 Innovation and Engagement - A TU Spirit of Entrepreneurship Event - S tudent Inc. Final Showcase - A TU Student Entrepreneur Camps - ICT summer camps - Creating Innovative Projects - Higher Education 4.0

34 Community Engagement - S t Angela’s Students and Staff Visit to Uganda - Connacht Rugby and ATU Partnership Flourishes

- W orld Skills Apprenticeship Winners

37 ATU Conferences - National Innovate Care Conference - A SIA Matters Business Summit - A TU Assessment Hackathon - InterACT Summer School - Home Economics in a Time of Transformation

- Staff in the News - ATU Podcasts on Spotify

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

Welcome from the Editor,

Anne Donnelly Dear Reader,

Welcome to issue ten of our magazine. September and October have been very busy here at ATU. In September we welcomed over 4,630 new first year students and October saw the launch of our new ATU Alumni network.

In addition, preparations are under way to welcome our newest campus, St Angelas into ATU. The date for formal incorporation is just around the corner, 1 November. In this issue we mark the formal incorporation of St Angelas by bringing you a feature on our newest campus. Staff and students tell us why they are excited about being part of ATU and we also feature some hackathon looked at how we can research being carried out by staff in design authentic and sustainable St Angelas. assessment with academic integrity In innovation and engagement news in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) we have a round-up of some of the with 19 possible solutions emerging. summer camps we ran for secondThe purpose of this magazine is to level students and Noel Mulkeen, keep you updated on our activities Higher Education 4.0 Innovation and initiatives. So, whether you’re a Manager updates us on the progress member of our student or staff body, made under the Innovation Theme in or are one of our regional, national or the Higher Education 4.0 project. international stakeholders, we hope There have been many conferences you find something of interest here. across ATU in the last two months.

Best Wishes In this issue we feature just a Anne Donnelly few, including the Asia Matters conference in ATU Donegal and the ATU Assessment Hackathon which was held simultaneously in Galway, Sligo and Donegal. This innovative

“If there is anything you would like to see in future issues of this magazine, please email me at anne.donnelly@atu.ie”

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University Updates St Angelas, Sligo – ATU’s Newest Campus

Business Management, Science and Disability Studies.

St Angelas has a strong focus on practical and experiential learning, allowing students to gain hands-on experience and develop relevant skills for their chosen careers.

There are currently approximately 1,600 students (fulltime and part time) attending the college.

The campus is situated in a picturesque location near Lough Gill, providing a peaceful and scenic backdrop for study and recreation.

1 November 2023 marks the date of the formal incorporation of St Angelas into ATU. Both staff and students are looking forward to the incorporation and will celebrate it at a special event on 6 November.

St Angelas has a well-deserved reputation for delivering high quality programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across the Academic Schools of Nursing, Health Sciences and Disability Studies; Home Economics; and Education. It also offers a range of Postgraduate and Part-time Education Programmes.

The College was founded by the Ursuline Order in 1952. The Department of Education authorised a one-year Home Management

Course and on 25 September 1950 the first five students arrived at St Angelas. Another twelve arrived the following year and September 1952 saw the first teacher training students to arrive, embarking on a threeyear diploma course which would ultimately allow them to teach the subject of Home Economics.

Although established as a College of Education for Home Economics Teachers, St Angelas has expanded far beyond its original remit and currently its profile of academic programmes of study includes Nursing and Health Studies, Healthcare Management, Education, Special Education, Religious Education, Irish, Nutrition, Food and

In addition to academic programmes, St Angelas also engages in research activities, focusing on areas such as Food Science and Human Nutrition, Applied Social Sciences, Educational Research, and Nursing Research. This research contributes to advancements in these fields and enriches the overall learning experience for students.

Programmes on offer at St Angelas To find out more about the programmes on offer at St Angelas please click on the links below.

Undergraduate Programmes Postgraduate Programmes and Stand-alone Modules Part-time Programmes

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Students and staff from St Angelas tell us why they are excited about joining ATU

“Being part of ATU will open up so many more opportunities for students going forward, building on St Angela’s strengths and success. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead and I know that St Angelas students will embrace this merger!”

Sorcha Higgins, Intellectual Disability Nursing Student

“The resources, competences, and collaboration of the combined elements of ATU has the potential to unlock and unleash the vast potential of the people of the Atlantic coast of Ireland and create positive, lasting economic and social change for the region.”

Ronan McArt, Lecturer in Marketing, Management and Entrepreneurship

“ATU and St Angelas will both gain from this incorporation putting Sligo on the map as a true university town. Students can experience the best of both campuses going forward and will work together like never before.”

Emily Kelly, General Nursing Student

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“At first, joining ATU from a small campus such as St Angelas seemed impossible with so much rapid change. But now the dust has settled, we can see the many benefits it provides to us as students such as more opportunities for joined events, which allows us to create and deepen friendships with people we otherwise wouldn’t have met.”

Conor O’Hara, Home Economics and Religious Education Student

“I have completed my undergrad and master’s degree at St Angelas and am currently completing my PhD, so I have been a St Angela’s student throughout the entire transition to ATU. Joining ATU will enhance the student community for on-campus students while providing a rich array of resources and support to online students. St Angelas will benefit from this transition as it will allow us to collaborate with neighbouring campuses. This transition will enhance St Angelas existing esteemed reputation, particularly pertaining to teacher education.”

Connor Dupuits, PhD Student “I primarily teach on the Masters in Health and Wellness Coaching program and nutrition modules. I’m delighted to be a lecturer in ATU, it feels good to be part of a broader and more vibrant entity.

Gabriel recently represented Ireland at the European As a college, St Angelas always punched above its weight Championships in SUP (Stand Up being a campus of NUIG, however I feel it makes more sense Paddleboard) Surfing 2023 after for us to work hand in hand with our colleagues at ATU Sligo placing 2nd in the Irish National campus and the greater ATU in general. I’m looking forward surfing championships last year.

The European Championships to the next chapter.” took place in Peniche, Portugal on Gabriel McSharry, Lecturer in Nursing, Health Science 14-22 October. and Disability “Working with colleagues across all ATU campuses offers a sense of collaboration and support in our individual roles and we’re also open to career progression like never before.’

Seán Kelly, Marketing, Communications and Student Recruitment

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ATU Welcomes over 4,630 new Students The university has seen an increase in demand for places on programmes across Science, Technology and Engineering with Health Sciences, Computing and Built Environment programmes also seeing increased demand. There has also been a steady demand for places on core business and humanities programmes offering general degrees with strong progression routes from Level 6 (post LC) through to Level 8 (honours degree).

In September ATU welcomed over 4,630 new full-time first year students across its eight campuses in Donegal, Galway, Mayo, and Sligo.

CAO applications to ATU increased by 5% this year, bringing the total number of students at ATU to around 24,000.

Of the 4,632 new students attending induction at ATU, 1,137 are studying at ATU’s Donegal campuses, 2,075 at Galway and Mayo campuses, 1,272 in Sligo and 283 at St Angela’s campus.

Among them are students from across the world including Canada, South Africa, India, France, Spain and Ukraine.

The induction programme, designed to ensure a successful transition into university life, has been planned to provide students with the essential tools, resources, and support needed to excel academically and thrive personally during their time at ATU.

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“ We are thrilled to welcome over 4,630 new students to the ATU community across our diverse campuses.

These talented individuals represent the future of our region and beyond, and we are committed to providing them with an outstanding education and an enriching student experience. As they embark on this exciting journey, we encourage them to make the most of their time at ATU, explore new horizons, and embrace opportunities for personal and academic growth. ” Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President

Dr Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar, says the increased numbers of students is an encouraging sign for ATU. “This year four out of five applicants to ATU were offered their first preference course.

ATU’s commitment to providing a nurturing and inclusive environment, along with its dedication to academic excellence, sets the stage for students to thrive and achieve their full potential. The university offers a wide range of programmes across various disciplines, cutting-edge facilities, and a rich cultural and social calendar that ensures students have a well-rounded university experience.”

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First Year Students at our Induction Programme

Left to right: Ross McGuinness, David Cannon, Naomi Oniga and Aisling Geraghty at ATU Galway City Induction.

First year BSc in Agriculture and Environmental Management student, Shane Loughney tries out driving simulators at ATU Mountbellew Induction.

ATU Student Ambassadors, Aoife, Meagan and Lara welcome our new students to ATU Mayo.

Students at ATU Sligo Induction.

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Canadian students, Genevieve Savard, Michelle Dang, Taylor Jameer and Mitchell Ovellel at ATU Sligo Induction.

Students at ATU Donegal Induction.

Also in September, we welcomed Ireland’s first cohort of civil engineering apprentices to our Sligo campus for their residential week.

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Meet the Presidents of our Students’ Unions

Sarah Mohan, ATU Galway-Mayo

“ I wish every ATU student the best of luck in the year ahead.

If you ever need a chat or have an issue or even want to share some amazing news, please pop down to us! My motto to all students is the Students’ Union (SU) team are friends you don’t need to make! ” Sarah is 24 years of age. She is originally from Wicklow but has found a love for the west of Ireland and will never leave! She loves walking her dogs and embarrassing her friends.

She graduated from ATU GalwayMayo with a Bachelor of Business Finance and Economics degree.

What do you hope to achieve in your year as SU President?

My greatest hope for this year is to increase the engagement we have on site. Covid was tough and its effects

are long lasting on many of our students. If I can get every student to enjoy at least one event, I will feel a sense of achievement. This might seem like a small achievement, but it would make a huge effect on our students’ mental health.

What does being part of a new university mean to you?

Being a part of a new university means so much. It means facilities are shared, problems are halved, and ideas are plentiful.

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Jeremian is originally from Nigeria and moved to Ireland with his family when he was nine years old. He has been living in Sligo ever since.

What do you hope to achieve this year?

Jeremiah Egberongbe, ATU Sligo

“ There will also be a strong emphasis on bringing the Students’ Unions in Sligo, Galway, Mayo and Donegal together as one this year. ”

I’m taking a sabbatical year from my studies so I can focus on my role as president of ATU Sligo’s Students’ Union. I’ve finished my second year studying Mechanical Engineering and will go into my third year after my tenure as President. I hope to improve the Students’ Union in Sligo and bring in some new changes.

Donegal. By trying to tackle those issues I feel we will further secure ourselves as a valuable member of the community.

I’d also like to increase the amount of money we raised for charity last year.

We’ve a bit of a mountain to climb with last year being our highest ever but I believe we can do it given the ideas we have for fundraisers in the year ahead.

What does being part of a new university mean to you?

Barry Breslin, ATU Donegal Barry is from Dunkineely Co Donegal.

His interests include movies, sport and keeping active. He studied Digital Film & Video for four years in the Letterkenny campus and has been involved in the Student’s Union since his second year at ATU Donegal.

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What do you hope to achieve in your year as SU President?

I hope to strengthen our relations with the community. So many of the issues faced by the students tell the struggles of the young people of

I’m excited to be a part of the early building blocks of ATU. Being able to set the tone and voice for our university is not a role I think lightly of. It’s been exciting creating connections with the SU’s on the other campuses and seeing how we can learn and benefit from one another.

I’m really looking forward to the year ahead. If anyone has any questions or queries don’t be afraid to contact the SU and we’ll do our very best to get you sorted.

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ATU Launches its new Alumni Network Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President launched our new Alumni Network for graduates and past students of ATU’s three legacy institutes and former RTCs, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology on Friday, 6 October.

The launch held at ATU Galway city campus was attended by current and retired staff, students, special guests and graduates. Welcoming attendees to the launch, ATU President Dr Orla Flynn, said: “Throughout my time in higher education, I have been privileged to meet many exceptional students, graduates and collaborators, who have given generously of their time and knowledge, helping to foster a vibrant and diverse learning environment for our community.

Through the establishment of a formal alumni network, we are seeking to increase the level of engagement with all our alumni, and to continue to be part of their career journeys.”

The keynote address was delivered

by Michael Lohan, newly appointed CEO of IDA Ireland and graduate of Electronic Engineering from ATU in both Sligo and Galway.

continued his Executive Education at ATU Donegal with an MBS in Innovation and Leadership.

At the launch of ATU’s Alumni Network, left to right: Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA and Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President.

Evelyn O’Toole, a graduate of ATU Sligo, founder and CEO of Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS) based in Connemara and Tuam Co Galway who has been a scientist for over 30 years.

Keith Moran, CEO and co-founder of SL Controls, an international manufacturing organisation specialising in equipment systems integration and system support. He is a graduate from ATU Sligo and

“I am delighted to be working towards creating an engaged network of ATU alumni, a network that offers a range of supports and lifelong value to its members. The ATU alumni network is more than 50 years in the making, drawing from our three legacy institutions, with a potential network of over 100,000 people that includes graduates, students, staff and those people and organisations who have collaborated with the university.”

Lauren Reynolds, ATU Alumni Officer If you would like to get in touch with us, be part of our alumni network or find out what we are planning please email us at alumni@atu.ie or visit our new website by clicking here.

A panel discussion, hosted by Alumni Relations expert and alumnus, Dr Maria Gallo, visiting Research Fellow, Trinity Business School, brought together three inspiring leaders from the world of industry and public service, all of whom are ATU graduates. They are: Damien McCallion, Chief Operations Officer, HSE who is responsible for oversight of day-to-day operations within the HSE, and a graduate of ATU Donegal.

At the launch of ATU’s Alumni Network, left to right: Damien McCallion, Chief Operations Officer, HSE; Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President; Michael Lohan, CEO, IDA Ireland; Evelyn O’Toole, Founder and CEO, Complete Laboratory Solutions (CLS); and Keith Moran, CEO SL Controls.

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Alumni in the News “ I’ve always wanted to publish my own work. ” Inspired by the Atlantic and the Irish landscape, ATU alumnus Eoin Leydon O’Connor recently published his first collection of short stories, Rural Tales, in paperback and Kindle eBook on Amazon. His collection is comprised of eight dark paranormal tales influenced by growing up in Strandhill, Sligo, on the Atlantic.

Discover more about Eoin’s writing, his literary influences and the difference between literary fiction and genre fiction on our ATU Podcast, available on Spotify. Please click here to listen.

“ I love the freedom it gives me on the court.”

ATU alumnus, Stuart Haxell, competed at the Blind Sports World Games 2023 in August. He was a member of the Irish Blind Tennis Team. Blind Tennis began in Japan in 1990. How do you play Blind Tennis? There’s a bell in the ball which you listen to as it bounces on the ground. Please click here to listen to Stuart talk to Brendan Courtney on RTÉ Radio One.

“ Dear PrEUdence: A Positive Headspace in the EU ” An exhibition of work by 12 ATU Alumni was on show at the European Parliament in Brussels, opened by MEP Maria Walsh to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The exhibition featured digital animations, paintings, installations, textiles, sculptures, prints and a film by the artists Conor Burke, Kathleen Donoghue, Eileen Fair, Maura Finnegan, Katie Moore, Theresa Mulholland, Brigid Mulligan, Gerri O’Brien, Karena Ryan, Naoise Sheridan, Sona Smedkova and Tala Zeitawi.

To read more please click here.

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ATU Alumnus wins the Conor Farrell Design Award Neil O’Donoghue recently won the Conor Farrell Design Award, 2023.

The award is a collaboration between Ardee-based Farrell Furniture and ATU Connemara.

Neil is the fourth winner of the annual award, established in 2020 in tribute to the late Conor Farrell. His winning design, entitled ‘Podium’, is a set of fully recyclable end tables, designed in response to the EU Legislation in progress ‘Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation’ (ESPR).

Having completed four years at ATU’s Furniture Design & Manufacturing programme, Neil is now beginning a Masters in Design Innovation at Maynooth University.

“ To win the Conor

Farrell Design Award, it’s a big deal for me, to recognise my design, it’s a very proud moment.

Accolades such as this, supporting the work I’m doing, it’s very encouraging. ”

Neil O’Donoghue’s winning design, “Podium”

Neill O’Donoghue

Designed utilising eco design principles, ‘Podium’ consists of three materials, assembled without the use of adhesives, allowing the ease of separation at the products end of life.

Two of the materials are biodegradable; linoleum and cotton, with the other being fully recyclable; glass.

Neil O’Donoghue being presenting with his award by Paul Farrell, joint CEO of Farrells Furniture.

Each Podium consists of two layers of linoleum placed back-to-back, forming one enclosed loop. The shape is achieved from utilising the flexibility and structural properties inherent in linoleum combined with the tension created from hand sewing the material together against two pieces of toughened glass which sit in rebates cut into the linoleum. The seam sits into a slight groove made in the linoleum. Through prototyping and refinement, Podium is a functional, playful and simplistic design.

To find out more please click here.

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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ATU Signs HEA’s Race Equality AntiRacism Principles ATU made a further commitment in combatting racism in higher education by formally signing the Higher Education Authority (HEA)’s Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on Tuesday, 5 September. The signing is part of the university’s ongoing efforts to foster a culture of race equality within its community.

The HEA, recognising the importance of addressing race inequality in Irish higher education, invited all HEI Presidents to endorse these principles. Through this endorsement, HEIs acknowledge the existence of racial inequalities and racism within the Irish education system and commit to taking proactive measures to address these issues.

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These Principles were developed after extensive consultation with stakeholders from the higher education sector and were informed by the findings of the Higher Education Authority National Race Equality survey and subsequent report published in October 2021.

“ ATU has made a public commitment to embedding a culture of race equality within our institution and strategic priorities. We aim to foster an open dialogue on advancing race equality and have recently established the ATU Race Equality Network to facilitate this dialogue. ” Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President

Left to right: Professor Jacqueline McCormack, VP for EDI and Online Development at ATU; Laura Austin, Senior Executive Officer from the HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President and Dr Jennie Rothwell, Senior Manager of the HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Professor Jacqueline McCormack, VP for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at ATU said: “Today is an important day for our community and we’re proud to publicly state ATU’s commitment to being anti-racist. The Principles aim to harness the power of the ATU community to lead positive change in our region and to challenge racism and race inequality.”

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By committing to the Race Equality Anti-Racism Principles for Irish Higher Education Institutions, ATU joins with other HEIs to: • Embed a commitment to race equality as part of institutional culture and strategic priorities.

• Highlight the structural, institutional, and historical dimensions of racism which have informed past and current practice in HEIs and the societies in which they are situated.

• Educate staff and students in relation to the structural, institutional, and historical dimensions of racism, as well as the more commonly recognised individual racism seen in acts of discrimination and abuse.

• Encourage an open dialogue on advancing race equality.

• Adopt an intersectional and intercultural approach when developing anti-racism actions and policies.

• Address questions of race equality within the institution’s strategic plans.

• Record student and staff data disaggregated by ethnicity to inform anti-racism policies and actions, and monitor retention and career outcomes for students and staff from ethnic minority groups including Travellers.

• Continue to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process for all staff, regardless of ethnicity.

• Address race equality issues in relation to progression and retention of students and staff from minority ethnic groups including Travellers.

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ATU Celebrates Black History Month This year the university’s campus libraries highlighted the many books staff and students can borrow to learn more about black history and race equality. On 18 October, ATU hosted a Black History Month discussion panel.

Also on 18 October, colleagues in ATU’s Teaching & Learning Office hosted a Webinar, entitled ‘Inclusion and Belonging in Higher Education: Exploring Race-Ethnicity to Build an Inclusive Campus’.

International Coming Out Day AURA, ATU’s LGBTQ+ & Allies Staff Network celebrated International Coming Out Day on 11 October by hosting information desks and Safe Space Cafés on several campuses to introduce the network to the university community and show that ATU is a safe and welcoming space for all.

Sexual Violence Awareness To help increase awareness on ways we can support someone if they disclose an experience of sexual violence, and to inform students and staff on ways to access supports, the Student Services and EDI teams organised Sexual Violence awareness events on 28 September on the Donegal, Sligo and Galway City campuses and on the Mayo campus on 4 October.

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in case they ever need to support a friend, colleague or student or if they need information for themselves. With the highest disclosure rates being to family and friends, we all have a role to play in being informed of the support services available in our community.

ATU recently appointed Ms Caitríona Gleeson as the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Manager in the university. She will work collaboratively across the ATU community and with external agencies to develop and lead the ATU programme towards ending sexual violence in all its forms including relationship abuse and sexual harassment.

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Mentoring in Third-level Education Newly appointed Education Mentoring Co-ordinator, Dr Celia Keenaghan talks to us about WNW Connect – A joint Higher Education Cluster Access Project between Atlantic Technological University and University of Galway.

Celia has been appointed to strategically align and communicate this project, to develop and share best practice and to provide guidance for future development of mentoring across ATU and University of Galway.

Some students will have had less access to mentors (particularly mentors with experience of higher education) in their life to date due to a range of circumstances. For example, research shows us that first generation third level students have less adults in their network with experience of third level education when compared to other students. This has impact at primary and secondary level when conversations are being had about future career and education options and at third level as they try to navigate terrain that is not only unfamiliar to them but also to many in their family and social network.

WNW Connect Mentoring Programme Mentoring is a word that we are all familiar with but probably all interpret slightly differently. It can also vary across contexts. The WNW Connect Mentoring Programme seeks to clarify our understanding and share best practice in Mentoring in the context of access to and participation in higher education.

WNW Connect Colleagues presenting at the first high-level mentoring event at the European Parliament, October 2023. Left to right: Dr Celia Keenaghan, Lisa Wallace and Róisín Farragher.

What is Mentoring?

Mentoring happens when someone with lived experience (the mentor), provides guidance, support or knowledge in a relationship that allows another person (the mentee) to navigate issues, options and decisions.

Why is Mentoring important in Higher Education Students who experience marginalisation (e.g., first-generation or low-income college students) are at greater risk for an array of mental health problems and poorer academic outcomes at university. Through the provision of formal mentoring programmes, the creation of mentorrich environments and supporting students to identify and access natural mentors within and outside of their community, we can rebalance and address some of the inequality experienced.

Mentoring has benefits for mentors and mentees that include personal development, skills development and a positive impact on emotional well-being and perceptions of the support available. It has also been demonstrated to lead to improvements in access to and participation in higher education, the level of education attained, success in the labour-market and improved socioeconomic status over time.

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Mentoring in ATU ATU has received funding through HEA PATH 3 that has enabled several mentoring projects to be set up across the Donegal, Sligo, Galway and Mayo campuses and also in University of Galway. Activities to date include: Community-Based Mentoring (Cranmore Sligo, Ballybane Galway) • One to one mentoring support to young people or adults in the community who want to take a next step in their education.

• Community Education, Learning Workshops and Events.

• FETAC Level 5 Component Award Community Mentoring & Advocacy Course.

Staff, students and community members at a WNW Connect Symposium in Sligo.

• Participation in relevant local community and interagency initiatives.

• Uni4U on campus programme: A programme in University of Galway for 6th class students from DEIS schools.

School-Based Mentoring • Radius Mentoring Galway: A collaboration between ATU Access, Participation Office Galway and the Department of Creative Arts and Media.

• Strive Mentoring Donegal: A mentoring programme for DEIS post-primary schools using a combination of Personal and Development Mentoring (PDM) and Academic and Employability Mentoring (AEM).

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College-Based Mentoring • Foróige College Mentoring programme (staff-student) in conjunction with ATU and University of Galway.

• ATS Mentoring University of Galway (peer mentoring started through PATH 3, now mainstreamed).

• University of Galway FET to HE workshops and events.

In future issues of our ATU Magazine we will bring you articles which will delve into the experience of the projects mentioned, share the learning from our research and from mentees, mentors and experts in the US and Europe. For further information or to share mentoring related activity that you are involved in please contact Dr Celia Keenaghan, Education Mentoring Co-ordinator.

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The Mentoring Process We all need mentors, and we can all be mentors. Here’s what some mentees and mentors say about their experience of the mentoring process.

“I found the mentoring great in adapting to college life, understanding time management and study plans and I gained confidence by having moral support.”

College Mentee

“I felt I’d been mentoring from a very young age, in my own way..., advising people ... this is what you do, this is where you go ... I wasn’t listening to the other person... but now I look at what they have, what we can build on, not just what I imagined for them ... the training gave me structure in the way I mentor people.”

Mentor

“Meeting my mentor every week has been a lifeline. I’m now seeing options where before I was only seeing obstacles in my life and I’m now studying at third level.”

Community Mentee

“I was a mentor on the Foróige College Mentoring programme and I was matched with a student who had similar experiences as I once had. I got as much out of the mentoring as the mentee did. It gave me great pleasure to be a person who could support them as they navigated their way through college.”

Mentor

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Research News Helping Communities find Solutions to Societal Challenges ATU researchers are among the final group of teams to recently join the National Challenge Fund. The fund sees researchers work on challenges aimed at helping Ireland prepare for its green transition and digital transformation. The researchers will come up with solutions to societal challenges through engagement and collaboration with communities.

Announcing the final group of teams on 11 September, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said: “The researchers are committing to solving long-term problems, but they need to develop their ideas quickly and validate their solutions to keep unlocking funding each year. This kind of solutions-driven research will help us to tackle the big societal changes we face as we become a green and digital country.”

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About the National Challenge Fund The National Challenge Fund is a €65 million programme established under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and funded by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility and managed by Science Foundation Ireland.

The Fund comprises eight individual challenges, three in digital transformation and five in green transition and will fund research teams with initial awards of up to €250k over 18 months.

Under each challenge selected teams will progress to secure follow-on funding of up to €500k and compete for prize awards of up to €2M. Researchers must engage directly with the potential beneficiaries of their inventions and solutions to make sure they are responding to the needs of the community.

For further information on the National Challenge Call, please click here.

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ATU research teams participating in the National Challenge Fund

Bridge management and infrastructure investment Led by Dr Amaya Vega, ATU Galway and Myra Lydon, University of Galway (pictured above), this project titled, “EMBRACE-Mobility” takes a community-centric approach to bridge management and infrastructure investment prioritisation to ensure the mobility needs of rural communities are taken into consideration.

“EMBRACE-Mobility will bring together transport researchers and rural communities in County Galway to understand the extent of the wider effects associated with bridge failure and to address the issue of climate adaptation and the sustainability of many rural communities.”

Reversing social isolation Led by ATU Sligo Engineering lecturer Dr Ruth Quinn and ATU Sligo Social Science lecturer Natalie Delimata (pictured above), this interdisciplinary project will explore how to address the dual issues of social isolation and environmental decline. It aims to support people’s mental and environmental health by empowering communities to create spaces that enable social connection through interaction with nature. This project will seek to gather local knowledge and expertise from local authorities, diverse organisations and communities interested in the environment.

“How these spaces will work and what they look like will emerge through a series of conversations where diverse groups of people, facilitated by an interdisciplinary team of specialists, will together co-design and co-create sustainable shared spaces that reflect the needs, wants and interests of the local community and the natural environment.”

Dr Ruth Quinn and Natalie Delimata

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Securing crops and soil health with sustainable fungicides ATU Sligo’s Shane O’Reilly (pictured above) and DCU’s Ruairí Brannigan’s project, named LeafLock, will develop biobased polymeric ‘stickers’ from unwanted biological by-products like woody biomass.

The NanoSA team lead by Dr Niall Maloney, ATU Galway (pictured above) and co-lead Professor Enda McGlynn, DCU, are working with team Societal Impact Champion Catherine McManus, Mowi Ireland to further improve the sustainability of the Irish Aquaculture Industry by developing technology for the rapid diagnosis of pathogenic infections at farm sites.

the real-world challenges faced when trying to diagnose infectious disease in aquaculture and ensure we can achieve maximum impact.”

Shane says: “By adding these novel stickers into antifungal formulations, the LeafLock team aims to increase the effectiveness of fungicides and reduce the environmental burden in terms of emissions and contamination of soil with harmful compounds.”

“Current methods for the diagnosis of pathogens in aquaculture are time consuming and are carried out in laboratories that are The team will develop a test that works sometimes far from farm sites.

By developing technology for in a similar fashion to the COVID-19 tests that were used in homes and use directly at the farm site we workplaces throughout the pandemic can reduce sample to answer but with some modifications. They times and ensure more timely will engage with stakeholders and and appropriate disease potential beneficiaries to ensure they management practices can be are making informed decisions on the implemented.” future direction of the project.

“Over the coming months, we will be engaging with stakeholders with an interest and expertise in the agrifood industry, and people who may be impacted by this problem including farmers, as well as relevant government departments and agencies and others who manage crops and soils in various ways.”

Niall says: “This type of engagement will ensure that we focus our efforts on

Dr Niall Maloney

Detecting disease in fish

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Shane O’Reilly

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Collaborative Robotic System for manufacturing tasks Dr Philip Long, ATU Galway is working with Dr Maria Chiara Leva from TU Dublin on ROBOMATE – a collaborative robotic system for manufacturing tasks.

Ireland’s manufacturing sector is hugely important contributing to almost 40% of the country’s GDP and 12% of total employment. Yet the sector has a strong reliance on manual labour, including many roles that are physically challenging and repetitive.

The challenge we face is the lack of robotics and automation solutions for manufacturing tasks in Ireland and the growing dependence on an ageing workforce to execute these tasks.

The proposed solution is an accessible, easily deployed collaborative robotic system which functions as a smart tool, able to be

programmed to execute repetitive tasks by operators regardless of background, age, abilities or disabilities.

“Robotics and Automation is undergoing a transformation powered by new sensors and machine learning algorithms.

Up until recently, automation has been limited to use in high-volume manufacturing

and setup by an expert programmer. This means it is often out of reach for SMEs. In the Robomate project, we’re developing a solution to allow workers in manufacturing, without any programming knowledge, to teach a robot task simply by demonstration as they would any other coworker. These techniques will allow companies to invest in robotics like any other tool safe in the knowledge that they can re-deploy it for different operations and product types while improving ergonomics for workers on the floor.”

Dr Philip Long

Smart farming action plans to address climate changes Dr Salem Gharbia and Dr Iulia Anton, ATU Sligo are working on a digital tool for smart farming to improve sustainability and reduce carbon footprint in the Irish horticulture and tillage sector.

This project addresses the challenges of climate change by providing smallscale horticulture/tillage farmers with a digital platform to assess their carbon footprint and come up with smart farming action plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and become more climate resilient.

By involving communities in the co-

to gain invaluable insights into their needs and the challenges they face. Farmers are not just aware of the urgency to reduce greenhouse “In our mission to combat climate change in horticulture gas emissions; they are enthusiastic about embracing and tillage farms, we are smart farming technologies. proud to partner with This collective determination Sligo County Council and fuels us to be wholeheartedly its Climate Action Office, committed to co-creating aligning our efforts to create a sustainable future. Together an affordable, reliable, and with my research team here at effective digital solution.

ATU, we engaged stakeholders The potential impact of our project on reducing emissions and enhancing agricultural practices is promising.

We eagerly anticipate the transformative journey ahead.” creation of this digital tool, the project can raise awareness of the climate crisis and sustainable approaches can be adopted.

Dr Salem Gharbia and his research team.

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Spotlight on Research at St Angelas

Dr Kathryn Mc Sweeney is working on a research project which investigates using traditional textile costume techniques to inspire creative responses and inform understanding of the design and creative process. * She is collaborating with colleagues at the University of Malta and the University of Helsinki. The Creative (CREA) Europe Programme (EC) is funding this research to the value of €200,000.

What are your main research interests?

My research interests include assessment, pedagogy, curriculum, and human ecological studies.

My most recent research focuses on teaching approaches, global citizenship education pedagogy, the use of lesson study to promote teacher professional learning and the development of design and creative thinking.

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Tell us about your latest research project?

Traditional crafts and costumes are a basic form and element of our traditional culture. They are of historical and cultural significance.

This project will investigate traditional crafts and costumes and promote their cultural heritage; ensure the continuing transfer of craft skills and knowledge; and promote modern, innovative, and sustainable responses in an educational and design context. It will encourage creativity as the textile artefacts will be used as inspiration. Original and innovative design responses will be encouraged and supported.

What is the aim of the project?

The project aims to promote textile cultural heritage through education.

The initiative fosters creative interaction and provides space for innovation. It will stimulate design and creative thinking and result in

innovative and creative responses in a contemporary context.

Why is this research important?

The research will reveal specific characteristics of traditional costumes from each participating country.

The costume design analyses will promote and safeguard the tangible heritage of each country. It will enable the recognition of historical styles and design features. Additionally, it will stimulate personal interest in traditional costume and craft design.

The project will support the generation of innovative and creative responses to traditional techniques and designs.

It will involve the generation of new educational resources that should promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and individual creativity.

How are you carrying out your research?

An element of the project includes desk-based research on traditional

“ This project is unique in that traditional

textile artefacts are used to foster an appreciation of our tangible cultural heritage and stimulate creativity and innovation. The application of design thinking and the development of creative thinking and skills will be a focus of the workshop phase of the project. ” Dr Kathryn McSweeney

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Left to right: Dr Kathryn McSweeney and Rosemary Cathcart from the Sheelin Lace Museum.

A sample of Carrickmacross Lace.

costumes that contribute to our cultural heritage. This task involves researching archival collections, libraries, museums, and galleries, in addition to a literature review.

Deconstruction techniques and 3-dimensional costume analysis will be used on selected artefacts to provide further insight into structural and design processes. Additionally, the development of creative and design thinking will be a focus during the workshop and dissemination phase of the project.

About Dr Kathryn McSweeney Dr Kathryn McSweeney is a lecturer in education at St Angelas. Kathryn’s B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees were awarded by Trinity College, Dublin. Her Ph.D. study (2014) with the University of Stirling focused on the impact of assessment on teaching and learning. She recently completed her MSc in Education and Training Management (Leadership) with DCU.

We will offer workshops to students and teachers from local schools, ATU students, and the public. These workshops will foster creative interaction and provide space for innovation. Traditions will be used as a starting point, and new textile and fashion innovations and creative responses will be supported. Traditional concepts will be transferred into contemporary and novel designs, and sustainable media will be used to create novel designs and prototypes.

How will you use your findings?

Outcomes will be disseminated through publication, digital recordings/ podcasts, educational workshops, exhibitions, and an online international workshop and digital exhibition.

*Grant Agreement: 101099726 – TRACtion [Tradition in Action] – CREA-CULT-2022-COOP

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Making Publicly Funded Research Easily Accessible Ireland’s five technological universities (TUs) have launched a joint initiative aiming to advance excellence in Open Research, making it reproducible and accessible without additional cost to the public.

TU-NET, launched on 8 September 2023 by Professor Philip Nolan, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, at TUS’s Athlone Campus, goes towards meeting national targets of 100% of taxpayer funded research to be made available to the public by 2030.

Much of the publicly funded research is currently inaccessible to the public without an individual or institutional paid access. TU-NET, an initiative by TU Dublin, TUS, MTU, SETU and ATU’s research offices and libraries, aims to change this while also advancing excellence in Open Research.

The TU-NET initiative will increase visibility and discoverability of the diverse, applied and near-to-market research typically undertaken in TUs, as well as make it easier for other researchers nationally and globally to access and engage with their research outputs.

As much as 75% of the research outputs of the TU sector are applied, like software and datasets, which are not published through traditional channels but have a significant research impact. A first-of-its-kind joint

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statement signed today by all five TU presidents demonstrates a shared commitment to meeting ambitious TU and national targets for research.

“ Initiatives

such as TU-NET demonstrate how the technological universities are progressing their own transition to an Open Research environment and are identifying the skills and infrastructure to operate in this landscape. ” Professor Philip Nolan, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland

Welcoming the launch of TU-NET, ATU President Dr Orla Flynn said: “Today we reaffirm our collective commitment to achieving ambitious targets, both within our technological universities and for the nation at large. The journey ahead is one of openness, innovation, and collaboration, and we are excited to pave the way for a more inclusive and accessible research landscape.”

TU-NET’s Chair Frances Madden, who is also Assistant Head of Library Services: Research Services, TU Dublin, said: “TU-NET’s ambition is for every researcher, staff and student, in Irish technological universities to conduct their research with the highest standards of research integrity and reproducibility. By creating shared expertise and surrounding infrastructure for Open Research across the sector, we plan to enable that facility.”

To find out more and to read the full TU-NET Open Research Statement please click here.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Innovation and Engagement ATU Spirit of Entrepreneurship Event Now in its 15th year, the annual Spirit of Entrepreneurship event was back onsite at ATU on the Mayo campus on Monday, 2 October 2023.

The evening was hosted by Susan Hayes Culleton, The Positive Economist. Attendees at the event gained valuable and practical takeaways about starting or navigating a business.

One local entrepreneur on the panel was Harry Hughes who was awarded the EY entrepreneur of the year in 2017 and represented Ireland in EY’s World Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 in Monaco. He is recognised as a visionary leader who has built a world class business alongside his brothers, Cathal and Owen. Portwest trades in 130 countries, continues to grow at over 20% per annum and now employs over 5,000 people worldwide.

Other speakers included Noreen Hackett, Advanced Cosmetics, the overall winner of this year’s National Enterprise Awards; Colm O’ Brien from Carambola which is a €12m schools meals company employing 200 people; Tracey Sweeney, Creative and Design Studio Director at Nigel Reilly Goldsmith & Tracey Sweeney Fine Art Studio; Matt Conlon from Cytidel, a cyber security company and Helen Nolan the Co-Founder & CEO of the multi-awardwinning Social Enterprise Spraoi agus Spórt in Carndonagh, Co Donegal.

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Event was established in 2006. Now running for over 15 years, the event regularly attracts hundreds of people. Invited speakers share their experiences of establishing and running a business, including the many challenges and lessons learned. The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Mayo is a proud partner of the event.

John Magee, Head of Enterprise, LEO Mayo, said: “LEO Mayo was delighted to support this year’s Spirit event. It is

Left to right: Noreen Hackett, CEO and Founder Advanced Cosmetics; Matt Conlon, CEO and Founder Cytidel; Colm O Brien, CEO and Founder Carambola; Helen Nolan, CEO Spraoi agus Spórt; Harry Hughes, CEO Portwest; Tracey Sweeney, Creative and Design Studio Director at Nigel Reilly Goldsmith and Tracey Sweeney, Fine Art Studio.

so important for entrepreneurs to learn from the successes and failures of others. There are many challenges and incredible opportunities for businesses today in an ever-changing world.

Resilience, belief and discipline were the themes of the day and there were so many nuggets of wisdom and insight.”

“ It was one of our

best events yet with so many insights such as listening to your customers rather than what you want to hear, making decisions on where you want to be in the long term and ensuring to bring in the right people into your organisation which enables adaptability beyond yourself. This event looked at character traits needed to be an entrepreneur and supports available to help you grow your business. ” Maria Staunton, Manager, ATU Hub Mayo

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Student Inc. Final Showcase ATU students travelled to MTU Cork to pitch their ideas at the final showcase of the Student Inc. programme in August 2023.

The Student Inc. programme provides students with the opportunity to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and aims not only to improve participants’ future careers but also to provide insight into the possibility of starting their own business.

This innovative collaboration sees several universities come together to make this opportunity available to students from 15 campuses across the island of Ireland.

From 70 applicants nationwide, 30 students were chosen from the partner universities for this year’s Student Inc. programme. The students came from a wide range of courses including tourism, engineering, multimedia, computer science and the range of students included those who have just completed first year through to those completing a Masters programme.

Each successful participant was awarded €4,000 in seed funding, expert mentoring and training, access to university research centres, introductions to a network of international entrepreneurs and investors, and office space.

Since May, students worked with expert trainers and mentors to help them develop their business ideas in the CoLab incubation centre, based on our ATU Donegal Letterkenny campus. ATU also hosted three

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Student Inc participants pictured with MTU President Prof. Maggie Cusack. students from UL and TUS in our Sligo Innovation Centre, as they chose to return to their home county to take part.

At the final showcase in Cork, two teams of ATU students pitched their business ideas and met with fellow participants from other universities taking part.

Eve-Anne McCarron, External Engagement Manager, ATU said: “At ATU we want to support our students in developing critical skills and networks which will help them thrive and grow personally and professionally. Being involved in Student Inc. is the perfect way to do this. Student Inc. is part of a wider plan in developing the entrepreneurial mindset of our students to awaken their interest in potentially starting a business, but more importantly in helping them become the ambitious problem solvers that our region needs to be sustainable for many years to come.

We look forward to working with our partner universities to bring Student Inc. to ATU for the summer of 2024.”

Anyone interesting in finding out more about our student entrepreneurship initiatives, can email Eve–Anne McCarron at eveanne.mccarron@atu.ie

THE FUTURE IS HERE

ATU Students’ Business Ideas Team Science Horizon A digital platform using animation and storytelling to educate children in STEM subjects and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Led by Kyle Harvey, now a second year Science student in ATU Donegal, teamed with Leon McKinley Duncan a second year Digital Media and Animation student.

Team Pixie Your Virtual Visitor Centre - An AI driven digital platform, which allows tourists to have a positive visitor experience at sites which don’t have an actual visitor centre. It offers them enhanced AI photography tools, virtual tour assistance and shop to ship their personalised goods from.

Led by Balasundaram Krishnakumar, MSc Cyber Security, ATU Donegal and teamed with Kaiser Nath Patnaik, MSc AI Research and Vijaykumar Rajendran, MSc DevOps.

“The Student Inc. entrepreneurship program offered a well-balanced mix of theory and practical exercises. It covers essential topics like business planning, funding, and marketing.

The Customer Discovery and Surveys gave us so much insight into our ideas. The instructors were knowledgeable, providing real-world examples that enrich learning. Assignments were handson, encouraging practical application. Fail Fast and Learn Fast were the key here. Overall, it is a valuable course for aspiring entrepreneurs.”

Balasundaram Krishnakumar, Team Pixie

“With Student Inc. I found great connections and experience that has created a foundation for the rest of my professional and personal life.”

Kyle Harvey, Team Science Horizon

Left to right: Kaiser Nath Patnaik, Vijaykumar Rajendran, Balasundaram Krishnakumar, Eve – Anne McCarron, Kyle Harvey and Leon McKinley Duncan.

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ATU Student Entrepreneur Camps ATU secured funding from the HEA to run student entrepreneurship camps across the university in 2023. The camps were for secondary school students, with the ambition of introducing them to ATU while developing their entrepreneurial mindset.

ATU Mayo Young Entrepreneur Programme

ATU Galway City YEP! Architectural Technology Summer Camps 21 students attended ATU Galway City’s Architectural Technology Summer Camps from 12-16 June, led

by Irene Hayden. Students came from Delivering Equality of Opportunity In Schools (DEIS) schools and other secondary schools across Galway, Clare, Mayo, and Arklow.

Students engaged in practical activities, from design understanding and idea generation, sketching during walking tours and site visits, sketch design and model making using a variety of materials, involving groupwork, 2D and 3D illustration and design, and digital transformation.

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Prizes were awarded to three groups based on the quality of the architectural technology designs and/ or business designs and their pitching of those ideas to a small panel of judges.

Students got an opportunity to work in teams setting up their own business. They attended lectures, worked in the IT laboratories, engaged with guest speakers including Maria Staunton, Aidan Corcoran, Donal Vaughan, Cora Mulroy and Darren Forde. At the end of the week, they were presented with prizes of €500 by Caroline Clarke, Declan Hoban and Michael Gill, Department of Organisational Development.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

ATU Sligo Bright Spark Entrepreneurship Summer Programme ATU Sligo Innovation Centre in collaboration with Native Speaker delivered the Bright Spark Entrepreneurship Summer Programme for second Level students, from 19-23 June. The programme was led by Ceola McLynn and the team at the Innovation centre.

The programme focused on introducing the group to the technical skills around developing and presenting ideas that either have business potential or altruistic benefit to society. Students had access to the Mac Lab on the Sligo campus. They were put into groups to generate ideas for their presentations and gain experience in the process of presenting their story in a way that can be transferred to print, web or social media.

Their daily routine was punctuated with fun aspects of digital media to maintain engagement with many of them developing highly original animations for their presentations.

The students made their final presentations to a team of judges, and despite their nerves, they rose to the occasion and displayed the skills they had gained during the programme to a high standard.

“ It’s brilliant to see the work being done by our academic staff across ATU to encourage and support the development of the entrepreneurial mindset in these young people from our local secondary schools. I’m particularly delighted to be able to bring together colleagues from Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, to share experience and insight and allow us to build a broad offering for Young Entrepreneurs across the whole of ATU. These unique summer camps, offer students the opportunity to explore the world of third level education and get a sense of the spirit of entrepreneurship which is being nurtured at ATU. ” Eve-Anne McCarron, External Engagement Manager, ATU

ATU Donegal DICE TY Academy Camps The DICE Transition Year (TY) Academy kicked off in Letterkenny on 18 September and saw 140 students from seven schools come together to attend a masterclass in Design Thinking. This is the first step in the delivery of the UNIQUE process, which was designed and delivered by ATU staff, Crona Donoghue and Tena Patton.

Over the course of five days, delivered over six weeks, the students were emersed in a design thinking process, working collaboratively in teams to develop solutions to challenges set by industry and community partners.

The ambition was to develop their entrepreneurial mindset and critical skills and give them a sense of the entrepreneurial pathway that is available to them in ATU.

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ICT Summer Campus ATU ran a series of educational summer camps in technology and computer science on its Galway, Sligo and Donegal campuses.

The summer camps offered an array of topics including game development, robotics, digital construction, and computer programming.

Thanks to funding provided by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), these camps were free of charge to the participants.

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The summer camps went above and beyond to ensure gender balance among participants, fostering an inclusive environment that encourages all students to explore and excel in the field of technology.

Applicants from DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity In Schools) schools were given priority, reflecting ATU’s commitment to bridging educational gaps and providing equal opportunities to all.

Participants had the chance to network with like-minded individuals, sharing their passions and ideas.

Through teamwork, collaboration, and the realisation of fantastic projects, the campers gained a deeper understanding of the potential that technology holds for their future endeavours.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Creating Innovative Programmes – Higher Education 4.0 Noel Mulkeen, Higher Education 4.0 Innovation Manager writes on the progress to date under the Innovation Theme in the Higher Education 4.0 project.

The higher education landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by rapid technological advancements, and shifting demands from students and employers. The Higher Education 4.0 project aims to respond to this transformation by supporting learners, employers and academic teams in navigating this changing environment.

Creating Innovative Programmes At its core, the Innovation Theme in Higher Education 4.0 is building programmes that respond to the needs of both learners and enterprise.

This requires a focus on what our region will need in the future; open and frank collaboration with industry partners; and ensuring that we have the technology and policies in place to support our academic teams in producing state of the art programmes.

Together with our academic partners, and a range of external stakeholders, we have already created multiple Work Based Learning degrees and our first learner cohorts have already taken up their placements.

We are also working towards a Project Based Learning Engineering degree in collaboration with international colleagues in Denmark and Holland.

The first year of the programme will function as a common entry to second year across a range of engineering disciplines including Mechanical, Civil, Biomedical, Manufacturing, Electrical and Agricultural. We are also innovating in major awards, minor awards and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

Higher Education 4.0 Innovation Team

Finally, we are producing a range of Reusable Learning Modules and hundreds of Reusable Learning Objects. We plan to highlight some of these innovations over the coming months through various channels, including this one, so watch this space. None of this would be possible without the dedication and drive of our academic partners so hats off to all of them for showing such enthusiasm and commitment.

The instructional design team, which consists of a Senior Instructional Designer, and nine Instructional and Assistant Instructional Designers have honed the process of producing world class instructional material in very short timeframes. Our technical officer for the project has aligned every innovation project with the best IT infrastructure for the purpose at hand, from Remote Labs software to Digital Credential software to VR platforms.

To help produce these programmes, we have combined the skills of our Higher Education 4.0 innovation teams, appropriate software infrastructure and innovative processes.

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A great example of the type of technology projects we are working on is Maker Space, a cross campus initiative to help both ATU and transition year students in the region access Maker equipment (3D printers, Laser cutters, Robotics etc).

It combines learning, technology and creativity to help students engage in STEM subjects.

We are also in the process of installing professional recording studios in all campuses. The aim is to facilitate the production of improved video content while at the same time making it more convenient for academics to access the studios.

Challenges We are in the third year of this fouryear Higher Education project. Yes, there have been challenges along the way and we have not yet achieved all our deliverables even if we are very confident that we will.

Jake Conway, Innovation Intern, tests the new recording studio.

“ In previous roles I have led innovation

teams at micro, medium and large enterprises.

A common theme I have experienced with A challenge for our project, and Higher those teams, and the teams I collaborate with Education in general, relates to the fact that technology is evolving so rapidly. at ATU, is the desire to create, to improve and Given the sector that we operate in, to deliver best-in-class results. Building on all it is vital that we respect and comply with ATU and government regulations the great work that has been done in Higher around software, data protection Education 4.0, ATU now has an opportunity and procurement. How we balance this with the demand from learners to move beyond being responsive, to extend and industry to be fast, agile and its ambition, to embrace change and become responsive is going to be an ongoing challenge. drivers of innovation in higher education.

When we speak of challenges, we An exciting journey! ” can’t but mention Artificial Intelligence (AI). We believe it’s about finding the right balance, making sure that we can harness all the opportunities that AI brings while making sure that we mitigate for the less beneficial aspects.

This is why funding for projects like Higher Education 4.0 is so important, it allows us to innovate and learn via trial and error in a way that wouldn’t be possible without additional support.

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Noel Mulkeen, Higher Education 4.0 Innovation Manager

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Community Engagement

St Angela’s Students and Staff Visit to Uganda

Flying the flag for St Angelas at a Health Clinic in Oukut Village, left to right: Nursing Student Emily Kelly; Programme Co-ordinator Seán Kelly, Nursing Students Éabha Heffron, Sorcha Higgins and Erin Russell; and Head of School, Dr Edel McSharry.

This summer, four student nurses and two staff from St Angelas, visited rural districts of Uganda to participate in humanitarian community engagement projects where they delivered general health check clinics and vision assessments in several locations from Entebbe to Soroti, and beyond.

In preparation for the trip, several fundraising activities took place which meant the team could financially support initiatives on the ground in Uganda and all through a reputable community leader and founding

director of NGO ‘Bright Kids Uganda’, Dr Victoria Nalongo Namusisi.

The St Angelas team brought donations and purchased items through local businesses in Entebbe.

These included mattresses, blankets and mosquito nets for children’s dorms, educational supplies, a range of medical supplies and much needed drugs. They also secured 50 fruit trees and equipment for solar energy harvesting to allow for the opening of a new health clinic.

In addition, the team delivered hundreds of donated eyeglasses to those who needed them. Generous donations also funded a year’s salary for two full-time care support staff and one full-time nurse.

Dr Victoria Nalongo Namusisi welcomed the new partnership with

St Angelas and said: “I assure you that these donations will go a long way towards improving the children’s lives both at Bright Kids Uganda and Noah’s Ark Inclusive School for Disabled Children”.

As the recipient of the 2023 African Humanitarian Award, Victoria is an advocate for promoting international students’ experiential learning in Uganda. Her vision is to ensure students and volunteers can feel a part of the community when they visit.

Head of School of Nursing, Health Sciences and Disability Studies at St Angelas, Dr Edel McSharry, described her experience saying: “Meeting people who live with very little but yet can smile and show their affection and appreciation, is something that will stay with us as a team.”

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“Our students took the time to listen and did whatever they could to help in every interaction they had with the children and the people they met and worked with. This is at the very core of what a good nurse is, and I have no doubt that this experience has changed our students’ perspective and understanding of the challenges people in developing countries face. The learning they gained and compassionate approach they practiced when in Uganda will stand to them in their future nursing careers.”

Dr Edel McSharry, Head of School of Nursing, Health Sciences and Disability Studies, St Angelas

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Student nurses also presented nutrition and health workshops at a health conference to promote maternal and child health.

The Uganda programme came about through a personal experience that the Programme Co-ordinator, Seán Kelly, had in 2017. He said: “Getting to reconnect with strong community leaders like Victoria is key to the success of any efforts we make.

Maintaining these relationships and contributing responsibly and sustainably can mean a brighter future for those we work with, and one which St Angelas and ATU can be proud to continue with.”

The St Angela’s team wish to thank everyone who donated generously including local Sligo opticians as well as many other businesses.

St Angela’s Ugandan Programme Co-ordinator, Seán Kelly, with Dr Victoria Nalongo Namusisi, Founding Director of Bright Kids Uganda and African Humanitarian Award 2023 recipient.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

Connacht Rugby and ATU Partnership Flourishes The initial partnership between Connacht Rugby and ATU commenced in 2019 and involves the sharing of knowledge and expertise across the areas of sport and exercise science, sports management, strength and conditioning, and nutrition.

This summer 140 players – male and female - trained in ATU across the U19s, U18s and U17s squads. A 10week boys programme commenced on 19 June with an 11-week U18 Girls programme starting two days later.

The players availed of the high-class sports facilities at ATU’s Galway city campus, including the sports arena and the sports field for all gym and onfield training. Lecture theatres and the campus canteens were also used for team meetings, workshops, and rest and recovery periods.

Because of this partnership, ATU students have been able to avail of research opportunities that will also benefit departments throughout Connacht Rugby, and enabled learning opportunities for staff and players in Connacht Rugby across the broad prospectus of undergraduate and post-graduate courses at the university.

Left to right: Joe Gorham, Head of Rugby Development, Connacht Rugby; Sarah Purcell, Creggs RFC; Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President; Jack Wise, Galway Corinthians RFC and Ella Burns, Tuam RFC / Oughterard RFC.

“We, at ATU, are delighted with the partnership we have with Connacht Rugby.

Our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the areas of Sport and Exercise Science, Coaching and Nutrition benefit greatly from interactions and insights with a professional sporting organisation.”

“Our partnership with ATU has been more successful than we ever thought possible.

For the last few years, the brightest rugby talents in Connacht have been able to avail of the fantastic facilities ATU has to offer. It has given them a platform to showcase their skills and continue their development.”

Dr Lisa Ryan, Head of ATU School of Science and Computing

Joe Gorham, Head of Rugby Development at Connacht Rugby

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ATU Conferences

National Innovate Care Conference ATU Sligo hosted ATU’s inaugural national health innovate conference on 19-20 June 2023. The conference focused on evidencebased approaches for embedding innovation into new models of care that are person-centred in Ireland.

Person-centred models of care involve patients and their carers in the process of planning, implementing and auditing how their illness is managed.

These types of models give patients and carers a voice and assist with enhancing patient empowerment, leading to better disease management and improved quality of life.

The two-day conference brought together stakeholders involved in the delivery of healthcare in Ireland with the aim to strengthen national networks of health researchers across the country. These included academics, clinicians, allied healthcare professionals, decisions makers and patients and their carers.

The National Innovate Care Conference organising committee pictured with guest speakers at the event.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to current research in innovation in patient-centred care models. In addition to keynote presentations by leading researchers the conference also gave patient representatives an opportunity to give their perspectives on the challenges experienced in the delivery of care across Ireland.

ATU were awarded funding for the conference under the Health Research Board (HRB) Conference and Events Sponsorship (CES) Scheme award. ATU were the only technological university in Ireland to receive the award highlighting the strength and diversity of Health Research across ATU.

The event provided an opportunity to showcase contemporary, evidencebased research in innovative practices; understand the scope of current health research activity; foster an ethos of collaboration and integration; and develop future research agenda for improving health practices and healthcare delivery by moving to a patient-centred approach.

“This conference was attended by academics, clinical professionals and policy makers across the island of Ireland.

On the first day of the conference, It included invited external speakers from University of Ulster, early career research sessions gave Queen’s University Belfast, University of Galway and patient junior researchers the opportunity advocacy groups. Four ATU health researchers also presented. to present work-in-progress and get The conference was very successful, and we were delighted valuable feedback from a panel of experts as well as from representatives with the 100+ attendees and engagement.” of the patient and public community.

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Dr Richéal Burns, member of the conference’s organising committee

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ASIA Matters

About Asia Matters

Growing Global Business from Ireland’s North West Knowledge Hub ATU hosted a session of the Asia Matters Business Summit Donegal which took place in Letterkenny on 2-3 October.

Under the theme of Growing Global Business from the North West Knowledge Hub, the summit promoted the unique strengths of the north-west region, cross border partnership and the knowledge driven opportunities to grow global and Asian business.

ATU and the Compliance Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the summit.

The Compliance Institute is the professional body for compliance professionals. With over 3,250 members, it provides education and professional development in compliance, providing an authoritative voice on matters relating to regulatory compliance and business ethics in industry in Ireland.

Asia Matters is Ireland’s recognised Centre of Excellence for Asia Business Knowledge & Partnership.

Founded in 2012 by the late Dr T.P Hardiman, Alan Dukes and Martin Murray; Asia Matters is focused on building dynamic business links and informed understanding between Asia, EU and Ireland to drive win-win partnerships and economic growth.

Asia Matters work with members and key stakeholders in Ireland, the EU, US and Asia and Global Institutions to deliver Strategic Market Insight, Business Networks, Partnership, Cultural Business Knowledge and the Asian perspective.

The summit was opened by Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 2 October.

Speakers included Declan Hughes, Secretary General, Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment; Martin McVicar, CEO and Co-Founder, Combilift Ltd; Ronan Doherty, CEO, ElectroRoute and June Butler, CEO, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland. At the summit, Declan Hughes noted that two-way trade between Ireland and Asia is now worth €120 billion.

ATU President Dr Orla Flynn gave the opening address on the second day of the summit. She spoke on the role of higher education quality and talent as investment drivers.

Left to right: Asia Matters’ chair Alan Dukes; Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue; Secretary General, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Declan Hughes; Samantha Hobbs, Director of Corporate Affairs, Asia Matters; and Director of Regional and Community Development, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Rónán Mac Con Iomaire, at the Asia Matters conference. Photo: Asia Matters Pictured at the Asia Matters Business Summit were left to right: Michael Kavanagh, CEO, Compliance Institute; Alan Dukes, Chairman, Asia Matters; Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President; H.E. Paul Johnston, the British Ambassador to Ireland; Diarmuid Whyte, President, Compliance Institute; Martin Murray, Executive Director, Asia Matters and Paul Hannigan, Head of ATU Donegal.

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ATU Assessment Hackathon How can we design academically integral, authentic and sustainable assessment for all in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The inaugural ATU Assessment Hackathon took place on 6 September, with 169 students and staff participating simultaneously onsite in Donegal, Galway, and Sligo.

The day kicked-off with a LEGO® Serious Play icebreaker facilitated

by Ken McCarthy from South East Technological University (SETU) followed by a Challenge-based Learning (CBL) framed hackathon led by Noreen Henry, Academic Developer on N-TUTORR. The ambitious mission for participants was to address the big idea: Academically integral, authentic, and sustainable assessment for all in the age of AI. The event was structured around an assessment hackathon game card, designed by the N-TUTORR academic development team. Participants were equipped with an array of Learning, Teaching and Assessment (LTA) resources to aid them in the successful completion of their task, including A-Z Assessment Types directory presented as a deck of cards and a Learning Outcomes Game Card.

The Hackathon consisted of three phases:

Engage: Participants worked together to identify their specific challenge based on the big idea, “Academically integral, authentic, and sustainable assessment for all in the age of AI”. Once each team had agreed their specific challenge statement they progressed to the next phase.

Investigate: At this point teams delved further into their agreed challenge statement, considering both the student and educators’ perspectives.

Act: For the final phase, the team developed and presented their solution in the form of an assessment brief.

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In total the teams generated 19 innovative assessments briefs which are currently being collated and documented. They will be made available and published widely through the N-TUTORR partner network in the coming months in the form of an interactive flip book and education toolkit titled ‘Big Ideas on Assessment’.

Leaders in the field of assessment in higher education, Professor Gilly Salmon in Sligo, Sheila MacNeill in Donegal, Sue Beckingham in Galway, the local ATU Teaching and Learning Centres and N-TUTORR project team supported Hackathon participants at each location. The custom-designed CBL gameboard served not only as a guide for the day’s activities, but as a recorded artefact of each teams’ achievements. These outputs were in

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turn shared digitally through an ATU Padlet board.

Hackathon Galway

Many thanks to the N-TUTORR team and the Teaching and Learning Centre for the planning and coordination of this special development day. The idea for an Assessment Hackathon at ATU arose from research and collaborating with University College London, State University of New York Empire State College and DCU Teaching Enhancement Unit.

For insight into the day see the hashtag #ATUHack23 on social media. To find out more about N-TUTORR in ATU please click here.

Hackathon Donegal

Hackathon Sligo

Hackathon spot prize winner, Joshua Gallon, 4th year ATU Sligo student on the BSc in Forensic Investigation and Analysis programme.

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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

InterACT Summer School

In July, ATU Donegal hosted the InterACT Summer School organised

by Loughborough Business School, UK, and ATU’s research group OSCAR (Operations and Supply Chain Research).

The event brought together 35 early career researchers from various schools, all focused on researching manufacturing and industrial digital technology. The workshops delivered at the event included themes such as the future of the economy, the future of manufacturing ecosystems and the future of work.

As part of the event, participants had the opportunity to visit two companies: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Letterkenny and Coca-Cola in Ballina.

TCS, a global leader in IT services and business solutions, holds the esteemed title of Global Top Employer, awarded by the prestigious Top Employers Institute. Their unwavering dedication to quality employees and their relentless pursuit of excellence left an indelible impression on the summer school participants.

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The Coca-Cola Ballina Facility, recognised by the World Economic Forum as one of the world’s most advanced manufacturers in terms of digitalisation, provided a first-hand look at cutting-edge automation in production, warehousing, and the workplace.

In September the OSCAR group had the pleasure of having Prof. María Montes-Sancho, from Universidad Carlos III, Spain for a full-week of training in the statistical software package STATA and in statistical models in supply chain research.

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Home Economics in a Time of Transformation The 25th World Congress of the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) will be hosted by the National Centre of Excellence for Home Economics (St Angelas) from 23-28 June 2024 in Galway.

The theme for the Congress is “Home Economics in a Time of Transformation: Bridging the Past - Charting the Future”. The social disruption and consequences of the pandemic are not yet well understood but it is accepted that this era has triggered new behaviours and ways of living. Home Economics can play a progressive role in shaping a more positive human experience and determining how we can address global issues that concern sustainable and healthy everyday living.

Dr Amanda McCloat, St Angelas President says: “Our National Centre of Excellence for Home Economics here at St Angelas is delighted to have

secured the winning bid to host this prestigious event and extend a warm welcome to colleagues to Galway in June 2024. It promises to be an exciting and engaging event and we acknowledge the support given to us

by Fáilte Ireland.”

Dr McCloat will also become IFHE President in January 2024 and will hold the position until 2028. She says: “It is a great honour to become the next President of this International Federation and I look forward to working with the Executive and professionals from across the world to advocate for practices and research to enhance the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, communities and society as a whole.”

The call for abstracts for IFHE Congress 2024 is currently open to professionals, researchers, practitioners and students. For more information, please click here.

About the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) Established in 1908, IFHE is a politically independent and secular international, nonprofit organisation which holds consultative status with the United Nations. It is the only international organisation for Home Economics and related fields with the federation connecting individuals and organisations from over 70 countries and multiple disciplines.

IFHE members are students and professionals representing academia, community services, education, agricultural extension, businesses, government, health services, among others, with a focus in research, education and service, working towards improving the quality of everyday life for individuals, families and households and it has a membership base of over 1600.

Left to right: Dr Helen Maguire, Head of School of Home Economics and Dr Amanda McCloat, President, St Angelas and President-Elect, IFHE Issue Ten October 2023 | 42

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

ATU Celebrates ATU Global Launch ATU launched ATU Global at the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference in Rotterdam on 28 September.

The ATU Global team welcomed guests from Europe, Canada, Asia, Africa, and America to the launch event and spoke about the importance of building networks and

working collaboratively to address global challenges.

At the Conference, the ATU Global team met with existing partners and fostered new relationships, signing academic agreements with Canadian Colleges, Douglas College in BC, and Centennial College in Ontario. For further information please click here.

John Joe O’Farrell, Director, International Engagement ATU Galway at the launch of ATU Global.

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Recent International Visits to ATU The Ambassador of Estonia to Ireland, Mrs Kairi Kunka and Senator Gerard P. Craughwell visited ATU Galway City campus on 12 September where they were hosted by Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President to discuss collaborations with universities in Estonia, focussing specifically on cyber security, of which Estonian universities are European leaders.

Pictured left to right: Mrs Kairi Kunka and Dr Orla Flynn.

On 12 September, ATU Mayo welcomed the Ambassador of Latvia, H.E. Mr. Juris Štālmeistars to explore bilateral cooperation between ATU and Latvian Universities.

Pictured left to right: Ambassador of Latvia, H.E. Mr. Juris Štālmeistars; Dr Justin Kerr, Vice President ATU Mayo Campus; Christina Larkin, Michael Gill; John Andy Bonar, Vice President for Research, Equality & External Affairs at ATU.

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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

Fissure Art Exhibition Fissure, an exciting exhibition by graduates of the MA in Creative Practice from ATU School of Design and Creative Arts, ran from 8 September to 23 September in the Galway Arts Centre.

The exhibition was curated by Sona Smedkova, co-director of 126 ArtistRun Gallery. The eight graduates who exhibited were Dina Abusehmoud, Mohamed Alkurdi, Carina Berger, Rocio Romero Grau, Kate Hodmon, Laurence Hynes, Cheryl Kelly Murphy and Evan Murray. They work in a diverse range of media from photography, sculpture, documentary, animation, graphic novels, manga to mixed media and interactive installations.

“Fissure draws on the notion of gaps, marks, pauses, boundaries and margins.

Its purpose is to establish a common thread between each individual work and create a cohesive and immersive experience.”

Sona Smedkova, Curator of the Fissure Exhibition

Carina Berger, Brought in by the tide, 2023, 28 x 9 x 7 cm, white slip casting clay, copper carbonate oxide wash, fired once at 950°C, driftwood.

ATU Graduate and exhibitor Rocio Romero Grau said: “It is a wonderful prospect to exhibit in the Galway Arts Centre after an intense year where I have challenged my ideas about contemporary practice and how to integrate innovative perspectives in public spaces.”

Gavin Murphy, Programme Chair of the MA in Creative Practice, ATU, says: “This is a great opportunity for the Masters students to showcase their work in a gallery with a growing international reputation. It has been a thrill to work with Megs Morley, Director of Galway Arts Centre, and a wonderful collaborative opportunity for Atlantic Technological University and Galway Arts Centre.”

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Cheryl Kelly Murphy, Nine Months Given, 160 x 60 cm, 2023, dry flowers moss, lichen on perspex, wooden sculptural form.

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World Skills Apprenticeship Winners ATU attended Worldskills Ireland from 20-22 September at the RDS in Dublin.

Over 160 finalists competed across 30 live National Competition Finals, with competitors in with the chance of representing Ireland in the Worldskills Internationals, in Lyon 2024.

ATU had competitors in Cabinetmaking, Carpentry, Automobile, Cookery, Digital Construction BIM, Digital Infrastructure, Electrical Installations, Industrial Control, Joinery and Toolmaking.

We had six winners this year. ATU students won in the categories: Electrical Installations, Carpentry, Joinery, Toolmaking, Cabinetmaking and Digital Infrastructure Design.

ATU Galway engineering student Sean Doyle won the Digital Infrastructure Design award for his creation of a data rich linear infrastructure model and ATU Connemara student

Keith Roberts won the Cabinetmaking category.

ATU Sligo apprentice Sean McLoughlin from Naas, Co Kildare, was the winner of the Electrical Installations category and Roscommon native Daniel Connolly from Castlerea claimed victory in the Carpentry category.

Joe Kelly, an ATU Sligo student from Ballinasloe, Co Galway won the

Joinery category while Co Clare native Max Boland from Shannon was the winner of the Toolmaking category.

WorldSkills Ireland 2022 aims to promote college courses, apprenticeships and traineeships that offer skills and on-the-job learning.

It also aims to help to address the serious skills shortage identified in Ireland and help inform students about the exciting career paths available through such courses.

“ ATU has been doing significant work to evolve apprenticeship

and skilled-based learning programmes with academic partners and enterprise and these awards are a testament to this. I want to congratulate all the participants and acknowledge the commitment and dedication of our students and the supporting staff who have made this possible. These students will progress to skills-based careers in their chosen field with expertise that has been enhanced by these learning environments, for industries with skills shortages.

I would like to wish all the apprentices and students well on the next steps of their journey. ” Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President

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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

ATU Staff in the News “At a time when hacking is a very real threat, Blockchain is a system which has a great many benefits for Irish businesses.”

ATU lecturer Dr Trevor Clohessy discusses how ATU collaborated with ITC Skillnet to create a new postgraduate “Blockchain for Managers” micro-credential course which is designed for C-Suite professionals and managers. Please click here to read more.

“There is no such thing as bad land. There is just land that functions in different ways for different purposes.”

Dr James Moran, ATU lecturer Journalist Peter McCann summarises key take-home messages from a series of farm visits along the west of Ireland in the Irish Farmers Journal. Please click here to read more.

“When planning the building of a house, the selection of a site was not to be over a fairy assembly place or near a path thought to be used by them.”

ATU lecturer Marion McGarry writes about the superstitions and mysteries around Ireland’s ‘fairy forts’ in RTÉ’s Brainstorm series. Please click here to read more.

“Being able to detect the DNA trace of an illegally traded animal after it has either been moved on or concealed could be a gamechanger in tackling this global problem and conserving important biodiversity.”

ATU Marine and Freshwater Biology lecturer, Dr Allan McDevitt ATU scientists teamed up with University of Salford and Liverpool John Moores University to combat the illegal trade of rare animal species by adopting CSI methods to uncover crimes. Please click here to read more.

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ATU Podcasts on Spotify In our ATU Podcast series we dive deep into the vibrant world of our university and bring you captivating stories, engaging discussions, and insightful conversations with our ATU colleagues and students. Here are some examples of our recent episodes.

“ATU marine scientists involved in new panEuropean marine animal tracking project.”

Marine scientists Dr Joanne O’Brien and María Pérez Tadeo at ATU’s Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC) are involved in a new EU-funded project called Strategic Infrastructure for Improved Animal Tracking in European seas (STRAITS) which will study the movement of sea animals at four strategic locations in Europe in a bid to better understand their biology and ecology, and aid in conservation and management. Recently they talked to ATU Communications Officer, Regina Daly about the project. Please click here to listen.

“I challenge people to be themselves.”

Rory O’Connor, a comedian who has amassed over 1.2 million followers and 2 billion video views across his social media channels, talks to ATU student Phoebe Kearney during his visit to ATU Sligo.

They discuss why we are now more nervous than ever, why is it easier to spread hate online than say it face-to-face and why it’s all about image today. Please click here to listen.

“Can robots help patients during end-of-life care in hospitals and at home?”

ATU’s Dr John Pender and Dr Perry Share are joined by Andrew Tibbles from University of Liverpool who is undertaking research on end-of-life care and robots. In this episode they discuss how robots can help patients during their end-of-life experience.

Please click here to listen.

ATU’s Scrimshaw Journal of New Writing and Visual Art is now open for submissions.

Staff or student, past or present are welcome to submit their written or visual work, from poetry and painting to scribbles and doodles. The closing date for submissions is 3 December.

Those selected for inclusion will be notified in early 2024, and Scrimshaw Volume Three will be published in May 2024. For more information, please email scrimshaw.vol.3@gmail.com

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www.atu.ie @atu_ie ATU Donegal Letterkenny ATU Donegal Killybegs

ATU Sligo ATU St Angelas*

ATU Mayo

ATU Connemara ATU Mountbellew ATU Galway City

*F ormal incorporation of St Angelas into ATU (November 2023) Issue Ten October 2023 | 49