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BRIDGE

The

Maynooth Alumni Magazine 2017 Special Anniversary Edition

Coming of Age

Maynooth University celebrates 20 years of transforming lives

Inside Intercom

with co-founder Des Traynor ‘03 Ireland’s next billion-euro company deftly guided by Maynooth alum

Plus

20 Alumni Profiles: 1997-2017 Maynooth Future-Proofed – What’s ahead for Ireland’s youngest university Drones in the city? Fake news, the alt-right and the politics of racism in the digital age Stemming the tide of antibiotic resistance

Human Resilience

What happens in the first 10 minutes after a terror attack?

Maynooth University

The Bridge

Contents 21 Silent, Stressed and on the Margins

1 President’s Message 3 Graduations

Welcome Class of 2017!

Motherhood Project examines the changing face of 21st Century motherhood

Alumni Events

22 Straddling Silicon Valley and the Silicon Docks

Research Week 2017

26 Since 1997…..

From Charlie Hebdo to the Alt-Right and Fake News

Inside the Ascent of Intercom, with Co-Founder (and MU alumnus) Des Traynor ‘03

Enjoying Maynooth (yet) again. Alumni return to campus to reconnect. First-ever Research Week at Maynooth University

How today’s digital media environment influences the politics of racism

18 22

Celebrating 20 years of magnificent milestones

28 From Idea to Industry

How MU research makes it to the marketplace

30 Homelessness, Mandatory Sentencing and Smart Cities

10 Tuning the Immune Could Protect Against

MU Social Sciences Institute addresses the pressing issues facing Ireland today

Obesity-related Disease

Researchers at Maynooth University are on the case

32 Postgraduate Studies at Maynooth

12 Knowing You, Knowing Me

Time to finally get around to it?

Dr Victoria Showunmi on minorities, migrants and refugees in the classroom

14 The First 10 Minutes of Terror: How We Respond

Alumni Taught Master’s Scholarships make a difference

Má Nuad Abú!

36 Music at Maynooth Celebrates 50 years

16 Evidence for Change 18 Drones in the City?

33 Alumni Supporting Alumni 34 Sport Round-Up

Dr Mark Maguire’s research focuses on human responses during terror attacks, offering lessons for first responders around the world MU climate scientists part of global coterie trying to save us from ourselves

President’s Message

Traditional Roots, Modern Technology

38 Maynooth Alumni 2017 Survey

Find out how MU alumni responded

40 Inaugural Annual Giving Campaign

Delivering pizza? Aiding in off-shore rescue? What’s next?

MU launches programme to support access bursaries, arts & culture, and more

20 Shaping the Future of the Irish Food and Drinks Industry

MU and Bord Bia join forces to deliver industry-first MSc in Food Innovation

Editor’s Note A chairde, It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since Maynooth University (NUI Maynooth at the time, of course) took the bold step to venture forth as an independent institution and forge an identity all its own. Today, Maynooth University is a place of lively contrasts–old and young, arts and sciences, rooted in tradition yet embracing of innovation. Above all, Maynooth University is a dynamic institution whose graduates display that same sense of dynamism, of being undeterred by challenges they face in their respective workplaces and communities. In the pages ahead, you will read about alumni doing just that–putting their Maynooth education to work, to make a difference. You will also read about the robust research environment that, through our distinctive interdisciplinary approach, is changing the way we look at Irish society, the way we confront the most complex of scientific questions, and the way we teach. In the last 20 years, Maynooth University truly has come of age. Between June 2017 and June 2018 (our 21st birthday) we are celebrating this milestone with a host of activities (See: mu.ie). So please, come visit: attend an event; return for that post-

Managing Editor – Rebecca Doolin, Director of External Relations Editor – Karen Kelly, Alumni Engagement Manager Print – GPS Belfast Design – Catalysto Cover Image – Getty Images

graduate course you’ve been thinking about for years; gather the gang for the 2018 reunion; share your career path with students; or simply take a stroll through our rapidly developing campus. You might be surprised by what’s changed, but also what has, thankfully, remained true to the spirit of Maynooth. To keep up with our growing alumni base (now 75,000 strong), so too is the Maynooth Alumni Office growing. In response to our overwhelmingly successful alumni survey (See page 38), we’re instituting a series of new offerings–from career networking to lifelong learning. We’ve also been busy building a robust fundraising infrastructure so we can help alumni and friends like you give back to the University–by supporting things like access bursaries and scholarships, funding for the arts, culture and music, as well as capital projects. With success also comes the need for more student supports, so learn more about how you can contribute to this effort by going to maynoothuniversity.ie/support or contact us directly at (0)1 708 6492. You can view The Bridge online at maynoothuniversity.ie/ thebridge – and be sure to join your alumni community at maynoothuniversity.ie/alumnicommunity so you don’t miss out on upcoming news and events. Le meas,

Rebecca Doolin Director of External Relations

Special thanks to Keith Arkins Photography and to our guest writers: Peter McGuire, Claire O’Connell and Conor McHugh ‘96. Why not connect with us and be a part of the conversation? Maynoothuniversity.ie/alumnicommunity

elcome to the 2017 edition of The Bridge in what is a very special year for Maynooth University; this year we celebrate 20 years since our founding as an independent institution.

And yet, as many readers will know, the history of academic enquiry and scholarship on our campus dates much further back–founded in 1795 as a seminary which grew into a place of higher learning for both clergy and laity, and founded a second time in 1997 as an independent institution and part of the National University of Ireland. It is a rich institutional history of which we are immensely proud. And so, as we celebrate this important milestone with a series of events and activities, we are mindful that, in reality, we are both Ireland’s youngest university and its second oldest–a distinction that is not lost on us. Today, our researchers are leaders in their fields, truly world-renowned, and helping to solve some of the world’s thorniest problems and providing evidence-based research to inform public policy in Ireland and across the globe. Their research also informs–and is central to– their teaching, and the overall educational experience of our students.

Our 75,000 alumni are the institutional achievement of which we are most proud, contributing to society, to their fields of work and to their communities in extraordinary ways. Maynooth University graduates have gone on to become entrepreneurs and teachers, bankers and pharmaceutical researchers, public servants and space scientists, chief executives and relief workers, and so much more. I am continually impressed and inspired by the graduates of this institution, and I invite you to read more about them in the pages ahead, particularly the 20 alumni who are profiled, each making their own, indelible marks on the world. You’ll also read more about what Maynooth University has been up to–some of which might surprise you. I have no doubt you will come away more enlightened–and more inspired–by the students, by our alumni, and by my colleagues at Maynooth, just as I am every day. Sincerely,

Professor Philip Nolan President, Maynooth University

Maynooth University

The Bridge

An Interview with President, Prof. Philip Nolan

t 20 years old, Maynooth is the newest university in Ireland, but it has the oldest roots. The fastest-growing third-level in Ireland has undergone major transformation in recent years. What does the future hold, and what will it mean for the university and its alumni? We sat down with Maynooth University President, Prof. Philip Nolan, to discuss his bold and ambitious plans to sharpen and define its research and teaching remit, and why he wants to offer the most imaginative and progressive programme of any university on the island of Ireland. Maynooth is a new university but with the oldest roots of any third-level in Ireland. How has this influenced the university’s direction? The university’s roots are one of its great strengths. In 1795, St Patrick’s College was founded as a seminary, and its founders believed that to be good priests and ministers required more than a strong foundation in theology and divinity; they also needed to understand the world. This is why Maynooth University, which was established as a fully secular institution in 1997, has such a strong foundation in the humanities and social sciences. Twenty years on, we have added finance, engineering, business and law departments. The education department has grown to include teacher training from early childhood right through to postgraduate level. Student numbers have risen from 4,500 in 1997 to over 12,000 today. We have a strong faculty of 500 academics and researchers. Why did you want to become President of Maynooth University? I like its values and jumped at the chance to help create something unique in the higher education landscape based on equally valuing the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Speaking to parents and graduates, it’s clear that they read, they see play and films, they care about homelessness and the environment, and they are interested in technological solutions. And my family have a history in the area: my father grew up here and you’ll find Nolans going back as far as the 1700s! What are Maynooth’s key values? We are innovative and dynamic. Two examples: Our law and business schools are only eight and 10 years old, and they’re leading the charge on promoting equality. Research in law includes migrant and disability rights, penal reform and LGBT equality. In business, we are looking at issues around sustainability, ecologically conscious commerce and ethical leadership.

Maynooth University at 20 - and what the future holds By Peter McGuire

What makes Maynooth different from other institutions? This was a small college not so long ago, and it has remained part of the culture to talk across disciplines. Take just one problem: climate change. The science is complex but convincing people to change their behaviours is even more challenging and requires input from the social sciences and humanities. This type of approach is quite distinctive to Maynooth.

The cross-discipline collaboration is facilitated by our size and culture, and leads to innovative insights into some of the toughest problems we face as a society today. We are setting up research centres in humanities, social sciences, ICT and health, to more formally bring together researchers across disciplines. This will allow us to better target and seek resources from the Irish Research Council, European Union and Science Foundation Ireland. I meet students who come to Maynooth because it’s the only place where they can mix and match very different disciplines. Our curricular reforms mean students can choose law and anthropology, geography and biology, or computer science and history. We have modules like physics with philosophy to explore things we don’t know about the universe, and a climate change module that combines economics and chemistry. It’s like being multi-lingual: it allows student to look at the world through multiple perspectives. What’s different about a Maynooth graduate? Our 75,000 alumni are leaders in the public sector, in business, media, voluntary organisations, consulting firms and education. Computer science and engineering graduates are doing well in a variety of careers, and our business and law graduates

are building a very strong reputation for those new departments. This year, we sent a survey to our alumni and got three times the response expected. We had warm offers of support, with 400 offering a work placement for students and an overlapping 400 willing to mentor. Many said they’d be willing to donate to the university. Our alumni want to get involved in the life of the institution as it changes and grows. Maynooth is Ireland’s only university town. What does that mean for the community and region? The high concentration of graduates in North Kildare makes it attractive for large and small businesses alike. To add more to the arts and cultural life of the region, a priority for us in the next five years is to build an arts and culture centre for music, theatre and film. We already have an award-winning, world-class Chamber Choir as well as worldclass film critiquing and curating. The Centre will deepen the connection between the arts, academia and student and community life. Finally, what’s next for Maynooth University? We are at the end of a strategic plan that has strengthened our research base, doubled the number of international students, and reformed our undergraduate curriculum, attracting record-high numbers of students. Now we think we can offer something unique at postgraduate level, where students will be able to design their own programme from different disciplines, tailored to their future career. This is a bold idea based around trusting students rather than telling them what to do. We’ll also work with companies and NGOs to sponsor doctoral students who take on research problems. This area of engaged research, working in partnership with communities and enterprises, will be central to our research strategy for the next five years.

Conferring 2017 A milestone for the memory books...

Keelin Rogers (BA, 2017), Aidan McColgan (BA, 2017), Orlaith McGovern (BA, 2017), Declan Hanly (BA, 2017), Ciara Moore (BA, 2017)

aynooth University this year conferred more than 3,110 students with a range of degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including 56 PhD graduates in 2017.

This brings the number of Maynooth alumni across the globe to over 75,000. New degrees awarded for the first time include the Bachelor of Civil Law (Law and Accounting), HDip in Data Science and Analytics, and a new degree pathway for engineers to exit with a Master’s in Electronic Engineering.

Peter Gibney (BA, 2017) celebrating with his son James

For one alumnus, the September graduation ceremony was particularly significant. Kathleen Lawrence, a Traveller who left school at 15 and returned to education, graduated this year in Law and Sociology. Her studies took her all the way to Washington, DC, where she worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Congressman Brendan Boyle from Pennsylvania as part of the prestigious Washington-Ireland programme this summer. In Kathleen’s words “My time in Maynooth University has changed my life. It has broadened my horizons and allowed me to grow and change as a person while remaining true to my roots.”

Congratulations Class of 2017 Welcome to the Maynooth University Alumni Community!

Kathleen Lawrence (BA, 2017) & Professor Philip Nolan

Maynooth University

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Enjoying Maynooth (yet) again Maynooth Alumni Events 2016-17

The 2017 Alumni Reunion

Bernadette Nic Gabhann (BA 1998)

More than 100 alumni and friends enjoyed the 2017 post-Carol Service Reception in Renehan Hall on Monday, 12 December. Hosted by the Alumni Office, this is the fifth year alumni have returned to campus for a unique event which, for many, signals the start of the Christmas festivities. Mingling with alumni and President of Maynooth University, Professor Philip Nolan, were former head of the Department of Music, Professor Emeritus Gerard Gillen, and music maestro and Choir Director, alumnus Dr John O’Keeffe (PhD, 2008).

Summer Soirée June 2017 The weather notwithstanding, alumni and friends enjoyed the 2017 Summer Soirée within the relaxing environs of the University Library. The special 20th anniversary evening began with a talk by Professor Maria Pramaggiore from our Media Studies Department on ‘Cinema and the Three Ages of Maynooth: 1795, 1910 and 1997’ that took a look at film during these key Maynooth milestones. (Even in 1795 there were pre-cinematic visual devices – and we had one on display on the night, courtesy of the on-campus National Science Museum). Award-winning composer for film and theatre, alumnus and former SU VP, Denis Clohessy ‘95 shared his Maynooth memories and career experiences together with some of his highly lauded compositions, while international soprano Rachel Croash ‘09 brought the house down with a cinematically themed repertoire. This unique evening of culture for Maynooth alumni continues to have great appeal. Plans are already afoot to ensure the 2018 Soirée is a major highlight and brings to a fitting end the 20th anniversary celebrations of Maynooth University.

2005 Christine Parsons 2005 BA, 2009 PhD

Associate Professor

Interacting Minds Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Parents’ brains respond to baby cries much faster than adult cries or any other audio in their environment, according to MU alumnus and Aarhus University Professor Christine Parsons. Christine, currently an Associate Professor at the Interacting Minds Center at Aarhus University in Denmark, returned to Maynooth to deliver the 2017 Science and Engineering Alumni lecture in November.

Alumni Profile

Carol Service December 2016

Annual Alumni Reunion 16 September, 2017 The largest Maynooth alumni reunion to date, the Classes of 1972, ‘77, 1982, ‘87, 1992, ’97, 2002, ’07 and 2012 returned to Phoenix Restaurant on campus on Saturday, 16 September for the social highlight of the alumni calendar. With many alumni returning to Ireland from abroad just for the event, the buzz and banter at the jazz/prosecco reception ensured a lively evening for all was on the cards. Held on the eve of the All-Ireland Mayo-Dublin final, it was appropriate that alumnus and Mayo man, Senator John O’Mahony ‘77 entertained alumni with an afterdinner speech that recalled his association with Mayo GAA over the years and his lively student days at Maynooth.

Also enjoying the evening were former SU officers who gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first election of Maynooth SU officers. Lead by 1977 SU President John Gallagher and his 1977 VP, Bríd Connolly, in collaboration with the Alumni Office, more than one glass was raised to honour that important milestone. Joining alumni on the evening were President of Maynooth University, Prof Philip Nolan, and former members of staff, Dr Proinnsias Breathnach from the Department of Geography and Professor Paddy Geary from the Department of Economics, Finance and Accounting. For some die-hards, the party continued on in the Maynooth Students’ Union – a familiar haunt for many at the Reunion!!

She and her team found that an area of the brain linked to survival or do-or-die behaviours shows activity within 49 thousandths of a second of a recorded cry, twice as fast as dozens of other audio clips tested. “This particular research is fundamental to our understanding of the parental brain – it shows the brain is hardwired and geared to respond to a baby’s cry. We also know there are developmental difficulties for children who are not responded to – a baby’s cry is designed to have specific responsive features.” “I did my undergraduate degree and PhD at Maynooth, and the training I received set me on a clear path into academia. I met many inspiring teachers and researchers in the Department of Psychology, but I am most grateful for the guidance I received from my PhD supervisor. She took my puppy-like enthusiasm for research and guided me to address some challenging questions.”

Save the Date 15 Sept, 2018

Martin Nugent (BA 1972), Mary O’Donnell (BA 1977), Senator John O’Mahony (BA 1974), Dr.Proinnsias Breathnach (PhD 2007), Peter Finnegan (BA 1976)

The annual reunion will take place on 15 Sept., 2018 and we’ll be celebrating anniversary years for the Classes of 1973, ’78, 1983, ’88, 1993, ’98, 2003, ’08 and 2013. So spread the word, and if it’s your anniversary year, be sure to book early so you have your class table there on the night. For more Alumni Events, see page 24

Maynooth University

The Bridge

2002 BSc

Senior Manager, Statistical Genetics, Regeneron Genetics Center

Alumni Profile

2002 Colm O’Dushlaine

This year’s Dean’s Lecture featured Catriona Crowe, former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives, who used the occasion to call on the State to open up the archives of mother and baby homes, Magdalene asylums, industrial schools and reformatories. Crowe said the only way to achieve a complete picture of what happened across that unique archipelago of institutions is to allow survivors, scholars and the public to have full access to their archives.

Maynooth University Research Week 2017 Between 19-26th October 2017, Maynooth University held its first ever Research Week as part of its 20th Anniversary Celebrations

ith over 30 events held on and off campus, and drawing more than 800 attendees on campus (and 1,000 more over Twitter livestreams), the week was a roaring success and no doubt will become a staple on the University’s events calendar for years to come.

The week afforded academics, students, and the public the opportunity to engage with the vast range of truly inspiring and ground-breaking work being undertaken across the three faculties: Science and Engineering; Arts, Philosophy and Celtic Studies; and Social Sciences. Events ranged from the Three-Minute Thesis Competition by post-graduate students, Thinks and Drinks in Brady’s Pub on the subject of Free Will, Ignite (rapid Powerpoint) competition, Inaugural Professorial Lectures, SPUR (undergraduate research) presentations, and range of symposia, workshops and sharing of the research breadth and depth that is flourishing at Maynooth University.

Prominent historian calls on State to open institution archives to survivors The only way to achieve a complete picture of what happened across a unique archipelago of institutions – mother and baby homes, Magdalen asylums, industrial schools and reformatories – is to have full access to their archives, a prominent Irish historian has claimed. Speaking at the Dean’s Lecture, Catriona Crowe, former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives of Ireland, stated that access to the archives, which are in the custody of the State, should be opened to scholars and survivors.

“I’d like to report a break-in”: Psychology, Inclusion & Technology Being inclusive of difference is fundamental to, and challenging for, our humanity. Delivering his inaugural lecture Malcolm MacLachlan, Professor of Psychology, explained that bringing people together often requires breaking through barriers at multiple levels and outlined the role of technology in helping people break-in to society.

All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) launches Census 2016 Mapping Tool To kick off Research Week 2017, the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at Maynooth launched its new Census 2016 Mapping Viewer, an online tool that allows planners, policymakers and the general public to map hundreds of types of data across Ireland at the local level. Users can zoom in to neighbourhood level to better understand and visualise the social, economic and environmental characteristics of Ireland today. AIRO Director Justin Gleeson: “Central to AIRO’s philosophy is the belief that all decision-making should be informed by accurate and transparent evidence. We can now visualise Irish data on population, religion, place of birth, ethnic group, housing, labour force, industry, transport and general health. This is essential data to be used for future policy development in Ireland.” See: airo.maynoothuniversity.ie

“There has never been a better time for Irish businesses to collaborate with universities.”

Colm attended Maynooth between 1998 and 2002, studying Biotechnology. Colm, like many, had struggled on where to go after his Leaving Cert. Ultimately, he chose MU after his dad, Tadhg (retired lecturer with the Department of Modern Irish) decided he should meet Peter Whittaker, then-head of the Department of Biology. “I knew I loved science, having read about science since being a child and being excited to hear about the cloning of Dolly the sheep. I was inspired by my conversation with Peter and the exciting new science buildings that were going up around campus. I was also inspired by James McInerney, this new hotshot lecturer who did virtually all his science, well, virtually.” He stuck with bioinformatics, earning a PhD in RCSI, post-docs in TCD and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and spent a few years as a research scientist in MIT and Harvard. Today, Colm heads up a team of computational scientists in the pharmaceutical sector in the US, at Regeneron Genetics Center, where they sequence individuals and compare their DNA to extensive electronic healthcare records in the search for novel therapeutic targets to disease. “I have many wonderful memories of Maynooth, notable ones being the great excursions the Biology Society would make, including one to the Natural History Museum in London. The Whittaker Awards was another great one, where I loved nerding-out, putting together presentations – the conferences I attend nowadays are much more boring.” Good thing his work is anything but.

– Dr John Scanlan, Director of Commercialisation at Maynooth University

Connect 2017 focuses on Europe wide opportunities for business development, partnership and investment There has never been a better time for Irish businesses to collaborate with universities, according to Dr John Scanlan, Director of Commercialisation at Maynooth University. Speaking at Connect 2017, Dr Scanlan said that favourable tax rates, significant funding supports, and access to world class expertise means that Irish universities are hotbeds for potential collaboration and networking.

Speaking at the CONNECT 2017 event held at Carton House during the week: Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise - LERO, Ross O’Neill (PhD 2009), CEO Neuromod Devices, and Chris Horn - Atlantic Bridge

Maynooth University

The Bridge

How today’s digital media environment influences the politics of racism By Conor McHugh ‘96

DES FREEDMAN

more repressive state surveillance, and have fuelled the resurgence of the far right across Europe and beyond, while leaving the left dangerously divided. These developments raise profound questions about a number of issues central to contemporary debates, including the nature of national identity, the limits to freedom of speech, and the role of both traditional and social media.

GAVAN TITLEY

he alt-right and fake news are relatively new terms in the common vernacular. One reason behind this is that the rise and sophistication digital media As the world looked on in horrorof at the Paris terror attacks is allowing of January and November 2015, France found itself at the partisan players to enter the market and centre of a war that has spilt across nations and continents. The attacks set in motion a steady creep towards ever scale up quite quickly. ‘A unique transnational take on the weaponisation of liberal values after the Paris attacks. After Charlie Hebdo takes Islamophobia apart and equips us for the fight back.’ – Liz Fekete, Director, Institute of Race Relations

Terror, Racism and Free Speech

GHOLAM KHIABANY

´ AURELIEN MONDON

“What I’ve been trying to look at is how digital media systems speed things up, or ‘This insightful collection helps us to reflect on how we can extend connections and circulations in all develop an alternative narrative on violence, racism and freedom of expression.’ these unpredictable ways, and what that – Donatella della Porta, Scuola Normale Superiore (Florence) means for collection the politics around racism and ‘A bold, challenging and forthright that raises fundamental questions around issues of race and identity.’ – Michael anti-racism Cronin, Trinity College, Dublin in Europe in particular.” ‘An engaging contribution to our understanding of the 2015 attacks, examining the media framing of the event and the conflict of values it created in public debate.’ – Romain Badouard, University of Cergy-Pontoise

Digital tools enable the partisan players to scale up cheaply, “without having to 9 781783 609383 pay lip service to the professional ethics or routines of journalism.” And yet, the mainstream media is fascinated by them, covers them, and, “They get integrated into the wider news cycle by the very people they were out to destroy.” ISBN 978-1-78360-938-3

Zed Books, London — zedbooks.net Nonfiction Cover design by Andrew Brash

This line of enquiry has lead inevitably to the phenomenon of ‘fake news.’

“The way that I try to explain fake news to students is that the issue is not so much that it’s fabricating content and it’s false; it’s more that it creates a situation where anything can be presumed to be false or fake.” – Dr Gavan Titley “Everything looks to be flat, without hierarchy, so why should one thing be inherently more trustworthy than something else? And it’s very difficult to embed good journalism in that context.” “You get these political entrepreneurs on YouTube that can build these enormous audiences–more than RTÉ gets in all its

Dr Titley’s research is based on overlapping interests. “The first is in contemporary media systems and how the speed and circulation of information and ideas is reshaping politics; and secondly the sociology and politics of racism, particularly in Europe,” he tells The Bridge. “When you put those two interests together, it’s about how news is made and broadly the way in which networked media works.”

AFTER CHARLIE HEBDO

This is the subject of a new book project underway by Dr Gavan Titley, a senior lecturer in the Department of Media Studies at Maynooth University. publication, After Charlie Hebdo brings together internationalThe scholars to assess the social and political impact of the Paris attacks due in mid-2018 and in Europe and beyond. Cutting throughis the called, hysteria that‘Racism has characterised so much of the initial commentary, it to seeksexplore to Digital Media,’ and seeks how place these events in their wider global context, untangling the complex symbolic movements web woven around ‘Charlie Hebdo’ far-right successfully use new to pose the fundamental question – how best to combat forms of media to push their message. racism in our supposedly ‘post-racial’ age?

AFTER CHARLIE HEBDO

programming combined–and have access to new publics that are very transnational and very young. We haven’t really come to grips with the political consequences of that.”

EDITED BY: GAVAN TITLEY

DES FREEDMAN GHOLAM KHIABANY ´ LIEN MONDON AURE

One example: The Charlie Hebdo attack. “It happened in early January 2015 and had immediate repercussions obviously in France but also elsewhere. The government in Senegal collapsed, there were massive protests in Turkey, and American journalists were at each other’s throats.

“I got together with a couple of colleagues in Goldsmiths (University of London) and we ran a quick response seminar. We invited people both from France and also French-focused scholars working elsewhere.” From this came a recently released book edited by Dr Titley, ‘After Charlie Hebdo, Terror, Racism and Free Speech.’ Dr Titley said that many people responding to the atrocity had never heard of the newspaper, which created a space in which many people ascribed their own values to it. He summarised it as being about intensive media events which have these unpredictable transnational --and political--consequences. Whether it’s battling fake news or challenging a misappropriated identity, Dr Titley thinks journalism is facing a profound crisis, more than simply how traditional media can win back trust. “There’s a shift in the way that people think about media systems and their relationships to society that’s not going to come back to the cosy established national television channels and a set of newspapers that are the centre of gravity,” he says. “Lots of choice is radically relativising how people think about the entire media environment. And that’s not a very cheerful conclusion.”

2008

Alumni Profile

From Charlie Hebdo to the Alt-Right and Fake News

Shane Creevy

2008 BA, 2009 MA

Global Video Editor Storyful.com

What can you do with a degree in English, Philosophy and a Master’s in Post-colonial studies? If you’re a Maynooth grad – the answer is: a lot. And if you’re Shane Creevy, the answer is: become the global video editor for a start-up that would go on to simultaneously transform the fields of journalism, social media, and political activism.

t media pioneer Storyful, founded by former RTÉ journalist Mark Little in 2010, Shane Creevy is responsible for overseeing the discovery, verification and acquisition of the top video content shared via online channels like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all around the world. “We help make news from noise,” Shane said. “When Storyful was set up, social media was exploding with hours of video uploaded every minute. That video, to be useful, needs to be verified, and someone with journalistic sense needs to make sense of it. My job is to discover meaningful, useful content, verify the video and the source, and then acquire the rights to use that content.” To do this, Shane oversees teams in Dublin, Hong Kong, Sydney and New York. Storyful’s clients include the most influential media outlets around the globe. “The biggest newsrooms in the world rely on us. For them, with Storyful they get another newsroom within their newsroom.” Storyful became a household name during the Arab Spring, bringing stories from the most remote parts of the world to a global audience. He recalls seeing “bubbling numbers of video and posts around MidEast/North Africa which turned out to be from a town in Tunisia called Sidi Bouzid. I dug deeper and started seeing video and pieced together what was happening. A man who sold fruit and veg had set himself on fire in protest over actions by a police officer. It seemed small at first, but we got deeper into the story as it spread. Every Friday we knew would be a busy day as Muslims left

At Storyful, MU arts grad is distinguishing news from noise their place of worship and gathered on the streets for more protest. We were watching a revolution unfold before our eyes.” As unrest developed in Egypt, the company started working with YouTube to document the avalanche of videos being uploaded to the platform by eyewitness citizens ordinary people at the centre of an historic event, armed with phones and 3G. By the US election in 2012, Barack Obama’s ground-breaking use of social media as a campaign tool sparked new needs and uses of digital content. Today, the latest trend is more complex. “We’re looking at fake news and thinking about how we can help, and help the social media platforms. How do you put the cork back in? That’s the question.” Shane, originally from Wexford, says his education at Maynooth had a major influence on his career to date. “In secondary school in Ireland, you don’t get an opportunity to study philosophy. Maynooth gave me that opportunity.” Shane also took part in the Summer Programme for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) at Maynooth, conducting research with Professor Chris Morash on his book, A History of the Media in Ireland. He also worked with Prof. Colin Graham and Dr. Tom Hubbard on a bibliography of 20th century Irish literary criticism. “That process of doing actual research--collecting artefacts, maps and getting out and about—got me thinking about journalism and talking to people.”

“You don’t always know how something you’re learning will turn out to be an asset later on,” Shane said. “How your brain is formed and changed in college and the transferrable skills you pick up all are helpful.” The social aspect of Maynooth also left its mark.

“Friends I met opened up intellectual areas of my world. At Maynooth I was constantly learning and bouncing off other people. It brings you that much further along.” After his Master’s, Shane hooked up with Malachy Browne, Vincent Browne’s nephew, at Politico.ie, where he learned the journalism basics. Then, with a healthy dose of blind ambition, Shane reached out to Little blindly in 2010, “who was good enough to respond.” A year later, Shane was at Storyful, and a few years later, according to a post from Little on Shane’s LinkedIn page: “Shane would go on to be an absolutely critical part of the success of Storyful.” Shane’s Maynooth connection extends to his personal life. Shane’s wife Ciara (Brennan) Creevy is a 2008 Maynooth alumnus who studied Psychology and now teaches primary school.

Maynooth University

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“Study after study shows that for some obese people even strictly controlling calories does not prompt them to lose a substantial amount of weight,” Prof Moynagh says. “People can have surgery and take medications to help. We want to see if managing inflammation offers another route to help and protect them.”

Tuning the immune could protect against obesity-related disease

Researchers at Maynooth University are looking to calm the immune system in obesity, with a view to protecting against disease in the longer term By Claire O’Connell

hen a person is obese, their risk of developing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and even some forms of cancer start to soar. Could targeting the immune system offer a way of slowing or even diverting that path towards disease? Researchers at Maynooth University are on the case, teasing out the links between obesity and the immune system, with a particular look at improving the health of young people at risk.

Not immune to problems The immune system helps us fight against disease in part through a process called inflammation, explains Professor Paul Moynagh at Maynooth University’s Department of Biology, who recently was awarded €2m in SFI funding for his work. “When you get a cut on your finger, extra blood and disease-fighting cells go to the site and you get heat and swelling and pain. That is acute inflammation,” he explains. But there’s another form of inflammation in the body too, a more chronic ‘slowburn’ that has been linked to an increased risk of long-term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. “This kind of chronic inflammation inside the

body seems to be present in people who are obese, and this could explain why they are at risk of developing chronic illness.”

Inflammatory signals Prof Moynagh’s work takes a deep dive into the biochemistry of inflammation, looking at the various signals within and between the body’s cells that tell the immune system to react in this way.

“Obesity drives inflammation which drives disease, and we are trying to figure out that piece in between, the inflammation.” “We go looking for the proteins or signals that the body uses to trigger inflammation, because if you know what signals are in the chain, then you can develop ways to control them with medicines and turn off the type of inflammation that could damage the body in the long term.” Understanding those mechanisms will help to shed light on the complex processes of obesity and its impact on the body, according to Prof Moynagh, which in turn will help those living with it. “Most people think obesity is easily solved by lifestyle choices, but study after study shows that for some obese

people even strictly controlling calories does not prompt them to lose a substantial amount of weight,” he says. “People can have surgery and take medications to help, and we want to see if managing inflammation offers another route to help and protect them.”

Losing protection against disease

rof Moynagh’s colleague at Maynooth University, alumnus Dr Andrew Hogan (BSc 2004, PhD 2010), has been digging into what happens to immune system cells in obesity, with some startling results. His work with Professor Donal O’Shea at University College Dublin and Professor Lydia Lynch, now at Trinity College Dublin, has shown that important cells in the immune system stop working in obesity and in some cases, disappear altogether. Normally these cells protect us against viruses and cancer, so their loss could be a key stepping-stone to disease. “When we look at the immune cells of adults who are obese, we can see these protective mechanisms are no longer working,” says Dr Hogan, who is also working with Professor Declan Cody at the National Children’s Research Centre Crumlin. Their work, which is funded by the Children’s Medical & Research Foundation Crumlin is discovering some striking findings in children who are obese. “We can see that in children who are obese, some of the protective cells in their immune system are starting to fail in some of their functions,” says Hogan. “We can also see that the levels of inflammation in these children are similar to what we would find in adults with type

2 diabetes, so their immune systems are being activated in this potentially harmful way.” With that in mind, Dr Hogan wants to help children who are obese get their immune systems back on track, limit the damage, and perhaps slow or even avoid disease later in life. To do this he wants to explore an existing medication based on a hormone called glucagon-likepeptide-1. It helps the body to control blood sugar, and Dr Hogan has found in laboratory tests and in obese adults that it can also calm inflammation. “There are always ethical questions that we have to consider when you are developing treatments for children, but

Stemming the tide of antibiotic resistance

lsewhere in the Department of Biology, Dr Fiona Walsh is exploring the issue of antibiotic resistance, with a view to enhancing patient health. “If antibiotics don’t work, bacteria will win and cause damage or even kill the patient. What we need to do is make sure as little antibiotic resistance gets into disease-causing organisms as possible,” Dr Walsh explains. A disease-causing bug able to resist one antibiotic is bad, but those causing most concern are resistant to multiple drugs and therefore most difficult to kill. “Anything we can find that contains resistance to two or

this medication is already used by adults with type 2 diabetes,” he says. “Now we want to see can it help to calm the immune system in these younger people with obesity. They are at a point when they are not as far down the road towards diabetes, heart disease, liver damage and maybe even some forms of cancer, and rather than waiting until they are adults perhaps intervening early could bring better results.”

Meeting of minds Since Dr Hogan moved to Maynooth in the summer, he and Prof Moynagh have been putting their heads together on the project to figure out the nuts and bolts of how the drug affects the immune

three antibiotics would be of most concern,” says Dr Walsh. “We need to know where this resistance comes from and how it gets into the pathogens.” Dr Walsh can now use DNA to study the entire population of bacteria in a spoonful of water or soil due to scientific advances. “It is only recently that we can look at all the DNA in a single soil sample for a relatively small amount of money. Twenty years ago we simply could not do that. Ten years ago it was too expensive.” Late last year, a report warned that there could be hundreds of millions of premature deaths and $100 trillion lost to the world economy by 2050 due to antibiotic resistance. The research of Dr Walsh and her colleagues around Europe is trying to discover how to spot risks and stymy resistance moving into harmful bacteria in people or animals.

system, and particularly how it calms long-term inflammation. Ultimately, Dr Hogan hopes that calming inflammation in young patients will help them to avoid the later complications of obesity. “We want to help these kids when they are in adolescence and they are at the peak of the wave before the big crash into adult obesity, which is really complicated and difficult to reverse,” he says.

“We want to see can we get kids back down the side of the wave before they crash.”

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The Conservative Government had recently been re-elected in the UK, with a campaign about immigration, a very difficult discussion to have with people at any time. Everybody naturally has something to say, and people develop a sense of nationalism towards their country of birth. It was the first time in my life I felt like I did not belong to the country I had known all of my life. I planned for the lesson to be purposeful and have meaning. For this to happen the students were required to engage fully with the key words of the module - minorities, migrants and refugees. The lesson started with an ice-breaker and then moved into the main lesson. I approached a female who was attending the class and asked her name. She responded and the following extract is taken from the session. “My name is Natalia.”

Knowing You, Knowing Me By Dr Victoria Showunmi

2006 BA

Head teacher at City Heights E-ACT Academy, London Elroy didn’t intend to become a head teacher when he started out teaching just over 10 years ago. Graduating with a BA in English Literature and Sociology, and having been inspired by inspirational English Literature and Sociology lecturers at Maynooth, Elroy found he wanted to teach. He currently works as head teacher at City Heights E-ACT Academy, an 11-18 secondary school, located near Brixton in South London.

n summer 2014, I was teaching a group of Master’s Students in the UK who were mostly international. The students came from about 10 different countries and had chosen to study a module on ‘Minorities, Migrants and Refugees.’

“Oh, wow, what a beautiful place.” The conversation continued. “May I ask: Would you consider yourself to be a migrant?” The answer that this student gave shaped the rest of the lesson. “Oh, no, I am not a migrant…I am from Greece.”

2016 Catherine Cross

Catherine has kept her connection with Maynooth University alive by tutoring

A male student called José spoke up and said, “Well, it’s because you are Black?” “Oh my goodness, really, is that so?”

As the lesson drew to a close I asked the students whether they have experienced a good lecture. Their response was overwhelming: “It was the best session we have had…there is so much to talk about.”

The whole group roared with laughter and the lesson began. Let us take a closer look at what was actually going on in the classroom during the introduction. I walked in to an unknown group, asking some very direct and complex questions on migration: firstly, what migration is, and secondly whether race plays a significant role in migration studies. The significance of the response is the suggestion that the female student sees herself as white. To be white and to be considered as a migrant is problematic for the student. How could she be anything else but a non-migrant? She is a European. There are various definitions of a ‘European’ – a native or inhabitant of Europe or a person of European descent. Such definitions raise even more questions. What is meant by European

Dr Victoria Showunmi is a Senior Lecturer in the Maynooth University Department of Education. She joined the University in 2016.

Secondary Student Teacher Claire is in her first year of a Professional Master’s in Education at MU and is on track to become Ireland’s first blind teacher. Her ambition is teach post-primary geography and history and is currently completing her school placement in St. Mary’s Secondary School in Glasnevin, which she says has been the most enjoyable and personally fulfilling experience. “The kids don’t mind that I’m blind – they love asking me questions about it.”

Returning to Maynooth University as a mature student, Catherine was awarded a BSc in Social Policy and Economics in 2015. A native of Manchester (and follower of Man United football team), Catherine has lived in Ireland for over 30 years.

“I really appreciate the fantastic foundations that Maynooth University fostered in me and my peers. Maynooth inspired in me a love of lifelong learning and a thirst for knowledge.”

I turned to the whole group laughing and said, “So if I take what has just been said, which is that I am a migrant, how can that be…when I have been here all of my life and our friend has been in the country less than 10 weeks…What do you think?”

The student’s bewilderment regarding who is white was played out in the classroom as she grappled with the question of whether she is a migrant. The de-construction of the “who” moved the lesson into asking and knowing more about whiteness and the relationship it has with the module.

2017 BA

Family Support & Education Officer TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland)

Some of his favourite memories from Maynooth are of long summer nights, when the library was humming with students all fervently cramming in a last-minute session before their exams.

“Oh wow…”

2017 Claire Shorten

2015 BSS, 2016 MSS

As Family Support and Education Officer with TENI, Catherine is the first point of contact for parents of children, adolescents and adults who are trans or questioning. She works with primary and secondary schools across Ireland, advising on policy and delivering training to staff. She also collaborates with government departments and NGOs on Ireland’s LGBTI + National Youth Strategy.

“The focus on research and independent thinking at MU has certainly influenced my approach to educational leadership. My favourite takeaway from Maynooth was from Dr Mary Corcoran’s sociology lectures, where she encouraged us to shatter conventions on gender stereotyping and pursue an equality agenda. This is something which has absolutely guided my approach to education and to leadership as I strive to play my part if levelling the playing-field.”

“I am from Greece.”

“Of course you are a migrant.”

descent? Does this include people of colour whose family have lived in Europe for two, three or even more generations? Or is it just white Europeans?

on Social Policy with the Department of Applied Social Studies. “I loved studying at Maynooth; it was a life-changing experience. It made me change the way I think and gave me – not just my qualification on paper – but real knowledge and understanding to do the job I do now. The ethos in equality and human rights within the Department of Applied Social Studies is truly amazing.”

Losing her eyesight unexpectedly in 2011 meant that Claire’s journey to her degree was somewhat challenging. “I never felt like I was left behind in classes; the Access Office gave me tremendous encouragement and support and the lecturers too were great – even providing me with lecture notes in advance of the lectures. I particularly remember a fluvial lecture in geography. The lecturer, Ro Charlton, was so complimentary and excited that I was taking such a visual lecture. Jan Rigby, head of the Department of Geography when I came to MU, on learning that a fully blind person was coming to study geography said to me, ‘If you work with us, we’ll work with you.’ I never forgot that. I really felt like their protégée.” While sports were off-limits during her studies, Claire recalls she still managed to take advantage of that other social club – The Roost – and made many good friends along the way.

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2006 Elroy Cahill

“Oh, thank you, and what country do you come from?”

“That’s interesting,” I said, “So would you consider me to be a migrant?”

Maynooth University

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The First 10 Minutes of Terror: How We Respond By Peter McGuire

Some of the intended victims took out their phone and started filming. Taxi drivers acted quickly to clear the crowd and make way for the emergency services. One witness, a teenage girl, calmly held the hand of a friend and walked her to safety. Afterwards, she wondered how she had stayed so calm; as she thought more about it, she realised that she had watched the events of September 11, 2001, unfold on the TV and knew that she had already visualised how she would respond in the event of a terror attack. Dr Mark Maguire is Dean of Social Sciences and Head of Maynooth University’s Department of Anthropology, Ireland’s only dedicated Anthropology Department. Contrary to popular belief, anthropologists do more than study distant tribes; they study human culture, language, society and behaviour all around us. Dr Maguire is carrying out research into how people respond in the first ten minutes of a terror attack. He also has investigated international migration, including refugees and asylum seekers and, previously, has conducted work on counter-terrorism operations. “For the past year and a half, I have been working with colleagues in different services here and elsewhere to look at how ordinary people respond in the first ten minutes,” he says. “This has also involved interviewing people who were caught up in the attacks. In most places, the public is on their own in the event of a terror attack, particularly the type of marauding firearm attacks we saw in Mumbai (2008), Norway (2011), the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi (2013), the Bataclan in Paris (2015) and recently in Las Vegas. Ten minutes is the critical window.” Dr Maguire points out that terrorists tend to prefer soft targets. “Wherever crowds gather, such as in airport terminals or at big events. And, where it can be hard for them to get their hands on an AK47, they might use trucks. It needs to be pointed out that most terrorism is residual - from organisations like the Real IRA or Basque separatists – or from the far-right.

Dr Maguire wants people to see that they have a role to play and that they can act to keep themselves safe. There is very little research into how people caught up in a terror attack respond and, as a result, international security services are interested in his work, which is funded through the Global Foresight project in Stockholm University. He is discovering that people have different responses based on age, gender, cultural background or life experience and this is where anthropologists play a crucial role. “When security services arrive on the scene, they have a very particular job to do which is neutralise the threat and clear the field for medics,” Dr Maguire explains. “They won’t be able to help the seriously injured or dying. This is why we need to increase ‘second-aid’ training, which is a more intensive form of first-aid and involves training people on blood clotting agents, packing and tourniquets until the medics arrive.

“At critical infrastructure sites such as airports, train stations, or border crossings we need to ensure that some staff are trained in second aid; this can save lives.” Terror attacks don’t always unfold as people imagine they will, says Dr Maguire. “We know that there are waves of recognition. Some people will immediately recognise the sound of gunshots; most don’t. But those who do recognise the sound will respond and others will, in turn, respond to their behaviour. During the attack, there are ‘battle pulses’; terrorists can’t fight continuously and so they stop, regroup and spiral out again. The situation is more fluid than people know, so there is a chance to escape.” Dr Maguire’s early research suggests that reactions by women at the sites of terror attacks are often more appropriate. “They tend to form small groups and help the hurt and vulnerable by leading them to safety. On the other hand, people can panic – even the emergency services – if they see a man on fire running towards them. This is understandable.” Security services are using ever-more-sophisticated techniques to identify possible terrorists at critical infrastructure sites. “They look for abnormal behaviour by sweeping the sites in search of non-normal behaviour patterns. The major question, however, is how best to deploy the resources.” These events are exceptionally rare, he says, and most of us will never be caught up in them. “There could be any reason for a person to commit an attack and they may not always cleanly fit the definition of ‘terrorist.’ They could be a disgruntled employee. We need to keep a sense of proportion and not turn into a hypervigilant society, but critical incidents will happen and it is us, not the security services, who are most affected by them. We need to understand how people respond in these situations.

“We are targets, so we have to learn resilience, and this resilience could serve us well in many different situations.” Later this year, Dr Maguire will present his early findings at a major international training school for police and first responders to call attention to this important element in societal security.

2009 Paul McCallion 2009 MA

Sustainable Energy Specialist

UNHCR (United National High Commission on Refugees) Graduating from Maynooth University in 2009, Paul McCallion worked in the electricity sector for 10 years with various electrical companies like ABB. In 2002 Paul volunteered with an Irish NGO and worked across Africa and Asia doing electrical and renewable projects before seeking out Maynooth University to further his career in development. Paul now works for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), planning and delivering renewable energy and cooking fuel solutions to refugee camps and host communities in some of the most challenging regions in the world. Based in Geneva with frequent travel, Paul started writing his thesis whilst in Darfur in 2007, continued it in Chad and finished it in Maynooth. Over the past three years, he has worked with Syrian refugees, Somalis refugees in Ethiopia, and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The poor coordination of renewable deployments within the development/ humanitarian context meant that as well as supporting designing, training and installing renewable technologies, he began to conduct ethnographic research across West Africa, Afghanistan and Haiti while doing his conventional electrical projects. Some of the findings resulted in the production of electrical guidelines and technical specifications for the previous organisation he worked for. Paul serves Maynooth University as an external advisor on a new programme in development and enjoys stopping by during his trips home from Geneva to Donegal.

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lasgow airport, June 2007. Terrorists attempted to drive their car, packed with improvised explosives, into the airport. They intended to kill as many people as possible but were stopped by security bollards.

We often know who these people are and where they live. I’m talking instead about the type of attacks where a terrorist is determined to kill as many people as possible in the shortest window of time possible. The fear is that they may be getting better at it and that they are learning about counter-surveillance measures.”

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Maynooth University is one of the world’s leading research centres in climate change and earth observation

Dr Conor Murphy, senior lecturer in Geography at Maynooth University and researcher with ICARUS, joined a team of 30 European researchers, led by Prof Günter Blöschl from the Vienna University of Technology. The team assembled and analysed quality assured data from over 4,000 river flow gauges across 38 European countries. The study highlights that if current trends in the timing of floods continue, ‘considerable economic and environmental consequences may arise.’ It states that catchments around the North Sea, for example, may see reduced agricultural productivity due to softer ground, higher soil compaction, enhanced erosion and direct crop damage.

MU climate scientists part of global coterie trying to save us from ourselves “It’s happening right here, right now,” - Prof Peter Thorne

limatologists at Maynooth have been sounding the alarm on climate change, and been internationally recognised for their contributions to the field, for years. Today, as the urgency to act–in an evidencebased, data-informed, productive way–confronts policymakers, industry, and scientists alike, the work going on at the Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units (ICARUS) is receiving more attention than ever. Research at ICARUS, part of the Department of Geography at Maynooth University, aims to advance fundamental understanding of past, present and future climate variability and change, and to provide cutting-edge analysis of future impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation in line with strategic national and international priorities. At the core is research focused on the analysis of change in atmospheric, terrestrial and marine environments, palaeoclimatology, regional climate modelling, catchment hydrology and water management, and the assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts and adaptation.

A few of the research projects underway at ICARUS:

Definitive Link Found Between European Flooding and Climate Change ICARUS researchers identified a link between climate change and the timing of floods across Ireland and Europe using a river flow dataset of unparalleled scale and diversity. The findings marked the first time this link has been demonstrated at a continental scale using observational data in a study involving several Maynooth University researchers and alumni.

Dr Murphy stated:

“The timing of floods throughout Europe over many years gives us a very sensitive tool for deciphering their causes. This newly created dataset means we are now able to identify connections that previously were purely speculative.” Volcanoes Predicted to Cause Increased Climate Fluctuations

“If we are to be climate resilient, it is important to account for potential volcanic activities in our planning,” says Prof Thorne, who stresses that short-term volcanic cooling will not mitigate long-term human-induced climate changes. “Even the most extreme plausible volcanic activity in the 21st Century causes little reduction in temperatures at the end of the century.”

Heat Stress Threats to Major Cities Progressively Worse if Paris Targets Missed In December 2015, the international community pledged to limit global warming to below 2°C to prevent dangerous climate change. However, new analysis suggests that even if this target is met, the dangers to society posed by heat stress are likely to escalate.

to do if society is to avoid the worst heatstress impacts from rising temperatures. Co-author Conor Murphy, Maynooth University Department of Geography, said: “These findings highlight how sensitive heat stress is to climate change. We show that for even modest warming amounts, the global burden of heat stress will likely grow considerably. Because the response is ‘non-linear,’ for each fraction of a degree the climate warms, the increase in heat stress is ever greater. That translates into progressively heavier impacts globally if the Paris targets are missed.”

2000 David Reynolds 2000 BSc, 2004 MSc

Talent Partner, Deloitte

Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S., scientists from Liverpool John Moores University, Loughborough University and Maynooth University examined data from recent projections of climate change and population growth. They found that even if global warming is limited to as little as 1.5°C, in excess of 350 million more people living in megacities could be exposed to deadly heat episodes annually. With that level of warming, South Asian cities will likely remain the most heat stressed over the coming century, but major world cities including Lagos, Nigeria and Shanghai, China may become newly heat stressed. For global warming of 2.7°C, which tallies with current commitments to greenhouse gas reduction, the largest city in the world at present – Tokyo, Japan -- is likely to be affected.

Volcanoes are rarely included in simulations of future climate, because eruptions cannot be predicted. Using the behaviour of past eruptions as a substitute, a new study warns that the 21st Century climate may be more variable than previously thought.

The researchers conclude that these large increases in global heat stress can be explained by two factors: First, the frequency of dangerously hot weather increases rapidly even for relatively modest rises in global average air temperature. Second, population is generally expected to grow fastest in low-latitude countries that experience relatively hot climates and temperatures already close to ‘dangerous’ thresholds.

An international team led by Ingo Bethke from Uni Research and the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research is behind a new study published in Nature Climate Change. The paper was co-authored by Maynooth Professor Peter Thorne, a leading international climatologist.

The scientists undertook the analysis to explore the extent to which the ambitious climate change targets agreed in Paris in 2015 may avoid impacts that could be dangerous to society. Their findings highlight that even if these ambitious mitigation targets succeed, there is much left

A Talent Partner for Deloitte in Dublin, David Reynolds earned both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Computer Science at Maynooth. Foreshadowing the exciting changes to Maynooth’s approach to education, David said he loved his undergraduate experience because was able to start with a broad sampling of courses before he narrowed his degree to computer science and maths. Even David’s graduate degree had an interdisciplinary flair as he looked at human-computer interactions. David credits the close campus network, interdisciplinary approach – and perhaps his time as Entertainment Chair! – for his later success as a Partner at Deloitte. He speaks passionately about encouraging teamwork and personal motivation with business KPIs. David emphasises that “access to faculty was formative” during his time at Maynooth, so his own accessibility and commitment to team development at Deloitte is a fitting outgrowth of that rich student experience.

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Evidence for Change:

The research suggests that floods in northeast Europe, Sweden, Finland and the Baltic states occur a month earlier than in the 1960s and 1970s, due to earlier snow melting associated with human-induced climate warming over this time period. In parts of the Mediterranean coast, flood events take place later in the season and this aligns with observed warming of the Mediterranean.

The study suggests that future volcanism will likely increase stresses on ecosystems and society by causing a more fluctuating climate with more extremes.

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Drones in the City? Aiding in Off-Shore Rescue? Delivering Pizza?

“Part of the work we’re doing in Maynooth University is to attribute that 3D model with relevant information for the drones. For instance, Croke Park on Sunday All-Ireland final day would be high risk, as opposed to in the middle of a Tuesday where there’s nobody around. We’re taking a completely new look at how we model environments for drones.” – Dr Tim McCarthy

Maynooth expert Dr Tim McCarthy is bringing the future closer to reality By Conor McHugh ‘96

hile drones have become accessible to civilian enthusiasts in recent years, it’s expected that in time they will be more capable and fully autonomous, bringing us anything from blood products to deliveries from Amazon.

gathering or environmental sensors. But the bit that’s missing at the moment is the midstream, which deals with the operation of drones, and that is quite challenging. That’s where research has to come in. It’s convoluted and multi-layered.”

Dr Tim McCarthy from the National Centre for Computation and the Hamilton Institute at Maynooth University is at the forefront of drone innovation, working to develop a framework for how the unmanned aerial vehicles will operate in urban areas.

“We can work with the likes of Airbus to create drones that can stay up in gale force conditions for up to 20 hours and carry 25 kgs payload and be able to relay information back to central control,” Dr McCarthy explained.

“Generally the worst possible situation is where you mix drones with human activity,” Dr McCarthy explains. “The challenges we’re facing at the moment are safety, security, privacy and regulatory - and rightly so. People don’t want a drone, especially one that is higher performance, flying over their heads.”

There is also potential for drones to play a role in checking critical infrastructure, like faulty power lines or responding to road traffic accidents or even with a text alert system, he said.

A starting point for Dr McCarthy and his team is to create a 3D model of a city, such as Dublin, that allows them to build up a risk profile for a drone. “Part of the work we’re doing in Maynooth University is to attribute that 3D model with relevant information for the drones. For instance, Croke Park on Sunday All-Ireland final day would be high risk, as opposed to in the middle of a Tuesday where there’s nobody around. We’re taking a completely new look at how we model environments for drones. Once we have an efficient data structure to hold that digital model of the city environment we can then come up with pretty nifty pathfinding algorithms to route drones across the city – bearing in mind the shortest route and the purpose of the drone–say, delivering blood products or a pizza.” Dr McCarthy has focused his research on the mid-stream niche. “I’m not involved in the technology of the drones themselves. Upstream, there are people working on the drone technology, and downstream, it’s all the things drones can do, like information

Dr McCarthy likened drone innovation trends to the move towards automation that we currently see in cars. However, he said the regulatory framework for drones, currently based on the relatively inexpensive High Street models, is insufficient for drones of greater capability. That would certainly come into play in another area Dr McCarthy sees as ripe for further research: flying drones around cities. He sees major opportunities for researchers to develop radar and transponder systems that will enable drones to fly in urban areas. “You’re talking about radar systems on the ground, on the aircraft, handling cyber security and vehicle registration protocols, but the obvious question is:

How do you traffic-manage drones, making sure they don’t crash into each other? “This is where the whole conversation is at, because conventional solutions probably will not work - but that’s great for researchers like me. It means there’s a problem, but also means there’s a challenge.”

Image © Airbus/ S. Walther 2017

2001 Brian Shortt 1996 BSc, 2001 PhD

Head of the Payload Technology Validation Section, Future Missions Department, Directorate of Science, European Space Agency

Wicklow man Brian Shortt has come a long way since his Maynooth days – you might even say he’s in a different stratosphere. Now living in The Netherlands, Brian has been working at the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2009. He’s currently the head of a group testing instrument technologies for future science missions. “In a laboratory environment, the group of specialists that I lead test critical enabling technologies to ensure that they will do their job once launched into space and return the data which will allow a better understanding of our solar system, galaxy and beyond.” Returning to Maynooth in 2015 to deliver the inaugural Science & Engineering Alumni Lecture, Brian shared his ESA experience with alumni, family and current students. He believes that the technical side of his job draws heavily on the solid foundations laid during his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in physics at Maynooth. “I particularly remember the open and relaxed atmosphere within the Department of Experimental Physics and the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff and postgraduate students – it all made for me a very enriching and rewarding experience.”

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And yet, as he explains: “Most of them will be flying low, so you want to be double sure things are safe and well-managed - and that’s the area that we’re moving into.”

In October, Dr McCarthy was part of a team that included Airbus, the Irish Aviation Authority, and other industry partners who ventured to Mine Head Lighthouse in Waterford to run a series of tests with the Coast Guard. The team was investigating if drones could provide ‘top cover’ to rescue operations like the Rescue 166 helicopter that crashed off the coast of Mayo earlier this year.

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Shaping the future of the Irish food and drinks industry

Silent, stressed, and on the margins

Maynooth wins contract with Bord Bia to offer specialised Master’s in Design Innovation

Image © Marina Cavazza

Maynooth University will offer an MSc in Design Innovation (Food) in partnership with the food and drinks sector, the largest in Ireland, which sees an annual turnover of €25bn, exports of €10.8bn and a total of 230,000 jobs supported. Maynooth has recruited its first batch of applicants, individuals with a creative flair, a passion for innovation and a genuine ambition to develop a career within Ireland’s largest indigenous industry. Placements and industry projects are an integral part of the programme, and major Irish food and drinks companies like Kerry, Keelings, Glanbia and other leading food businesses benefit from having a programme participant join their team for the duration of the course. Winning the contract was a significant achievement for Maynooth, having competed against leading universities in Ireland and across Europe, and builds on the success of the award-winning MSc in Design Innovation. The course, which began only in

2014, was the first of its kind in Europe and one of the only postgraduate programmes in Ireland dedicated to radical innovation.

“We need to proactively attract, develop and retain new talent with a range of strategic capabilities.” Speaking about the collaboration, Padraig Brennan, Director of Markets for Bord Bia said, “In order for the Irish food and drink industry to achieve our ambitious growth targets, we need to proactively attract, develop and retain new talent with a range of strategic capabilities. Novel, insight-led innovations and a creative way of thinking for the food, beverage and horticulture industry are essential in order to maintain our competitive edge. This new collaboration with Maynooth University will allow us to build world-class talent in the area of innovation and design thinking, complementing our existing suite of programmes which focus on marketing, sustainability and international business.” Dr Peter Robbins, Head of the Department of Design Innovation at Maynooth said: “The MSc in Design Innovation uses a humancentred approach to innovation, integrating the needs of people, the possibilities of technology and the requirements for business success. Maynooth University is home to Ireland’s only Department of Anthropology, as well as world-class expertise in ethnography, which gives us a considerable edge in finessing insights.”

2010 Clodagh O’Brien 2010 MA

Partner - Crowe Horwath Bastow Charleton

Clodagh graduated from Maynooth in 2010 with a Master’s in Sociology whilst working full time as a marketing consultant at Crowe Horwath Bastow Charleton. Clodagh is a Partner in the firm’s consultancy department. She has almost 20 years’ experience working with organisations in the commercial, not for profit and public sectors. Her particular interests are arts and culture, the creative sector, education, health and social care, and tourism. Clodagh’s thesis at Maynooth looked at the sociology and innovation of networks – a timely topic in the age of social media. Clodagh said, “I didn’t exactly do this for fun, but for the intellectual curiosity, and of course, it informs my work in marketing.” She loved the coursework and clearly found a way to combine her academic experience with her work today, for a greater good.

Alumni Profile

n autumn 2017, through an open European tender, the Maynooth University Department of Design Innovation successfully won a contract with Bord Bia to deliver an industryfirst programme which aims to enhance the innovation capabilities within the Irish food, drink and horticultural sector.

Maynooth University Motherhood Project examines the changing face of 21st Century motherhood

hen we think of motherhood we picture the strong maternal bond, and the traditional influence of mothers in society. This image of the “good” mother is being increasingly disrupted by women whose experiences do not reflect this normative script, according to researchers at Maynooth University. Part of the Maynooth University Motherhood Project, the academics are shedding light on the experience of migrant mothers, the debate surrounding women who regret motherhood, and the changing cultural images of so-called “bad” mothers. Dr Eglė Kačkutė from Maynooth’s Department of French Studies has focused on the role language plays in the experience of migrant, refugee, exiled, and expatriate mothers and their adopted country. She says these mothers can be categorised according to their linguistic mothering practices: • Silent mothers: Women who do not speak their mother tongue to their children, typically due to historical or personal trauma. In some cases it is a conscious mothering strategy provoked by the mother’s trauma; while in others it is an effective coping mechanism that has a healing effect on the mother. • Monolingual mothers: Women who only speak their native language to their children despite living in another country. • Multilingual mothers: Women who speak several languages simultaneously to their children, most notably their own native language and the language of the host

country. The mother’s native language performs the function of forming a strong, embodied emotional bond between the mother and the children.

like Sharon Horgan’s Catastrophe depicting different experiences and addressing issues like maternal ambivalence, regret, and frustration.”

Dr Kačkutė notes, “Speaking one’s native language, especially for refugee and immigrant mothers, can be a homing practice, recreating the lost familiarity and keeping a strong bond with the children. However, this can often have the effect of distancing mothers from their children who, having gained a higher level of belonging in the host country quicker, seem to have very negative views of the practice.”

However, even in progressive countries, the cultural image of motherhood remains strikingly traditional. Dr Valerie Heffernan from the Maynooth University Department of German Studies has researched the #RegrettingMotherhood debate that emerged in Germany in 2015 after a journalist published an article about an Israeli sociologist’s research with women who said they regretted motherhood.

“Migrant, refugee, exile, and expatriate mothers often feel as though they are mothering ‘on the margins.’ This is a powerful source of guilt for them.” Expectation of what is the normal motherhood experience is also a central component of the research of Dr Julie Rodgers, also in the Department of French Studies. Her research looks at depictions of mothers in contemporary film, books, and television with a particular interest in stories of “bad,” or more appropriately, “subversive” mothers.

Discussing the subsequent media furore around the article, Dr Heffernan says, “Society and culture compel women to see motherhood as the only way to be truly fulfilled, but what happens when they are not fulfilled or they experience doubt? Birth rates are declining across Western Europe. If culture and the media are sending the message that the traditional model is the only way to approach motherhood, then it can hardly be considered surprising that so many European women are now choosing not to become mothers.”

“Women are taught from an early age that motherhood is a “natural” stage in the female lifecycle and they will instinctively love their children,” she says. “Women who struggle with motherhood are demonised and women who don’t want to become mothers are often scrutinised and seen to be lacking.”

“At this year’s Grammy Awards, the artist Adele spoke of her award as giving her back something she had lost since having a child. That was a very honest admission. It contrasts starkly with Beyoncé’s idealisation of pregnancy and motherhood on the same night.”

Dr Rodgers explains, “We need a broader understanding of motherhood. Popular culture is beginning to reflect this with shows

Follow the Maynooth University Motherhood Project on Twitter: @Mother_Cultures

Maynooth University

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2003

Despite the hotbed of tech activity on campus in those days, the dot-com bubble burst on the outside. “Our thinking went from, ‘Will I be buying a Ferrari?’ to “Will I even get a work placement?’” Des earned an Intel Scholarship and graduated first in his class across the sciences in 2003. He’d gotten a taste for San Francisco during a J-1 and ultimately landed an IRC SET scholarship out there for the next summer, before heading back to Maynooth to pursue a PhD in Computer Science and Software Engineering. His research, unsurprisingly, sought to disrupt the way in which CS students are assessed. Des was building a computerbased alternative assessment that sought to bridge the gap between what students actually knew and how tests measured that knowledge. “Across third level, there was template-based marking for template-based learning.”

Straddling Silicon Valley and the Silicon Docks

But in the end, the project bored Des, and after lecturing at MU for a while, he abandoned the doctoral journey in favour of an entrepreneurial one.

Inside the Ascent of Intercom, with Co-Founder (and MU alum) Des Traynor ‘03

In 2005, Des and another Maynooth grad, Andrew Page, built a search engine for the hottest social networking channel at the time, Bebo. Their product, called Bigulo, went by the wayside with Bebo, but, “The seed of something bigger was there. … It gave me the taste to do things that actually mattered.”

By Rebecca Doolin

n 2011, two Maynooth grads – Des Traynor and David Barrett – teamed up with two Trinity grads – Eoghan McCabe and Ciarán Lee – to form one of the muchheralded “industry disrupters,” with technology that obliterates the conventional ways businesses talk to customers. The foursome fomented a healthy rivalry, and an even healthier corporate model. Shelving his PhD work for a day turned out to be the biggest decision of Des Traynor’s life. Instead of tapping away on his computer, Des hopped the train into the city to attend a coffee morning put together by young up-andcomers in Dublin’s burgeoning tech scene. He left the event having met not only his future wife (significantly fateful in its own right), but also the guy he’d eventually partner with to build what’s been deemed “Ireland’s next billion-euro company.” Fast forward a few years and Intercom is a tech company that is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers. Their model is to eliminate the multiple platforms through which a customer connects with a company, and vice versa–whether it be sales, marketing or customer service–by using singular technology that feels like a messaging app you could be using everyday on social media or on your smart phone. The company’s success to date is impressive: 20,000 businesses as clients (including giants like Microsoft and Stripe); $116M

in venture funding raised, and 350+ employees. The US-based company (incorporated in Delaware) has a very large R&D base in Dublin, in addition to its San Francisco headquarters and recently opened offices in Chicago and London. Intercom’s stock has risen (figuratively, the company hasn’t gone down the IPO route, yet) at a precipitous rate. But the ultimate question every fourth-year Computer Science student is wondering: How did they do it? The answer certainly wasn’t immediately clear on the day of the coffee morning, when Des (now Intercom’s Chief Strategy Officer) met Eoghan McCabe (now Intercom’s CEO). The company had a journey, as did Des personally. Des started at Maynooth University in 1999, and despite following his sister (Georgina Traynor, ’01 and ’06) there, to Des, he was very much taking his own path, as all of his school mates were off to universities in Dublin.

“You get a reasonable opportunity to reinvent yourself that you don’t get when you follow other people where they’re going,” Des said.

“I was also attracted by the Computer Science and Software Engineering programme at Maynooth because it was very, very, very hard. It appealed to me to go somewhere where I knew I’d be tested.” He was, and built his technical skills while also building a network of like-minded techie students who spent out-of-class time hanging out, chatting on servers, and taking on projects through the Maynooth Information Network Development Society (MINDS now known as SocIT), started by Cian Synnott ‘03. It was at Maynooth, and through MINDS, that Des built a friendship

So Des started blogging: DesTraynor.com. The medium is one he remains addicted to today, and uses both as a tool in Intercom’s thought leadership and brand-building strategies, but also as an outlet for his own desire to teach, to explain complex subject matter and to simply share and engage with knowledge. “I do really like to explain things, to a detriment sometimes,” Des admits. “Blogging helps bring people along on the journey and Intercom’s mission is about making Internet business more personal.” It turns out blogging helped connect Des and Eoghan at the coffee morning. “He had a blog. I had a blog.” So the two team up to build an error-tracking tool for software developers called Exceptional. The company tallied thousands of users but ran across a problem: it had no way to talk to them. A side project ensued and the quartet of Intercom co-founders built a chat tool whose popularity quickly outstripped that of Exceptional.

Alumni Profile

with David Barrett ’03, who would go on to help found Intercom with Des and to Trinity alumni, McCabe and Ciarán Lee. Today Barrett is a senior engineer at the company.

By 2011, the four were courting venture capital in Silicon Valley and on August 15, 2011, Intercom was incorporated. Seed funding of €1M was secured, and quickly grew to €6M, then €23M and a few years later, €116M. The road ahead is limitless for a company like Intercom, whose pitch to simplify the customer communication experience is paramount in today’s digital commercial age.

“For Intercom to work, you’ve have to believe a few things: One, relationships with your customers is key. Two, the future is high-quality customer experiences. And three, messaging is the future of communication and the platform to build your relationships from.” To do this, Des, as Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Marketing, is building his brand and his user base–by returning to the principles of blogging and teaching, but bringing them to global scale, and with the signature flare of Silicon Valley. He’s just completed a 10-city World Tour of Intercom events, which are billed more like the “gig you can’t miss” than any sort of dry corporate workshop. Case-inpoint: The tour wrapped up at Vicar Street in November. BUILDING INTERCOM: An evening of engineering stories about building, scaling and taking risks with our product. The concert-level hype helps Des build a following as well as a brand, sharing lessons learned with crowds of college students and start-up techies hoping to be the next Des Traynor. Still, in classic Irish fashion–proud but humble–Des describes the tour as a sign of the company’s success and says that to him, the tour simply means: “Hey, we’re not shit.” No, that’s not up for debate. In fact, behind the hype and the business success is a desire– an imperative even–to recognise the power that comes with a voice that Intercom has achieved and use it for good when possible. In January 2017, immediately after President Donald Trump announced a ban on travel into the US on several majority-Muslim nations, Intercom used its blog to make a statement that reverberated throughout the industry. In Continues overleaf ☞ the post titled,

Maynooth University

“Supporting our Muslim brothers and sisters in tech,” McCabe wrote, “We feel compelled as humans to see if we can try to ease the new suffering of some, by even a small amount. And as immigrants ourselves, we’d also like to make a statement on the topic. We abhor this and any policy of hate and discrimination.” “Intercom is a dual-citizen company of a sort. We’ve had two offices from day zero. …If you’re in tech, and you’re from one of the newly unfavoured countries, or even if you’re not, but you’re feeling persecuted for being Muslim, we’d like to help you consider Dublin as a place to live and work.” Intercom backed up the empathy support–both in-kind and financial, offering to pay €5,000 in legal fees for at least 50 Muslim tech workers who consider moving to work in Dublin. Des said Trump’s decree “spurred a visceral reaction for us. We feel like where you have an unfair advantage and have an opportunity to offer people a leg up or a way out, you have to try. That was the basic stance we took. It’s hard enough to make it in Silicon Valley without having this thrown at you.” In general, Des is pleased when the tech industry finds common voice on such issues and eschews the cynics who say, “That’s the least they can do.” “We should be encouraging more companies to do the right thing, not belittle the ones who do,” Des said. “It’s good to see the Valley finding a collective stance on these things and own their own power.”

1999 BSc, 2002 HDip

Senior Product Manager Salesforce.com

Graduating from Maynooth in the height of the dot-com crash may have waylaid Amanda Grady, but not for long. Now in Silicon Valley, Amanda is a Senior Product Manager at Salesforce, which recently was voted the #1 customer relationship management (CRM) tool in the world. After studying Chemistry and Maths as an undergraduate, Amanda spent a year teaching in Italy before returning to the Computer Science Department at Maynooth for an HDip in Information Technology. Though outnumbered by the male persuasion, that only served to prepare Amanda for the tech field she inhabits–and thrives in– today. She went to a start-up in Dublin called Brightmail, an anti-spam provider, before making the leap to the EU headquarters of Symantec in Dublin, which ultimately brought her to California, where she’s been since 2012.

Straddling the two worlds of “the Valley” and Dublin is something Des is well accustomed to, spending one-third of his time in San Francisco and two-thirds in his native Castleknock. Newly married, he’s a man living two lives in many ways: “I have friends in both cities, clothes in both cities, follow politics and events in both cities. It’s not two identities, but feels close sometimes.” The pace, however, is not likely to abate anytime soon. As Intercom continues its ascent into the tech stratosphere, its strategy is to build more software and hire more people–in other words, grow. “The road ahead is clear,” he said. “It’s the velocity and amount of people required that’s the challenge. Odds are: He’s up for it.

“We should be encouraging more companies to do the right thing, not belittle the ones who do,” Des said. “It’s good to see the Valley finding a collective stance on these things and own their own power.”

12 Maynooth Alumni Working at Intercom ShekMan Tang (BSc ’09), Damon Foster (BA ’15, HDip Sc ’16), Mark Ryan (BSc ’08), David Barrett (BSc ’03), Sebastian Duque (MSc ’16), Orla Tuite (BA ’12), Cathal Coffey (BSc ’10, MSc ’13), Sinead O’Rourke (BA ’14, HDip Sc ’16), Danny Fallon (BSc ’08), Sean Smithers (BSc ’12), Hannah Healy (MA, ’17), and Des Traynor (BSc ‘03) .

2011 Tom Whelan 2011 BSc, 2015 PhD

Research Scientist, Oculus Maynooth alum, Dr Thomas Whelan, is inventing the future. Currently a Research Scientist at Oculus Research, Facebook’s virtual reality platform, just outside of Seattle in the US, Tom works on the Surreal Vision team. The team focuses on real-time and robust embedded machine perception for virtual and augmented reality experiences. Before joining Oculus, Tom spent a year as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Dyson Robotics Laboratory at Imperial

College London led by Professor Andrew J. Davison. Prior to that, Tom was a PhD student at Maynooth University under a three-year post-graduate scholarship from the Irish Research Council (IRC). He received his BSc (Hons) in Computer Science & Software Engineering from Maynooth in 2011. Between 2010 and 2013, Tom was a core member of RoboEireann, a humanoid robotic soccer team in the RoboCup Standard Platform League. He completed his PhD at Maynooth in 2015. Tom’s research focuses on developing methods for dense real-time perception and its applications in SLAM, AR and VR (augmented and virtual reality). He is the principal author of two widely used open source real-time dense SLAM systems, ElasticFusion and Kintinuous.

Alumni Events

In 2016, Amanda moved to Salesforce. She brought with her an expertise built up in security software and its integration with cloud-based platforms in particular – not a responsibility one shoulders lightly in today’s world of cyber-threats that can bring down a company or government for that matter.

Maynooth France Alumni Chapter connects at pan-Irish alumni events in Paris

“I have Maynooth to thank for my whole career. I have great memories academically and personally, through the Galway Cycle,” which she’s completed 12 of the last 17 years. The Castleknock native hopes to return for a visit to Maynooth this Christmas, with her newborn son, Ajay, in tow.

In conjunction with UCD, TCD, NUIG, UL and UCC, Maynooth University’s France Alumni Chapter met for drinks at pan-Irish alumni events in Paris in October and November. The events gave Maynooth alumni the opportunity to socialise and network with graduates from across the Irish university landscape who now live in France. Seán Ryan (1989) and Róisín Dockery (1987) are the MU Alumni Chapter Ambassadors in Paris and are planning

Alumni Profiles

1999 Amanda Grady

The Bridge

further pan-alumni activities in 2018. If you’re interested in joining our France Chapter or would like to establish a chapter where you are, email alumni@mu.ie.

Class of 1967 return for anniversary reunion in May Graduates from the BA and BSc classes who graduated in 1967 returned to campus for their 50th anniversary reunion on Monday, May 22. A lecture by Salvador Ryan in Physics Hall kicked-off the evening which was followed by Mass in St Joseph’s Chapel and dinner in Pugin Hall. Former member of staff from the Department of French and 1967 graduate Michael O’Dwyer attended, as did Irish and French Scholar Monsignor Breandán Ó Doibhlin, Professor Emeritus of French.

Maynooth University

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13th June, 1997: Minister of Education Niamh Bhreathnach signs Commencement Order for the Universities Act, establishing the National University of Ireland Maynooth as an independent university.

2000 • Founding of the Irish Climate Research and Analysis Units (ICARUS), the leading centre on climate change in Ireland

1997 • Dr .W.J. “Seamus” Smyth becomes the institution’s first president. • 4,513 students began their studies at Maynooth in 1997, taught and supported by 363 academic and administrative staff • Maynooth Alumni Association formed Witnessing the historic moment on the Maynooth campus were the heads of all seven universities and the Secretary for the Department of Education, Don Thornhill.

2001

2002

• Hamilton Institute founded with initial funding from SFI

2003

• National Institute of Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) established as Centre of Excellence with PRTLI funding

• Department of Media Studies established

• 30% increase in CAO first preferences in just one year

2007 • Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, including Prof John Sweeney • Student Imagine Cup team wins national and international contests for InGest: 3D tools aimed at teaching sign language • Department of Design Innovation established • School of Business established

2008 • Fire burns down campus canteen, inspiring the name for its replacement: Phoenix • NUIM RoboCup Soccer Team, with University of Newcastle in Australia, wins RoboCup 2008 Soccer, Standard Platform League • Named Sunday Times “University of the Year”

2009 • Department of Law established • European Space Agency launches Herschel and Planck satellites to probe deep space with NUIM academics serving as key part of team that designed instruments on board • Centre for Teaching and Learning established

• First meeting of the NUIM Governing Authority is held on 29th Oct, 1997

2004 • National Centre for Geocomputation (NCG) established with funding from SFI • Department of Electronic Engineering established • €18M John Hume Building opened by President Mary McAleese

2010

• New extension to John Paul II Library opens, quickly making the Library the heart of the campus • €2.3m European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Award to Prof Rob Kitchin for research into “The Programmable City”

2013 • Department of International Development established • Froebel College of Education merges with MU, establishing the Froebel Dept of Primary & Early Childhood Education • EDEN Centre for Entrepreneurship, Design and Innovation launched • Instruments are used to detect remnants of the Big Bang, designed by group including Prof Anthony Murphy and his team

• Official name change to Maynooth University • Philae space probe makes historic comet landing with Rosetta Mission and includes mission-critical hardware designed by Emeritus Professor Susan McKenna-Lawlor • Prof David Stifter wins ERC Consolidator Grant for “Chronologicon Hibernicum – A Probabilistic Chronological Framework for Dating Early Irish Language Developments and Literature” • MU Soccer wins Collingwood Cup • Launch of Letters of 1916 project at MU, the digital, crowd-sourced archive called the “first public humanities project in Ireland” • MU climate researchers publish Nature paper concluding winter 2013-14 was “stormiest on record”

• New €10M Science Building opened by President Mary McAleese on 22 Sept, 1998

2005 • John and Pat Hume Scholarships established, supporting 350 students to date with €1.5 million provided by MU annually • Student Services Centre opened, providing health, counselling, budgeting advice and other services to hundreds of students every day

• Ranked among the Top 400 universities in the world by the Times Higher Education

• Maynooth Chamber Choir win the coveted Pavarotti Trophy to become “Choir of the World” • €20M Eolas Building for ICT opened by Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Enterprise Richard Bruton TD • Business Incubator MaynoothWorks opened in Eolas with Enterprise Ireland support • European Investment Bank invests €76M in campus expansion • Maynooth University launches transformative new undergraduate curriculum • Patent granted for Bordetella Pertussis Vaccine by Prof. Bernard Mahon, Inserm and Institute Pasteur in Lille

• Student levy initiated to improve sports and social facilities • Department of Spanish established • Department of Psychology established

2006 • The Department of Applied Social Studies established • Innovation Value Institute cofounded by MU and Intel • Callan Institute founded • NUIM China Office established in Beijing

2011

• €20M Iontas Building for the humanities and social sciences opened by Minister Mary Hanafin TD

2015

• Education House opened by Dr Garret Fitzgerald

• Paddy Harrington Golf Scholarships established, helping Ireland’s elite golf prospects stay in Ireland

• Prof Philip Nolan appointed as President

• MU leads the university sector in establishing the structured PhD model

1999

• Institute of Immunology and Institute of Immunology and Institute of Bioengineering and Agroecology established with €16M in PRTLI funding

• Prof Tom Collins appointed Interim President

2014 2012

• Maynooth Access Programme established, going on to become a national model for widening participation amongst third level institutions in Ireland

• Prof John G. Hughes appointed President

• School of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures established

• His Highness the Aga Khan receives honorary degree from NUIM

1998

• Avectas spinout based on research of Dr Shirley O’Dea that led to novel therapeutic drug delivery for diseases like lung cancer • European Research Council (ERC) starter grant awarded to Prof Seán Ó Riain of the Dept of Sociology for his project: “New deals in the

2016 • Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute established • Maynooth University ranks #49 in THE ‘Young Universities’ list • New Education Building opens, bringing full spectrum of teacher training under one roof • MU plans €300m campus development • Lárionad na Gaeilge launched by Minister of State for Gaeilge, the Gaeltacht and the Islands Joe McHugh TD

economy” - the first ERC award for MU • Department of Chinese Studies established • MU acquires death-row letters of Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa • “Beloved” Footbridge connecting North and South Campus comes down • Edward M Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention established

2017 • Maynooth University surpasses 12,000 students • Number of FTE staff reaches 968 • An international campus: MU sees highest # of international students on campus and highest # of MU students studying abroad

Background photo: Maynooth University President, Prof Philip Nolan, surrounded by staff, cuts the cake to kick-off the University’s 20th birthday celebration on 16 June, 2017 – 20 years to the day from the appointment of the first NUIM President, WJ “Seamus” Smith.

Maynooth University

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Commercialisation at Maynooth University

MaynoothWorks offers critical advice and practical supports for technology start-ups, with executive coaching, mentoring, peer-to-peer learning and access to accelerator programmes. We tap our panel of high-profile experts from specific sectors to share their experiences, contacts and knowledge to support and develop start-up companies. www.maynoothuniversity.ie/MaynoothWorks

www.maynoothuniversity.ie/commercialisation

2007 Therese Holton 2007 BSc, 2011 PhD

Scientific Officer, Nuritas PRODUCT DESIGN

PSYCHOLOGY

MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY COMMERCIALISATION

ICT ENGINEERING

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

CREATING HIGH POTENTIAL START- UPS AND VALUE FOR INDUSTRY PARTNERS

EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES 1 Pathogen Responsive Biosensors

BIOSCIENCES

Food as Medicine: MU alum combines AI and genomics to unlock the health benefits in food Alumni Profiles

Making it easy for companies to leverage the commercial potential of the University’s research and innovation by connecting businesses with cutting-edge research, expertise and opportunities.

MaynoothWorks is Maynooth University’s new business incubator, supporting aspiring start-ups in becoming successful businesses

CHEMISTRY

2 Crohn’s Disease Diagnostic 3 Microbiome Discovery 4 Quantitative Fluorescently Labelled Protein Assay Detector 5 Novel Biomarkers for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma 6 Improving Base Station Amplifier Performance 7 Small Molecule Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“One thing I certainly never thought when I decided to study in Maynooth was that it would lead me to meet Bono!” But that it did. For Therese Holton, one of five Holton sisters from Donadea to attend Maynooth University, her undergraduate and doctoral degrees led her down an emerging field of science that has attracted the attention, and investment, from Bono and The Edge. Nuritas, a Dublin-based company started in 2014, combines artificial intelligence and genomics to “discover and unlock natural bioactive peptides with extraordinary health benefits.” In short, the company is mining peptides found in food and plants to tap their potential to treat disease and chronic illness. “It’s food as medicine,” Therese said. “We’re unlocking what’s already there in nature.” When asked if this relates to the latest fads on the “benefits of eating raw garlic” or “superfoods,” she cautioned the lack of evidence behind many of these claims. “What’s different about Nuritas is that we’re pioneering the use of science and data in the food space. Right now, it’s quite random how functional ingredients are discovered, and more often than not the active component is not known. At Nuritas we are combining the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to inform ingredient discovery. It’s fascinating work and I love it. My role is to collate all of our research activity and scientific outputs and communicate them to the world.” Therese, who completed her BSc in 2007 and a 2011 PhD in Genetics and Bioinformatics, credits Maynooth with giving her both the education and personal experiences that helped her get where she is today. “The Biology Department really instilled the importance of basic research, along with encouraging us to take education further – that I

really could do a PhD afterwards. It’s fantastic to promote that belief in yourself. I don’t know if it’s the same at other universities, but I really got that sense from Biology Department at Maynooth.” Therese also met her husband, Ronan Anglin (’08 Computer Science grad) at Maynooth, and has developed close friendships through the Galway Cycle, which she has done for several years – though she plans to skip next year’s race, with baby number one on the way. As for memories? Well, Therese’s claim to fame was having breakfast with her lab group in what is now Phoenix Restaurant when the infamous fire started. She lives in Maynooth today, so can regal her child with the tale one day on a stroll through campus.

8 Ocean Energy Technologies ANTHROPOLOGY

9 Biomarker Sensors

1997 Markis Duggan

10 Geophysical Mapping

COMPUTER SCIENCE

11 Unidoodle

1997 BSc

Risk Manager, Goldman Sachs

MATHEMATICS

RECENT INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS

As a teenager, Markis wasn’t sure college was for him. But after some last-minute encouragement from a teacher at his secondary school in St James’s Street, he went for it. Markis ended up at Maynooth with the benefit of a scholarship and without ever having stepped foot on campus before.

OUR SPINOUTS Empathy Test

Rosadex

Funding support for the Commercialisation Office is provided by

In 1997, Markis graduated with a BSc in Chemistry & Experimental Physics. He got his foot in the door as an opto-electronic engineer with IBM International, working in Germany, Silicon Valley and setting up IBM’s plan in Mulhuddart before deciding to try something completely different. He spent the next 17 years working in the Defence and Security industry around the globe, particularly in the Middle East and Africa. In another radical career change, today he is a Risk Manager at Goldman Sachs in London. Though Markis admits to not being particularly studious as an undergrad at Maynooth, something certainly clicked. He went on to complete a PG Dip in International Security and an MSc in Technology at Cranfield University, and then an MPhil in Politics and International Relations from the University of Cambridge. Some of his fondest memories are walking (or, more likely, running due to being late for a lecture!) across St Joseph’s Square

on a frosty morning or nipping into the back of Callan Hall for a chemistry lecture. He made lifelong friends at Maynooth who have consistently gathered for their own reunions over the past 10+ years before passing the baton to the Alumni Office this year. Markis rallied his group to attend what he called a “cracking evening” at his 20-year Reunion on campus in September.

Maynooth University

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A smart approach to smart cities Prof Rob Kitchin of The Programmable City project at Maynooth University is investigating the relationship between networked digital technologies and city life. In particular, the project is concerned with how cities are increasingly being translated into code and data, and how these codes and data are being used to transduce how we understand, manage, work, and live in the city and produce ‘smart cities.’ A new Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded project, led by Professor Rob Kitchin, Prof Chris Brunsdon and Martin Charlton, alongside Dr Stephanie Keogh, researches the Dublin Dashboard project. One of the most comprehensive city dashboards in Europe and internationally, Dublin Dashboard visualises, through interactive maps and graphs, a broad range of data about the city including real-time data, official statistics, and public administrative data. It also allows city officials, the public, and companies to view traffic and travel information, weather, and air quality, and to report on issues about the city. The site has had 220,000 page views since September 2014 and plans are now in place for the launch of Cork Dashboard.

Research that is shaping the future of our cities and our lives

aynooth University academics are working to promote better economic, social and environmental policies. Housed in the Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute, researchers are working on some of the most pressing issues facing Irish society today and, through interdisciplinary research approaches, are addressing fundamental research questions in new ways. Family hubs may be a new form of institutionalisation of vulnerable women and children The use of “Family Hubs,” as proposed by the government, would restrict the capacity for people to live normal lives and have devastating impacts on family, adult and child wellbeing, a recent submission to the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Meeting has stated. The submission, by Maynooth Sociologists Dr Mary Murphy and Dr Rory Hearne, has also called on the government to implement an emergency state building programme and a rights approach to housing which would lead to practical policy changes.

Dr Murphy and Dr Hearne say there is no international research or evidence base to justify the emerging family hubs model and there have been no pilots or operational guidelines to demonstrate how they might work. “The danger with ‘hubs’ is that they can work as a form of ‘therapeutic incarceration’ both institutionalising and reducing the functioning capacity of families,” Dr Murphy warned. “We have a long Irish history of gendered forms of social violence inflicted on poor mothers and their children who were made invisible, incarcerated and excluded from society. We caution that hubs may be a new form of institutionalisation of vulnerable women and children, and poor families. While stressing the need for an urgent social housing building programme we argue short term stays in emergency accommodation hubs need to maximise family functioning, dignity and respect.”

Ireland is in danger of replicating failed US prison experiments, according to Dr Claire Hamilton, Senior Lecturer in Law at Maynooth University. According to Dr Hamilton, the growth in the prison population in Ireland, albeit from a low base, is linked to the adoption of American-inspired anti-crime measures. Ireland’s adoption of a more hard-line approach can be traced to 1996, when the murders of Veronica Guerin and Garda Jerry McCabe caused widespread public alarm about criminal activity. Since then, new mandatory type sentences have been an important driver of prison population. For example, the Criminal Justice Act 1999 provides that any person convicted of the possession of drugs with a value of at least €13,000 with intent to supply shall presumptively receive a minimum term of ten years. These laws were inspired by similar measures initially adopted in the United States during the so-called “War on Drugs” in the 1980s. These measures, among other factors, saw America’s incarceration levels escalate dramatically from a rate of 120 per 100,000 population (comparable to European levels) to almost 700 per 100,000 population.

In a previous report, Dr Murphy and Dr Hearne warned of a core tension in trying to address the social housing crisis by over-relying on the private market to deliver investment in housing and at the same time disinvesting in construction of social housing.

While these policy choices were initially motivated by the rising rate of crime in America, studies show that while the number of crimes being committed have decreased since the 1970s, the US prison population has increased exponentially.

Dr Murphy: “Sadly, our argument that homelessness will escalate has already been proven. Such is the scale of the homelessness crisis that our research on social housing and the over-reliance on the private sector launched in July 2017 is already out of date. The number of children homeless increased by over 30% since the 2016 publication of Rebuilding Ireland. We need nothing less than an emergency state building programme.”

Dr Hamilton observes:

“If the Irish state could build 9,000 social houses in 1975, then they can do so in 2018.”

“The US experiment in mass incarceration and talking tough on crime can clearly now be called a mistake. However, as many states are now learning, the difficulty is that these mistakes are very hard to undo.” We are seeing a change in the discourse around the justice system now, but studies estimate it would take upwards of 20 years to achieve full reform, if the US was to begin reversing its current course tomorrow. Ireland would do well to heed these lessons.”

1998 Marie O’Donoghue 1998 BA

Senior Manager Advisory, Change Management Lead – PwC A native of Donegal, Marie O’Donoghue is a Senior Manager in PwC’s People and Organisation Advisory Practice based in Dublin. Her role as a Change Management Lead has seen her working with many large organisations, at home and abroad, in financial services and also with the public sector. The effects of organisational change, from the human perspective, Marie tells The Bridge, is what appeals to her in this role. Before she joined PwC, Marie worked with Ervia and AIB in a number of transformation programmes, spending time in Poland along the way. Her BA in English and Geography from MU in 1998 has stood her in good stead. “One of my lecturers at Maynooth, Chris Morash, was a significant influence in my student days. He opened my eyes to critical thinking and reasoned argument. As a (very) young undergrad, the jump from the Leaving Certificate to this new way of thinking was huge. His insights into how we think about the world based on the information we are faced with, how this shapes our ideas, and how we can change our thinking and modify behaviour as a result really struck me - it was the catalyst for my interest in communications and change management.” Meeting her husband, Garrett (also a 1998 BA graduate, in Economics and Sociology) at MU was a particular highlight, she says. They’ve returned together to Maynooth many times, bringing the kids along to show them where mom and dad met. “I loved the fact that MU was a university town; the sense of camaraderie was something special. There were only 20 of us in the honours English class, which was great. I met some really good friends there that I’m still in touch with.”

Alumni Profile

Housing and homelessness, mandatory sentencing and “Smart Cities”

Mandatory sentencing of criminals an expensive mistake

Meanwhile Prof Brian Donnellan from the School of Business at Maynooth is chairing the All Ireland Smart Cities Forum, a unique gathering of seven cities on the island of Ireland, to consider the roll-out of the smart cities agenda to date, recognising the many opportunities to grasp and challenges to overcome.

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Your Future Knows No Bounds YOUR FUTURE

Consider a Postgraduate Degree at Maynooth Our small postgraduate clas s s izes – and one-to-one guidance from senior academics and global researchers – challenge and inspire our students, giv ing them the support they need to reach their potential and to build a stand-out résume or CV. – Ranked #49 on the Times Higher Education ‘Young Universities’ list – More than 100 full and part-time Taught Master’s and Research programmes – 75% of survey respondents were in employment within 6 months of receiving their Master’s degree – Ranked 1st in Ireland by international students for excellence in Teaching and Learning, Student Experience and Support Services.

maynoothuniversity.ie/postgraduate

Numerous career opportunities A few weeks after graduating I secured my current role as an IT Business Analyst in a software development company in Grand Canal Dock, something I don’t think would have been possible without the knowledge and experience I gained from undertaking a Master’s degree at Maynooth.

Maynooth Grads

Supporting Maynooth Students

unded by revenues from the Maynooth Alumni Affinity Card, the Maynooth Alumni Taught Master’s Scholarship Programme continues to change lives. Last year, more than 100 graduates applied for the 2017 scholarships and as Maynooth continues to expand its bursary and scholarship opportunities, the students deeply appreciate your support.

The small class size facilitates active discussions in the classroom, and the group work involved in the course provides invaluable life experience for dealing with different personalities and getting work done using one another’s strengths. My salary and opportunities for internal progression have increased substantially since completing my postgraduate degree, and I have embraced numerous opportunities which wouldn’t have been possible for me before. Lauren Morrisey MSc IT Enabled Innovation

Muiréad Murphy

Thomas Phelan

Ciara Gorman

(MA in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice)

(MSc in Immunology and Global Health)

(MA French)

“This award has helped me immensely with the funding necessary to pursue a Master’s in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice. I am most grateful to the Maynooth Alumni Community for their support.”

“While I had knuckled down big-time in my final year, I never expected to get the scholarship. I wanted to ease the burden on my parents, who supported me financially and gave me so much throughout my education. It meant a lot to be able to show them how much I appreciate it.”

2015 MA

National Programs and Operations Manager – Ipas International

Malawian Chakufwa Munthali manages operations to maximize the delivery of the strategic goals at NGO Ipas Malawi. He is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to meet the organization’s goal to transform the lives of marginalized people.

As a leader in advocating and lobbying on human rights, Chakufwa engages with civil society organisations, journalists, government, and universities on policies related to social protection, gender equality and economic empowerment. Recognizing that effective community development acknowledges the interrelationship of economic, physical and social development, he said: “I have come to realise, after graduating from Maynooth University, that real development involves increasing a community’s capacity for taking control of its own development. Building within

the community critical thinking and planning abilities, as well as concrete skills, are vital so that development projects and planning processes are sustainable and can be replicated by community members in the future.”

Alumni Profile

2015 Chakufwa Kaulanda Munthali

“My undergraduate experience at Maynooth instilled in me a real love for this university; receiving the Alumni Scholarship made me very proud, and allows me to represent my university with honour, as well as affording me the opportunity to pursue my dreams.”

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Meanwhile, Grehan and Maynooth teammate Robin Dawson where selected by the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) for Ireland’s six-man team for the European men’s team championship last July, marking the first time that Maynooth had two representatives on the team. Dawson’s excellent start to the season with runner-up finishes at the South African Stroke play, Cape Province Open and European Nations Cup earned him a place on the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup squad alongside Grehan, another first for the programme.

GAA The Maynooth University GAA club had an eventful 12 months. Competing in both elite and non-elite (participatory) competitions, with more than 500 students representing Maynooth University at all grades, 13 teams competed in both male and female higher education league and championship competitions throughout the year.

Sport Round-up

As any student knows, the college experience doesn’t just take place in the lecture halls. For many, sport is key to keeping fit and getting the most out of student life. Sporting highlights in 2017:

For the first time in university history, the MUGAA senior hurlers won the Kehoe Cup Leinster provincial competition, defeating Wicklow senior hurlers 1-23 to 2-11 in Arklow. The Maynooth hurlers had an impressive run in the Kehoe Cup since entering the competition just three years ago. This was the second final appearance for this team, after being narrowly defeated by Kildare in 2016. The boys are now set to play in the Walsh Cup competition next season. The team was spearheaded by many inter-county players, including Kilkenny’s Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan, Eoin Kenny and David Burke, along with Tipperary hurlers Brian Hogan and Emmet Moloney, and Galway senior hurler Brian Molloy. There also was All-Ireland success and individual honours for MUGAA students and alumni in hurling, Men’s and Ladies’ football and in camogie. Senior hurling captain Brian Molloy was a member of the victorious Galway senior hurling team that bridged a 29-year gap to win the coveted All-Ireland 2017 senior hurling championship.

Golf Maynooth University’s golf scholars had an excellent year with individual and team victories both at home and abroad. Maynooth’s leading golfer Stuart Grehan, who recently turned professional, won the R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament last April in St. Andrews, Scotland. The tournament boasts the top 40 male and top 20 female collegiate players from across Europe with the winning male player receiving an automatic place on Europe’s Arnold Palmer Cup team. The Arnold Palmer Cup is an annual Ryder Cup style match, showcasing the best collegiate talent in Europe against their US counterparts in team match play. Grehan had received a committee pick for Team Europe prior to the event as a result of his steady performances early in the year and for helping Europe defeat the US at the 2016 Arnold Palmer Cup in Formby, England. His victory at the Scholars Tournament and second appearance at the Arnold Palmer Cup matches the achievements of alum Gary Hurley, who is now competing as a professional on the European Challenge Tour. Maynooth had 16 golf scholars compete at the 2017 R&A scholars tournament—the largest representation of any institution in Europe. Stuart will be competing next year on Europe’s top developmental professional tour the European Challenge Tour with support from MU’s fund for aspiring professionals who graduate from the golf scholarship programme.

In September, Shannon Burke became the first female scholar to win the women’s gold medal at the European Universities golf championship in Czech Republic. Shannon showed excellent character in the final round to hold off the challenge from Scottish International Chloe Goadby (University of Stirling) and managed to win by one stroke in the end. Shannon’s individual performance helped Maynooth’s women’s team to a first silver medal in the team competition. Maynooth’s men’s team took home bronze. Ronan Mullarney became the first Maynooth player to win a British Universities student tour title by winning the Fife tournament at Fairmont in St. Andrew’s. Ronan was tied for the lead after regulation play but held his nerve to win a three-man playoff with two birdies and a par. Ronan’s individual performance helped Maynooth’s men’s team to a one-stroke victory in the team event over tournament host University of St. Andrews.

Maynooth had 16 golf scholars compete at the 2017 R&A scholars tournament – the largest representation of any institution in Europe.

The strength and depth of Dublin GAA, which captured their third All-Ireland championship title in a row, featured Maynooth University alumni Michael Darragh McAuley, Eric Lowdnes and Bernard Brogan. On the ladies’ football scene, Dublin Senior ladies’ football team overcame a strong Mayo ladies challenge to win the 2017 All-Ireland senior championship final. Among them: Maynooth students and alumni Emily Flanagan, Ciara Trant, Fiona Hudson and Denise McKenna.

Rugby Two key words feature prominently in Maynooth University’s rugby lexicon this year: “international” and “provincial.” First XV player Darren Hudson was named captain of the Irish Universities side that toured to play England at Oxford University’s famous Iffley Road ground. With a professional career that saw him progress successfully through the famous Leinster Rugby academy and on to the senior squad, he then headed to Bristol Rugby for two seasons. Darren then enrolled in an undergraduate degree at Maynooth to pursue a teaching career. Marrying his love of rugby and his academic ambitions through the Maynooth UniversityBarnhall scholarship programme has proved a huge success for both Darren and for Maynooth rugby. New scholar Hugo Lennox has represented Leinster at under-19 level with huge distinction and on the back of these outings was awarded a place in the Irish men’s 7s squad – an incredible feat

for an 18-year-old to gain international representation at such a young age. In the inaugural year of MU ladies’ rugby scholarships, two scholars gained interprovincial representation: Katelynn Doran with Leinster and Keelin Brady with Ulster. The two did battle locally at the North Kildare Club during round two of the under-18 interpros in a tightly fought contest.

Soccer Ladies’ soccer were the stars of the Maynooth soccer show this year. Two squads (Senior and B) represented Maynooth in intervarsity competition. The Ladies’ Senior squad won a historic double in 2016/17--defeating UCD, Sligo IT, UCC, Carlow IT and NUIG to top the premier division after the group phase. After an amazing performance, the women overcame Sligo IT 4-1 to win the premier division title for the second time in three years. In the intervarsity finals, Maynooth shared the victor’s spoils, beating NUIG 2-0. A great final saw MU Ladies’ senior squad crowned Intervarsity Cup and Premier Division Champions—the first time MU has won the Intervarsity Cup. Four squads (Senior, B, C and Fresher) competed in the men’s Colleges and Universities football league, with all but the B squad progressing out of their respective league group. A fine win (5-1) by the fresher squad over Dundalk IT in the semi-final paved the way for a win against UL in the final at FAI HQ in Abbotstown earlier this year.

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The appointment of Victor Lazzarini in 1998 marked the moment when the department firmly announced that it could respect its history and traditions while also stepping into the future. Professor Lazzarini (now also Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy) is a leading composer and computer music researcher. Along with others, his work on Csound - one of the main tools for creating music with the help of computers - has pushed the possibilities of music. “When I started to use computers as a way of composing and making sounds, I realised it was actually an instrument in itself,” Lazzarini recalls. “I joined Maynooth specifically to start an undergraduate computer music and music technology unit. Music technology became a cross-disciplinary area: acoustics drew on physics while electronic engineering came into sound processing and sound synthesis. This meant that our graduates came out with a wide range of skills and, today, those skills are seen as essential to musicians and music graduates.”

Music at Maynooth: Traditional Roots, Modern Technology

The organ: it’s one of the oldest and most traditional of all musical instruments. But organists have developed “It was young, hungry and many different styles in ambitious - anxious to multiple genres since the make its mark - and I had time of the Reformation and, a chance to shape its future. much like Maynooth’s Music The number of lay students Department, the organ’s was surpassing that of traditional reputation belies seminarians. The place had constant innovation and an energy that was not change.

Gillen wanted to grow student numbers and he did so by introducing programmes that, at the time, were new to Irish universities. “We moved from a monolithic, cover-all course to one that focused on three specialisms: composition, historical musicology and performance,” he explains. “We may have been the first to offer performance as a serious component by introducing it as a Master’s degree option for music graduates. This attracted a lot of students and we expanded fast.”

stifled by bureaucracy.” The organ has taken Gerard Gillen around In the 1990s, he felt it was time for more the world. Ten years ago, he retired as – Professor Gerard Gillen change. “Technology was changing Professor of Music and Head of Department how music was made. I persuaded the college to invest in a music at Maynooth University. “I may be gone from there, but I’m still technology unit. There was a big capital outlay to design, build and the organist at Dublin’s pro-cathedral, and I give recitals here, there equip a studio, but it meant we were the first Irish institution to and everywhere,” he says. “Recently I was in Hong Kong and offer music technology as a component of the undergraduate course. Germany but the organ has also taken me to London, Edinburgh, Today, these four elements are the basis of the Music Department’s San Francisco, Paris, Vienna, Estonia, Spain and Denmark.” diverse programme.”

Today, the department is a thriving centre for research, recruiting four new doctoral students this year alone. In the past three years, four postdoctoral researchers were funded by the Irish Research Council for projects ranging from gender in performance to the history of film music. This diversity is mirrored by the department’s 12 full-time staff,

whose research interests reflect the breadth of contemporary music scholarship and practice. The department faces some challenges. Although the equipment it uses was state-ofthe-art 20 years ago, it is aging now. “We need investment,” says Prof Morris. “We’re hopeful that donations from alumni as well as the new campus master plan will bring new facilities, including new studios and labs and a dedicated performance venue for our ensembles and visiting artists.” He is confident, though, about the future. Maynooth’s Music Department is different, he says, because the university emphasises its support for the humanities. “We don’t struggle to get ourselves heard. The University supports us and sees our value.”

“Today, the department is a thriving centre for research, recruiting four new doctoral students this year alone.”

2013 Matt McCann

Alumni Profile

Music Department Turns 50 Years Old in 2018

This year, Gillen celebrated his 75th birthday, but he sounds and seems much younger than his years. Back in 1985, when he joined Maynooth from UCD, the Music Department was a lot smaller and still emerging from the University’s Catholic roots and a focus on teaching music to seminarians. “Still, it was young, hungry and ambitious - anxious to make its mark - and I had a chance to shape its future. The number of lay students was surpassing that of seminarians. The place had an energy that was not stifled by bureaucracy.”

Under the direction of Prof Gillen’s successors, Professor Fiona Palmer and now Professor Christopher Morris, Maynooth’s Music Department has continued to grow and is now the largest in the country. Student numbers are close to 500 and the department boasts graduates including 1996 Eurovision winner Eimear Quinn ‘03, classical performer Grace Bermingham ‘09, and performer and composer Ivan Goff ‘96. Another graduate, Dr Brian Carty ‘11, is academic director at the Sound Training Centre in Dublin, while audio engineer Anthony Gibney ‘09 has worked with musicians including Janet Jackson and Ray Davies of The Kinks.

2013 BSc, 2015 MSc CEO, Access Earth Matt McCann is CEO and founder of Access Earth – the world’s first business and travel review site for those living with disabilities. The idea for Access Earth germinated while Matt was a still a student and travelled to London for the Paralympic Games. Matt, who has Cerebral Palsy, arrived at his hotel only to learn it was not as accessible as its website claimed. Matt’s experience crystalised a more widespread problem: accessibility information about public places is often provided by those places themselves, who often overstate their claims. Not only did that experience trigger an idea, but a completely different approach that is helping the company to grow. Matt’s concept: Access Earth, a website and app that gathers peergenerated content on the accessibility of public places. Users write reviews aimed at helping others make informed decisions. Think Trip Advisor for the mobility impaired. Matt first took his idea to MU’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, Design and Innovation. A team was put together to advance the project and take it to Microsoft’s prestigious Imagine Cup in 2014 and then the Ireland ENACTUS competition., where they took first place. Matt has since set up shop in MaynoothWorks, the University’s oncampus incubator, and is busy raising the profile of the company – and raising cash. Leveraging Enterprise Ireland funding, he is meeting with venture capital investors from the US and Ireland in

the hopes of raising the €1M he needs to take Access Earth to the next level. His pitch is a unique one in that his approach has been to engage directly with disabilities groups who tap their members to map local areas. He has mobilised grassroots networks of groups like Paralyzed Veterans of Americans, with chapters in 60 cities. Blockby-block, the work is laborious, but so far it’s captured information on 80,000 venues around the world. “We are collating information for people with disabilities and displaying it in a user-friendly way,” Matt said. “We are the first people who have actively tried to engage the disability communities. By integrating with existing supports organisations, we are achieving success.”

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Maynooth Alumni

SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES that interest MAYNOOTH ALUMNI

2017 Survey Information

50%

Oﬀering Internships/Work Placement

In May 2017, the Maynooth Alumni Office surveyed 23,000 of our alumni. Your response overwhelmed us! Nearly 2,000 of you responded, providing us with great feedback that will help us plan more and better ways to engage and involve our graduates in the life of the University over the next 20 years. If you didn’t hear from us update your contact details at maynoothuniversity.ie/alumnicommunity to stay connected. Here’s a bit about what we learned from the survey:

Mentoring Students Giving Career Talks Sharing Job Opportunities

INDICATED SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, FOLLOWED BY PROJECTS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH, A CULTURAL CENTRE, SPORT AND FUND FOR GREATEST NEED

Creating a Graduate Profile

EVENTS

65%

WHAT KIND OF ALUMNI EVENTS ARE YOU LIKELY TO ATTEND?

STATED CLASS REUNIONS AS EVENT MOST LIKELY TO ATTEND

Class Reunions

Advocate for Prospective Students

500

STATED A FAMILY MEMBER ATTENDED MAYNOOTH

Volunteering at Alumni Events Donating to Support University Priorities

MEMORIES WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AT MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY?

Career Talks

44%

Summer Soirée

Carol Service Alumni Lecture Series

Postgraduate Courses

CONNECTIONS

Clubs/Societies

Lectures

Alumni Profiles

2013 BA, 2014 MA

2004 BA

General Manager, Irish Seed Savers Association

CEO, Galway Racecourse

Maynooth alum Jennifer McConnell began her time with Maynooth in 2010 as an undergrad in Anthropology and Geography. Following on with a Master’s degree in Anthropology and Development, she graduated in 2014. In 2011 Jennifer revived the Anthropology Society and from 2011 to 2013 served as its President. The NUI Maynooth Anthropology Society went on to win Maynooth’s “Most Improved Society” in 2012 and gained national recognition with “National Most Improved Society” award from BICS (Board of Irish College Societies).

Living above the shop was something Michael Moloney was accustomed to. Raised by a father who ran the Galway Racecourse, it seems fitting Moloney would end up taking the reins (pun intended, sorry). But it wasn’t always a foregone conclusion. After attending Rockwell College in Tipperary, Michael ended up at Maynooth, studying Economics and Finance. “Everyone knew everyone,” he said. He particularly liked living on campus (Hargadon Hall), as it afforded him the best opportunity to get involved in clubs and really get to know people.

The home of the Galway Races, Moloney oversees a staff that balloons from 10 FTEs in the winter to more than 1,500 in the peak summer season. The Galway Races Summer Festival means

Social Events

2014 Jennifer McConnell

2004 Michael Moloney

Moloney went on work at Horse Racing Ireland and to study Accountancy before heading in 2012 to Plumpton Racecourse in the UK, where he worked his way up the ladder to the CEO spot. He returned home to Galway in 2015, just in time to take on a €6 million development now in progress to expand the facilities.

Campus Living

STATED LECTURES AS THEIR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE

a whopping €60M to the local economy. And even with the (in) famous Fianna Fáil tent gone by the wayside (Don’t even ask. His lips are sealed), there’s an eager Maynooth man at the starting gates, ready to lead the next generation of a festival with a lore that endures. In fact, he’s literally ushering in a new generation, with his own daughter now living behind the shop, er, grandstand, as well.

After her time with Maynooth University, Jennifer relocated to Papua New Guinea, working as Chief Operations Officer for the CSR arm of the telecoms company Digicel, Digicel PNG Foundation which focuses on building school infrastructures, mobilising rural health clinics, and overseeing community development programmes. After this role Jennifer then worked with Rotarians Against Malaria PNG which is a logistics programme funded by Global Fund distributing treated bed nets throughout each village in the logistically diverse land of Papua New Guinea.

Relocating back to Ireland in October 2016, Jennifer has taken an exciting role as General Manager for Irish Seed Savers Association which focuses on protecting Ireland’s rich food heritage through maintaining the country’s public seed bank with over 600 noncommercially available varieties of food seed, and over 170 varieties of heritage apple trees and other fruit tree varieties, all of which are grown in their 20 acre organic farm in Scarriff, County Clare. To learn more about their work visit their website www.irishseedsavers.ie.

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Your gift will have an impact straight away!

Current Student Union President

eon Diop recently graduated with a degree in psychology and is the first in his family to attend university. He is the 201718 President of Maynooth Students’ Union, following a campaign centred on social justice issues.

Inaugural Annual Giving Fund M

aynooth University this year launches its first-ever Annual Giving campaign. Based on feedback from the Alumni Survey, the Maynooth University Foundation has now made it possible for friends of the university to support Bursaries and Scholarships; Arts, Culture and Film; Sports Development; or the President’s Greatest Need.

Gifts to the Annual Fund have an impact in the current year, so when you support bursaries or the arts or sport or the President’s discretion, your gift will have an impact straight away.

So please, change a life and support the Maynooth University Foundation!

Leon grew up in Tallaght in a one-parent family, the son of an Irish mam and a Nigerian dad. He attended St Marks Secondary School, which participates in the DEIS programme. His guidance counsellor encouraged him to apply to MU through the HEAR scheme, which Leon sees as a critical pathway for those who come from families and communities without a history of third level participation and for whom the cost of college seems prohibitive.

Support Us To support the Annual Fund or to find out more, please go to maynoothuniversity.ie/ support

Leon is passionate about equity of access to higher education. An enthusiastic ambassador for Maynooth University Access Programme, he volunteers every year for the Launchpad orientation programme, which he credits with supporting students’ transition to university and reducing their risk of dropping out because they feel isolated or don’t know where to turn for help.

The Maynooth University Access Programme is a national leader in widening participation. MU is proud to have a higher percentage of students from disadvantaged backgrounds than any other university in the Ireland at 30%, and about 50% of our students benefit from a state SUSI grant.

These students do exceptionally well at Maynooth, thanks in large part to the Maynooth Access Programme. In fact, Maynooth Access students have the second lowest nonpresence rate (retention rate) amongst the seven Irish universities, at just 10%. The Maynooth Annual Fund provides bursaries to students like Leon, who are thriving at Maynooth. With your help we can help even more students fulfil their dreams of a university education.

2012 Ronnie Fay 1984 HDip, 2012 MSS Co-Director of Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre “Community development is at the heart of what we do,” says Ronnie. With overall operational responsibility for Pavée Point Traveller and Roma Centre, Ronnie’s days are certainly relentless and challenging, but, she stresses are “immensely enjoyable.” Beginning as a volunteer in the mid-80s (she was a 1984 founder member) with the Dublin Traveller Education and Development Group (it became Pavee Point in 1990), Ronnie has seen many changes in Ireland’s social and cultural landscape over the years. A 1984 Diploma in Community Work from Maynooth University, which included work placement with HSE Social Worker, Mervyn Ennis, and lectures delivered by Anastasia Crickley, opened Ronnie’s eyes to the importance and value of community work. Undertaking an MA in Applied Social Studies some 27 years later reinforced these views and reaffirmed for her how community development was instrumental in realising human rights. “Taking the time out to complete the MA allowed me to reflect on my own work and challenge myself. It made me look at myself as a person and as a professional and gave me a more academically informed perspective which, I believe, has made me more skilled to create a more equal and fair society.” Speaking very fondly of former MU lecturer and former head of the Department of Applied Social Studies, Anastasia Crickley, who crossed Ronnie’s Maynooth path in both 1984 and in 2012, Ronnie was hugely impressed by Stasia’s ability to juggle a wide variety of tasks and by her networking skills – skills Ronnie says are essential to community work. “Community work has got me to spaces and places you’d never usually get to – the good, the bad and the ugly if you like – from the UN in Geneva, to Brussels and the EU, and to protests in Ballymun against Roma deportations.”

Alumni Profile

One Student’s Story: Leon Diop – BSc 2017

Maynooth University

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From Uruguay to Austria:

120 Bliain ag Fás

Maynooth University students and alumni share their Study Abroad experiences

Ceiliúradh ar Chumann Gaelach na hOllscoile, Cuallacht Cholm Cille

n response to a target set out in Maynooth’s Strategic Plan 2012-2017, the University more than doubled the number of international students on its campus. MU also is consistently rated highly for its “international outlook” and as a top study abroad destination in a number of global surveys and rankings. The next mission, supported by its recent curricular reforms, is to bolster the number of Irish students studying abroad.

a bhliain 1898 a bunaíodh The League of St. Columba (Cuallacht Cholm Cille) i gColáiste Phádraig, Má Nuad, agus ba í oidhreacht na tíre a chaomhnú agus a fhógairt, an teanga dhúchais ina croílár, a phríomhchúram. Chuir an Chuallacht tús le foilseachán chun pobal na mac léinn a choinneáil ar an eolas i dtaca lena chuid imeachtaí – The Record of The League of St. Columba. Cuireadh amach ar bhonn neamhoifigiúil ar dtús é, ach de réir a chéile tháinig fás air gur tugadh stádas níos oifigiúla dó agus gur tugadh ainm eile air, Irisleabhar Muighe Nuadhat. Béarla is mó a bhí sna heagráin luatha ach in imeacht na mblianta cuireadh i gcló breis giotaí Gaeilge go dtí, ar deireadh, go raibh an Ghaeilge chun tosaigh ar an mBéarla. Dála na Cuallachta, tá Irisleabhar Mhá Nuad beo i gcónaí. Cuirfear an chéad eagrán eile de amach i bhfoirm clóite agus go leictreonach (www.irisleabhar.ie) roimh dheireadh na bliana seo.

Here are some stories from a few “early adopters” below: From the very beginning, Fiona McCormack (3rd year Spanish and Law), was determined to spend her year abroad in a less travelledto destination. Being the first Maynooth undergraduate student to study in South America, she describes Uruguay as a “really friendly, safe and wonderful place.” Andrew Walsh (BBS International, 2014) spent a year at prestigious Boston College in 2012. He confirms that Erasmus and Study Abroad programmes give students a significant edge when applying for graduate work and are highly valued by employers: “While I was aware I would enjoy studying in Boston, I couldn’t imagine how much I’d get from the experience. Studying abroad is an opportunity that is severely under-pursued in college. It came up in every single job interview I’ve done.” Andrew currently works for an IT consultancy company in Dublin as a Business Analyst. Emma Kielty (4th year German and Music), studied at University of Vienna in 2016: “I had an absolutely incredible year! I managed to network and find out about what it’s like to work as a performer in Vienna. I sang in an Irish Dance show in Eisenstadt; sang as a soloist in the Theater an der Wien; sang in the Musikverein with the University of Vienna Symphonic Choir; performed with a musical theatre company; and was incredibly lucky to have been accepted to the chorus of the Andrea Bocelli Austrian tour and toured Austria singing in arenas in Graz and Linz. I have also been re-offered the job and will fly back in March 2018 to sing in his Vienna concert in the Wiener Stadthalle.”

Ceann de na chéad eagráin den Record of the League of St. Columba á léamh ag an Dr Tracey Ní Mhaonaigh

Fiona McCormack

Study Abroad All undergraduate students at Maynooth University have the opportunity to study abroad as part of their degree. Since 2011, over 1,000 Maynooth University students experienced studying abroad in Europe, North America, Asia, South America and Australia and interest is steadily growing every year. Patricia Hayden, Maynooth Coordinator of Outgoing Student Exchange, says that when hundreds of thousands of miles away from home and out of their comfort zone, students become more flexible, creative and complex thinkers. Studying abroad helps young adults develop emotional maturity and teaches them how to fend for themselves in a setting with different rules and expectations. “Our mission as an International Office is to provide the opportunity for all students to study abroad,” Hayden says. “These opportunities help them to navigate their way in the world and give them the potential to gain cultural competencies.”

Tá fás agus forbairt tagtha ar an gCuallacht thar na blianta agus le teacht na mac léinn tuata leathnaigh sí amach go bhfuil áit lárnach anois aici i measc chumainn Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. Tá aitheantas ag leibhéal náisiúnta bainte amach ag an gCuallacht le blianta beaga anuas. Bhí mé i mo bhall gníomhach den Chuallacht agus an chéim á déanamh agam, agus níl aon amhras faoi ach gur chuidigh an bhallraíocht sin go mór liom agus an misneach á lorg agam chun an Ghaeilge a labhairt. Táim cinnte go leanfaidh an Chuallacht uirthi, ag dul ó neart go neart, agus go mbeidh neart ócáidí ceiliúrtha aici amach anseo.

An ceathrú heagrán riamh den Record of the League of St. Columba. Is féidir teacht ar an gcáipéis i Leabharlann Eoin Pól II

An Dr Tracey Ní Mhaonaigh (BA, 2000; MLitt, 2003; PhD, 2008) Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge (Ba sa bhliain 1997 a chuir Tracey tús leis an mbunchéim, agus í mar chuid den chéad dream riamh a thosaigh in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Má Nuad.)

Bí linn! Déanfaidh Cuallacht Cholm Cille 120 bliain a bunaithe a cheiliúradh ag ócáid speisialta i Leabharlann na hOllscoile ag 18.00 ar 21.2.2018. Ba mhór againn tú a bheith i láthair, agus cuirfear fáilte ar leith roimh iarbhaill! Tuilleadh eolais: @OnaGaeilgeMU

Baill reatha de Chuallacht Cholm Cille i mbun pleanála don cheiliúradh i mí Feabhra 2018