In February 2024, the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences was pleased to launch the UCD One Health Centre, the result of several years’ work placing the One Health concept at the centre of our vision, and representing a major interdisciplinary effort. The Centre is led by Director, Adjunct Full Professor Tony Holohan and Deputy Director, Dr Gerald Barry, and is dedicated to advancing research, education and collaboration on the One Health approach. The launch was attended by UCD President, Professor Orla Feely and WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge.
Within the School of Agriculture and Food Science, the Greentech startup SusBioME won UCD’s 2024 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme. The annual VentureLaunch Programme, which is run by NovaUCD, aims to support the creation and launch of sustainable and profitable new start-ups emerging from the University.
The School of Medicine announced the establishment of two new Chairs in cancer research in July 2023, thanks to philanthropic funding. The Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer aims to create a global centre of excellence for treatment and research in the School, and the Nancy Boland Chair in Musculoskeletal Oncology will build and lead an internationally competitive research group in musculoskeletal oncology.
The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems launched its first alumni newsletter in October 2023. Alumna Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health, was presented with the Health and Agricultural Sciences Alumni Award in November 2023. She subsequently addressed the students of the School at a ‘fireside chat’ event.
The School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Masters in Public Health (MPH) programme at an event in September 2023. The MPH is an international, multi-disciplinary programme and since its inception, 850 students have graduated from the programme.
The School of Veterinary Medicine achieved the Silver Athena SWAN award for demonstrating its commitment to improving gender equality for those working and studying in the School. The Athena Swan Charter is a framework used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research. The College of Health and Agricultural Sciences now has two Schools with a Silver Award.
Greentech start-up Wins UCD’s 2024 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme. Alumni Awardee Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer at the Department of Health visits UCD for a ‘fireside chat’ with Prof. Maria Brenner, UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems.Dr Gerald Barry, Prof. Helen Roche Interim Vice-President for Research, Innovation & Impact, Dr Tony Holohan, Director, Centre for One Health, Prof. Orla Feely, President, UCD, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, Prof. Lorraine Brennan, Prof. Cecily Kelleher, College Principal, College of Health & Agricultural Sciences, Gabrielle Jacob, Head of Regional Governance, WHO regional office for Europe.
This has been a year of immense change, achievement and celebration for the College of Social Sciences and Law. The publication of the QS World University Rankings 2024 placed seven of our subjects in the top 100 globally with all our disciplines now in the global top 200. The College also welcomed the appointment of Professor Niamh Moore-Cherry as the new College Principal.
The relevance of our activity was nowhere more evident than in the lead-up to Ireland’s referenda on care and family to amend the text of Article 41 of the Irish Constitution. In February 2024, a durational reading of Bunreacht na hÉireann was held at UCD Sutherland School of Law, led by Dr Maebh Harding and poet and law graduate Dr Julie Morrissy in collaboration with academic staff, administrative staff and law students. This was the first time the Constitution has been publicly read and reflected upon from start to finish. The event was part of our wider highly successful Cultural Week.
The College enjoyed numerous research successes including the launch of the new Centre for Democracy Research at UCD. This builds on an ongoing European Research Council (ERC) grant held by Dr Joseph Lacey (School of Politics and International Relations). Dr Aidan Regan, of the same school, recently received €2m for his research project ‘Democracy Challenged’, which will examine why concentrated capital and wealth inequality are a problem for democracy. This builds on previous remarkable success in the ERC programme in the Schools of Geography, Archaeology and Law, a testament to the quality of our faculty and professional support.
Professor Judith Harford, School of Education, was elected to the Academy of Social Sciences, UK in recognition of her outstanding contribution to social science and is one of only four Fellows elected to the Academy from outside the UK. The Royal Archaeological Institute elected Dr Rena Maguire from UCD School of Archaeology to its Council, the first time the 180-yearold UK society has named an Irish woman to its governing body.
We celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Sutherland School of Law building and marked this milestone in April 2024 with the John M. Kelly lecture. It was delivered by Judge Suzanne Kingston of the General Court of the European Union who is also a faculty member at UCD Sutherland School of Law. Guests included many alumni and friends of the school including the Chief Justice, Mr Donal O’Donnell and Attorney General, Rossa Fanning.
Our colleagues have been busy organising many conferences and events during the year in partnership with government departments, agencies, and academic and corporate partners, and we look forward to many more.
Durational reading of Bunreacht na hÉireann led by Dr Maebh Harding and poet Dr Julie Morrissy.Rory Carey, Mark Simpson, Prof. Niamh Moore Cherry and UCD President, Prof. Orla Feely at the College Cultural Event. Former Supreme Court Justice and UCD alumna, Mary Finlay Geoghegan, Judge Suzanne Kingston and UCD President, Prof. Orla Feely at the JM Kelly lecture. Prof. Niamh Moore-Cherry and Heather Mungwande at the Social Sciences Student Awards. Assoc. Prof. Aidan Regan, School of Politics & International Relations. At a conference in UCD Sutherland School of Law: Ciaran Walker, Eversheds Sutherland, Prof. Elizabeth Sheedy, Macquarie University, UCD law alumnus Gerry Cross, Central Bank of Ireland, Prof. Blanaid Clarke, Trinity College Dublin and Dr Joe McGrath, UCD Sutherland School of Law.
In December 2023, the College of Engineering and Architecture was extremely proud to be instrumental in the launch of Ireland’s first satellite, EIRSAT-1, which was designed, built and tested by students in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, led by Dr David McKeown, and in collaboration with the School of Physics in the College of Science. The School of Civil Engineering co-hosted Europe’s largest transport conference (TRA2024), welcoming over 4,000 delegates and 150 exhibitors in April 2024 to the RDS, showcasing the best research in transportation in Europe. The conference was opened by the then Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan, T.D.
Our success in the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) continues this year with an Advanced Grant of almost €2.5m awarded to Professor Niall English, UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, for the NIMBLE project to investigate how electric-field-generated nanobubbles and nanodroplets can be optimised in their characteristics for use in water treatment, agriculture, aquaculture and carbon capture.
It was also an unprecedented year of ERC success in the UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering with three ERC grants awarded: Professor Niamh Nowlan was awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant of over €2.2m for ReZone, a biomedical engineering project to explore how cartilage in bodies forms after birth and investigate ways to (re)activate this process in adults to help those suffering from joint pain; Associate Professor Fiona Freeman was awarded an ERC Starting Grant of €1.5m for the META-CHIP project to develop a lung METAstasis-on-a-CHIP model for osteosarcoma as a biomimetic testing platform for drug discovery and therapeutic innovation; Professor Dimitrios Zevgolis was awarded an ERC Proof of Concept grant for the DECIPHER project which aims to accelerate the development of cell-derived products and enhance the international competitiveness of European-based biotech industries.
Dr Cara Augustenborg, School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, has been successful in securing research funding from the Environmental Protection Agency for her research project ‘Using worldviews to inspire and scale climate action’ (UWISCA), which will identify the communication and engagement strategies most resonant with segments of the Irish population to support climate action and the low-carbon transition.
EIRSAT-1.Prof. Niall English. Prof. Niamh Nowlan. Assoc. Prof. Fiona Freeman. Prof. Dimitrios Zevgolis. Dr Cara Augustenborg.
UCD College of Arts & Humanities enhanced its dedication to fostering creative talent and cultural enrichment with the opening of Trapdoor – a €2.5m state-of-the-art black box theatre and media lab, funded by UCD and the Creative Futures Academy, a HEA Human Capital Initiative. At the official opening, Frank McGuinness, Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing, declared Trapdoor “a new space to transform the arts in Ireland and continue what generations of artists from UCD have always done, leading the way for others to follow”. In partnership with Dublin International Film Festival, Dr Nic Pillai, School of English Drama & Film welcomed filmmaker Steve McQueen as the first official guest at Trapdoor for a Q&A event.
Academic ties between Ireland and Canada were strengthened with the launch of the Craig Dobbin Legacy Programme – a collaboration between the Ireland Canada University Foundation and the UCD Centre for Canadian Studies, headed by Dr Paul Halferty, UCD School of English, Drama & Film. The exchange scholarship programme will fund research projects for UCD scholars to go to Canada and Canadian scholars to come to UCD. Further developing our global engagement and impact, Portuguese became a dedicated subject in the School of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics in October 2023. The School also welcomed the Portugal Ambassador to Ireland, HE Bernardo de Lucena to UCD in April to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the 1974 Carnation Revolution.
Dr Cathal Billings, School of Irish, Celtic Studies & Folklore spoke on RTÉ Radio 1 about UCD’s favourite words as gaeilge. These were the findings of an interactive project launched in the College where students, staff and faculty wrote their favourite Irish words and phrases on a life-sized white board, as part of UCD’s celebration of Seachtain na Gaeilge.
The School of Art History & Cultural Policy hosted the Annual College Lecture delivered by Professor Lynda Nead, Birkbeck University of London. ‘Women, Desire and the Image’, focused on 1960s pop artist Pauline Boty and the changing attitudes to sexuality and identity in post-war Britain. The School of Classics and the Classical Society hosted their inaugural lecture; ‘Parthians, Persians and Romans: Empires, War, Cold War and Co-Existence in the Ancient World’. The School of Music continued to entertain with a series of concerts and ensembles at UCD, the NCH and further afield. Meanwhile, the School of History celebrated 50 years of archival education at UCD, demonstrating the contribution and impact UCD archivists have made nationally and globally.
Prof. Kathleen James-Chakraborty, Prof. Lynda Nead, Assoc. Prof. Philip Cottrell, Head of School of Art History & Cultural Policy and College Principal, Prof. Regina Uí Chollatáin. Fearghal Murphy, UCD Alumni Relations, College Principal Regina Uí Chollatáin, Dr Nic Pillai CFA, Sir Steve McQueen CBE, Emer Beesley and Prof. PJ Mathews CFA at Trapdoor. Prof. Emeritus Frank McGuinness at the Trapdoor launch. Incoming ICUF Chair, Chris Collenette, Director of the UCD Centre for Canadian Studies, Dr Paul Halferty, ICUF CEO, James Kelly, College Principal, Prof. Regina Uí Chollatáin, Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Nancy Smyth, Outgoing ICUF Chair Dr Desmond Green, Dr Liz Conroy and Senator Malcolm Byrne.
A record number of 34 sports stars from UCD were part of the success of Team Ireland at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris
Thirty UCD sporting students and alumni athletes were selected as part of Team Ireland to compete at 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, representing the largest ever cohort of UCD sports stars to compete at the Olympics.
Four of the UCD Olympians are current UCD Students and nearly two dozen of the group were past and current UCD Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholars or recipients of UCD Sport scholarships. Competing across a range of events including cycling, hockey, rowing, rugby, equestrian, track and field, sailing, and swimming, the athletes began their Olympic journey by sailing down the river Seine on 26 July as part of the Games’ Opening Ceremony. Many UCD alumni who competed in Paris had previously represented the University during their studies including Olympic gold medallist Paul O’Donovan and Olympic bronze medallist Eimear Lambe.
Terry Kennedy
Aoife Clark
Ciara Mageean
Sarah Healy
Ben Johnson
Ben Walker
Bryan Mollen
Claire Boles
Colin Judge
Darragh Greene
Eimear Lambe
Emily Lane
Erin Riordan
Eve Higgins
Eve McMahon
Gavin Mullin
Harry McNulty
Hugo Keenan
Jamie Carr
Jeremy Duncan
Katie O’Brien
Kerrie Leonard
Lara Gillespie
Lucy MulhallRoch
Luke McCann
Mark English
Martin Gordon
Megan Burns
Megan Armitage
Niall Comerford
Nicola Tuthill
Paul O_Donovan
Sarah Lavin
Shane O’Donoghue
ROWING
UCD alumnus and former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Paul O’Donovan (Physiotherapy 2017) and Fintan McCarthy won a gold medal in the Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls final. The reigning champions from Cork successfully defended their title to claim back-to-back golds, crossing the fi nish line with a time of 6:10:99.
Former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar and Bronze medal winner at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Eimear Lambe (International Commerce 2019) competed alongside Rowing Ireland teammates Imogen Magner, Natalie Long and Emily Hegarty in the Women’s 4 to achieve overall 7th place, having gained 3rd in the heat and 4th in the repechage.
SAILING
Former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar and sailing ace Eve McMahon, a student of Commerce International, and winner of a second world title, placed 13th in the Laser Radial on 108 points.
CYCLING – TRACK
Lara Gillespie (Health & Performance Science 2022), a former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar, helped Team Ireland leave Paris 2024 on a high note with a 10th overall place finish in the gruelling Omnium event. Gillespie’s individual performance capped a brilliant Olympic debut as she was also part of the Irish team that finished 9th in the Team Pursuit and 11th in the Madison.
CYCLING – ROAD
Megan Armitage (Civil Law 2021) made a strong Olympic debut to finish 35th in cycling’s gruelling 158km Women’s Road Race, and would have placed much higher if her progress had not been impeded by another rider going down as the race re-entered the city with 50km to go, forcing her to stop. Armitage is only the second Irish woman to contest the Olympic road race and the first to finish it in 4:06.58, seven minutes and 35 seconds behind the winner.
MEN’S HOCKEY
While Ireland Men’s Hockey did not progress out of the pool stages, they recorded a brilliant comeback victory over New Zealand to finish their Paris 2024 campaign, as goals from UCD alumni Ben Walker (Commerce 2021) and former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Jeremy Duncan (Physiotherapy 2016) sealed a 2-1 win over the Black Sticks. Fellow team members former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Shane O’Donoghue (Sports & Exercise Management 2014), Ben Johnson (Social Science, Geography and Geology 2023), and Jamie Carr (Law with Economics 2019) helped the team to their first win of the Games and a 5th place finish in Pool B.
ATHLETICS
There was disappointment for 2024 UCD Alumni Award winner and former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Ciara Mageean (Physiotherapy 2017) as injury forced her out of the Olympics 1,500m. The European champion had been suffering with chronic pain from an achilles injury in the run-in to the Games. Former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Sarah Healy (Law 2023) competed in the 1,500m and was 4th in the repechage. Former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Luke McCann (MSc Engineering 2023) came 8th in his 1,500m heat and 7th in the repechage.
Mark English (Medicine 2019), former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar, comfortably qualified for the 800m semi-final in Paris, coming 2nd in his heat, but there was disappointment for him in the semi-finals where he finished 6th. Competing for Ireland in the 100m Hurdles, former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Sarah Lavin (Physiotherapy 2018) placed 2nd in her 100m hurdles heat and 6th in the semi-final.
EQUESTRIAN
Aoife Clark (Maths and Classics 2002) was placed 9th overall in team Eventing.
HAMMER
Science student and Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Nicola Tuthill, who had taken silver at the European Throwing Cup and gold at the National Senior Track and Field, finished 16th in her hammer heat.
RUGBY SEVENS
Ireland’s Sevens squads got tough draws for the Paris Olympics with the Men’s squad facing New Zealand, South Africa and Japan, and the women taking on Australia, Great Britain and South Africa in pool stages. The Men’s Sevens squad included UCD alumni Niall Comerford (Commerce 2023), former UCD Sport Scholar Hugo Keenan (Commerce 2018), Terry Kennedy (Commerce 2018), Gavin Mullin (Business & Law 2021), former UCD Sport Scholar Harry McNulty (BSc Food Science 2017) and Bryan Mollen (Economics 2020). The Men’s Sevens team achieved 6th place overall, beating South Africa, Japan and USA but losing to New Zealand and Fiji.
UCD graduates and current postgraduate students, former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Emily Lane and Graduate Sport Scholarship recipient Claire Boles were part of the Ireland Women’s Rugby Sevens squad whose Olympic debut ended with an 8th place finish. The team lost to Great Britain in the 7th place play-off. There were three UCD alumni on the team: team captain former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Lucy Mulhall Rock (HDip Mathematical Studies 2020, Science 2018), former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar and Graduate Sport Scholar Eve Higgins (BA 2021, MSc Criminology & Criminal Justice 2023), and Megan Burns (Physiotherapy 2022).
SWIMMING
Former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Erin Riordan (Science 2021) featured along with Victoria Catterson, Grace Davison and Danielle Hill in the Women’s 400m Freestyle Relay, placing 8th in their heat, and 16th overall. Former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar Darragh Greene (Dip Sports Management 2018) represented Ireland in the Breaststroke leg of the 4 x 100m Medley Relay along with Shane Ryan (Freestyle), Conor Ferguson (Backstroke) and Max McCusker (Butterfly) and broke the Irish Men’s Medley Relay record in 3.3.81. They placed 6th in their heat, and 15th overall.
PARALYMPICS
As UCD Connections Alumni Magazine 2024 goes to press, August 29 will mark the beginning of competition for Team Ireland at the Paralympic Games, with four UCD alumni on the 35-strong cohort representing Ireland: Para Table Tennis, Class 3: former Ad Astra Academy Elite Sport Scholar and Tokyo Paralympian Colin Judge (Science Actuarial & Finance Studies 2017). Para Rowing, Mixed Double Sculls: Katie O’Brien (Veterinary Medicine 2020) with teammate Tiarnan O’Donnell. Para Archery, Individual Compound Open: Tokyo Paralympian Kerrie Leonard (MSc Marketing 2019). Para Cycling, Track: Martin Gordon (ProfCert in Compliance 2019).
CELEBRATING UCD’S OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC LEGACY
The 34 UCD sporting students and alumni athletes selected to represent Team Ireland in Paris Olympics 2024 and Paralympics 2024 did so as Ireland marks 100 years of participation at the Olympic Games.
For the centenary celebrations, UCD Sport, in association with sports historian Dr Tom Hunt, has compiled a list of some 85 UCD graduates who have competed in the Olympics or Paralympic Games since Ireland’s first Olympics in 1924.
Elaine Burke uncovers how researchers and academics at UCD are supporting a just transition to a fairer, greener, more equitable world
1
AGRICULTURE
The role of farming families
Last summer, the Just Transition in Agriculture and Land Use report offered 20 recommendations on how agriculture and land use could become part of the solution in addressing the climate crisis and issues of biodiversity loss, setting out a roadmap that would engage farmers and other stakeholders for an effective transition in which no one is left behind. Dr Edel Kelly from UCD’s School of Agriculture and Food Science and Professor Kevin O’Connor from the University’s School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science were part of the working group for the report, and Dr Kelly is currently involved in phase two of the Government’s land use review, which recognises the role that farm families play as custodians of our environment.
2
ENERGY
Community response to energy transition
As part of last year’s selected strategic priority projects from UCD’s Earth Institute, Irish Energy Narratives in the Transition (IE-NARR) sets out to host workshops at three key sites across Ireland to explore how communities interpret and experience various energy transitions. The shift from fossil fuels to offshore wind in rural communities in Co Clare and Co Galway, and the transition to renewable infrastructures tied to data centres in west Dublin are the selected focus points of this project, which is led by Dr Treasa de Loughry from the School of English, Drama and Film, Dr Tomas Buitendijk from the School of Business, and Dr Patrick Brodie from the School of Information and Communication Studies.
3
MATERIALS
Social acceptance for critical minerals
Critical raw materials, including minerals such as copper and lithium, are essential in the production of renewable energy technologies, and have seen a steep rise in demand. VECTOR is a Horizon Europe research project that is assessing the challenges of responsible and sustainable extraction by integrating social science, geoscience and data science to produce human-centred solutions to current supply issues. The project has partners spanning Europe, including iCRAG, the SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences hosted at UCD, and includes researchers from the UCD Schools of Earth Sciences, Business, and Education. VECTOR is improving understanding of how Europe can responsibly move towards a sustainable supply of critical raw materials to produce low-carbon technologies. Learn more at www.vectorproject.eu.
4
FASHION
A FReSCH take on the industry
Conducted at the UCD Centre for Business and Society, the FReSCH (Fashion’s Responsible Supply Chain Hub) project looked at the transition to a low-carbon and circular fashion industry, seeking to understand the economic and environmental factors as well as the trade-offs and tensions therein. Funded by the European Commission, this project examined fashion brands as well as their first, second and third-level suppliers to get a full picture of this industry and the experiences of its workers. For their research, Professor Donna Marshall and Dr Hakan Karaosman were recognised as Sustainability Thought Leaders in Vogue’s ‘Business 100’.
5
LABOUR
The evolving world of work
The changing world of work is the focus of the TransEuroWorkS project, which has €3.4m in funding and involves ten partners across eight countries, with Dr Dorota Szelewa from the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice leading UCD’s involvement. This interdisciplinary research into new forms of work and labour market changes brings together economics, political science, social psychology and sociology. It focuses on three key transformations impacting the future of work: technological change, internationalisation and decarbonisation. As well as tracing the impact of a green transition in this context, this project will explore how the EU can be more resilient and responsive to these changes.
6
INCLUSION
Investigating cumulative discrimination
Funded by Horizon Europe, the EqualStrength project involves ten European institutions coordinated at UCD by the Geary Institute for Public Policy. With Dr Mathew Creighton from the School of Sociology as principal investigator and Emma Barron from the Geary Institute as project manager, EqualStrength will investigate cumulative and structural forms of discrimination in Europe. Using field/survey experiments, policy analysis and focus groups, the project will explore the mechanisms and experience of discrimination that targets Muslim, Roma and Black minorities in Europe. The project’s ultimate goal is to couple our understanding of the experience and cause of discrimination with a broader, structural, cumulative and society-wide perspective.
7
HOUSING
Housing inequality across Europe
Professor Michelle Norris, director of the UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy, has led more than 30 research projects on housing policy and urban regeneration. Her latest is EqualHouse, an ambitious €3.4m Horizon Europe project involving 12 organisations across the EU. This project, which sets out to identify, analyse and tackle housing inequality across Europe, will be implemented between 2024 and 2028. Through transdisciplinary and trans-national research, EqualHouse will examine the scale, form and dynamics of housing inequality and propose innovative, inclusive and sustainable solutions that have been co-created with policy makers and implementers.
8
HERITAGE
Fostering a shared, sustainable culture
Shared cultural heritage can be unifying and add value to communities. The HeritACT project aims to provide a toolkit for engaging communities in cultural heritage and to create HeritHubs as community spaces. A pilot project in Ballina, Co Mayo, for example, will explore the town’s integral relationship between the natural and built environment, with the local library selected as its HeritHub. HeritACT also sets out to preserve ecosystems and enhance communities’ relationship with nature in line with the European Green Deal. Dr Chiara Cocco from UCD’s School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy and Dr Philip Crowe, co-founder of the UCD Centre for Irish Towns, are running activities for this project.
9
DIGITAL LITERACY
Turning consumers into prosumers
The DIGITISE project has just commenced to enable digital literacy and empower EU citizens to take an active role in the energy transition. Advanced technologies such as AI, digital twins and distributed ledgers will be integrated into an end-to-end consumer empowerment framework that will be validated in a living lab as well as across four large-scale demonstration sites in Greece, Spain, Croatia and Ireland. Dr Dimitris Chatzopoulos from the School of Computer Science represents UCD on the DIGITISE project as one of its 11 primary investigators located across Europe.
10
CITY LIFE
Connecting cities with nature
The EU-funded CONNECTING Nature project concluded in 2022 after five years of co-developing the policy and practices necessary to implement nature-based projects in urban settings. This project brought together inputs from academia, local government, SMEs, community groups and NGOs to form a reference framework for transitioning ambassadors to globalise the approach in targeted ‘multiplier’ cities. It included 30 partners from 16 countries across Europe, with Professor Francesco Pilla and Louise Dunne leading UCD’s contribution. While the research has concluded, the project is sustained through the sharing of resources and tools, and the creation of three spin-out enterprises which continue to facilitate and implement nature-based solutions.
11
DEMOCRACY
Nurturing public participation
Responding to the EU’s call to develop deliberative and participatory democracies, the Inclusive Science and European Democracies (ISEED) project aims to mitigate rising threats to European democratic values of inclusion, participation and diversity. This international project involves researchers from Italy, France, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Bulgaria, Uruguay, the UK and Ireland, all setting out to explore citizen science engagement practices that inspire and encourage people to actively participate in the democratic governance of Europe. It is an interdisciplinary project that combines theoretical analysis with empirical research. Dr Michael O’Grady from the UCD School of Computer Science is one of the contributors on ISEED, which recently released a series of policy briefs for the European Commission.
12
POLLUTION
Changing behaviours with citizen science
The I-CHANGE project to increase citizens’ involvement in the European Green Deal began in 2021 and will conclude next year. The aim of this project is to show that it’s possible to change people’s behaviour, influencing their climate consciousness, through citizen science. As part of this project, living labs in eight different countries encourage hands-on participation in the monitoring and assessment of environmental data. At the Dublin living lab at UCD, for example, Dr Anna Mölter tracks and shares traffic and air quality data, and engages schoolchildren as ‘change ambassadors’ to influence a reduction in emissions at school gates.
Alumni stay connected to UCD in a meaningful way by generously championing today’s students
Starting university is a pivotal moment in a young person’s life. It’s the first step on a new path towards a great degree, a fulfilling career and a secure future. Along the way, they will explore new concepts and ideas, and forge lifelong friendships. At UCD, we believe that access to the formative experiences of a university education should be available to every student with the talent and tenacity to succeed, and not just to those who can afford it. However, today’s students are facing unprecedented challenges, not least the rising cost of living and the lack of suitable, affordable accommodation.
A Community That Cares
The appropriate support at the right time gives students the confidence to navigate adversity in pursuit of their personal and academic ambitions. At UCD, this support comes from a remarkable community of alumni and philanthropic donors, who care deeply about the experiences and wellbeing of the current generation of UCD students. Their collective generosity in donating to the UCD Champions Fund and College Student Support Funds has a profound impact across the University, particularly for students like Caitlin (below), whose life has been transformed by a Cothrom na Féinne scholarship.
CAITLIN CANAVAN O’DRISCOLL UCD Cothrom na Féinne Scholar UCD Sutherland Opportunity supported by Mason Hayes & Curran
When I found out I would receive a scholarship, I felt relieved…”
“I’m a third year Business and Law student and am absolutely loving my time here at UCD. I’m from a tiny village in West Cork, so the adjustment to life in Dublin was a bit of a culture shock. I have been financially independent from my parents since I was 18, so when I moved up here, I had about €2,000 in my bank account. The house I was living in was extremely dilapidated, but it was all I could afford. I used to come to college smelling of mould, which was very embarrassing and took a toll on my mental health.
“When I found out I would receive a scholarship, I felt relieved. Before the first instalment arrived in my account, my savings were gone. I was eating poorly and my living situation was very uncomfortable. With the first instalment, I went out to buy apples and raspberries. Having the freedom to spend that €2 on my favourite fruit felt monumental to me. I was also able to move out of that house in second year, and am now somewhere much nicer. Before I received this scholarship, I was living well below the poverty line. I am so grateful and I really hope that this support can be available to others just like me.”
We are eternally grateful to all the wonderful alumni and supporters whose wholehearted generosity is making a world of difference for brilliant students like Caitlin. Thanks to you, students from all walks of life know they belong in our vibrant, diverse UCD community.
A culture of philanthropy is integral to UCD’s success. The generosity of our wonderful alumni community and visionary donors advances our mission to provide world-class facilities and an outstanding and inclusive educational experience for our students, strengthening our position at the forefront of innovation and research, and ensuring that UCD continues to make a positive societal impact
The underfunding of the higher education sector – to the tune of €307m per annum – presents a significant challenge to Irish universities. To help bridge the gap, the sector is increasingly reliant on the generosity of alumni, philanthropic donors and corporate partners who recognise the importance of universities in a progressive, informed society. UCD Foundation’s fundraising priorities are broadly focused on student support, research, and campus development.
Reimagining the Library
One of the most exciting capital projects currently underway in UCD is a major revamp of the much-loved James Joyce Library, which has been at the very heart of campus life since 1972. Belfield has seen a lot of change since then, and the student population has increased from 10,684 to over 30,000. The old library simply doesn’t have the capacity to comfortably accommodate our students, and it no longer meets the needs of a modern university.
The urgent need for an upgrade presents a challenge, but also an opportunity to completely reimagine our learning spaces. Advances in information technologies have changed how students use and interact with the library, but with two million visits a year, we know that the physical space is still very important. With this in mind, UCD is creating a modern library that is welcoming, comfortable and accessible, and is designed to boost student wellbeing.
The project began in 2021 with the refurbishment of Level 3, and the student experience was front and centre from the start.
Dear Library…
Level 3 before the renovation
Students wrote eloquent love letters – and in some cases breakup letters – to the library, and their feedback covered everything from the lighting and the location of power sockets to the colour and comfort of the furniture. Students also worked closely with the Library Executive Team and with the architects at Reddy Architecture + Urbanism to identify the diverse needs of library users and explore different kinds of learning spaces in other academic libraries.
The reopening of Level 3 in September 2023 marked a milestone in the library project. Students were thrilled to discover that beyond the familiar brutalist exterior, what was once a dark and uninviting space housing hundreds of old print journals had been transformed into a bright and welcoming setting, with an abundance of plants and natural materials throughout. Over 500 learning spaces accommodate all learning activities, from silent study to collaborative group work, and a sensory study room allows students with sensory needs to create an environment personalised to their preferences.
Cormac Reynolds, UCD Estates, Lorna Dodd, Deputy Librarian, Sandra Collins, University Librarian, and Tadgh Corcoran, Director of Estates, at the opening of the newly refurbished Level 3 in the James Joyce Library.
For UCD Librarian, Dr Sandra Collins, it really is all about the students: “The feedback is overwhelmingly positive. The students love the space. They feel this is their home away from home, a place where they’re welcome. This project really enhances the experience for our students, faculty and staff. We have amazing plans and we are excited to see people’s reactions to the next phase!”
The second of four planned phases of development – with an overall investment of €40m – is now full steam ahead, alongside a major philanthropic fundraising campaign. By the end of the project there will be about 3,000 high-quality study spaces available throughout the library (an increase of 46%). This current phase will see the transformation of Level 2 – along the lines of Level 3 but on a much bigger scale – as well as a purpose-designed Cultural Heritage Centre within the library, which will promote public and scholarly engagement with UCD Archives, Special Collections, and the National Folklore Collection.
The old furniture from Level 3 was donated to local schools and community groups for upcycling and reuse, and this commitment to sustainability was recognised with a UCD Values in Action Award – one of several awards for the library project to date, including an Irish Design Award and Irish Fit Out Award.
The James Joyce Library is woven into the collective experience of generations of UCD students and alumni, and the pupils who are giving our old desks a new lease of life may also become UCD students themselves someday. Meanwhile, today’s students are actively shaping the library for future generations, and we look forward to welcoming them back as alumni to see how the project is progressing.
Sporting Excellence
UCD is committed to developing the full potential of every student, and we recognise that this extends beyond academic achievement alone. The University is at the forefront of producing elite sportspeople who compete at the very highest level nationally and internationally. These achievements are due in no small part to the UCD Sports Development Fund.
The fund was established over 28 years ago to support the progression of high-performance sport in UCD, and it is fundamental to the viability of the University’s sports clubs. To date, sports that have benefited from the fund include soccer, Gaelic games, camogie, basketball, hockey, athletics, rowing, cycling, swimming and rugby.
The Sports Development Fund supports the provision of strength and conditioning expertise, massage therapy, and international travel to competitions, as well as highly sought after sports scholarships. This year alone, 92 students are in receipt of sports scholarships, and about 20 others are availing of other supports.
Daire Cregg GAA Sports Scholar 23/24
“Representing the UCD GAA Club had been an ambition of mine from a young age. Playing Sigerson Cup football with some of the best young players from all over the country forged friendships that will stay with me for life, and the highlight of my time in UCD was representing the University in the Sigerson final.”
Donations to the Sports Development Fund are raised primarily through use of the Bank of Ireland UCD Affinity credit card by alumni, staff and friends of the University. The donation is made at no additional cost to the cardholder.
UCD’s Sports Development Manager, Suzanne Bailey, knows how intrinsic this fund is to the success of UCD sports clubs: “We are very grateful to the alumni who, through their use of the UCD Affinity credit card, donations and sponsorship, have supported hundreds of UCD students to achieve their academic and sporting potential. We are so proud of all that the students achieve while wearing a UCD jersey. Despite the ongoing challenge of rising costs, we have ambitious plans for our performance sports and we hope to add additional sports to the scholarship programme.”
Róisín O’Reilly Athletics Sport Scholar 2023/2024.
“The academic flexibility made possible by the scholarship has given me the opportunity to effectively balance a heavy course load and a hectic training schedule. For this, I am extremely grateful to UCD Sport as well as to UCD School of Medicine.”
The Ad Astra Performing Arts Ensemble commemorating the life and works of George Bernard Shaw.
UCD Ad Astra Academy
UCD’s success extends beyond the sports fields. UCD Ad Astra Academy fosters a community of highly motivated, remarkably talented students within an environment that supports them to aspire, achieve and excel. The Ad Astra Scholarship Programme offers these brilliant students across academia, performing arts, and elite sports, unique opportunities for personal, academic and professional development, and encourages them to cultivate their abilities to their full potential, to reach for the stars.
Academic scholars have gone on to pursue postgraduate studies in some of the world’s top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and MIT. Others have started their own companies or taken on leadership roles in global companies such as Google, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. Meanwhile, performing arts alumni are blazing a trail on stage and screen, while current scholars continue to develop new work, including The Stare’s Nest – a collaboration with UCD’s Poetry as Commemoration initiative – which they performed at the National Gallery of Ireland earlier this year.
Our Ad Astra Elite Sport Scholars and alumni continue to distinguish themselves nationally and internationally. The many Team Ireland Olympians and Paralympians within their ranks include current students Nicola Tuthill (Hammer), Emily Lane (Rugby Sevens), and UCD Sportsperson of the Year 2024, Eve McMahon (Sailing). Alumna Ciara Mageean’s stellar performance in this year’s European Athletics Championships won her the gold medal in the 1,500m. Alumnus Israel Olatunde made history in 2022 by becoming the fastest Irishman ever and Colin Judge (Table Tennis) is competing in the Paralympics as we go to press.
Irish Olympian and Ad Astra Elite Sport Scholar, Eve McMahon.
Thank you
Everyone in the UCD community plays an important role in creating an environment where students are encouraged and enabled to be creative, innovative and brave. Philanthropic support enables the University to provide state-of-the-art facilities for our students, as well as transformative scholarship programmes that help to increase the diversity of our student body.
■ Thank you to our alumni, donors and volunteers for supporting our students and helping us foster the next generation of researchers, innovators and leaders. www.ucdfoundation.ie
Don’t miss out on the personal and professional benefits available to you as a member of the UCD alumni community. Keep in touch with your Alumni team by phone (+353 1 716 1447) or email, join us at overseas events, or drop in to our office on campus. Let’s stay connected!
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY
You belong to a growing community of more than 323,000 UCD alumni in 184 countries around the world. Your UCD community is always close at hand – online or in person – anytime, anywhere.
ENJOY ALUMNI BENEFITS
Your alumni benefits include exclusive discounts on and off campus, as well as access to a range of online resources.
CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS
The UCD Alumni team loves to share your achievements and successes with our community through resources like this magazine and our online alumni interview series.
GIVE BACK
You can make a real impact by donating to support scholarships, mental health services and other student supports. The Annual Giving team will assist you with all the information you need.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Get involved in our alumni volunteering programmes and explore the many ways you can support UCD and our students by giving of your time, expertise and friendship.
GROW YOUR NETWORK
Connect with fellow UCD alumni at class reunions and other events on campus and around the world, and build relationships through the UCD Alumni Network online platform.
In the past year, UCD has climbed the international rankings, marked key anniversaries and launched new centres of excellence
Professor Patricia Maguire, Professor Fionnuala Ní Áinle
UCD: TOP START-UPS HUB
UCD’s success as a talent incubator has been highlighted by data firm PitchBook’s latest ranking of global universities based on their start-up founder count. UCD places in fifth position in Europe and is the only Irish university to make it into the top 100 globally. 189 undergraduates from UCD went on to found companies, raising a total capital of $2.6bn.
Among the founders cited by PitchBook were clinical research psychologist and health tech visionary, Dr Alison Darcy, who founded mental health tech start-up Woebot in 2017 and raised nearly $140m. Darcy was early to recognise the potential of AI in digital mental healthcare and was named to the prestigious 2023 TIME100 AI list of influential individuals advancing conversations about how AI is reshaping the world.
PitchBook also namechecked Barry Canton, the co-founder of US-based biotech firm Ginkgo Bioworks, which raised nearly $800m before going public, and Oblivious, founded by Robert Pisarczyk and Jack Fitzsimons, a cybersecurity start-up headquartered at NovaUCD, which recently raised €5.35m.
Another UCD spin-out, Nanobox, co-founded by John Favier, has announced first round funding of €900,000 from a consortium of Irish venture capital investors, including the Yield Lab, DeepIE Ventures and Growing Capital. Nanobox has developed patented technology that adds gases to water using nanobubbles. The Nanobox technology generates nanobubbles using a low-voltage electric field with no moving parts requiring less energy than it takes to power a lightbulb. Competing methods consume much more power.
At the inaugural Public Sector Digital Transformation Awards, the AI Innovation of the Year Award went to UCD and AI_PREMie, led by Professor Patricia Maguire, which uses AI to disrupt diagnostic practices in preeclampsia and save the lives of mothers and their newborn babies.
SiriusXT, an Enterprise Ireland High-Potential Start-Up headquartered in Dublin, co-founded by Tony McEnroe, Dr Fergal O’Reilly, Dr Kenneth Fahy and Dr Paul Sheridan as a UCD spin-out company, has announced the world’s first commercial deployment of its novel table-top soft X-ray microscope, the SXT-100, at the UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research.
UCD and FBD announce major investment in UCD Lyons Farm
In July, UCD and FBD announced a €14m investment in a new centre for agricultural research and education at UCD Lyons Farm. Construction of the UCD FBD Agricultural Science Centre will commence in 2025, supported by a philanthropic contribution of €6 million from FBD Holdings plc and FBD Trust CLG. The centre will enhance UCD’s ability to deliver teaching and research in agriculture, veterinary medicine and related fields to the highest international standards and will provide new opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning at Lyons Farm. It will also be a hub for new education programmes in the areas of animal and crop science and sustainable food production, and for collaborative research projects to address the most significant challenges facing modern farming and agriculture.
EIRSAT-1
EIRSAT-1
Ireland successfully launched its first ever satellite, the EIRSAT-1, built and designed by UCD Physics and Engineering students, into space in December 2023. To mark this momentous achievement, a poem entitled ‘All Ways Home’, written by pupils from 12 DEIS schools around Ireland in collaboration with UCD poets, is engraved on the outer cover of the antenna module. www.eirsat1.ie
New AgTech Innovation Centre
New Agtech Innovation Centre
The new UCD Bimeda Herd Health Hub and AgTechUCD Innovation Centre has opened on the site of UCD Lyons Farm in Co Kildare.
The €4.8m centre is the first and only onfarm workspace hub in Ireland, a state-of-the art facility which aims to boost education, entrepreneurship and innovation and to promote and accelerate early-stage start-ups and SMEs with “disruptive innovations” in the agri, agtech, agrifood and veterinary sectors. Funding for the facility was provided by Enterprise Ireland through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, UCD and a philanthropic donation from Bimeda, a global manufacturer and distributor of veterinary pharmaceuticals and animal health products.
UCD Climbs in International Rankings
UCD is now ranked first in Ireland for Sustainability and Employment Outcomes in the QS European University Rankings. UCD has also seen its overall position in the European rankings improve sharply, rising 20 places since the inaugural rankings were released last year, and is now ranked 51 in Europe, up from 71.
UCD ranks first in Ireland, 24th in Europe and 50th globally in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2024. UCD has also risen 45 places to 126 in the overall QS World University Rankings.
UCD Smurfit Executive Development remains one of the top education destinations for executives as it ranks in the global top 50 in both Custom Executive Education (33rd) and Open Enrolment (46th) in the latest Financial Times’ report. Within the ranking criteria the School was listed 4th globally for Growth and 27th for Programme Design. Client Satisfaction was the highest in Ireland and ranked 23rd globally. UCD Smurfit Executive Development is a member of UNICON, an invitation-only alliance of the world’s leading university-based executive education providers and holds the ‘triple crown’ of accreditation from three centres of business and academic excellence – EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA.
UCD One Health Centre welcomes the World Health Organisation.
UCD ONE HEALTH CENTRE
UCD has launched a new centre dedicated to solving global health challenges by recognising the interconnection between and threats facing people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.
Collaborating across a variety of sectors including government, academia, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector, the UCD One Health Centre aims to research and build awareness to protect human wellbeing and health from threats such as pandemics, obesity and antibiotic resistance.
The World Health Organisation sees UCD as a front runner and part of the technical advisory group on One Health with the Centre poised to become a national and global leader in developing and implementing One Health strategies. Currently, the UCD One Health Centre is working with the WHO on a mentorship programme, contributing to a public health workshop for doctors in Ukraine, and supporting the Environmental Health Association of Ireland conference on One Health.
James Joyce Library Refurbishment
The refurbishment of Level 3 of the James Joyce Library (JJL) is complete. The JJL now offers 535 formal and informal student learning spaces in a contemporary, light-filled setting. Alongside new learning spaces, enhanced welfare facilities and water stations, the JJL now has a range of inclusive spaces and rooms designed to enhance the learning experience of all students.
UCD ANNIVERSARIES
Conway 20th Anniversary
In October, UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research marked 20 years at the leading edge of research, innovation and impact. Over 500 alumni, staff, students and friends gathered to celebrate.
Ireland’s leading biomedical research institute, Conway focuses on high-quality ‘blue skies’ innovative and interdisciplinary research in the biosciences, and on developing novel therapies for chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity as well as neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, depression, and autism.
Attending the anniversary event to mark the occasion were Maureen and Hilary Daly, the daughter and granddaughter of the late Professor E.J. Conway, FRS, UCD’s first Professor of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, after whom the Institute is named.
The prestigious Conway Festival Gold Medal for outstanding research was presented to doctoral candidate Ciara Walsh for her work on immunomodulatory hydrogels in spinal cord injury.
Sutherland 10th Anniversary
UCD Sutherland School of Law marked its tenth year with the annual John M. Kelly Memorial Lecture and a special celebration of this milestone. Judge Suzanne Kingston of the General Court of the European Union, a faculty member since 2007, delivered the 2024 Lecture: ‘On the Role of Constitutional Identity: Teach Solais or Will-o’- the-Wisp?’. Guests included the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, members of the judiciary and the legal profession, as well as staff and students.
NovaUCD 20th anniversary
NovaUCD has been named one of Europe’s leading start-up hubs by the Financial Times. Ranked at 81, NovaUCD is one of only two start-up hubs in Ireland to be included in the inaugural Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs special report, and is the only Irish university-based hub among the rankings. In the 20 years since its establishment, NovaUCD has assisted more than 550 companies and its business community has raised more than €1.3bn in equity funding.
Professor P.J. Mathews, Director UCD Creative Futures Academy, at the launch of the Trapdoor theatre.
UCD Trapdoor Black Box Theatre
A disused performance space once home to Dramsoc has been transformed into a state-of-the art Black Box theatre. The €2.5m refurbishment has turned the former UCD Dramsoc theatre in the Newman Building into Trapdoor, a new home for student creativity, production and performance.
From the 1970s to 2012, the UCD Dramsoc theatre fostered the talent of some of Ireland’s most distinguished writers, playwrights, and theatre and film directors including Frank McGuinness, Neil Jordan, Consolata Boyle, Marina Carr and Conor McPherson. Former members of UCD Dramsoc include Brenda Fricker, Jim Sheridan, Rosaleen Linehan and Dermot Morgan.
UCD President Prof. Orla Feely with Ciara Douglas, UCD Archery
PRESIDENT’S AWARDS
The President has recognised the service to UCD campus life of 20 students, presenting them with the President’s Award at a ceremony in O’Reilly Hall. The Award is given to those who have excelled in extracurricular activities of a kind that make UCD an exciting, interesting, dynamic, and humane place to live, study and work. Recipients are nominated by their peers and are actively engaged in service to UCD societies, clubs, the Students’ Union, or student support services, or competitive activity in intervarsity events.
UCD in the Community – Student Volunteer Awards
UCD in the Community – Student Volunteer Awards
UCD students involved in volunteering activities have had their outstanding contributions recognised at the UCD in the Community Volunteering Awards. The 61 2023 award recipients run UCD sports clubs, societies, class rep and peer mentorship programmes, and actively contributed to UCD’s ‘Rising to the Future’ strategy through their external volunteering.
Ulysses Medal awarded to Professor Geoffrey Hinton
Ulysses Medal awarded to Professor Geoffrey Hinton
The UCD Ulysses Medal, the highest honour the University can bestow, has been awarded to one of the most influential AI researchers of the past 50 years, Professor Geoffrey Hinton, known as the ‘Godfather of AI’.
The Ulysses Medal is a symbol of outstanding achievement and contribution to the academic world, awarded annually to individuals whose work has made a profound impact on society. Previous recipients include former US President Bill Clinton, Professor Noam Chomsky, novelist Frank McGuinness, Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, and former Irish President Mary McAleese.
Professor Hinton has been at the forefront of AI research for decades. The great-great-grandson of logician George Boole whose work, undertaken in Ireland, underpins the foundations of modern computer science, Professor Hinton received his BA in Experimental Psychology from Cambridge in 1970 and his PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Edinburgh in 1978. His pioneering work in deep learning and neural networks has laid the foundation for revolutionary advancements in AI applications, from image recognition to natural language processing. He has also played a crucial role in mentoring and educating the next generation of AI researchers.
The Museum of Literature Ireland
EUROPEAN HERITAGE AWARD FOR MOLI
The Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), located in the historic UCD Newman House, has won the prestigious European Heritage Award/Europa Nostra Award 2023, Europe’s top honour in the field. The Awards were celebrated at a high-profile event held at the Palazzo del Cinema on the Lido in Venice.
MoLI was named Grand Prix laureate in the Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising category in recognition of its success in reaching out to lovers of literature and non-traditional audiences alike and in raising awareness of Ireland’s rich literary heritage.
Through an exceptional programme of events and its innovative digital strategy, MoLI attracts and maintains a diverse, multigenerational audience.
Honorary Doctorate for Dr Mae Jemison
UCD has awarded an honorary degree to Dr Mae Jemison – the first black woman in space – who embodies the University’s Ad Astra (‘to the stars’) motto through her work as an innovator, creative researcher and scientist motivated by social activism. Part of the Space Shuttle Endeavour mission in 1992, Dr Mae, as she is known, served six years as a NASA astronaut and was the first woman of colour to go into space during a joint mission with the Japanese space agency. Dr Mae is the newest member of UCD’s Inclusive Design Research Centre, and co-Principal Investigator of its project: IMAGINALS.
Among others, UCD has also awarded honorary doctorates to writer and patient advocate, Orla Tinsley, Dr Rory O’Donnell of the National Economic and Social Council, and Ambassador Anne Anderson, Ireland’s first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations and to the European Union; the first female Ambassador to France and Monaco; and the first woman to represent Ireland as Ambassador to the United States.
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