AIT Life Vol 1 No 1

AITLife

Volume 5 Number 1

Life

Volume 5 | Number 1 | January 2013

TARGETTING SMART GROWTH AREAS

New courses offered by AIT’s Business School target smart growth areas of the future in entrepreneurship, social media and ICT

ENGINEERING STANDARDS TO HIGHEST LEVEL

Engineers Ireland, the professional body for engineers, has accredited nine programmes at AIT

FAST TRACK TO SUCCESS

AIT’s new International Arena will be officially opened in February. The President of AIT shares his views on the project

www.ait.ie

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Table of Contents AITLife Volume 5 Number 1

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Welcome from the President of AIT

AITLife Athlone Institute of Technology Dublin Road Athlone Co Westmeath Tel + 353 (0)90 646 8000 Web www.ait.ie

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New Business Courses at AIT Target Smart Growth Areas of the Future

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AIT Accounting Degree Scores Top Marks with Professional Bodies

Editor Brian Lynch Tel + 353 (0)90 644 2595 Email brianlynch@ait.ie

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Cover photograph: Exterior of the AIT International Arena by night

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Significant Agreement Signed with Midlands Simon Community AIT Senior Lecturer edits Important New Book on Community Development

10 Check in and Explore the World 11 Health Awareness Day

Investing in your future

The Swoosh Factor

13 AIT Researcher to Develop Synthetic Alternative to Bone Grafts 14 Engineering Standards to the Highest Level 16 Up in the Clouds 17 AIT Researchers Show Coconut Oil could Combat Tooth Decay 18 Spotlight on AIT Science Graduates 19 FAQs on the BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation 20 Fast Track to Success 22 AIT to Host Sigerson Cup Finals 23 The Erasmus Experience

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Welcome from the President

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n February, AIT’s new International Arena will be officially opened, thereby bringing world-class indoor athletics facilities to the country for the first time. It’s fair to say that there is an enormous degree of excitement and anticipation amongst the athletics community about the new facility. Eamonn Coghlan, one of Ireland’s most successul athletes ever has described it as ‘the best news story in Irish athletics history. It will inspire future generations of athletes towards greatness for many years to come,’ he said.

That ringing endorsement from the ‘Chairman of the Boards’ helps situate the track in terms of its significance as a major addition to Ireland’s national sporting infrastructure.

It is just as important, however, to highlight that this is not just a resource for elite athletes; it is there to be used by the entire college community and, indeed, by the people of Ireland generally. We repeatedly hear about our growing obesity problem and the acute need for a society-wide appreciation of the importance of exercise and healthy living. The Arena will directly support the realisation of this ambition, so from that point of view it will hopefully have long-term positive health benefits for society.

Of course, the International Arena will be a hugely valuable addition to our academic programmes in areas such as sport management, sport science and sport therapy. This best-in-class resource will give our students the perfect environment in which to apply their skills and knowledge.

At a general level, the Arena is part of a comprehensive programme of investment in the institute which has exceeded €100 million since the start of the millennium.

While much of the funding has come from the Exchequer, the vast majority of the €10 million spend for the Arena has been raised directly by AIT. It is an investment which we are certain will yield dividends for many years to come.

President of AIT, Prof. Ciarán Ó Catháin pictured with Minister for Sport, Michael Ring TD From an international point of view, the Arena will considerably enhance the profile of Athlone and AIT. Athlone’s designation as European Town of Sport 2013 underlines the extent to which sport and active living is a key feature of life here.

Perhaps, the greatest contribution which this Arena will make over time is to prove that AIT is a higher education institution deeply committed to the pursuit of excellence in every sphere.

Beir bua.

Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin

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New Business Courses at AIT Target Smart Growth Areas of the Future

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ntrepreneurship, innovation, social media, digital marketing, smart technology – just some of the words that repeatedly crop up in any discussion about the future of business. They are not just buzzwords, however, they represent core skill areas that are at the heart of the resuscitation of the Irish economy.

They are also core pillars of a number of new courses being offered by the Business School at Athlone Institute of Technology. Three new offerings, the Higher Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (AL656), the Higher Certificate in Social Media Marketing (AL655), and the Higher Certificate in Computing for Business (AL657) feature in the CAO for the first time this year.

Google, Microsoft, Intel – just some of the world’s leading information and communications technology companies that have substantial operations in Ireland. And, despite employing 70,000 skilled personnel, the ICT sector in Ireland currently has vacancies for a further 4,500 employees.

According to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs the challenge for Ireland is ‘to reinvent itself’. This change will be achieved, it says, through ‘the creativity and ingenuity of people in the private and public sectors… Just as jobs are at the base of any successful society, enterprise must be at the heart of any jobs programme.’

That ethos is at the core of the Higher Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The programme will give students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial, interpersonal, innovation and managerial knowledge and competencies. This is the skillset which will best support graduates in starting their own enterprise or invigorating an existing (family) business.

In developing the course, AIT lecturers were able to draw on decades of experience, experience which has helped previous generations of business graduates reach the pinnacle

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of their careers. A typical example is Longford’s Brendan Farrell, who graduated from Athlone in 1984 and in 2010 was shortlisted as the Ernst & Young international entrepreneur of the year. Farrell is CEO of XSP Ltd based on Wall Street and is amongst the top 100 most influential business leaders across the global Irish network.

Brendan P. Farrell Jr That same understanding of the future needs of business was also core to the development of the Higher Certificate in Social Media Marketing. While everyone understands that social media is the pulse of the twenty-first century, fewer people appreciate how it can be utilised for business. A quick look at some statistics, however, reveals just how significant it is: Manchester United, for example, currently has 31

million likes for its Facebook page, while Lady Gaga has some 33 million followers on Twitter.

AIT’s new course will provide students with the business, marketing and digital media skills and knowledge needed to enter this industry. The blend of theory and practical skills will provide not only an excellent theoretical basis, but will enable students to build a unique online portfolio during the course of their study.

Indeed, what becomes apparent from a quick glance at the corporate landscape of Ireland is that many of the world’s leading information and communications technology companies – including Google, Microsoft, Intel – have substantial operations here. And, despite employing 70,000 skilled personnel, the ICT sector in Ireland currently has vacancies for a further 4,500 employees.

The third new programme, the Higher Certificate in Computing for Business, is a perfect starting point to enter this multi-billion euro industry.

Students on the course will learn how to provide computerised solutions to a range of business problems, through

writing, compiling and debugging computer programs. They will also gain an understanding of high-level computer languages and modern business packages.

They will develop a comprehensive knowledge of computer hardware and operating systems. They will get to research, design and develop a fully functional website using HTML, CSS and basic scripting. How the worldwide web and cloud computing impacts on business is also part of the course, as is looking at different information systems and how they are used in a modern business environment.

Recognising the increasingly important role played by social media in business, this course will provide students with practical, hands-on experience of using social media applications, including video, blogging and microblogging (e.g. Twitter).

Students will also learn how to design and develop apps for Android smart phones and tablets, and be able to publish them to Google Play.

Further information about these new programmes and all other business courses can be found at www.ait.ie/business.

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AIT Accounting Degree Scores Top Marks with Professional Bodies

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he Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the latest professional body to award exemptions to AIT’s honours degree in accounting (AL852). This brings to four the number of professional accounting bodies that recognise AIT’s award as part qualification as professional accountants.

CIMA have awarded graduates from the BA (Honours) in Accounting exemptions from eight out of the 14 examinations in their professional programme. The other professional bodies so doing are ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), CPA (Institute of Certified Public Accountants), and CAI (Chartered Accountants Ireland).

ACCA offers AIT graduates exemptions from nine papers out of 14 required for qualification. CPA offers AIT graduates exemptions from 11 out of the 16 papers on their syllabus, while CAI offers AIT graduates exemption from CAP 1 of their qualification process.

According to Brendan Doyle, Acting Head of Department of Accounting and Business Computing: ‘This award cements the status of AIT’s BA (Honours) in Accounting as one of the premier accounting qualifications in Europe. No programme offers greater exemptions from professional examinations,’ he said.

In addition, the degree is recognised by the Teaching Council of Ireland in order to gain eligibility to apply for a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, which opens the door to a career in second level teaching.

AIT accounting graduates have enjoyed considerable success, working in industry and practice. Amongst those who studied accounting at AIT are Edel Brennan (Commercial Finance Lead at Kerry Group), Mark Sweetman (Chief Financial Officer at SA Recycling, Orange County, California), Gerard Gleeson (Corporate Controller, PMC Group, Philadelphia), and Lorraine O’Grady (Audit Senior at KPMG Ireland).

‘The success of our accounting graduates is testament to the quality of tuition at AIT,’ said Brendan Doyle. ‘In the professional exams, for example, our students have consistently scored amongst the top marks in the world.

That only happens when you have a top class team of lecturers. Equally important is the number of opportunities open to accounting graduates. It is a qualification that opens doors to well-paid and rewarding careers,’ he added.

Application to the three-year BA (Honours) in Accounting (AL852) is through the CAO. AIT also offers a two year Accounting Technicians Ireland Technician course (AL654), application to which is also through the CAO.

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Significant agreement signed with Midlands Simon Community

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memorandum of agreement signed between AIT and the Midlands Simon Community will see student and academic research projects in areas related to homelessness.

The agreement, which builds on the successful relationship between both organisations, also provides for a graduate programme which will be open to social care degree holders from AIT. The development of a joint research agenda will see significant collaboration at undergraduate and postgraduate level between AIT and the Midlands Simon Community over the next five years. With the collaboration of the Midlands Simon Community, supervisors and students will have access and assistance to conduct research that will build an evidence base on homelessness and care provision.

The research will also contribute to evaluating the unique approaches being developed on the ground, and add to the body of work on social policy implementation in Ireland.

One of the outputs of the agreement will be a biennial seminar on the theme of homelessness which will be developed jointly by both parties and held at AIT. The Midlands Simon Community and Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) have enjoyed fruitful cooperation over many years, which has been to the benefit of both organisations.

This has been manifested in the excellent placement opportunities and supervision offered to social care students through an AIT/Midlands Simon Community graduate internship programme in operation since 2009.

This has offered valuable professional experience and training to six AIT graduates, and in three cases, has led to permanent employment with Midlands Simon.

In total, over 10 of the current employees of the Midlands Simon Community are graduates of AIT. Reciprocally, AIT has provided supervision for Midlands Simon volunteers from overseas as well as tuition in English and access to other AIT events, thus facilitating a foreign volunteer project.

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Fergus Finlay, CEO of Barnardos Ireland, launching Community Development in Ireland, edited by Dr Ashling Jackson, AIT, and Dr Colm O’Doherty, IT Tralee.

AIT Senior Lecturer Edits Important New Book on Community Development

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senior lecturer in humanities at AIT has co-edited a major new book on community development in Ireland.

Dr Ashling Jackson is the co-editor of Community Development: Theory, Policy and Practice (Gill & Macmillan), which was launched by Fergus Finlay, Chief Executive of Barnardos Ireland.

The new textbook introduces the theories and practices of community development in Ireland, with particular reference to the effects of social and economic policies within this context.

The book features a chapter by another member of AIT’s humanities faculty, Bernadette Naughton, who contributed a chapter on achieving culturally competent practice.

According to Dr Jackson: ‘We live in a rapidly changing social and economic

environment. This book looks at the changing nature of community development in this environment. It is therefore a very timely publication.

Many of the chapters highlight that with a little resourcing, community development can be a powerful force for positive social change in disadvantaged communities, even in the recessionary times in which we live. Importantly, it outlines principles of best practice in a variety of community development settings and provides clear guidelines on how to achieve best practice.’

Co-editor, Dr Colm O’Doherty, lecturer in applied social studies at the Institute of Technology, Tralee said that ‘the book shows why community development is a valued activity in Ireland. It offers compelling evidence that treating people with respect through the development of trusting

and principled relationships produces beneficial outcomes. One of the strengths of the book is that it shows how community development can be a collective force for a more just, equal and secure future. However it shows this by emphasising the diverse ways in which community development can make a positive contribution to the welfare and well-being of different people, living in different places and in different circumstances.’

Dr Ashling Jackson is a senior lecturer in AIT, lecturing in the areas of community development, sociology and research methods.

She has worked extensively with disadvantaged groups in community settings, most notably the Traveller community.

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Check in and explore the world For those possessed by a sense of wanderlust, a new three-year BA in Front Office and Tourism Revenue Management (AL762) could be just the passport you’re looking for.

This degree, developed by AIT’s Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Studies, will give students the skills and knowledge to be able to work in customer care, reservations, event management and operations.

It’s ideally designed for those who enjoy working in a handson situation, where they get to look after people, making sure they get what they need.

There are 170,000 people employed in the tourism industry in Ireland, and graduates of this degree could be employed as a front office manager, revenue manager, visitor centre manager or receptionist. Opportunities may also exist in areas such as sales and marketing, reservations, customer service, health and wellness; or indeed on airlines or cruise ships.

However, for those who want to explore beyond these shores, this qualification offers the perfect combination of theory and practice to be able to make an impact in this truly global industry.

For further information see www.ait.ie/htl

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HEALTH AWARENESS DAY Spa and wellness management degree students were the organisers of a recent successful health awareness day at AIT. The event featured free massages, reflexology, Reiki and yoga classes. It also involved a personal trainer with feedback, BMI calculation, and education on health and wellness.

The event was organised in the memory of the students’ former classmate and friend, Andrew Claxton of Ballintemple, Walsh-Island, Co Offaly, who died in May last year. All proceeds raised from the day went to Brainwave, the Irish Epilepsy Association.

Check out the BA in Spa and Wellness Management (AL760).

THE SWOOSH FACTOR With world number one golfer Rory McIlroy signing a multiyear sponsorship agreement worth up to a reputed $250m, Nike has confirmed its position as one of the world’s most powerful sporting brands.

AIT sport management graduate, Mark McCormack, is the company’s Field Brand Manager in Ireland, with responsiblity for supporting key accounts in the form of technical product training (EKIN) to maximise staff product knowledge to benefit the customer and product presentation support to elevate Nike product and MPT spaces to maximise the customers’ experience relevant to Nike product.

Mark McCormack Students on the BA in Spa and Wellness Management

This involves Mark receiving briefs and training sessions on Nike, the brand, its vision, merchandising and in-store products. He visits stores ensuring the activation of campaigns, products and merchandising initiatives, and liaises with in-store staff on support and VM training requirements.

He also has to ensure that key messages and principles are communicated through to the consumer, while developing relationships with Nike’s wholesale and retail clients and understand their strategies.

Check out the Higher Certificate in Sport and Recreation (AL663).

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This piece by visual communications graduate (2012), Rhona Nolan, was a part of her major final project, a newly-launched fashion journal entitled Felt. Rhona is now producing the journal online herself. The image was taken for an article entitled ‘The Hidden Depths of Fashion’ included in the first issue. Rhona is now employed with Digino Marketing.

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Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard

AIT Researcher to Develop Synthetic Alternative to Bone Grafts

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new treatment for patients suffering large areas of bone loss is being developed at Athlone Institute of Technology.

The research, which is exploring a synthetic alternative to bone grafts, will benefit patients who have had surgery to remove cancerous tissue, or who have had bone loss due to accidents or infections.

Senior researcher at AIT, Dr Declan Devine, has taken up a position at Harvard University’s Center for Advanced Dr Declan Devine Orthopaedic Studies to continue his research. He will be based at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (pictured above) for two years, which is being funded by the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship.

The treatment will consist of a polymeric scaffold bond together with proteins which have been proven clinically to aid the healing of bone.

The scaffold developed in this work will be based on the natural structure of bone and will also have similar properties to natural bone.

At present, the most common type of intervention used by surgeons is bone transfer techniques. However, the stock of bone which can be transplanted within the patient is limited and transferring bone from another person brings with it an increased risk of infections or the transfer of disease.

According to Dr Devine: ‘As the proteins are trapped within the artificial bone, lower concentrations are needed to heal bones compared to doses currently used by clinicians.

This will have the added advantage of reducing the overall cost of the surgical procedure compared to using current protein treatments. If

proven successful, this study could be developed into a platform technology to treat a wide range of human ailments.’

A graduate in polymer technology from AIT, Dr Devine undertook his PhD in Athlone in the field of the controlled release of pharmaceutical ingredients from highly water absorbent polymers or hydrogels as they are commonly known. Following the completion of his studies, he undertook an industryled research post-doctoral project with Transitions Optical Ltd to develop the next generation Transitions ® Lens.

This successfully led to the granting of a US patent.

During the fellowship Dr Devine will be working under the guidance of Prof Christopher Evans, Director of the Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies in Harvard, and Prof Clement Higginbotham, Director of the Materials Research Institute, Athlone.

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Engineering Standards to the Highest Level

Over 1,000 students are currently registered on engineering programmes at AIT, ranging from full-time undergraduate programmes through to a wide range of Springboard opportunities, as well as a taught Masters delivered in conjunction with ICT Skillsnet and Ericsson.

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ngineers Ireland, the professional body for engineers and engineering in Ireland, have accredited nine programmes at AIT.

The programmes which are at higher certificate and ordinary degree level have been deemed to meet the educational standard for the titles, ‘Engineering Technician’ and ‘Associate Engineer’ respectively.

The accreditation is valid for a period of five years.

The ordinary degrees (Level 7) accredited were BEng programmes in mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering and renewable graduates possess the requisite skills and knowledge sought by employers, as well as the flexibility to progress in their chosen careers.

‘I congratulate all of the staff for the preparation of the material and for the presentation of evidence to the visiting panels. I also want to acknowledge the roles played by the senior technical officers, administrative staff, and the heads of department for their work in coordinating the efforts within each department,’ Dr Hanley said.

energy, mechatronics, computer engineering, electronics and wireless communications, and civil engineering. The higher certificates (Level 6) programmes accredited were in mechanical engineering, electronics and computer engineering, and civil engineering.

Head of the School of Engineering, Dr Austin Hanley, said that: ‘This is an excellent result and a real endorsement by the engineering professional body of our programmes. It underscores the measures we have taken to ensure that our A registered professional title from Engineers Ireland provides peer reviewed and internally recognised formal recognition of professional competence. It is an accolade associated with the very best of the engineering profession.

Check out www.ait.ie/engineering

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inister for Enterprise and Jobs, Richard Bruton TD, has launched the new Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4) - a governmentfunded technology centre involving AIT, UCC and lead partner DCU. The centre’s aim is to accelerate the development and adoption of cloud technology in Ireland, develop and showcase Ireland’s capabilities in this field and ultimately benefit the Irish economy through job creation and increased revenues in the ICT sector.

The industry-led centre has a strong industry panel that includes Microsoft, Fujitsu, Intel and IBM. It will build on Ireland’s substantial research base in this area and focus on partnering researchers with industry in order to turn good research ideas into good jobs in the Irish economy.

This launch represents the delivery of a key commitment under the Action Plan for Jobs 2012.

IC4 is jointly supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland and is the eleventh governmentfunded technology centre to be established in Ireland.

Launching the centre, Minister Bruton said: ‘Cloud computing is already a significant part of the overall market for information technology and services and is now one of the fastest growing segments of the market. That is why as part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs we have specifically targeted this sector for jobs and growth in the coming years.

‘A major part of supporting job creation in this sector is ensuring that we derive the greatest possible benefit from the major state investment in scientific research over the past decade. We must ensure not only that we continue to support cutting-edge scientific research, but also that we put in place measures to ensure that we can turn the good ideas emerging from that research into good jobs. That is why we have developed this industry-led technology research centre, to bring industry and researchers together so that they can focus on creating viable businesses and ultimately create the jobs we need.’

Director of AIT’s Software Research Institute, Dr Brian Lee, said: ‘Cloud computing is a €100 billion industry that offers considerable potential for Ireland Inc in terms of job creation and in delivering our knowledge economy ambitions. The SRI has a considerable track record of working with industry,

and in delivering innovative solutions for industry problems. The IC4 is a very exciting development, and one that will boost AIT’s growing reputation in this area.’

Gerard Lande, senior commercialisation specialist at Enterprise Ireland added: ‘Cloud computing transcends traditional business boundaries and opens up many new opportunities in service sector with global value chains.

Developing capability in this area is increasingly important as cloud computing proliferates into other business domains.

‘This centre is a significant step for SMEs and multinational companies in Ireland’s technology sector. It enables Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support the large client base companies currently operating in this vibrant and diverse sector. Also, by its multi-disciplinary nature, this centre leverages the capabilities of business researchers and computing technologists providing significant opportunities to innovate on the fringes of both domains.’

Visit www.ic4.ie www.ait.ie/sri

Up in the Clouds

Check out the BSc (Honours) in Software Design (Cloud Computing) (AL803)

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AIT researchers show coconut oil could combat tooth decay – The research story that went global –

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esearch by scientists at AIT that showed that digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay proved to be one of the major scientific news stories of the past 12 months. The story that this natural antibiotic could be incorporated into commercial dental care products was published everywhere from the UK, US, Russia, India, Korea, China to the Philippines.

The team from AIT tested the antibacterial action of coconut oil in its natural state and coconut oil that had been treated with enzymes, in a process similar to digestion.

The oils were tested against strains of Streptococcus bacteria which are common inhabitants of the mouth. They found that enzyme-modified coconut oil strongly inhibited the growth of most strains of Streptococcus bacteria including Streptococcus mutans – an acid-producing bacterium that is a major cause of tooth decay.

The researchers in AIT’s Bioscience Research Institute, led

by Dr Damien Brady presented their work at the Society for General Microbiology’s autumn conference at the University of Warwick.

Many previous studies have shown that partially digested foodstuffs are active against micro-organisms. Earlier work on enzyme-modified milk showed that it was able to reduce the binding of S. mutans to tooth enamel, which prompted the group to investigate the effect of other enzyme-modified foods on bacteria.

Further work will examine how coconut oil interacts with Streptococcus bacteria at the molecular level and which other strains of harmful bacteria and yeasts it is active against. Additional testing by the group at AIT found that enzyme-modified coconut oil was also harmful to the yeast Candida albicans that can cause thrush.

The researchers suggest that enzyme-modified coconut oil has potential as a marketable antimicrobial which could be of particular interest to the oral healthcare industry. Dr Brady said: ‘Dental caries is a commonly overlooked health problem affecting 60-90% of children and the majority of adults in industrialised countries. Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations.

Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection.’

The work also contributes to our understanding of antibacterial activity in the human gut. ‘Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity.

This could have implications for how bacteria colonize the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health,’ explained Dr Brady.

‘Our research has shown that digested milk protein not only reduced the adherence of harmful bacteria to human intestinal cells but also prevented some of them from gaining entrance into the cell. We are currently researching coconut oil and other enzyme-modified foodstuffs to identify how they interfere with the way bacteria cause illness and disease,’ he said.

The research was supported by the AIT President’s Research Seed Fund, which has invested €750,000 in postgraduate research work since 2010. The MSc project being carried out by Patricia Hughes, was supervised by Dr Brady and Prof Neil Rowan at AIT. Ms Hughes graduated with a degree in veterinary nursing in 2009 from AIT.

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DEREK GILROY is Head of the Centre for Clinical

Pharmacology at University College London, where he has pioneered research examining the molecular and biochemical pathways that regulates the resolution of acute immune reactions. An applied biology graduate (1988) from AIT, he followed this with an MSc from Imperial College London and a PhD from the William Harvey Research Institute, University of London.

He conducted his postdoctoral studies at the University of Houston Texas and at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Tawian from 1998-2000. In 2004, Derek was appointed as New Blood lecturer funded as a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow at the Division of Medicine, Rayne Building, UCL. In 2009 he became a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow and in 2010 was promoted to Professor of Experimental Immunology. He has won the Bayer International Young Investigator Award for Aspirin Research, 2005, and the British Pharmacological Society, Norvartis Award, 2007.

Spotlight on AIT Science Graduates FINTAN GARAVAN, forensic pathologist, has

travelled a considerable journey in his career. Having working with the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Department in Florida, Dr Garavan is currently employed as a pathologist in New Zealand.

His academic career began, however, in AIT in the 1980s. Having graduated from Athlone with a degree in toxicology, he went on to complete a PhD in Trinity College, Dublin in 1994.

Deciding to qualify as a pathologist, he studied medicine for five years, undertaking internships in medicine and surgery before looking abroad to study pathology.

When asked for advice he might offer to any young person considering following his career path, he said: ‘Ultimately, you don’t choose forensic pathology, it chooses you. It took me 16 years to get to where I am now, but if you’re young, determined and this is what you want to do then you will enjoy those 16 years. Personally, I would do it all over again.’

AITLife 2 onwards. They culminate in a sixmonth placement in fourth year.

What is the BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation?

The BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation is a four-year degree course which focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries.

What were the CAO points in 20122013?

365 What type of placements will a student complete?

Practical elements are extremely important in the BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation and are immersed throughout this course. Placements occur from Year

What job opportunities would graduates of this degree have?

There are numerous career prospects available to graduates of the BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation. These include sports injury clinics, professional sports clubs and teams, amateur sports clubs and teams, national governing bodies of sports associations, health and fitness centres and more.

What is the difference between physiotherapy and this degree in sports therapy and rehabilitation?

Physiotherapy is a broad based degree and health care profession.

This covers musculoskeletal care of the physically active and sporting population. However it also covers other areas like oncology, respiratory, gynaecology, etc.

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in the physically active and sporting population. This allows students to specialise in this area for the full four years of the degree and gain a competitive edge in the sports therapy area.

Can a student move onto further study to become a physiotherapist?

Graduates of this degree are eligible to apply to accelerated physiotherapy courses. Following graduation, students can also transfer to a wide range of postgraduate courses at both MSc and PhD level in AIT, nationally and internationally. An honours degree is an effective basis for postgraduate training and research leading to Master’s and PhD (Level 9/10) qualifications.

The BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries that occur

BSc (Honours) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation (AL841)

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Fast Track to Success Ireland’s first IAAF-specification indoor athletics facility will open its doors and host its first events in early 2013. The Athlone Institute of Technology International Arena will have a 200m six lane banked oval running track, an internal 60m sprint track and seating for 2,000 spectators and will bring world class indoor facilities to Athlone and Ireland. Colum McKeown spoke with Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, Athletics Ireland President and President of Athlone Institute of Technology, about the completion of the project and the impact it will have on the future of athletics in Ireland.

When is the official opening of the new indoor track and facilities at AIT? The official opening will coincide with the national indoors which take place on 16-17 February. We have a number of national and international events penciled in for spring 2013, including the Masters, Juniors and u23 multievent.

Chairman of the Boards, Eamonn Coghlan with Prof Ó Catháin Has the construction work to date gone entirely to plan?

The new arena looks magnificent and we are very happy with the progress of the construction team and all our partners during the build.

What can athletes and spectators hope to experience at the official opening?

We want to showcase a new experience in indoor athletics in Ireland. This is going to be a very

fast track, and we are confident that several records will be achieved here.

The official opening will combine that sense of excitement of something new in Irish sport with the attraction of some of the top names in Irish and world athletics, who we hope will be here to help us mark the occasion.

What has been the cost to date for the project? €10.5 million

AITLife How many athletics events do you plan on hosting annually?

Our ambition is to maximise the usage of the facility. We have an excellent team working on marketing the arena who are really driving the agenda.

Events will range from AIT-organised meets through to regional, national and international competitions.

Will the track and facilities be available for hire?

The track and facilities will be available for hire. We anticipate that they will be used for a wide variety of purposes, ranging from training for individuals and sports clubs, through to international competitions. Of course, the arena is also suitable for a wide range of non-sporting events, and we are actively marketing it as a major addition to the events infrastructure of the Midlands.

Was it much cheaper to build than it would have been back in 2005/6?

Certainly, the economies currently available in the construction sector enabled us to achieve savings in building the facility.

Have you received government funding for the project?

We received €737,500 in government funding under the Special Athletics Tracks Initiative, operated by the Dept

of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Sports Minister Michael Ring was a recent visitor to AIT. Did he make any promises for future government funding?

Minister Ring was very complimentary about the new arena; he recognises the importance of the new facility in terms of the future development of athletics in Ireland. I spoke with him about the additional monies that are needed to complete the next phase of the development. While he couldn’t commit to government funding, he did say that he would do all he could to help, which is encouraging.

What did Eamonn Coghlan have to say when he visited?

Eamonn has been a long-time friend of the institute and is one of AIT’s Distinguished Fellows. Like all visitors to the new facility, he was very impressed by it.

How much will spectator tickets cost and what is the seating capacity?

The arena will hold 2,000 spectators, while pricing will vary depending on the event.

What is your long-term vision for the indoor track and facilities?

I see this new arena as being an important infrastructural boost to

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Irish sport. It will enable our leading athletes to train at home during the winter months rather than having to go overseas. The fantastic success of our athletes in Budapest proves that we can win medals at this level, and hopefully the new arena will help deliver further podium finishes. Because the arena is situated on our college campus in the heart of the Midlands community, I also hope that it will encourage greater numbers of young people to become involved in athletics.

Are there any big international stars of track and field likely to compete in Athlone in 2013?

We are talking to several stars and receiving a very positive reaction from them to our proposition. We hope to confirm further details in the coming months.

What difference will this make to the students and staff at AIT? The track directly supports innovations we have been making in our sports management and sports science courses. More than that though, it’s a resource for the entire AIT community to avail of. We pride ourselves on providing a world-class education in top calibre facilities. This new arena greatly adds to that offering.

Reproduced with kind permission of Irish Runner

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AIT to Host Sigerson Cup Finals

T

he final and semi-final of the prestigious Irish Daily Mail Sigerson Cup will be hosted at AIT on Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23.

AIT is drawn at home to IT Carlow in the opening round of the competition.

Should AIT overcome Carlow, they will face either Cork IT or GMIT in the quarter-finals.

This year the team is managed by Martin McCabe and assisted by Sean Connell, Ronan Dunbar, Richie Murray, Niall O’Brien and Kevin Gavin. McCabe has had success with Westmeath club Garrycastle and is held in high regard by his players.

The AIT Sigerson Cup team boasts a lot of talent including county footballers from Westmeath, Longford, Cavan and Offaly, and includes a number of strong new players coming up from the fresher’s team from last year.

AIT footballer Cathal Shine at Croke Park where the draws for the 2013 Irish Daily Mail Higher Education GAA Championships were made.

Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

While AIT was one of the colleges to join the Sigerson Cup in its expansion in 1991, the institute has yet to raise the famous cup in victory.

Through the 21 tournaments that AIT has competed in to date, they have lined out some of the country’s finest footballers including James Kavanagh (Kildare), Ciaran Brady (Cavan), Jack Cooney (Westmeath), Trevor Mortimer (Mayo), James Gill (Mayo), Anthony Rainbow (Kildare) and Niall Sheridan (Longford).

In 1992, AIT went into the competition as favourites after winning the league with the ‘Dream Team’ but failed in the knockout competition to make any impression.

Despite this, this year’s squad will be hoping that this is their time to make history. Victory on home soil would be very sweet indeed.

The AIT ‘Dream Team’ 1992: Back row (L-R): Martin Lynch, Brian Lennon, Brian Duignan, Enon Gavin, Jack Cooney, Jarlath Gilroy, Anthony Rainbow, Chris Grogan Front row (L-R): Ken Doyle, Connie Coleman, Joey Connaughton, Kevin McDonald, Dermot Doyle, Vincent Glennon, Kieran Brady

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The Erasmus Experience AIT business student, Mark Fitzpatrick, spent his third year at a university in Germany. He describes here his experiences of that year.

T Erasmus is the EU’s flagship education and training programme enabling students to study and work abroad each year. Many studies show that a period spent abroad not only enriches students’ lives in the academic and professional fields, but can also improve language learning, intercultural skills, self-reliance and self-awareness. In addition, many employers highly value such a period abroad, which increases the students’ employability and job prospects.

he opportunity to spend a year abroad studying was just too enticing to pass-up.

After approaching the international coordinator and discussing our available options, we decided upon Germany. The main reason for choosing Germany was because the classes were taught in English and the option to learn a new language would be a great advantage for the future.

The social aspect of the Erasmus experience was excellent. I met many people from all walks of life from various countries, countries like America, France, Holland, Finland, China and India; the list is endless.

Every two-three weeks there was an international evening. Many trips were organised by the college to different places, like Berlin, Gottingen, Bremen and Hamburg. It was a great way to experience German culture and to visit some famous places.

Outside college life there was many opportunities to keep active. Many sports were available: football, volleyball, martial arts and canoeing.

Alternatively dancing classes and music classes were also a great way to socialise. You get to meet many people and in turn have a large social life.

I have significantly added new information to my CV because of the Erasmus experience. Business is my field of study and I managed to get some great hands-on experience in a business environment. Some of the modules we took required us to ‘get-out’ of the classroom and into the business environment.

The Erasmus experience was definitely a terrific journey and I will always remember it fondly. The cross-culture experience was an eye-opener and it will help me in the future when dealing with other individuals from various countries.

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Volume 5 Number 1

AIT: Educating for Career Success Situated in the heart of Ireland, Athlone Institute of Technology delivers an education that equips students for career and life success. AIT graduates lead companies around the world, conduct life-altering research, design new ways of doing things, and work for societal benefit.

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BEng (Hons) in Mechanical and Polymer Engineering BSc (Hons) in Sports Therapy with Rehabilitation BSc in Environmental Engineering Science BA in Front Office and Tourism Revenue Management Higher Certificate in Social Media Marketing Higher Certificate in Enterpreneurship and Innovation Higher Certificate in Computing for Business

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