Atlantic Technological University Magazine - Issue 7

Editor:

Design:

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: email: anne.donnelly@atu.ie

Welcome from the Editor

Research Round Up

- ATU Researchers Evaluate Cancer Survivors’ Diets

- Addressing Barriers that Prevent Progression to Higher Education

- ATU and the University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN)

- Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize Winner Announced

University Updates

- ATU’s First Birthday Celebrations

- ChatGPT – Friend or Foe

- Minister Harris Announces Approval for key Milestone Project for St. Angela’s College

- ATU Launch New Sports Scholarship Programme

Cover photo: Students at ATU Connemara celebrate our first birthday on Saturday, 1 April 2023

Photo Credits: Mike Shaughnessy, James Connolly, Jessica Priddy, Brad Anderson and ATU Staff

Anne Donnelly

The Foundation

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion News

- Autism Acceptance Week

- ATU Celebrates International Culture Week and International Day

- Addressing the STEM Gender Gap in Ireland

Sustainability News

- Changes in Land Use Required to Address Climate and Biodiversity Crises

- How Artificial Pitches are Polluting our Freshwaters.

- ATU Hosts Environ 2023

Innovation and Engagement Activities

- Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Regional Winners

- New Frontiers Showcase Awards at ATU

- Advance Centre Industry Forum

- A New Generation of Female Entrepreneurs from the Gaeltacht of Galway and Mayo

- ATU Launches Maker Space

ATU Alumni

- ATU Graduate Wins Best University Film Award

International Collaborations

- From Croagh Patrick to Niagara Falls

ATU Celebrates

- ATU Careers Office Shortlisted for Employability Awards 2023

- ATU wins two Education Awards

- Top Three Ranking for ATU’s Lean Sigma White Belt (MOOC) course

- Engineers Ireland Accreditation for Work-based Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering

- ATU wins an Irish Construction Excellence Award

- ATU International Hotel School Team win in France

- Students’ Sporting Success

- Hello ATU, How Are You?

Welcome from the Editor, Anne Donnelly

Dear Reader,

I am delighted to welcome you to Issue Seven of our ATU Magazine. It’s my pleasure to bring you news of just some of the happenings at ATU in March and April. We are now a month into our second year as a univeristy and we are continuing to work hard to build on and even surpass what we achieved in year one.

Prospective students attending ATU Connemara’s open day on Saturday 1 April were greeted with birthday cake and balloons as we celebrated our first birthday. And our President, Dr Orla Flynn talked to student, Phoebe Kearney about leadership, her daily routine and the future of ATU.

Reflecting on her role, Dr Flynn said: “The buck stops with me for all our activities such as finance, academic affairs, research and innovation. I’m fortunate to have a wonderful team around me to whom I delegate and devolve a lot of that work.” You can listen to the podcast by clicking here

In this issue we have a special feature on ChatGPT. Since Open AI released ChatGPT in November 2022, there has been much debate in all walks of life as to its implications. Are we all doomed, or can we harness the capabilities of AI to our advantage? Is it an opportunity for us to re-evaluate how we currently teach and assess our students? We asked some ATU academics to give us their thoughts and you can read these on pages 3-10.

In our research round up ATU researcher, Laura Keaver talks to us about her recent study which evaluated cancer survivors’ diets. We also feature the work of an ATU Sligo research team who are implementing new initiatives to make it easier for students attending further education colleges to progress to a programme at ATU.

In sustainability news we look at two Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports co-authored by ATU staff. The first examines the impact of microplastics on the environment and the second discusses the changes required in our land use to address climate and biodiversity crises. There’s been lots of activities in innovation and engagement in recent months including an event to celebrate Gaeltacht women in business and to mark the conclusion of the first pilot programme for Gaeltacht female entrepreneurs, CUMASÚ. You can find out more about these on page 30.

As part of our equality, diversity and inclusion activities and In collaboration with DCU and NCI,

we hosted the second annual Autism Acceptance Week in. Flick to page 34 to read more about the initative.

In our ATU celebrates section we bring you news of some recent staff and student successes. I hope you enjoy reading all about these and indeed we have much to celebrate.

The purpose of this magazine is to keep you updated on our activities and initiatives. So, whether you’re a member of our student or staff body, or are one of our regional, national or international stakeholders, we hope you find something of interest here.

Best Wishes

Anne Donnelly

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

University Updates

ATU’s First Birthday Celebrations

To mark our first birthday ATU President, Dr Orla Flynn talked to student, Phoebe Kearney about leadership, the President’s daily routine and the future of ATU.

To listen to the podcast please click here

ChatGPT – Friend or Foe

What are the implications of large language AI models like ChatGPT for higher education?

In this feature some of our academics give us their opinion on AI tools like ChatGPT and the implications they might have for how we teach and assess our students.

Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has evoked much discussion on its impact on all walks of life from business to education and even the arts. ATU like all other higher education bodies is assessing the rapidly developing field of large language Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and their implications for learning, teaching and assessment. We are working on a new Academic Integrity Policy, which will be in place for the next academic year.

Dr Perry Share is Head of Student Success at ATU Sligo. In this article he talks to us about the emergence of AI tools like ChatGPT.

“There is an earthquake reverberating through global higher education, and that earthquake is Artificial Intelligence (AI). It will fundamentally change the nature of learning, teaching and assessment, indeed what it means to be educated. It will reshape the working environment, as information-based occupations, from accountancy to social work, will increasingly be automated and changed out of recognition.”

AI has been a scientific goal since the 1950s, with ‘artificial intelligence’ coined in 1955 by American computer scientist John McCarthy. Since then, its fortunes have waxed and waned, as periods of enthusiasm and investment have been interspersed with ‘AI winters’, when the aim of creating machine-based thought has been seen as unattainable.

The current phase of AI development is based on ‘deep learning’ and involves computers ‘learning’ through statistical manipulation of vast data-sets. The outcome of AI research is already visible in applications such as computer spellcheckers and driver assist systems. Uses in education include learning analytics and intelligent tutoring systems.

“Current interest in AI, and the realisation that education is on the cusp of a revolution, stems from the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022. ChatGPT took an existing technology, GPT3, and presented it to the world as a chatbot that made it easy to use and highly accessible. For the older amongst us, it reflected how the Mosaic web browser transformed the internet in 1993. ChatGPT soon attracted 100 million users (including many students), making it the most rapidly adopted computer application ever.”

Since the Oracle of Ancient Greece, humans have imagined a source that could answer any question. At various times the Bible, the encyclopaedia and Google have claimed this role. Generative AI, of which ChatGPT is an example, may have acquired that status. Pose just about any question in everyday language and you will get a well-informed, clearly expressed answer. Probe or prompt further and that answer can be enhanced and developed. If requested, academic or other sources can be identified: often, if not always, accurate.

ChatGPT has launched an AI ‘arms race’, involving major players in Microsoft, Google and, most recently, Amazon. AI is unequivocally here to stay. The challenges to education, and to institutions such as ATU, are fundamental. If AI can answer any question, what does it mean to ‘learn’ something?

New applications such as AutoGPT have the capacity to organise and complete all the steps of a challenge, such as setting up a new company, creating a website or organising a sports event. Where is the role for the business, IT or leisure professional? How will

generative AI affect research, where it is already being used to identify research questions and analyse existing literature?

There are significant challenges for learning, teaching and assessment, for research, and for student support. How and what we learn and teach is going to have to change. This is not a matter of ‘tips and tricks’, this requires a rethinking of higher education. It is a challenge that faces the global education community, including ATU.

Dr Perry Share has compiled a comprehensive list of resources on ChatGPT and AI Tools. To find out more please click here

Dr Valerie McTaggart is Head of Department of Social Sciences at ATU Sligo. Her research focuses on the impact of digital technology to organisations and society. In this article she discusses whether ChatGPT poses a significant challenge to higher education.

ChatGPT as a digital disruptor to education has received significant attention amongst the academic community and the popular press over the last number of months. Like previous digital developments these disruptors have the potential to alter a marketplace at an alarming pace. We have seen several highprofile examples of the impact of the digital revolution on industries who did not capitalise on these digital developments. Remember Blockbuster!

The emerging narrative is that ChatGPT will cause significant challenges for third level education. As for the need for academic lecturing staff, suggestions have abounded that their role will become significantly reduced. Indeed, how can one person compete with all the information available to ChatGPT?

But what is all the hype about?

Being owned in part by Elon Musk, ChatGPT was always going to cause a bit of a stir. Like all great technological advancements its greatest benefit is its convenience. If it were clunky and difficult to navigate, we would not use it. What it does incredibly effectively is to pull information from an array of sources into one coherent unique response. No need to search through several sources to get an

answer and then construct your own analysis and discussion. This is what’s currently causing so many educators concern. If there is no effort expended in developing one’s own response to a challenging assignment, then where will a student’s core learning come from?

anywhere, and its functionality will only improve. As such we must learn to capitalise on the benefits of these digital developments to support student learning.

As education providers we need to prepare our students for this new world and reimagine what it is to be a student in the 21st Century. Finally, while this platform is new, technology enabled transformation has been around for decades and no doubt ChatGPT will be replaced by the next hot topic soon.

PS: This article was not generated by ChatGPT and is the opinion of the author!

It should certainly make us reflect on our approach to education and assessment. However, what we need to be aware of, as education providers, is the potential of this emerging technology. We need to learn how to use the platform and encourage students to use this opportunity to support their learning in different ways. We also need to acknowledge and accept that this technology is not going

“Should we be concerned that this advance in AI marks the demise of education as we know it? Of course not, this is just another technological advancement in a rapidly changing digital ecosystem.”

Dr Therese Hume is a lecturer in computing at ATU Sligo. She gives us her opinion on re-thinking teaching and learning assessment in light of the emergence of ChatGPT and other large language AI tools.

The seductive nature of AI tools like ChatGPT and the speed with which they’ve been adopted, despite numerous identified dangers, raises the urgent need to consider the social, ethical, legal and ecological implications of technological developments across the curriculum.

It’s easy to see how tools like ChatGPT that automatically generate essays or sections of essays in polished and persuasive language will continue to tempt stressed-out students and pose a major headache for educators.

“As educators this means re-thinking our assessment methods, which might see a return to traditional written exams or to a more fundamental restructuring

of teaching and learning. A shift from assessing the outcomes of learning towards a focus on the processes of learning could lead to more engaged learning opportunities, for example communitybased or challenge-based learning projects involving different disciplines.”

For computing students, ChatGPT is already acting as a useful tutor through generating and explaining code, even if it doesn’t always work. Other uses include helping students develop critical thinking skills and supporting students with learning difficulties.

We might need to assist our students to develop new sets of skills like “prompt engineering” to make the most effective use

of language models or other AI systems in areas such as software development, feature-writing, law, accountancy and so on. It would be critical here to address the need for awareness of the limitations of these systems, including the conditions that would need to be met for their safe and ethical use.

While technologies such as ChatGPT will have many implications regarding their use as tools within education, the speed at which they are developing means that it is also important to consider them within a much broader context, and in relation to other societal challenges such as war and climate change.

Dr Eoghan Furey is a lecturer and researcher in Machine Learning and AI at ATU Donegal. He explains why his opinion of ChatGPT is not nearly as positive as the description ChatGPT created itself and he illustrates how we can protect the integrity of ATU by adjusting how we assess our students.

“ChatGBT, an AI language model, has the potential to transform learning and teaching in higher education. It can provide personalized learning experiences, instant feedback, and accessibility to students with disabilities. Additionally, ChatGBT can assist teachers in designing and delivering courses, and researchers in analyzing and synthesizing data. However, the use of ChatGBT also raises concerns regarding dependence on technology, potential errors, ethical considerations, and cost. It is important to consider both the positive and negative implications of ChatGBT in higher education and address these concerns to ensure that the technology is used effectively and responsibly.”

The above paragraph was written by ChatGPT. There is no obvious indication that a human with a decent command of English did not write it (American spelling aside). This is what we are up against! My own opinion of the software is not nearly as positive as the description ChatGPT created itself!

These new large language AI models will force higher education institutes to re-evaluate how degrees at all levels are assessed. The integrity of our awards is at real risk, impacting all the disciplines and courses that we teach. How we approach this software will have far reaching consequences for our institutes, our students, our industry partners and all other higher education stakeholders and affiliates both nationally and internationally.

“There have always been students with a Machiavellian attitude who want to get through and get the highest mark possible with the least effort. They do this for various reasons, they are working, their parents expect high marks, or they are just struggling. In the past we have relied on plagiarism detectors and basic investigative methods to verify that a student’s submitted work is their own. We have no method of proving ChatGPT or other models have been used.”

AI language models like ChatGPT can analyse, evaluate and to a certain extent, they can create. With a skilful user, they can write a degree level dissertation that will pass examination.

There are undoubtedly students who are already using ChatGPT and similar tools. Assignments are being submitted and marked without consideration of these models and we have no definitive way to prove if it is the students own work or not. The landscape has changed, and we have no choice but to change with it.

So how do we deal with it? We must be realistic in our approach. Unless we have witnessed the writing taking place, any work submitted by students could potentially have been created by using AI. Our business is not to grade the work of a computer. Our business is to educate and assess human students. Currently we have no silver bullet to directly address this challenge.

We do, however, have a range of options that have all been tried and tested. Until we have a proper framework for addressing this issue, we can go back to what worked in the past; written exams, in class paper-based tests, and oral examinations. The Viva Voce (lively discussion) examination is designed to overcome any questions on the authenticity of the work and to assess the student’s understanding. We can return to these types of assessment to ensure that our students are deserving of their marks.

If we don’t adjust our assessments now, then we pay the price of lower quality graduates. This will result in a future workforce with underdeveloped skills. We must protect the integrity of ATU, the qualifications we award and most importantly, we must protect our students. The game has changed, so must we.

It’s hard to sum up my thoughts on this technology for several reasons but mainly because it’s still in its infancy.

It might be best to start with what ChatGPT is enabling us to do. Can it really produce a solid well-argued academic essay? The answer is yes and no. The more detailed your request is, the more you get back.

Students who have a better understanding of a topic are more likely get a better response from ChatGPT. However, it currently comes with limitations which may not be the case in future roll outs of the software. For example, its language pack is a few years out of date, so its ability to discuss contemporary issues is seriously lacking.

That said, if we wish to retain the archaic ‘academic essay’ as the total measure of a student’s worthiness to obtain a degree

then, ChatGPT may be a curse rather than a blessing, especially as improvements to the software are rolled out. For anyone really concerned about ChatGPT there is a Chat Zero app that will detect AI generated text, which might become available on Moodle or other education platforms in the not-so-distant future.

For example, group projects, practical’s, reflective writing, skills assessments, interviews, viva’s, presentations, poetry, and art projects would likely leave ChatGPT where it belongs – to the lower tiers of Blooms Taxonomy of learning. When it comes to research, literature reviews may still fall victim to abuse by ChatGPT, but I think that primary empirical research is out of reach.

A more diverse form of assessment that comes about through collaboration and co-construction could make ChatGPT obsolete for the most part in higher education.

I am not overly concerned with ChatGPT as its real impact will likely be outside of academia, perhaps in areas of entrepreneurship, bureaucratic administration, political rhetoric, coding, and software. Anything that challenges the status qua of academic practice is a positive development. Whether we retain our current practices or move forward with new practices, both will be stronger by the currently perceived threat of AI.

Dr Davy Walsh is a lecturer in Applied Social Care and Outdoor Education at ATU Galway-Mayo. He debates whether ChatGPT and other large language tools are a curse or blessing for higher education.

“ChatGPT may be a blessing if it forces academics to move into a space where assignments and exams become more individualised, creative, diverse, meaningful, and maybe community orientated.”

This AI generated image recently won a photography competition in Australia. In a daring experiment Sydney-based company Absolutely AI entered an AI-created drone ‘photo’ of a beach at sunset into DigiDirect’s free monthly photo competition. They said they did it to prove that the world is at a turning point with artificial intelligence.

Minister Harris Announces Approval for key Milestone Project for St. Angela’s College

On 24 April, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris announced a significant milestone in respect of moving towards the proposed integration of St. Angela’s Colleges into ATU. Approval has been given to allow the strategic case for capital investment to further facilitate the integration of St. Angela’s College into ATU to progress to the next stage under the Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund Framework, (TSSPF).

The TSSPF forms part of a wider programme of strategic capital investment programmes in the higher education sector.

Minister Simon Harris said: “”The strategic capital investment proposal seeks to facilitate the integration of the St. Angela’s College programmes into ATU. It is envisaged that capital investment would deliver improved student experience and learner access with enhanced campus facilities and online provision.”

He added: “It anticipates increased research and innovation capacity and activity. Investment would also assist in improving estates efficiency and sustainability while also improving teaching facilities and staff working environments; and greater learner access to higher education through online provision.”

"St. Angela’s College has significantly expanded its student numbers in response to market demand, particularly in the fields of Home Economics, teacher education and nurse education. As we celebrate 70 years of education, we are excited about the next chapter in our journey with the integration of St Angela’s with ATU, one of Ireland’s largest universities."

Dr Amanda McCloat, President of St. Angela’s College

"In ATU we have been working very closely with the team from St Angela’s for quite some time, making progress on a whole range of initiatives including the proposed incorporation. ATU is already one of Ireland’s largest universities, and capital development across all our campuses is needed and welcome.

We are delighted to hear that our joint strategic capital submission has been cleared to progress to the next stage of the TSSPF framework, and we look forward to making further progress in the months ahead."

Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU

Left to right: Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, and Dr Amanda McCloat, President of St. Angela’s College.

ATU Launch New Sports Scholarship Programme

ATU recently launched its new Sports Scholarship Programme for 2023/24. The programme will support talented student athletes in their studies at ATU and to attain the highest standard of performance in their chosen sport.

Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and applicants may be awarded a gold, silver or bronze scholarship with a financial bursary of up to €3,000 on offer. Other benefits of the scholarship programme include strength and conditioning support, academic support, physiotherapy, and educational workshops in nutrition and psychology.

We welcome applications in a wide range of sports recognised by Sport Ireland. Applicants are encouraged to make their application as early as possible so that they can be considered for the full range of benefits of the programme.

ATU Donegal Student Services Manager, Rory McMorrow says: “ATU is delighted to launch this new Sports Scholarship programme to support student athletes achieve their academic and sporting goals. Through both financial and nonfinancial benefits, the ATU Sport Scholarship programme aims to reward students for their dedication and skill and provide them further opportunity to develop as students and sportspeople.”

“ATU has supported me to reach the highest point of my boxing career. Since joining ATU I have won two elite Irish boxing titles, which is every boxer’s dream. Reaching my goals would not have been possible without the support I received through my scholarship at ATU, they have helped me to find the perfect balance between being an elite athlete and pursuing my studies.”

“The support I received as part of the ATU Sports Scholarship programme has been unbelievable. I have really enjoyed my time here both in my studies and on the GAA pitch. I couldn’t recommend ATU and the Sports Scholarship on offer highly enough.”

Cianan Fahy, Current ATU Sports Scholar

ATU’s Sports Scholarship Programme is now open for prospective students who will be attending ATU for the first time in 2023/24. Further information is available here

Bethany Doocey, Current ATU Sports Scholar

Research Round Up

ATU Researchers Evaluate Cancer Survivors’ Diets

Laura Keaver, Niamh O’Callaghan and Ruth Kavanagh recently published a paper in the Irish Medical Journal about their research which evaluated cancer survivors’ dietary intake, quality and their adherence to World Cancer Research Fund Recommendations (WCRF/AICR) for Cancer Prevention.

The study provides the first insights into Irish cancer survivors’ dietary intake and quality. Laura Keaver talks to us about their research.

Congratulations on your recent article in the Irish Medical Journal. Can you tell us about your study?

Thank you! We researched the dietary intake of 35 cancer survivors to investigate the quality of their diet and assess if their diet met the World Cancer Research Fund Recommendations for Cancer Prevention.

These recommendations largely focus on maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and consuming a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains and low in processed foods, salt and sugar. Adhering to these recommendations has been linked to improved survival, better physical functioning, and lower levels of fatigue.

How did you conduct your research?

We met participants attending community-based cancer support centres and oncology rehabilitation programmes. We surveyed individuals who were over 18, had completed active cancer treatments at least six months ago and were not receiving palliative care.

We asked participants to complete a three-day food diary, provide us with their weight and height and note any nutritional supplements they were taking.

What did you find out about the participants dietary habits?

Overall, adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund recommendations was poor and the diet quality of the cancer survivors was low.

Only 12.5% of participants met the daily recommended fibre intake of 30g while the majority exceeded the limit for saturated fat intake and free sugars. Diets low in fibre and high in fat and sugar are more likely to cause weight gain.

Less than half consumed five or more fruits and vegetables per day. However, the Healthy Ireland survey 2021 reported that 34% of Irish adults met this recommendation, therefore cancer survivors in our study appear to be doing slightly better in this regard.

About Laura Keaver

Laura Keaver is a registered dietitian and public health nutritionist and a lecturer in human nutrition and dietetics in ATU Sligo since 2016. She is programme chair for the BSc Human Nutrition programme and teaches on modules in clinical, public health and global nutrition. Her research interests include nutrition in the prevention, treatment and management of chronic disease, student health and nutrition education.

Why

There is growing evidence that a high-quality diet for cancer survivors has many benefits. These range from relief of symptoms and treatment of related side effects to improvements in quality of life and survival.

“There is a vital need for adequate nutrition support for cancer survivors as they are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, are often burdened with persistent symptoms such as fatigue and are at risk of developing secondary cancers. Unfortunately, few people with cancer have access to a registered dietitian. This is an area which needs to be addressed.”

Further Information

To read the full paper, “An evaluation of dietary intake, quality, and adherence to WCRF/AICR recommendations in a cohort of cancer survivors” in the Irish Medical Journal please click here

is diet so important for cancer survivors?

Addressing Barriers that Prevent Progression to Higher Education

The portion of students that progress from Further Education (FE) or Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses to Higher Education (HE) is well below its potential, at less than 20% according to a HEA report in 2019.

To address this a research team from the Faculty of Business and Social Science, ATU Sligo are working on a project entitled ‘Further Education to Higher Education - Progression Pathways’. The team comprises of Ruth Walsh, Gillian O’Donovan, Clodagh Caslin and Lorraine Murphy.

The project aims to identify the barriers preventing Irish students in FE colleges or on PLC courses from progressing to higher education and to put in place a framework to assist these students.

Barriers that prevent progression

The research team surveyed 40 students from the Sligo College of Further Education (CFE) to explore the barriers and challenges preventing them progressing to higher education.

The most cited barriers preventing progression to higher education are:

• Monetary considerations (68%)

• Accommodation – lack of availability and cost (59%)

• Lack of knowledge of progression pathways (47%)

• Fear of lack of academic ability (32%)

• Lack of confidence (23%)

• Fear of commitment to years of study (18%)

• Lack of family support (9%)

Building on this research and in consultation with Sligo CFE the research team developed a framework to nurture and support these students in their journey from further education to higher education and beyond. They also consulted students currently studying in ATU Sligo and the support services staff at ATU Sligo.

The research team have started to implement and test their proposed framework with the students from Sligo CFE through activities such as day trips with current ATU students to Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin and Dáil & Seanad Eireann. They also recently ran a successful taster day.

“The aim of this project is to formulate a ‘best practice’ policy that encourages and supports students transitioning from further education to higher education - which will be used throughout ATU and as the basis for a national model for all Higher Education institutions.”

“ My PLC course at Sligo CFE became a pathway towards my goal of pursuing higher education, particularly at ATU Sligo. The transition between these institutions enabled me to build a solid foundation regarding my academic development and personal growth as a student. Although my PLC course differs from my current degree programme, this progression allowed me to utilise the knowledge,

and

I gained to succeed in my studies.”

skills,

qualifications

Joy

Sabellano, BA

in Accounting student at ATU, Sligo

Taster day for Sligo CFE students

ATU Sligo Student Services staff also spoke to the students about supports in place such as financial support and grants available, accommodation advice, and help with writing academic assignments.

To ease the worries of those students who lacked confidence in their academic ability, ATU staff explained ATU’s multifaceted approach to learning and assessment and reassured them that university would not be too academic for them.

While several of the students had attended open days at ATU in the past, they felt the specific taster day was more targeted and gave them more time to experience university life.

At the end of the taster day all the students said they felt more confident in liaising with ATU staff and students going forward.

The taster day was a bespoke event for Sligo CFE students and included workshops and lectures about the programmes on offer at ATU, campus tours, and informal chats with past pupils of Sligo CFE who are now studying in ATU Sligo.

Students and lecturers from Sligo College of Further Education pictured with ATU students, lecturers, and student support staff at a recent taster day in ATU Sligo.

What Sligo CFE students said about ATU’s taster day

“One of the talks had students of the course speaking about their own experiences. This was very helpful.”

“Having lunch in the canteen was a brief insight into the social aspect of university life.”

“I got a feel for university life. Making new friends and the small class sizes appealed to me.”

“The lecturers were very knowledgeable, and they managed to keep the talks informative while also using innovative hands-on learning examples.”

“Joy (ATU student ambassador) was great at talking to us and explaining her experience and worries.”

“The one-hour lectures I attended gave great insight into what the course would be like. A lot of information was provided by those giving the tour and students we interacted with.”

“While having breakfast, the lecturer for business and administration came over for a chat.”

“The gym membership does matter to me, things like that would definitely encourage me to go to ATU Sligo.”

ATU and the University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN)

ATU have been a member of the University Industry Innovaiton Network (UIIN) for several years and has committed to an enhanced membership (Accelerator) for the next three years.

The UIIN is committed to enhancing employability and driving innovation through university-industry engagement. The network is a knowledge leader on universityindustry interaction, entrepreneurial and engaged universities and knowledge transfer. It conducts research, organises events and provides training and consultancy services to their community of 100+ organizational and 500+ individual members.

Membership of UIIN enables ATU to fully avail of the network’s research, training and consultancy services which will help us enhance and develop our external engagement strategy. In addition to ATU other

members of the community include MTU, SETU, TCD, TU Dublin, Ulster University, University of Galway and University of Limerick.

Institutional Programmes and Training

As an ambitious technological university, ATU is seeking to restructure and accelerate our external engagement. UIIN will be tasked to provide a structured programme to provide staff training to instigate change as a basis for embedding external engagement across the entire organisation. There are also individual training opportunities available to enhance boundary spanning skills

Consultancy

In tandem with an institutional programme to support ATU in the enhancement of strategic partnership, entrepreneurial and engagement activities, and the

impact of external engagement, ATU are developing a bespoke consultancy project to develop a strategic plan for external engagement. This project is funded through the Technological University Transformation Fund and will take 18 months to complete.

ATU Staff Engagement with UIIN

Dr Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin, ATU Project Manager for Internationalisation and External Engagement (ATU Donegal) and Finola Howe, Head of Innovation (ATU Sligo) are the points of contact between UIIN and ATU. Ciarán and Finola will be attending the UIIN Annual Conference in Budapest in May where they will have the opportunity to meet network members from across the globe.

To find out more about UIIN please click here or you can contact Ciarán or Finola to find out how to participate in UIIN’s fire-side chats, workshops, or training events.

Finola Howe, Head of Innovation, ATU

Dr Ciarán Ó hAnnracháin, ATU Project Manager for Internationalisation and External Engagement at the inaugural UIIN Ireland Forum at MTU on Thursday, 13 April, where Irish members of UIIN met to discuss external engagement best practice and innovations across the University and Technological University sectors.

Pictured left to right: Ceola McLynn, Innovation Centre Manager, ATU Sligo;

Sligo and

Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize Winner Announced

The recipient of the inaugural World Technology Universities Network (WTUN) Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize of £2000 is Theresa Heering from Coventry University. Originally from Germany, Theresa first studied Human Movement Science at undergraduate level. Currently a cotutelle PhD student at Coventry University, UK and Deakin University, Australia, the tile of her research is ‘The increased prevalence of childhood anterior cruciate ligament injuries – Identifying those at risk’.

Congratulations to PhD researcher Nanshin Nansak from ATU Sligo, supervised by Marion McAfee, who placed third in the Brian Cantor Scholarship prize.

Nanshin’s application for the prize was part of his ongoing PhD research which looks at the modelling of biodegradable polymers and magnesium as biomaterials for medical devices.

The magnesium-filled bio-composites can be 3D-printed as pins, screws, and plates for bone fixations to meet the demands for stateof-the-art materials. These pins, screws, and plates are expected to provide mechanical support and strength to humans of all ages. Since these devices will be made from magnesium-filled biopolymers composites they are biodegradable, and will remove the need for a second surgery, hence cutting costs.

It will be possible to personalise these devices for a patient based on their specific needs. The work also intends to print tissue scaffolds that will be implanted in the human body, especially in children whose tissue regeneration is high.

“Overall, my application for the Brian Cantor Scholarship Prize shows how I intend to address the degradation rates and rate of loss of mechanical properties from polymer/magnesium composite structures and their complex interactions which are influenced by porosity and geometry. The influence of the shape, composition, and dispersion of Mg-based particles on the polymer degradation, biosorption, and transport processes and resulting mechanical properties and implant degradation profile. The modelling approach for this is the voxel model combined with cellular automata.”

3-D Implant

Voxel Model

Sustainability News

How Artificial Pitches are Polluting our Freshwaters

A new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report titled “Sources, Pathways and Environmental Fate of Microplastics” undertaken by ATU and University College Dublin highlights how artificial grass, such as those used on astro-turf pitches, are contaminating the environment. As the popularity of artificial grass continues to rise, so does the concern surrounding the potential dangers of microplastics being released into the surrounding environment, where they are likely to pose a threat to both public health and the environment.

“Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic less than 5 millimetres in size, or smaller than the rubber on a pencil. They can be broken down from larger plastic items. Artificial grass in pitches is essentially a plastic woven carpet, which is filled in with rubber granules, often made from low-cost recycled car tyres.”

The installation of artificial grass pitches has been replacing natural green pitches due to their higher capacity for play and resistance to climatic conditions. Ireland currently has up to 2,500 artificial pitches, with many more planned in sports clubs and schools around the country.

The study has identified several pathways, including on the boots and clothes of players, where microplastics once they escape the pitches can end up in our local water ways either directly or via wastewater.

Researchers found microplastics in small freshwater insects, fish such as trout, and otters. Further recent studies abroad have found that microplastics can be harmful to aquatic life and can enter the food chain when ingested, and in some cases ultimately ending up on our plates. This could have devastating consequences for both people and wildlife, as microplastics can persist in the environment for hundreds of years.

“While international treaties and action plans on plastic pollution are working hard to find solutions and transition towards a more sustainable future, once in the freshwater environment plastics, in particular microplastics, are near impossible to remove and therefore will continue to threaten aquatic life.”

Design features on pitches can mitigate microplastic contamination to the environment. Research suggests that the inclusion of a boundary wall of a height greater than 100mm is effective in retaining the rubber crumbs within the boundary of the pitch. Where a pitch had no integrated or external drainage the abundance of microplastics was higher.

Please click here to read the full report and click here to watch a video on the project’s highlights.

Dr Róisín Nash, Senior Lecturer & Researcher, ATU

Changes in Land Use Required to Address Climate and Biodiversity Crises

the net-zero emissions target from the AFOLU sector by 2050.”

Key findings from the report

In March of this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a report titled “Land Use Review Fluxes, Scenarios and Capacity”. The report was co-authored by a team of academics including ATU academics Dr Eamon Haughey, Dr James Moran, and Ruth Bennett Coady, in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin academic Mathew Saunders and University of Galway’s David Styles.

The report assesses the latest information on land use and land-based greenhouse gas fluxes in Ireland. The research team investigated, observed and projected climate change impacts on the land system and examined land use change compatible with net-zero goals for Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use (AFOLU) by 2050.

The report also explored the potential impacts of land use changes such as large-scale afforestation, peatland restoration and changes in livestock density. “Only scenarios that include annual afforestation combined with ambitious organic soil rewetting, livestock system emissions decoupling and livestock number reductions were predicted to achieve

We hope that this report will inform the development of an integrated land management approach that balances social, environmental and economic needs, while addressing the substantial climate, biodiversity and food/water security challenges that we face. ”

Dr James Moran, Dept of Natural Resources and the Environment, ATU Galway-Mayo

Land use and land cover in Ireland is dominated by grasslands, with significant areas of forestry and wetland. Many important forms of land cover are not evenly distributed across the country.

“In 2020, grasslands were the dominant form of land use in Ireland, accounting for 59.2% of total land use. There were also significant areas of wetlands (17.2%), forest land (11.0%) and croplands (10.4%).”

The Agriculture, Forestry, and Land Use (AFOLU) sector in Ireland is a substantial greenhouse gas source, which poses a significant challenge for national climate change mitigation targets.

Changes to the climate system in Ireland are projected to increase over the coming decades, having significant impacts on the land system and how it functions.

The Land Use Review Fluxes, Scenarios and Capacity Report explores:

• Current Land Cover, Land Use and Trends

• Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land

• Climate Change Scenarios and Impacts

• Land use change scenarios and their capacity to facilitate net-zero GHG emissions from the AFOLU sector in Ireland by 2050

• Land Use Change Impacts: Synergies and Trade-offs

• Options to Support Policy Development

Click here to read the report in full.

“At the national level (under a moderate global warming scenario), projections for midcentury indicate increases in annual temperatures of 1.0–1.2°C, a decrease in summer precipitation and an increase in the occurrence of heatwaves, especially in the south and east of the country, as well as an increase in the frequency of heavy precipitation events.”

Achieving net-zero greenhouse emissions for AFLOU by 2050 will be very challenging. Measures considered in this report included afforestation, peatland/organic soil restoration, reduced emission intensity along with changes to livestock numbers. Land use change targeted at climate mitigation also pose potential threats to biodiversity and water quality.

Policy targets for land use in Ireland are often inconsistent with the levels of change consistent with climate mitigation goals. An integrated land use management approach is required to target land use to meet multiple goals cognisant of the trade-offs and synergies between them while balancing environmental, social and economic outcomes.

Climate change is already having an impact on the functioning of the land system in Ireland. Projections for stark changes to our climate by midcentury highlight the need for urgent climate action.”

Dr Eamon Haughey, Dept of Natural Resources and the Environment, ATU Galway-Mayo

“Land Use Review: Fluxes, Scenarios and Capacity” was commissioned by the EPA on request by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Both Departments funded the research.

ATU Hosts Environ 2023

Environ 2023, the 33rd Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium took place at ATU Letterkenny campus on 3-5 April.

Environ is the longest running and most prominent forum for environmental researchers in Ireland with over 275 delegates attending the event annually. This year, ESAI and ATU joined forces to deliver an exciting and engaging conference featuring a host of national and international scientists, academics, and experts.

The theme of Environ 2023 was “Evidence and Plans Towards Transitions to a Sustainable Future”, reflecting the fact that the science of climate change and a global energy crisis is more widely accepted and agreed upon.

“Timely active engagement is now required to provide us with a clear opportunity to deliver strong outcomes by investing in transition leaders and climate solutions that can help transform our world using sustainable solutions.”

The three-day event featured a range of focused sessions examining the most pressing issues facing the Irish environment including climate, biodiversity, circular economy, carbon capture, agriculture, and water.

Over 120 poster and oral presentations were made at the conference on a variety of themes including:

• Sensing Technologies for Climate Change Solutions

• Carbon Capture - Wetland Management

• Circular Economy

• Climate in the Balance

• From Policy to Practice

• Marine & Coastal

• Societal Engagement - Working Together

• Sustainability in Education

• Sustainable Energy

• Sustainable Land Use, Agriculture & Food

• Water & Wastewater Management

• Water For the Future

• Water Quality & Environmental Monitoring

Environ 2023: The implications and solutions of future climate actions on agriculture

As Ireland seeks to cut 25% of agricultural emissions by 2030, climate change poses significant challenges for Irish farms in both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the adaptation of traditional farming practices.

As part of Environ 2023, there was a public panel session on Monday 3 April, which explored the implications and opportunities for the Irish agricultural sector on the road to net zero.

The panel, (pictured above) chaired by Dr Edna Curley, Mountbellew Agricultural College, shared their differing views and prospectives on the future of Irish farming with contributions from Paul O'Brien, Irish Farmers Association; Dr James Moran, ATU Galway-Mayo; Dr Douglas McMillan, Green Restoration Ireland and Colm Markey MEP, Member of the European Parliament. The Environ conference started with a guided tour of Glenveagh National Park.

ESAI awarded over €3,250 in prizes to the best student presentations at the Environ Conference. The student competition was a great opportunity for students to gain recognition for their presentation skills. To find out more about the winners please click here.

Innovation and Engagement Activities

Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Regional Winners

ATU Sligo Innovation Centre welcomed several groups from secondary schools across counties Sligo and Leitrim in March of this year. Each group had worked for several months to come up with a business idea, develop their product or service and design a business plan. These business plans were presented at the regional competition in ATU Sligo Innovation Centre. Winners in the county category participated in the national heats in April.

About the NFTE Programme

The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Programme is a world recognised, youth entrepreneurship education and development programme. It is provided by Foróige in Ireland and is affiliated to NFTE International.

The NFTE Programme can change lives by enabling students to develop core skills in business and enterprise, and in doing so, helping them to unlock their individual talents and potential. The programme is supported by over 50 trained teachers, youth workers and volunteers. This gives students an opportunity to develop their skills and possibly travel around Ireland and Europe and be in with the opportunity to attend the International NFTE Global Gala Event in New York City.

Grange Post Primary School, Compen, Business category winners.

St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Hair Braiders, Innovation category winners.

St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Hydrolarms, Business category winners.

Grange Post Primary School, Girls in the Game, Innovation category winner.

New Frontiers Showcase Awards at ATU

Twelve entrepreneurs who participated in the New Frontiers programme at ATU Donegal and Sligo were showcased at a ceremony on 1 March. Each participant had the opportunity to “pitch” their business with a chance of winning two cash prizes.

The winner of the “One to Watch” award sponsored by ATU was Aine McDonagh of Home Factory Systems Ltd. Home Factory Systems specialise in provision of an offsite fabricated unit that contains all the mechanical and electrical services systems required to run a modern house.

The “Best Pitch” award went to Kathryn Leslie of Docalista which was sponsored by AIB. Docalista is an all-in-one marketing platform designed for clinical entrepreneurs to build a business online and earn extra income from their clinical skills.

New Frontiers is the national entrepreneurial development programme for ambitious earlystage entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas which have the potential to grow and provide employment. It provides the skills, support, and confidence needed to make the leap to starting a successful business. It is funded by Enterprise Ireland and delivered locally through ATU’s innovation hubs.

The programme’s primary purpose is to accelerate the development of sustainable new businesses that have strong employment, growth, international potential and contribute to job creation and economic activity in the region.

Guest speaker at the ceremony was Jenni Timony of FitPink Fitness and former New Frontiers Programme Manager. As a serial entrepreneur she gave insights into the challenges she has faced, how she overcame them and some key learnings such as accessing funding and support.

Successful completion of the (New Frontiers) programme helps to establish credibility and build trust with other businesses in the community. We hope that many of the graduates will continue to engage with the services of ATU, which is an integral part of the enterprise ecosystem here in the north-west .”

Úna Parsons, Head of College, ATU Sligo

New Frontiers is a key programme for Enterprise Ireland. The embedding of the programme within the Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology is critical to regional development. Participants of the New Frontiers Programme are playing a significant role in the indigenous business communitydriving Ireland’s economy forward.”

Paula Carroll, New Frontiers National Programme Manager

The New Frontiers Programme supports entrepreneurs by providing:

• A support package to the value of up to €30,000 including a €15,000 tax-free stipend in Phase 2, subject to satisfactory performance. Further support is available in Phase 3 to the value of up to €10,000.

• Personalised one-to-one mentoring provided by seasoned business mentors from the Enterprise Ireland Mentor network.

• Expert advice and guidance from an experienced programme team, business practitioners, investors and other entrepreneurs within the Institutes of Technology and Universities.

• Access to R&D facilities and specialist expertise from within the Institutes of Technology/Universities, including access to interns and graduates.

• Practitioner-led workshops in all areas of building a business.

• Regular milestone review meetings.

• Free co-working space (during Phase 2 and 3) and support and guidance in developing a strong business plan.

To find out more about the New Frontiers Programme offered in ATU Donegal and Sligo please click here and to find out more about the programme in ATU Galway-Mayo please click here.

The 2023 New Frontiers Programme at ATU GalwayMayo Innovation Hubs

The 2023 programme is now open to new applicants. First preference places will be offered to those who submit their applications by Friday, 12 May.

Maria Staunton, ATU iHub manager, encourages people with start up ideas to apply and take part in phase one of New Frontiers. She says: “This will enable you to assess whether you have a good idea and something that can develop into a business. Over the last 10 years we have had lots of successful start ups in Mayo take part in New Frontiers.”

“Cubbie started with me wanting to help my two autistic daughters so I joined New Frontiers to help me create my company. It’s now helping thousands of autistic, neurodivergent and anxious students have a better day at school. We have ambitions to help all autistic, neurodivergent and stressed people have access to a Cubbie wherever they are.”

David McIntyre, New Frontiers participant and founder of www.cubbie.ie

One to Watch Award Winner, Aine McDonagh pictured centre.

Best Pitch Award Winner, Kathryn Leslie pictured centre.

Addressing Key Skills for Digital Transformation in Industry

ATU Sligo’s Advance Centre organised its first ever industry forum “Addressing key skills for Digital Transformation in Industry” on 24 March in University College Dublin (UCD). The event was designed for senior industry leaders to help them get a better understanding of the digital transformation journey, from policies, procedures to talent management, and to highlight some of the ways universities can support this.

“The event sparked a constructive exchange of ideas, supported by an overall positive conclusion that there are a lot of opportunities ahead on the digital journey when we put people at its centre.”

The first keynote speaker was John Durcan, Senior Technologist in the IDA, who spoke about the new regulatory changes in the digital area emerging from the EU, the impacts this may bring for industry and the supports available.

This was followed by an industry panel who discussed the key challenges with digital transformation across various sectors. The second keynote speaker was Maureen Gaffney, psychologist and broadcaster who spoke about transition points in people’s careers, tools that would allow them to build resilience and how to successfully adapt.

In the second panel discussion members of the Advance Centre team showcased the changes in learning solutions such as micro-credentials. They also explained how ATU are recognising students’ work and volunteering experience through a process called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Guest panel speakers included members of ATU’s MyCareerPath.ie team. My CareerPath.ie a service available to professionals in the workplace, those returning to education, wishing to upskill, cross skill and those seeking to enhance their careers.

ATU’s Centre for Online Learning also attended the event and highlighted its suite of programmes aimed at industry. To find out more about MyCareerPath.ie please click here and to find out more about the Advance Centre click here and to find out more about the Centre for Online Learning click here.

Pictured

Bridie Killoran, Senior Careers & Learning Pathways Manager, Mycareerpath. ie; Yvonne Sarsfield, Instructional Designer, Advance Centre, ATU Sligo; Eileen Larkin, Enterprise Liaison Officer, Mycareerpath. ie; Sinead O’Donovan, Advance Centre Marketing Manager, ATU Sligo; Louise O Gorman, Advance Centre Manager, ATU Sligo; Xavier Velay, ATU Project Lead, Advance Centre, ATU Sligo and Jean Gilligan, Head of Online Learning Business Development & Operations Manager, ATU Sligo.

left to right:

Advance Centre is a partnership between UCD, ATU and TU Dublin. The Centre is financially supported by the HEA under the HCI Pillar 3.

A New Generation of Female Entrepreneurs from the Gaeltacht of Galway and Mayo

On Friday 31 March, Gaeltacht women in business were celebrated at an event marking the conclusion of the first pilot programme for Gaeltacht female entrepreneurs, CUMASÚ.

CUMASÚ is a partnership between Údarás na Gaeltachta and EMPOWER, an entrepreneurial programme for women that has been run through ATU’s innovation hubs since 2017.

Women from all areas of Gaeltacht business life were present, and during the event there was an opportunity to listen to some of the pioneering

women of the Gaeltacht as they described their journey to date.

“From their work in the Gaeltacht communities, Údarás na Gaeltachta saw that there was a need to focus specifically on women who wanted to go into business, and it was from this that this partnership between Údarás na Gaeltachta and EMPOWER arose.”

Temporary chairman of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Mary Uí Chadhain

Siobhán Ní Chofaigh, founder of the company Mint-Tek and Evelyn

O’Toole, founder, and CEO of CLS Teo., spoke about their own experience in business, as did some of the participants in this first pilot programme.

Previously, at an event at Údarás na Gaeltachta head office, 13 women from the Gaeltacht of Galway and Mayo who took part in the first CUMASÚ programme pitched their new business proposals to a panel of judges. Each woman had the opportunity to make a five-minute presentation and then answer questions from the judges.

‘We are very happy that we have undertaken this first CUMASÚ program together with Údarás na Gaeltachta. 15 women participated in the program. These women have done a lot of work over the past 12 weeks, doing marketing research and trying to make sure their business ideas are relevant. Through the pitching process, we want to give them courage to present their proposals, a process which will help them to develop their skills. Collaboration and getting to know one other is also central to the CUMASÚ program and I know that these women will be supporting each other in the future as they tackle the opportunities and challenges of business life.”

EMPOWER program co-ordinator, Maria Staunton

The winner for the best pitch was the entrepreneur Margaret Leahy, who is based in Baile na hAbhann in the Conamara Gaeltacht with her project Artisan Food Tours. Katie McGreal was also presented with a prize for the best pitch opening line for her enterprise, Solas Relaxation. Referring to the benefit she gained from the course, Margaret Leahy said: “I learned so much on this course about the importance of doing market research.”

The EMPOWER Cumasú

Programme is run by ATU’s Innovation Hubs and aims to fast-track female-led businesses based in the Gaeltacht areas of Galway and Mayo by offering free training, mentoring, support and peer to peer learning. So far with the EMPOWER Programme over 142 females have completed the programmes.

Minister of State in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Dara Calleary T.D. presents Margaret Leahy, with her prize for best pitch.

ATU Launches Maker Space

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering in ATU Galway-Mayo formally opened its Maker Space, housed in the Engineering Workshop, on Wednesday, 29 March.

A lot of equipment in the Maker Space is funded by the Higher Education 4.0 project under HCI Pillar 3 which supports innovation, agility as a response to future skill needs.

“The HCI Education 4.0 Project at its core is about being responsive to the needs of learners, and the needs of industry. We are delighted to support this initiative because

it caters for learners’ needs in a very creative and hands-on way, and it offers the opportunity to enterprise to engage with ATU to experiment, create prototypes and address their challenges in innovative ways.”

Mr. Noel Mulkeen, HCI Higher Education 4.0 Manager

The Maker Space is a multiuse, creative educational space which houses a range of additive manufacturing technologies, such as a Laser Cutter, Vacuum Former, along with a bank of 3D Printers - consisting of twelve serviceable Fusion Deposition

printers. Housed within the same area are a suite of VR goggles for conceptual design, along with a 3D Scanner and Coordinate Measuring Machine which can be used to profile, reverse engineer and accurately precision measure components or parts. In the future the School of Engineering plan to add a bank of miniature CNC machines.

Stereolithography

Modelling and

Resin

Left to right: Dr Carine Gachon, Transcend Project Manager; Eamon Walsh, Head of Department of Graduate and Professional Studies; Dr Oliver Mulryan, Head of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, ATU Galway-Mayo; Noel Mulkeen, HCI Higher Education 4.0 Innovation Manager and Professor Graham Heaslip, Head of School of Engineering, ATU Galway-Mayo.

How our students are using Maker Space

The Maker Space is currently used by students studying Engineering or Entrepreneurship programmes, such as the M.Sc in Design and Innovation, but the School of Engineering hopes to make the area accessible to everyone.

“This time of the year, the Maker Space is constantly bustling with student activity. To help make the Maker Space more accessible to everyone the department are in the process of developing a series of outreach workshops. The workshops will be aimed at students of different ages, backgrounds and

experiences. The workshops will be used to develop their curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills all of which are core to the STEM disciplines.”

Dr

Engineering students use the Maker Space to advance the design of protypes or bespoke products by using the digital data stored in the CAD model.

Student Roy Sheridan has used the technology to work on his major project. He says: “I love going

down to the area to see the parts of my major project, Miniature CNC Machine, being made. From the project outset, I always knew I had to use additive manufacturing to accelerate my project. I engineered and adapted my design to best use the technology.”

“The maker space has been a vital resource for final year project students, and it’s great to see the School of Engineering opening the area to all students. The resource is in constant use.”

Oliver Mulryan, Head of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department

ATU Mechanical Engineering Student, Roy Sheridan

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion News

ATU marks Autism Acceptance Week

In collaboration with DCU and NCI, ATU Sligo hosted the second annual Autism Acceptance Week, delivering a series of public-facing events to centre autistic people and promote autism acceptance. All events were free to attend.

DCU, NCI and ATU Sligo are, respectively, the first, second and third HEIs in Ireland to receive AsIAm designation as Autism Friendly HEIs.

Throughout the week neurodivergent students shared their art, poetry and more on social media.

There was an online panel discussion on supporting neurodivergent students in the classroom and another panel discussion on both the employer and employee experience in attracting and retaining neurodivergent candidates.

Ollie Bell from ShoutOut talked about the autistic LGBTQ+ experience, in particular around trans identity and trans rights.

To find out more please click here.

ATU Celebrates International Culture Week and International Day

ATU Donegal’s International Student Ambassador Team in collaboration with the Indian, and International society celebrated International Culture week in March. They were joined by international students across all ATU campuses. The week allowed students to experience the cultural diversity and inclusion across the ATU community.

On 20 April ATU also celebrated International Day. The day showcased and celebrated cultural diversity across ATU. On the same day we officially launched ATU Global, which is a rebrand and relaunch of the International Office.

ATU is a multicultural university with over 93 nationalities represented in our student and staff population.

Addressing the STEM Gender Gap in Ireland

There is a big gender divide in those who are applying for jobs in areas such as science, technology, engineering and maths. Young women are not being encouraged or supported to see these jobs as something they could do. They are not aspiring to be scientists in the same way as young men.

The STEM-Passport for Inclusion project (STEMP.inc) aims to change that by making sure that every student in Ireland can explore and understand every programme and career and then decide what they really want to do or be.

STEMP.inc is a collaborative project led by Maynooth University, funded by the Science Foundation Ireland

Discover Program and supported by Microsoft. ATU are also involved in the project.

On 21 April 2023, ATU welcomed Professor Eileen Trauth and Dr Katriona O’Sullivan to the launch of ATU’s involvement in the STEMP. inc project.

Ruth Lennon, ATU Donegal and Dr Katriona O’Sullivan, Lecture of Digital Skills in the Assisting Living & Learning Institute, Department of Psychology, Maynooth University opened the event. Dr O’Sullivan is the Principal Investigator on the STEM Passport for Inclusion project and recently featured on the RTÉ Changemaker series.

Dr Janine McGinn, ATU GalwayMayo chaired a Q&A session with Professor Trauth on the subject of “How to Change the World - or at Least the Atlantic Coast: Addressing the STEM Gender Gap in Ireland”. Professor Trauth is a Professor Emeritus of Information Sciences & Technology, and Gender, Women’s & Sexuality Studies at Pennsylvania State University. Her research, writing and outreach focus on barriers to inclusion in the information technology profession experienced by women and other marginalized groups.

STEMP.inc will provide girls from schools involved in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme with the opportunity to complete a university accredited STEM short course qualification (21st Century STEM Skills). For further information on STEMP.inc in ATU contact Ruth Lennon at ruth.lennon@atu.ie

ATU Alumni News

ATU Graduate Wins Best University Film Award

Filmmaker Orlagh Heverin picked up an award for the Best University Film at the Austin Revolution Film Festival, Texas, USA in February 2023. A graduate of ATU, Orlagh completed a Master of Arts in Creative Practice at ATU GalwayMayo in 2021 where she made her most recent film Deoch Dance.

The film was shot by Mayo cinematographer Fintan Geraghty who is also a past student of ATU. Orlagh worked closely with her supervisor, lecturer Felim Mac Dermott and appreciated his support and encouragement throughout the process.

Deoch Dance was selected from 3,000 submissions to be screened at the festival. Orla and some of her family attended the event in person in Austin Texas to collect the award and view the screening of her short film which runs just under 12 minutes in duration.

Deoch Dance is an experimental film piece and was shot in Mayo. Two of the locations that Orlagh chose to shoot the film are associated with recovery. She shot on the birthplace of Sr. Ignatia who was born in 1889 in

Shanvalley, Burren, Castlebar who later became known as the Angel of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). Orlagh also shot in the gardens of Hope House Foxford, which offers a programme of recovery for those living with addiction. Orlagh said she wanted to shoot in these locations “as they are a place of healing and recovery from addiction, and I wanted the energy of the locations to transfer to the screen and the viewer.”

The award follows on the back of several other awards including Best Picture Short Movies at the Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Madrid, Spain (FICIMAD) (June 2022).

Orlagh had the support of her family and Mayo businesses when making her film. She is grateful to all those who supported her venture including funding from Creative Ireland and the constant support from lectures and staff at ATU Galway city campus, including her core lecturers on the course - Gavin Murphy, Mel French and Seamus McGuinness.

Orlagh would also like to acknowledge the support of Dr Orla Flynn, Paddy Tobin and staff, Celine Curtin, Jim Vaughan, John Brady, Shea Dooher, Michaële Cutaya and Ruby Wallis (guest curators) and all the artists on the Master of Arts in Creative Practice in 2021 and 2020.

The film has played all over the world including Iceland, Hawaii, Prague, London and more locally at

the Louth International Film Festival and as part of Art(ist) Film in MTU Cork and The Mayo Artist Show –The Linenhall Arts Centre. Deoch Dance had its inaugural screening as part of the Plan C: Whereabouts? exhibition which was the showcase for the Masters in Creative Practice for the 2020 and 2021 graduates.

This is Orlagh’s fourth short film and follows on from Secret Repetition (2015), Losing Memories, (2008 and winner of the RTÉ/Galway Film

Centre Short Script Award) and Memories (1996). To find out more about Orlagh and her work, please click here.

“The main reason that I wanted to participate on the Master of Arts in Creative Practice at ATU was to block out some time that I could devote to my creative practice. Participating on the programme afforded me the time and space to research, conceive, write, develop, cast, crew, shoot, and edit my short film Deoch Dance (2021). My studies allowed me the space to research my creative practice. To delve in and find out what it is I am interested in, to explore themes that have arisen organically in my work. My research during the Master of Arts opened the whole world of poetry films to me and I am in the process of completing a poetry film and looking for funding to make it.”

Orlagh Heverin, award winning filmmaker and ATU graduate

International Collaborations

From Croagh Patrick to Niagara Falls

Niagara College initiated a formal relationship with ATU in 2019 through their Centre for Academic Excellence who were building on their strategic plan to become more culturally and globally engaged.

The relationship between ATU and Niagara College Ontario Canada has developed over a time of global and institutional change. These changes included a global pandemic and the establishment of ATU in April 2022.

Dr Justin Kerr, Vice-President,

ATU Mayo

Subsequently Niagara College extended an invitation to Mary Skillington, ATU lecturer in Early Childhood Education and Care to act as an external assessor for the Early Childhood Education programme at Niagara College.

Mary visited Niagara College to participate in the programmatic review in April 2019. The School of Community Services’ Early Childhood Education programme was the first school to be audited by one of Niagara Colleges academic partners from Ireland.

ATU Galway-Mayo and Niagara College Memorandum of Understanding

In November 2019 ATU GalwayMayo (then GMIT) and Niagara College signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement confirmed that on completion of the two-year Diploma in Early Childhood Education at Niagara College, students will qualify for direct entry into year three of the BA honours Early Childhood Education and Care programme at ATU Galway-Mayo to complete the final two years of the honour’s degree programme.

The two institutes also agreed to develop international study and visits from Niagara to Mayo under the Be World Ready Programme and from Mayo to Niagara.

Niagara College visit to ATU Galway-Mayo

While the global pandemic slowed down plans for visits, conversations and relationships continued to develop virtually, and in October 2022, ATU Galway-Mayo welcomed 13 students and two academic staff from Niagara College to ATU.

The teaching, learning, social and cultural activities that took place during the visit included, lectures, peer learning, Gaelic football, visits to early years settings, kayaking, paddleboarding, exploring the shores, beach school and a Halloween story trail.

ATU Galway-Mayo visit to Niagara College

In February 2023 ten students from ATU Galway-Mayo Early Childhood Education and Care programme, led by Louise Kilbane, lecturer, ATU Galway-Mayo and accompanied by Dr Justin Kerr, Vice President, ATU Mayo and Dr Rita Melia lecturer, ATU Galway-Mayo, undertook a study visit to Niagara College School of Community Studies, Early Childhood Education programme.

Niagara College extended a céad míle fáilte to the Irish group. This visit was an opportunity to progress discussions between ATU and Niagara College across a range of programmes, not only in Early Childhood Education, but also in Nursing and if possible, wine making! Colleagues from both institutions discussed the possibilities of cross programme teaching, taster programmes which fulfil mobility and learning abroad requirements, opportunities for virtual classroom visits, shared assessments and lecturers acting as external accessors. ATU students and lecturers immersed themselves in teaching, peer learning, sustained shared thinking, social and cultural activities during the study week.

Ativities included, shared lecturers on policy, research, and practice, presentations outlining the possibilities for Niagara College students to complete an honours

degree at ATU Galway-Mayo, and visits to a variety of Early Years settings.

Highlights of the visit to Niagara College were a trip to Niagara Falls and spending an evening with staff and Niagara College students who had visited ATU in October 2022 at the Ice Dogs ice hockey game.

There were many similarities in relation to linking the theory to practice in supervised practice placement. Keeping the child at the heart of all we do is core to students and lecturers from both institutes.

Reflecting on the visit to Niagara College, Louise Kilbane, ATU Galway-Mayo lecturer said: “The many opportunities which facilitated students and staff to build friendships and professional relationships made this visit, part of ATU’s strategic partnership with Niagara College, most worthwhile.”

Colleagues from ATU and their Niagara College hosts also discussed approaches to early childhood education in both countries and identified many synergies, particularly in relation to the value and importance of play, partnerships with families and communities and the potential of outdoor early childhood education and care provision.

Travelling on the yellow school bus daily was treat for students and lecturers; the bus and the bus drivers facilitated our transport to the different Niagara College campuses and to our social activities. So much learning had occurred even on the weekend prior to starting in Niagara College. As the saying goes, “travel broadens the mind.”

Dr Rita Melia, ATU Galway-Mayo lecturer

ATU Celebrates

Careers Office Shortlisted for Employability Awards 2023

ATU Careers Office was recently shortlisted for the Association of Higher Education Careers Service (AHECS) Employability Awards 2023 for its online Webinar Wednesday series - industry-led career talks.

In these webinars, professionals share their industry expertise and hiring plans with students throughout the academic year. The weekly webinars cover a broad range of topics, such as ‘Building Your Brand’, ‘Workplace Etiquette’, ‘Graduate Assessment Centres’, ‘Adaptability and Diverse Skills - Key Career Enablers’, ‘CV and Interview Tips’ and ‘Careers Working in the Non-Profit Sector’.

The online webinars have proven to be a game changer in how ATU works with employers and complement ATU’s campus-based career events.

This online event series has also minimised our carbon footprint, with 28 industry speakers having collectively saved an estimated 50,242 km in travel this academic year.

“The virtual platform ensures all our learners can grow their professional networks and industry knowledge. We’ve been delighted to host several ATU alumni at these events who were representing their employers and seeking to recruit the next generation of talent. It’s been wonderful to hear how their careers have evolved since completing courses at ATU.”

“This initiative provides a platform for industry to share their knowledge and insights across a broad range of relevant topics to ATU students and staff. It also allows students and employers to ask questions and engage in quality conversations.”

This initiative has enabled us to collectively develop valuable employer contacts. It’s wonderful to see recruiters and students from all our campuses engaging in the webinars. In addition to recruiters and students, the playback feature for Webinar Wednesdays is brilliant for academics and college management who are looking to build contacts with respective employers and to gain an insight into the local and national graduate labour market.”

Catherine Lyster, Careers Officer ATU Donegal

Deborah Seddon, Careers Officer ATU Sligo

Fiona O’Donnell, Careers Officer ATU Galway-Mayo

ATU wins two Education Awards

ATU recently won two national education awards and were nominated for two more. The award winners were announced at the Education Awards ceremony in Dublin on 27 April.

The two winning projects are from the School of Nursing based in ATU Donegal. The Student Psychological Intervention Trial (SPIT), a collaboration between ATU Donegal and Ulster University won Best Research Project.

The SPIT research project aims to improve student mental health of higher education students by providing evidence-based psychological interventions.

NCAD - Department of Nursing

ATU Donegal, HSE and Axia Digital (Ireland) won best Industry/ Business-Academic Collaboration.

The MyCad Eportfolio project collaboration brings together academic, industry and our HSE clinical nursing partners to develop a cutting-edge online access dashboard for nursing students and staff for competence assessment Eportfolio in our nursing education programmes.

Dr Louise McBride, Head of Department of Nursing and Healthcare said: “These two winning education awards are a true reflection of our team and partners engagement and collaboration in research, industry and clinical practice.”

“Such awards are important recognition for the tireless efforts to continuously strive for excellence in evidence-based practices, research, collaboration, and engagement.”

“We are delighted to see our efforts being acknowledged and these awards are a testament of collaboration, commitment and success of ATU with our University of Ulster, HSE North West Nursing and Axia partners.”

The two nominations were for ATU Sligo’s very popular educational outreach programme Current Chemistry Investigates (CCI). The programme was shortlisted for both Best Outreach Award and Best Industry/Business-Academic Collaboration.

The CCI project is an outreach and public engagement partnership between Trinity College Dublin and ATU Sligo. The project is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) through the Discover programme 2021.

The project aim is to promote and support STEM education using hands-on activities and resources based on real-world applications in green energy storage and analysis.

Dr Fiona McArdle, Project Coordinator, ATU Sligo welcomed the nomination and said: “Through ATU Sligo’s collaboration with Trinity College Dublin we can reach a wide range of schools and students from diverse backgrounds.”

“Our team in ATU, Sligo of myself, Yvonne Lang, Mary Connolly, and the postgraduate students have enjoyed the school visits and public engagement events and in so doing have enhanced our awareness of the challenges in science education in the west and north-west.”

“This is a tremendous achievement for ATU. Our team has worked tirelessly to achieve excellence in teaching, collaboration, and outreach, and it is great to see our efforts recognised in this way. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and making a positive impact on our communities, and these awards and nominations are a testament to our success. Congratulations to my colleagues in ATU on this high recognition for their work and commitment.”

Congratulations to ATU Nurses Eilish Corley and Caroline Kennedy, who were awarded two prizes at the Annual Irish Student Health Association (ISHA) conference. The first award was the Pauline Carbury Memorial Award, which Caroline and Eilish won for their poster “Back to the Basics of Sexual Health Education” programme which ran in October 2022.

The second award was the Dr Thomas Davis award, which was awarded to Eilish for her outstanding contribution to third level student health, a very fitting recognition of her work in her 17 years at ATU Sligo. The ISHA is the association of healthcare professionals caring for students in third level education in Ireland.

ATU President, Dr Orla Flynn

Nurse Eilish Corley (pictured right) receives her award from Dr Serena O’Connell.

Top Three Ranking for ATU’s Lean Sigma White Belt (MOOC) course

In a recent article from Class Central, an aggregate course listing provider based in the US, ATU’s fully online Lean Sigma White Belt (MOOC) course was ranked third globally for the ‘10 Best Lean Six Sigma Courses to Take in 2023’ and ranked first for the White Belts courses included on the list.

The methodology for this ranking system was based on a three-step approach which includes research based on ratings, evaluations from online learners and previous experiences and engaging course content based on a defined set of criteria for Lean Sigma courses.

The Lean Sigma White Belt at ATU is placed higher than other courses from leading providers such as LinkedIn Learning, American Society for Quality (ASQ) and Udemy. Class Central describe this course as ‘the most comprehensive White Belt course’ available globally.

ATU Sligo lecturers, John Donovan and Brian Coll deliver the Lean Sigma White Belt (MOOC) course which has 2000 graduates each year. From this course, ATU also offer further study progression opportunities with over 250 of the White Belt students enrolling in the follow-on accredited Yellow and

Green Belt course each year which are delivered by lecturers Caroline Mullan, John Donovan and Brian Coll.

Brian Coll, ATU lecturer on the Lean Sigma White Belt (MOOC) course

‘We are delighted to receive this recognition from Class Central. While the ATU Sligo White Belt is well known in Ireland, this opens the course up to a global audience.”

ATU lecturers John Donovan and Brian Coll who deliver the Lean Sigma White Belt (MOOC) course.

Engineers Ireland Accreditation for Work-based Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering

ATU Galway-Mayo recently received the parchment from Engineers Ireland Registrar (Richard Manton) to certify that the work-based Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering is accredited as meeting the educational standard for Chartered Engineer for Level 8 engineering programmes.

The programme is the first of its type in higher education in Ireland and will enhance students’ professional skills and employability. The programme provides graduates with a shorter and simpler route towards the professional title of Chartered Engineer (CEng MIEI). The Higher Diploma is open to graduates from the four-year honours degree programme in ATU Galway-Mayo.

This work-based programme, developed in collaboration with Engineers Ireland and employers, will allow graduates to meet the Engineers Ireland educational requirements so that students

can apply for Chartered Engineer through the further learning route or standard route.

The programme previously was awarded funding from the National Forum for Teaching & Learning (NFTL) for the enhancement of teaching and learning focusing on collaboration with Professional Bodies and/or Industry Partners.

The registered professional title of Chartered Engineer (CEng) is becoming very important for graduate civil engineers. The increasing regulation of the construction industry and the requirement to have competent engineering professionals sign off on construction and civil engineering projects has led to employers seeking graduates who can reach Chartered Engineer status quickly. Research has shown that the employment and salary prospects of Chartered Engineers are significantly improved in comparison to an untitled engineer.

The next delivery of the one-year programme will commence in September 2023 and the programme is now open for applications. For further information on the programme please click here.

lecturer; Dr Shane Newell, Programme Chair, ATU GalwayMayo; Mary Rogers, Head of Dept. of Building & Civil Engineering, ATU GalwayMayo; Dr Richard Manton, Registrar of Engineers Ireland; and Prof Graham Heaslip, Head of School if Engineering, ATU Galway-Mayo.

Left to right: John Hanahoe, ATU

ATU wins an Irish Construction Excellence Award

ATU Sligo recently won the best ‘Third Level Course – CPD Programme’ award for their Postgraduate Certificate in Mechanical and Electrical Quantity Surveying. These awards provide an opportunity for the industry to showcase and reward best practice across a range of construction disciplines and project categories along with third level educational providers.

ATU in collaboration with the Society of Chartered Surveyor Ireland (SCSI) developed this programme through Springboard funding, to satisfy what was an unmet industry demand. This certificate is the only Quantity Surveying programme at Level 9 in Ireland which is delivered fully online allowing students to balance work and life commitments and tailor their study according to their needs. It is aimed at existing industry professionals who wish to upskill in Mechanical and Electrical Quantity Surveying with the ability to continue to work.

Ruairi O’Driscoll, Programme Chair at ATU Sligo, said: “Winning this award is humbling and endorses the stellar work of my ATU Sligo academic colleagues in identifying what was an unmet industry demand and developing this programme to meet this need.”

“This programme is provided by the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at ATU Sligo. Over the last ten years, this department has evolved from having one online programme to over 30, with online student numbers increasing fourfold over the last six years.”

of Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at ATU

ATU lecturers, Ruari O’Driscoll and Patrick Sweeney with construction students; Ronan Flynn, Audrey Adams-Horn and Darragh Cureen.

“This award is just recognition for the hard work of our department and ATU Sligo. Over the past ten years we have developed many programmes in conjunction with valued industry partners like SCSI to address critical skills gaps. This Postgraduate Certificate in Mechanical & Electrical Quantity Surveying is an important programme in this regard.”

Dr Salem Gharbia, Acting Head

Sligo

ATU International Hotel School Team win in France

Two ATU students recently won the strand two competition at the France Ireland Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism (FICAHT) event held in France. The successful students were Adam Walsh, a second year Culinary and Gastronomic Science student and Emma Ryan, a second year International Hotel Management student.

Students from Irish TU’s and FE colleges are partnered with French students and through a series of interactions teams develop, plan and serve a three-course menu with drinks celebrating Irish and French produce. ATU were teamed with Juliette Grell and Alexis Wiard from the Lycee Savary, Ferry, Arras tutored by Mathieu Scipilliti. Participants were asked to consider requirements for sustainable meals including zero waste. Innovation and the use of locally sourced

Irish and French ingredients were at the heart of the menu. This was very evident in their choice of centrepiece, a 3-dimensional mimosa tree which had different audio features which were shared with the diners as they ate their meal. The tree was decorated with both French and Irish herbs and flowers carefully foraged by the competitors to compliment the sensory profile of each course.

Left to right: Emma Ryan, Adam Walsh, Juliette Grell and Alexis Wiart, the winning team from ATU Ireland and Lycée Christian Bourquin.

“I would like to congratulate Emma and Adam who were wonderful ambassadors for ATU, their high level of innovation, skill and professionalism was a testament to the standard of teaching and dedication by their

lecturers and mentors. Judges commented that the standard of food and service was equivalent to that found in a Michelin star restaurant.”

Jacinta Dalton, Head of Culinary Arts and the Service Industries, ATU Galway-Mayo

Students’ Sporting Successes

Gold at Karate Intervarsities

ATU students had a very successful day out at the Karate Intervarsities in UL on 25 March.

Tirna Connors won gold in the individual Kumite competition. In the team Kata competition Trina and Lynda Graham claimed gold.

Tirna completed her medal haul with silver in the team Kumite competition along with Lauren Rowsome. Lauren also took home bronze in the Individual Kata competition.

Boxing Wins

Congratulations to ATU student, Matthew McCole who won his fourth Irish Colleges title in April of this year.

The Dungloe native, who boxes for Illies Golden Gloves, won the senior light-middleweight at the finals which were held at the High Performance Gym in the National Stadium.

McCole, a student at ATU Donegal, defeated Darragh Gilroy in the final. Last year, Matthew won a bronze medal at the 2022 FISU University World Cup Combat Sports. John Gilligan representing ATU Sligo and Ballinacarrow Boxing Club won the Senior Novice 64 kg category by defeating Peter McConville, DCU.

Hello ATU, How Are You?

ATU students participated in the “Hello, How Are you?” Campaign on 30 March with events such as coffee mornings, music sessions and going for walks and talk. Hello, How Are You? is a campaign about connecting with those around us and engaging in open conversations about mental health. It’s about asking the question, ‘How Are You?’ with meaning, and listening to the response.

At Atlantic TU we serve a diverse group of learners, staff, communities and organisations in the west and north-west and further afield. We offer a rich combination of academic and research excellence, quality of life and opportunity - all of which can be experienced in the most beautiful part of Ireland.