Issue Two | June 2022
06 Atlantic TU Celebrates Pride 10 Atlantic TU Integration Updates 12 Exploring International Collaborations
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International Engagement News
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Welcome from the Editor Anne Donnelly
06 Regional Engagement Initiatives
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Cover photo: ATU Galway City students Klaudia Broda and Malwina Janik.
Editor: Anne Donnelly Design: Pierce Partnership LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK: email: anne.donnelly@atu.ie
Atlantic TU Celebrates Pride
10 Atlantic TU Integration Updates Student Visitors to Campus
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Recent Atlantic TU Conferences
48 Optum Ireland Scholarship Program to Help Grow Health Care Workforce
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Focus on Atlantic TU Research
€370,000 Funding for Pioneering ATU Donegal Supercomputer
32 Researching Microplastics: from Tide to Table
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Atlantic TU Offers 54 New Springboard Upskilling Courses
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Atlantic TU wins an Irish Construction Excellence Award
50 Atlantic TU Sligo Researchers Recommend Optimum Materials for Masks and Respirators
Using Queer Theory to Explore the Experiences of LGBTQ+ students in Higher Education
Design and Innovation Postgrad Programme Wins a National Education Award
ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Welcome From the Editor Dear Reader, I am delighted to welcome you to the second issue of our new university magazine. Now in our third month of existence, integration work continues to gather pace across all Atlantic TU campuses and we have some interesting updates on our progress to share with you in this issue. Summer may be approaching but we’re not slowing down. We’re busy aligning our systems so we’re ready for our first intake of university undergraduate students in September. In addition to the behind the scenes work going on we have been engaging with our external communities both regional, national and international. We bring you the latest news on these in this issue. We also showcase some research activities and recent ATU conferences in this issue and of
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course, we couldn’t let Pride month pass without a feature on what Pride means to us here at ATU. The purpose of this magazine is to keep anyone interested in our new university 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. If there is anything you would like to see in future issues of this magazine, please email me at anne.donnelly@ atu.ie. We are always looking for new ideas. Best wishes and happy Pride month, Anne Donnelly
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Atlantic TU Celebrates Pride Month What is Pride and why do we celebrate it? Pride is an opportunity for people from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies to come together to celebrate sexual and gender diversity and support their LGBTQ+ friends and colleagues. Pride month commemorates the Stonewall riots, which lasted 6 days in Manhattan in June 1969 as police clashed with LGBTQ+ protesters
Provisional Dates for Pride Celebrations in the West and North-West Region 2022 Inishowen Pride: June 5 Mayo Pride: July 1-3 Bród na Gaeltachta Cloich Cheann Fhaola: July 18-23 Sligo Pride: August 1-7 Galway Pride: August 8-14 Leitrim Pride: August 15-21 Dublin Pride: June 25 All are welcome to join LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies in celebrating as part of ATU at these events.
ATU Staff and Students at the Inishowen Pride Parade in Buncrana on June 5 2022.
How did Pride start? It came about as a response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York on June 28, 1969. The Inn was popular with members of the LGBTQ+ community. Patrons of the venue, other nearby lesbian and gay bars and local people fought back when the police became violent. Subsequently, groups got together to commemorate the event and the bravery of those who had stood up for themselves and their
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community. They decided on the name "Gay Pride" to indicate that those involved were proud to be who they were. The group held the first Gay Pride march in New York a year to the day of the original riots. As well as being a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, modern parades also continue the legacy of protest, highlighting inequalities that still exist and the persecution of LGBTQ+ people in various parts of the world. It is still a crime to be LGBTQ+ in over 70 countries.
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What does Pride mean to Atlantic TU? Pride in ATU is not just about celebrating in June every year. We want to celebrate and embed Pride in our university culture. We are proud of the diversity of our staff and students and want to do everything possible to empower them to bring their whole selves to Atlantic TU.
In April with the support of ATU’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion office, colleagues in ATU set up AURA, our new LGBTQ+ Staff and Allies Network. AURA brings together the existing staff networks in Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal and complements the LGBTQ+ student societies already in place.
It hopes to work closely with the student societies and LGBTQ+ organisations within the west and north-west regions and beyond. The network is currently working on developing its core values, terms of reference and a calendar of events for the forthcoming academic year.
Being an LGBTQ+ ally is about helping to create an inclusive environment where everyone can be themselves. The celebration of Pride is a great opportunity to do this intentionally and be visible in our support for our LGBTQ+ loved ones and colleagues.
Mary Nestor EDI Manager, ATU Galway-Mayo
Dr Douglas Marques (he/him)
“I used to think Pride was obsolete and unnecessary in this part of the world. Until the Sligo attacks happened – literally – across the street from my house. It made me realise Pride is not just celebration, but a continuous battle. It comes from the need of constantly showing we are happy with who we are, and we will not go back into shadows because of someone else’s hate. Pride is the love message we want to share with the world!”
Assistant Lecturer in Polymer Processing, ATU Sligo
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Ali Sherlock
(They/she)
LGBTQ+ Pride involves knowing yourself on a deep level; getting to know every aspect of yourself and loving every piece. In a community of queer people, this is amplified and the feeling is indescribable. LGBTQ+ Pride is love, acceptance, connection, support, self exploration and celebration, all beautifully rolled into one. While cliché, the rainbow is a perfect representation for Pride - joyful, beautiful, natural, and infinitely complex.
ATU Student
Pride is both protest and party. Protest at the inequalities that still exist in our world and party because it’s an opportunity for all of us to celebrate our uniqueness. Pride month is important because we need to be visible, to tell our story and continue the fight for equality worldwide.
Anne Donnelly Editor ATU Magazine
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ATU celebrates equality, diversity, and inclusion for all our staff and students. The University should be a welcoming and safe environment for all regardless of their gender or sexual orientation or any other aspect of their identity.
Jacqueline McCormack ATU Vice President for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and Online Development
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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Atlantic TU Integration Updates New ATU University Planning Team Work has started on developing unified structures for Atlantic TU. Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President has set up an interim representative university planning team (UPT) for a two year transitional period, which currently consists of the following senior managerial staff: • Dr Orla Flynn ATU President • Mr Paul Hannigan Head of Donegal College • Dr Brendan McCormack Head of Sligo College • Dr Michael Hannon Head of Galway-Mayo College • Dr Seán Duffy VP for ATU Integration • Prof. Jacqueline McCormack VP for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and Online Development • Dr Billy Bennett Registrar and VP Academic Affairs • Elizabeth McCabe VP Finance & Corporate Services • Dr Rick Officer VP Research, Innovation & Engagement The team meets twice per month and is representative of all ATU Heads of Function. Representatives of the Heads of Faculty/School will join the UPT on a rotational basis.
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Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President and Mr Paul Hannigan, Head of ATU Donegal College at the ATU Launch in April.
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Application for Incorporation of St. Angela’s College (STACS) into Atlantic TU Work is continuing on the overall application for integration between St. Angela’s College (STACS) and Atlantic TU and will be facilitated via the HEA Act (2022) which is currently processing as a Bill through the houses of the Oireachtas. The ATU – STACS Incorporation Steering Committee meets twice per month and has been focusing on three key areas: 1. Drafting a joint submission document for incorporation of STAC with ATU 2. Developing a linked provider agreement 3. Arranging for the transition and integration of STACS into ATU
Ms Maura McNally, ATU Governing Body Chair, Dr Seán Duffy, VP for ATU Integration and Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President at the ATU Launch in April.
Work is progressing on all three areas. On May 25, an external evaluation panel met to consider STACS application to become a linked provider of ATU and approved the application. As STACS does
not have designated awarding body status to confer academic awards, it was important that STACS became a linked provider of ATU in the period from now until full integration with ATU.
Staff Representatives Elected to Atlantic TU Governing Body ATU’s Governing Body was established with five members on April 1, 2022. Under the provisions of the Technological Universities Act 2018, the membership of the Governing Body will be increased in the coming months to reach 22 members. The first stage of the expansion was completed recently with the election of staff representatives to the Governing Body. Staff members will hold office for a period up until 31st March 2024.
ATU staff elected to the Governing Body Academic Staff Dr Martin Robinson (ATU Donegal) Dr Brian McCann (ATU Sligo) Mr Gareth Roe (ATU Galway-Mayo) PMSS (Professional, Managerial and Support Services) Staff Ms Ursula Cox Mr Michael Geoghegan
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International Engagement News Exploring Collaborations: Recent International Visitors to Atlantic TU
Ms Patricia Cortés Ortiz, Colombia's first Resident Ambassador to Ireland, visits our Galway City and Sligo campuses.
Prof Luis Rosario and Prof Luis Castro from Polytechnic Coimbre in Portugal visit our Donegal Letterkenny, Sligo and Galway City campuses.
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Elizabeth J. Myers, Programme Administrator for the Pittsburgh Global Team, University of Pittsburgh, visits ATU Mayo to sow the seeds of collaborations between the ATU Mayo, local businesses and the University of Pittsburgh. Amongst the projects discussed were possible student exchange/study abroad programmes.
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Delegation from South Africa visit ATU Galway City. A delegation from THENSA, the South African body representing all technological universities across South Africa, recently visited ATU Galway City to explore international tourism education, research and training with researchers and academics. Amongst those who participated in the forum were ATU colleagues, Jacinta Dalton, Carina Ginty, Bridie Killoran, James Hanrahan and Diarmuid O Congaile. Mr Sipho
Ms Christelle Venteer, COO THENSA and Mr Sipho Ngomane, Chief Director, Department of Tourism, South Africa at the International Tourism Education, Research and Training Forum in ATU Galway City.
Ngomane, Chief Director and Dr Kholadi Tlabela Director of Research at the Department of Tourism also participated in the forum.
The South African embassy in Dublin are particularly supportive of this project and have visited ATU Galway City on several occasions.
The forum was opened by Dr Michael Hannon, Head of ATU Galway-Mayo College. Closing remarks were delivered by Mr Willems Geerlings, Counselor at the South African Embassy in Dublin on behalf of Ambassador Yolisa Maya who was unable to attend.
Ms Cáit Noone, Head of Galway International Hotel School and Vice President International Engagement, ATU Galway City is currently coordinating the Irish aspect of this cluster and is happy to hear from colleagues who may be interested in learning more.
THENSA Delegation with Mr John Crumlish, CEO Galway International Arts Festival and Ms Cáit Noone, ATU Galway City.
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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Governor Phil Murphy and Choose New Jersey sign Historic Memorandums of Understanding with Atlantic TU On Monday 25 April 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, alongside Choose New Jersey President and CEO Wesley Mathews, signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between New Jersey academic and real estate entities and Atlantic TU. The MOUs will create mutually beneficial opportunities and forge collaboration in innovative projects that foster entrepreneurship, business development, career development, and international education. The first MOU was signed between New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Atlantic TU.
A consistent effort of my administration has been helping New Jersey institutions in identifying and partnering with entities that can help grow New Jersey’s economy and create good-paying jobs. The partnerships solidified today are an example of the fruits of those efforts. The MOU’s signed will further propel New Jersey’s path toward economic progress as we welcome new partnerships, opportunities, and perspectives to our state.
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Phil Murphy, State of New Jersey Governor The agreement will connect companies participating in ATU incubator programs and companies aligned with NJCU’s School of Business and the Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility, with the ecosystem in New Jersey and the west and north-west of Ireland respectively. Both schools will facilitate student trips to the other’s campuses to complement career development opportunities and engage in faculty exchanges and connections. The MOU will also provide access to working space at the NJCU School of Business innovation centre for ATU entrepreneurs to explore expansion into the U.S. market.
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At the signing of the MOU in The Merrion Hotel, Dublin, left to right: Meghan Drury-Grogan, Head of Dept of Enterprise & Technology, Atlantic TU; Philip D Murphy, Governor, State of New Jersey; Dr Orla Flynn, President, Atlantic TU; Christopher Paladino, President, New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO); Wesley S Matthews, President and COE Choose New Jersey. [Photo: Edwin Torres, Governor’s Office, State of New Jersey].
“I can’t wait to see the results of this partnership,” said Dr Orla Flynn, President of ATU. “The arrangement signed today with NJCU will open doors of collaboration and opportunity for both partners and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with NJCU.” The second MOU is between New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO), Atlantic TU, and Choose New Jersey. This collaboration will promote foreign direct investment, enhance the global competitiveness of New Jersey and Irish companies, and support collaborative research and development in areas of common interest. Choose New Jersey will act as an interface and provide support to ATU startups. In turn, ATU will actively educate its community on the advantages of a New Jersey location. DEVCO will offer ATU companies six months of free office, lab, or coworking space at the New Jersey Innovation and Technology HUB located in New Brunswick.
We look forward to working with Choose New Jersey and DEVCO to accelerate the growth of ATUsupported tech companies who are looking to expand their operations across the Atlantic.
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Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President
About Choose New Jersey Choose New Jersey is a privately funded 501 (c)(3) economic development organization with a mission to stimulate job creation and attract capital investment to New Jersey. Choose New Jersey markets New Jersey both domestically and internationally as the best place to grow a business in the United States. To learn more, visit www.choosenj.com
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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Regional Engagement Initiatives Atlantic TU’s New Service to Employers and Employees ATU’s new Careers and Recognising Prior Learning (RPL) Learning Pathways project builds Lifelong Learning Participation with the HigherEd 4.0 Project. The project offers a unique service to employees across the west and north-west region. It will be delivered through an online platform at www. mycareerpath.ie and an RPL information site at www.myexperience.ie This new online MyCareerPath.ie platform involves engagement with employers and potential ATU students. The service advises candidates on the learning pathways available and appropriate to them, and how to achieve their career objectives or improve their employability.
Higher Education 4.0 is a €12.3 million project supported by the HEA under the Human Capital Initiative (HCI). It is a vision for future agility in higher education and provides for opportunities into and through higher education.
The platform caters for five student personas, each with their learning pathway.
All Learners are mentored through a 4-stage developmental programme with the help of the most up-to-date e-learning tools and assessments as well as support from Careers and Learning Pathways Advisers. Each Learning Pathway incorporates a process of self-discovery leading to the development of successful career plans as learners reflect and focus on their career goals. The materials provided offer access to an innovative platform with customised e-learning content, psychometric assessment tools, a relevant structure and support for navigation of the current RPL process which will help in the identification of suitable courses. The platform is supported by CV review software and online interview software. Mycareerpath.ie is being piloted with employees from different organisations in the region and over 50 individual learners are completing their learning pathways. Employers see this service as an important part of staff retention and an effective tool feeding into staff development and addressing their organisation's upskilling, reskilling, and CPD goals. Specific Learning Pathways are also being customised for specific industries. 16 |
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Bridie Killoran, ATU Careers & Learning Pathways Manager
Employers are particularly excited about this new ATU Learning Pathways Service and the employee learning journey because it assesses employees’ strengths, motivators, interests, and abilities so that they can develop a targeted career development plan for their future. They are particularly impressed by the fact that their employees can gain access to career professionals and Recognition of Prior Learning co-ordinators, as they advise the learner through their journey. This service has the potential to prepare key staff to take on higher-level leadership roles and be the catalyst in developing tailored, accredited courses, in conjunction with ATU.
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Mycareerpath.ie is a FREE service that will help you streamline staff training and development to ensure your organisation meets its future skills needs
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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Regional Engagement Initiatives Innovators Under 35 Europe Atlantic TU Sponsor Reception for the Innovators Under 35 (IU35) Awards Banquet and Medal Presentation. Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President and other ATU colleagues attended the Innovators Under 35 Europe Festival which took place in Gweedore on May 19-21. The festival honoured this year’s European Innovators. 35 entrepreneurs, inventors, visionaries, pioneers and humanitarians were selected for their outstanding technological achievements.
The festival also featured panel discussions on the north-west as a region of innovation. Topics covered included, leading Irish innovation and future trends, sustainability and green technologies, leveraging technology in healthcare, and how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to benefit humanity.
The event was a unique opportunity to meet the shapers of our future, transforming our lives through their technological advances. It brought together young European visionaries pursuing the same objective: innovation, ingenuity, and advances toward addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
Innovators Under 35 is an annual list that recognizes outstanding innovators who are younger than 35. The awards span a wide range of fields, including biotechnology, materials, computer hardware, energy, transportation, communications, and the internet. A committee of judges, made up of experts from leading universities and companies selects the 35 best profiles of candidates. The judges select individuals whose superb technical work promises to shape the coming decades and solve the world’s biggest problems. They reward ingenious and elegant work that matters to the world at large—not just to peers in a particular field or industry.
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More About MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 List Established in 1999 in honour of MIT Technology Review’s 100th anniversary, the Innovators Under 35 list was initially conceived as a list of 100 innovators. By the mid2000s, the list had evolved to focus
on 35 innovators each year. In 2010, MIT Technology Review expanded their search for the most promising innovators by organising regional editions of the list. There are regional
versions in Latin America, Europe, China, India, Asia Pacific, and MENA. The winners of the regional lists are automatically considered for the global list.
About MIT Technology Review Founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1899, MIT Technology Review is a worldrenowned, independent media company whose insight, analysis, reviews, interviews and live events explain the newest technologies and their commercial, social and political impacts.
Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President at a surfing lesson at the Innovators Under 35 Festival in Gweedore.
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Regional Engagement Initiatives Atlantic TU Partners with the Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival The ATU Surf Expression Session takes place on the beach in Bundoran from 17-19 June 2022. It is the top surf competition in Ireland, and this year the competition is open to male and female competitors. With the best move winning the overall top prize, the competition format is spectator friendly and showcases leading surfers from all around the globe, as well as some of Ireland’s finest surfing talent.
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Festival Director Ray O’Donoghue says: “The Surf event is very much an integral part of Sea Sessions and along with all the beach sports, skating and BMXing it’s the thing that sets us apart from all the other festivals. We have a really great lineup of surfers and delighted that the newly formed ATU can be very much a part of this.” The festival attracts some of the biggest names from the international and national circuit and this year the line-up includes Kodaline, Tinie Tempah, Joel Corry, Basement Jaxx, The Academic, Lyra, Ejeca, All Tvvins, Kneecap, Paul Woolford, David Keenan, The Scratch, Gemma Dunleavy and lots more.
We are excited to form a partnership with Sea Sessions Surf and Music Festival which brings together 10,000 young people annually to celebrate culture, sport and the arts scene in our region. The Surf Expression Session is a chance to experience the Atlantic and all its power, naturally fitting with the vision for Atlantic Technological University.
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Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President
For more information on the Sea Sessions Festival click here
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Student Visitors to Campus
Atlantic TU Open Days In May, hundreds of prospective students attended Open Days on our Donegal, Mayo and Sligo campuses. Any students joining ATU this September will be part of the first intake of ATU undergraduate students.
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Atlantic TU Transition Year Taster Days Hundreds of transition year students visited our campuses in Donegal, Mayo, Sligo and Galway in May to get a taste of what student life is like and explore their course options after they complete the Leaving Certificate.
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Student Visitors to Campus Design, Innovation Creativity and Enterprise (DICE) Annual Design Challenge ATU Donegal Letterkenny Each year ATU Donegal’s DICE academy brings together transition year students from around Donegal, to come up with new ideas for a product, service, or experience for a different theme each year. This year the event took place in May and attracted 100 students.
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Scifest at Atlantic TU Second-level students participated in Scifest in Galway City, Sligo and Donegal in May. SciFest is Ireland’s largest second-level STEM fair programme. It takes place locally, regionally and nationally, is inclusive and free to enter.
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Student Visitors to Campus VEX Robotics Primary Schools Competition ATU Galway City and ATU Donegal Letterkenny Over 300 pupils from primary schools in Galway and Mayo attended the 2022 VEX IQ competition hosted by ATU Galway City. The event was ran by volunteers from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King, Munster Technological University (MTU), Offaly County Council and ATU staff. Clonfert National School (NS) were declared overall winners of the competition as well as joint winners with Foxford NS in the Teamwork challenge category while Belmullet schools Glencastle NS and Barnatra NS won the Skills Challenges. Dr Carine Gachon, ATU Galway City VEX Co-ordinator and Head of the B.Eng. Automation and Robotics programme said: "It was really exciting and the atmosphere was electric. Skills in robotics and programming are extremely sought after and it is really important to get children involved as early as possible so they can pick appropriate subjects in secondary school." You can watch a short video of the event here. ATU Donegal Letterkenny were also hosts to this year’s competition with several primary schools from Donegal in attendance.
Stranmore NS who won the VEX IQ excellent award at ATU Donegal Letterkenny
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VEX Robotics Competition Winners
Foxford NS, Team-Work Champions
Barnatra NS, Driving Skills Champions
Clonfert NS puplis, overall champions pictured with ATU President Dr Orla Flynn, Prof Graham Heslip, Head of Engineering, ATU Galway, Dr Carine Gachon, ATU Glaway VEX Coordinator, David Hodge, MTU, VEX National Coordinator. Sponsors Isobel Foye, Colm Mitchell and Gail Quinn, Trane Technologies International – Thermo King are also in this photo. June 2022 Issue Two
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ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Student Visitors to Campus Tourism Industry: Skills Bootcamps In May, ATU Galway City ran a series of tourism industry skills bootcamps for secondary school students. These bootcamps focused on helping them prepare for careers in the tourism industry and included:. • Food and Beverage Service Skills • Culinary Skills • Pastry and Baking Skills • Food Safety and CV preparation
We are delighted to be able to support our industry partners with these essential skills training programmes whilst providing a safe, fun and confidencebuilding environment for young people to assist them in securing summer work. First jobs are memorable experiences and it is our aim to give students the best possible experience of our industry. Our dedicated training spaces will allow students to train in restaurant/ bar and kitchen environments under the supervision and guidance of tourism education professionals.
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Jacinta Dalton, Head of Department for Culinary Arts and Service Industries, ATU Galway City
Fáilte Ireland recently published a report which highlighted a shortfall of 40,000 vacancies in the tourism industry at present, and this is expected to rise as demand increases this season. Vacancies are being advertised in a range of areas across the industry, most notably for chefs and service staff. In the summer of 2021 one-in-three workers were new to tourism and hospitality, many of whom were young second level students according to Fáilte Ireland research.
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Pictured left to right, Dr Diarmuid Ó Conghaile, ATU Galway City and Jacinta Dalton, ATU Galway City.
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Optum Ireland Scholarship Program to Help Grow Health Care Workforce Atlantic TU Donegal, Ulster University, and other universities administer scholarships and support services to eligible students.
Picture above, front row, left to right: Danny McFadden, Principal, Errigal College, Adam Doherty, BSc (Hons) in Applied Computing Student at ATU Donegal & Optum Ireland Scholarship recipient 2022, Sarah Kho, BSc (Hons) in Early Childhood Care, Health & Education Student at ATU Donegal & Optum Ireland Scholarship recipient 2022, Paul Hannigan, Head of College, ATU Donegal. Back row, left to Right: Roisin McCormack, Disability Officer, ATU Donegal, Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs & Registrar, Fiona Kelly, ATU Donegal Marketing Manager.
The United Health Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of Optum Ireland’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), has announced a new scholarship program designed to grow the health care workforce in Ireland. The program is focused on students seeking degrees in primary or specialised care, or emerging health care technologies.
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The Ireland Health Care Scholarship Program builds on the success of the pilot program started by Optum Ireland in 2018. "As a partner institution since 2018, ATU Donegal has been involved in delivering the scholarship program over the last four years," said Paul Hannigan, Head of College, ATU Donegal. "There are currently 11 health care scholars studying a
range of health care and innovative technology programs at our Donegal campus. Our scholars benefit greatly from the support the program provides and we are delighted to renew the partnership with Optum Ireland and the United Health Foundation in 2022."
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Due to the national shortage, the medical community has expressed urgency in recruiting and training additional medical practitioners. The scholarship program developed to address the shortage includes partnerships with ATU Donegal, Ulster University, National University
of Ireland, Galway, Queen’s University Belfast and the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. More than €350,000 will support 31 students across the five academic partners. All scholarship students will be paired with a mentor and will participate in community volunteer activities.
The United Health Foundation is committed to helping cultivate a modern, diverse health workforce in Ireland,” said Padraig Monaghan, Managing Director of Optum Ireland and UK. “We are honoured to launch this new scholarship program with our partners in the north-west, ATU Donegal and Ulster University.”
The support received from Optum Ireland over the last three years has been incredible, this scholarship has provided me with so many opportunities and I have met amazing people along the way. The scholarship provided me with the opportunity to focus on my studies which I am thankful for.
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Jodie Gallagher, ATU General Nursing Student and Scholarship Recipient
About the United Health Foundation
About Optum
Through collaboration with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, the United Health Foundation works to improve the health system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of local communities.
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. It creates intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernise the health system and improve overall population health.
For more information, visit www.UnitedHealthFoundation.org
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Focus On
Atlantic TU Research Researching Microplastics: From Tide to Table Meet ATU Galway Researcher Róisín Nash As a marine biologist, I love to eat seafood and at the same time, I am particularly interested in enabling sustainability and conserving marine biodiversity. My research explores the animals that live in, on or near our seabed, from the fish I eat to the amazing little creatures that they feed on. Overfishing, climate change and pollution, has meant that to conserve biodiversity I need to refocus my research on pressures such as microplastic pollution, their sources, pathways and fate.
What are Microplastics? Microplastics are the smaller bits of plastic, smaller than the eraser on the top of a pencil, or as small as the thickness of a strand of hair. They are so prevalent that everywhere we have looked from the deep sea habitats off the Irish continental shelf (~3000m) to the many animals inhabiting our seas to the intertidal of Galway Bay our team has found them.
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We cannot deny that society needs to change. However, we also need policy makers to act decisively and take positive steps in tackling societal issues such as plastic pollution.
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Dr Róisín Nash, lecturer and researcher, Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), ATU Galway City
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Where are Microplastics coming from?
Do we need to be careful when eating fish?
It is thought that the predominant sources of plastics and microplastics in the marine environment comes from the agriculture sector (plastic seed coatings; spreading of sludges from wastewater treatment plants and the use of plastic mulching); the shipping industry (1816 containers lost at sea in 2020), and the fishing industry (abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear). We have found that levels of microplastic found along our coasts is influenced by riverine input, a major source, and that their pathway, distribution, and sink is often influenced by ocean currents.
The Dublin Bay prawn is something most Irish people would have eaten or at least seen on a menu. Our research team, along with researchers at the Marine Institute, have found microplastics within their guts, most likely eaten along with their food.
What can we do? The term ‘single use plastic’ is now familiar to most of us but are we prepared to avoid their purchase? Microplastics found in our oceans are largely fibres resulting from the washing of clothes, and the degradation of ropes and nets. COVID-19 has seen the increase of plastic through single use PPE and hand sanitiser. As a society we need to ensure that masks are disposed of properly and the ear straps cut to avoid further harm through either ingestion or the entanglement of animals
If you have ever removed the shell, the gut is that black stringy bit you see run along the curve of the prawn. Most definitely removed by chefs but something to ensure you remove at home as this will also remove the microplastics. Similarly, our team has found microplastics in the gut of fish and other species you find at your local fishmongers. Again, here the stomach, gut and microplastics will have been removed. There are some species, like the periwinkle, that we eat whole, lightly boiled directly from our shores without removing their guts. Thankfully these species located off the west coast of Ireland, have been found to contain very low levels of microplastics
The Dublin Bay Prawn Nephrops norvegicus ©Haleigh Joyce
Dr Róisín Nash is a lecturer and researcher in the Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC) at ATU Galway City whose research surrounds the societal issue of microplastics. You can find out more about Róisín’s current projects here.
Microplastics ©Joao Frias June 2022 Issue Two
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Atlantic TU Sligo Researchers Recommend
Optimum Materials for Masks and Respirators ATU PhD researcher Kris O’Dowd and a team of researchers at the Nanotechnology and Bio-Engineering Research group at ATU Sligo campus have examined various facemasks and respirators, looking at the current materials in use and possible future innovations that will enhance their protection against SARS-CoV-2. The research was part of a response to the Covid-19 crisis after Sligo University Hospital requested ATU Sligo for assistance at the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.
The award winning paper stated that new materials being developed such as graphene oxide can enhance the antimicrobial efficiency of the masks.
Their subsequent research paper entitled “Face Masks and Respirators in the Fight Against the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Review of Current Materials, Advances and Future Perspectives,” received best paper award from the peer-reviewed journal ‘Materials’.
PhD Researcher Kris O’Dowd and his research team at ATU Sligo.
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Face mask and respirators research findings: • Wearing masks helps prevent the spread of Covid. • Materials used in masks are the same as those used in 1901. • 25-29% of higher grade masks (e.g., N95) were found to be worn incorrectly reducing their effectiveness. • Cleaning of masks using ultraviolet light for reuse was effective in the elimination of influenzas but resulted in a 90% degradation of the mask material. • The use of steam for mask cleaning was also capable of disinfecting but increased the mask pore size reducing its ability to filter out microorganism.
Recently, several studies have been performed to improve the efficiency of respirators and masks against ultra-fine particles such as viruses and other pathogens…the virus disinfection capability can be improved by treating the filter surfaces with materials that possess antimicrobial properties.
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Face Masks and Respirators in the Fight Against the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Review of Current Materials, Advances and Future Perspectives Dr Brendan McCormack, Head of ATU Sligo College said: “This award is a very timely recognition of the work that the team did during COVID-19 as we now begin to emerge out the other side of the pandemic. It will also help to inform other reviews that are beginning of the whole process and how we can fight infection more effectively.”
The researchers involved were Kris O’Dowd, Keerthi M. Nair, Parnia Forouzandeh, Snehamol Mathew and Jamie Grant. The work was led by the Head of the Faculty of Science Dr Jeremy Bird, Head of Research Dr John Bartlett, Ruth Moran and Prof Suresh C. Pillai. The full research paper is available to read here. June 2022 Issue Two
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€370,000 Funding for
Pioneering ATU Donegal Supercomputer Dr Michael McCann, principal investigator (PI) for a number of research projects including ATU Donegal’s technology gateway WiSAR has secured funding for crucial High Powered Computing (HPC) infrastructure, €250,000 from the technology gateway capital call and an additional €120,000 from the Interreg VA funded Centre for Personalised Medicine. This will support research and innovation in data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The funding will be used to secure a new state-of-theart high-performance computer and AI platform. This new supercomputer will enable ATU’s scientific community, student base, and industry partners to pursue cutting-edge research on a broad range of topics. Michael says: “Data-driven business solutions present a substantial opportunity for industry, driving next generation product innovation,
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reducing production costs, streamlining processes, increasing profits, and accelerating speed to market. However, there are many challenges inhibiting businesses, particularly SMEs, from fully capitalising on the data economy, including a lack of in-house expertise and high infrastructure costs. These barriers have led to a growing demand for high performance computing services among our industry clients. This test bed will also be a critical resource for Atlantic TU, being the first such supercomputing facility within the university.” A recent report found that Ireland had the highest share of businesses using AI applications among EU
member states. The next generation of AI applications demand highly sophisticated computational ability. Investment in supercomputing infrastructure like this project in ATU Donegal, will be an important enabler in sustaining Ireland’s competitive advantage and support research and innovation in this field across the ATU. Michael and his academic colleagues in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology will be working with their technology gateway WiSAR to launch a technical training programme for industry in utilising the new facility.
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Supercomputing allows for the concurrent processing of enormous volumes of data at exceptionally high speeds. It is a key resource for scientists, engineers and technologists in the digital age, in solving a wide array of highly complex problems.
I am passionate about building a sustainable and world-renowned research community within the newly formed ATU, encouraging a healthy culture of shared island partnership and collaboration to leave a legacy of vibrant academic research, providing wealth and economic stability for the west and north-west of Ireland.
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About Dr Michael McCann Michael holds a first-class honours degree in Electronics and Computing and completed his PhD in Intelligent Systems Design. He has worked in project and programme management including pre-sales and operational delivery in the US and in London. His knowledge of the challenges faced by industry provides him with
a unique perspective and skillset for helping shape applied research and innovation strategies in Atlantic TU. Michael is currently the chair of the research committee at ATU Donegal Letterkenny and has been a strong advocate for driving change and building a healthy research community. Michael holds several
key research leadership positions within the faculty including research industry lead for the newly formed AI NoW cross border industry research centre.
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Using Queer Theory to Explore the Experiences of
LGBTQ+ students in Higher Education
John Garvey from ATU Donegal recently researched the experience of LGBTQ+ students in higher education as part of a doctorate in Education at Queen’s University Belfast. Fourteen LGBTQ+ participants took part in the study in two former institutes of technology in the north-west of Ireland, now part of Atlantic TU. Almost all LGBTQ+ students described coming from a highly heteronormative secondary school experience where LGBTQ+ life is silenced and rarely visible. In deciding their choice of which third level institute to enrol in, many ensured that there was an active LGBTQ+ society and looked for evidence of LGBTQ+ life being celebrated or visible on campus. Participants said they hid their sexuality and gender identity for many years, prior to starting their third level course. This caused them to be wary of their first year on campus, often not coming out to classmates and others until later in their higher education journey.
Inishowen Pride Parade in Buncrana, June 5 2022.
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Showing visibility and support to LGBTQ+ students at events such as open days, during school visits and on the university’s main webpage is an important indicator for prospective students. All participants agreed on the need for much greater visibility of LGBTQ+ life on campus stating the only visible presence was the LGBTQ+ society and the rare flying of the Rainbow flag.
Survey participants said that the presence of active LGBTQ+ societies on third level education campuses was an important factor in making their decision to enrol at a particular campus.
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This study captured the experiences of LGBTQ+ in Higher Education which highlighted the need for greater visibility and support for LGBTQ+ students, more inclusive curricula, staff training, institute policies and a closer relationship between staff and LGBTQ+ students.
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John McGarvey, PhD researcher, ATU Donegal
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Recent Atlantic TU Conferences Cyber Research Conference Ireland ATU Galway City April 25 Academics, students and professionals working in the tech sector attended Ireland’s first Cyber Research Conference Ireland (CRCI) at ATU Galway City on April 25. The conference focused on both practical and theoretical aspects of cyber security, privacy, trust as well as the resilience of networks, systems and services. Attendees exchanged knowledge and experience with the shared goal of strengthening research in cybersecurity and related areas across Ireland. The event was organised by itag’s (Innovation Technology AtlanTec Gateway) Cyber Forum
in conjunction with Cyber Ireland, National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and ATU Galway & Mayo. The conference was co-sponsored by IEEE and the keynote address was given by Professor Donna O’ Shea, Chair of Cybersecurity, Munster Technological University (MTU). Speaking about the conference, Caroline Cawley, CEO of itag said: “Ireland is becoming an important centre of cyber activity with the five
leading security software companies in the world already based here and another 60 Irish cyber security businesses in operation. Yet despite the strength of Ireland’s cyber security prowess internationally, there hasn’t been the same level of focus domestically or any suitable platforms for the sharing of expertise between industry and academia.”
Pictured left to right: Caroline Cawley, CEO of itag; Dr Seamus Dowling, CRCI co-chair, ATU Mayo; Ruth Lennon, IEEE Senior Member, ATU Letterkenny; Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President; Dr Michael Lang CRCI co-chair NUI Galway.
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As well as academia, this conference wants to create strong links with industries working to improve the cybersecurity posture of their ICT infrastructure. Irrespective of whether these industries specialise in core cybersecurity activities or related technologies, this conference provides the opportunity to build relationships between academia and industry. This will inform the development of future cybersecurity research and taught programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
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Conference co-chair, Dr Seamus Dowling, ATU Mayo
Programme chair for CRCI, Ruth Lennon (ATU Donegal Letterkenny) said: “As an IEEE senior member, I knew the importance of disseminating the work of our presenters to a wider stage through IEEE indexing. The commitment of the conference chairs to supporting diversity in the panel of speakers saw the IEEE UK & Ireland choosing this event as the first event they have ever technically co-sponsored.
Following on from this success, CRCI 2023 will take place in ATU Donegal Letterkenny strengthening our crosscampus security expertise.” These comments were echoed by conference co-chair, Dr Michael Lang (Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems in NUIG), who said: “This inaugural conference will provide an opportunity for researchers and practitioners in cybersecurity, cybercrime and
related areas from across the whole island of Ireland to present their work, advance the state of knowledge, and build alliances. The conference will be multidisciplinary, with contributions invited from the fields of computer science, information systems, business, law, criminology, psychology, and other relevant cognate disciplines.”
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ATU Sligo Digital Education Winner at the .IE Digital Town Awards with the iNote Project
iNOTE Symposium ATU Donegal Letterkenny May 3 On Tuesday May 3, ATU Donegal Letterkenny hosted the iNOTE Symposium 2022. The event showcased the innovative, agile and impactful outcomes of the iNOTE project and their applications to teaching and learning. The iNOTE project was funded under the Higher Education System Innovation and Transformation Call 2018 administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). In December 2018, funding of €2.84m was awarded to the project for the period 2019 – 2022. The main aim of the project was to build digital capability for flexible learning delivery in the west and north-west region.
The welcome address was delivered by Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President and the keynote address was given by Dr Alec Couros, Professor, Educational Technology & Media Director, Centre for Teaching & Learning University of Regina, Canada.
The success of the iNote project was recognised recently at the IE Digital Town Awards where it was the winner of the Digital Education Award. To date, the project has created or introduced many supports to assist with students’ wellbeing, academic skills and non-academic support. The .IE Digital Town Awards promote awareness, knowledge, use and understanding of digital in Ireland by its citizens, businesses and communities. They also highlight the benefits and possibilities of digital and celebrate the digital achievements of towns and projects.
The symposium presented the outputs and impacts of the iNOTE project focusing on: • Quality Assurance Policy for Flexible Delivery • Building Digital Teaching and Learning Capabilities in ATU • Providing Support Services for Online Flexible Learners • Developing and Delivering Work based Learning Programmes utilising Digital Capabilities for Flexible Delivery.
Pictured left to right: Louise Kearins, Simon Stephens, Professor Jacqueline McCormack, Dr Orla Flynn, Dr Seán Duffy and Dr Carina Ginty at the iNOTE Symposium in ATU Donegal Letterkenny, May 3.
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Participants at the iNOTE Symposium in ATU Donegal Letterkenny, May 3.
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Atlantic TU DigitalEd22 Conference ATU Galway City May 4-6 The ATU DigitalEd22 Conference took place through hybrid delivery and incorporated both virtual and on-site sessions for all ATU staff and partners, and the wider higher education sector in Ireland. Over 300 participants engaged with 40 sessions across the three days.
The DigitalEd22 conference was quite timely, as we emerged from COVID and remote teaching and learning. It demonstrated how we have digitally transformed, as we are now a new technological university. Over 40 digital transformation stories were presented across the three days and the sessions covered a wide variety of themes including: assessment transformation, academic integrity, students as partners, digital badges, ePortfolios for employability, online and flexible learning course design, student engagement, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and technology enhanced learning tools.
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Conference Chair, Dr Carina Ginty
Left to right: Dr Carina Ginty, Dr Orla Flynn and Professor Meg Benke at the DigitalEd22 Conference.
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Atlantic TU DigitalEd22 Conference Continued International keynote addresses included: Dr Tony Bates, an author of eleven books in digital learning; Professor Meg Benke from the State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State College; Professor Phil Dawson from CRADLE at Deakin University Australia, a leading researcher in the area of academic integrity; and award winning higher education educators in digital learning, Sue Beckingham and Sheila McNeill from the UK. Parallel conference sessions included contributions from a wide range of disciplines including educators and students from across the ATU and Microsoft Education. The sessions explored various topics such as teaching and learning experiences during the pandemic, assessment in the digital world, the digital transformation developments, and lessons learned from the ATU DigitalEd book of case studies, published in 2021. The annual DigitalEd conference is organised by the ATU Teaching and Learning Office team in Galway City in collaboration with ATU colleagues across eight campuses. You can access the recordings and outputs from the conference by clicking here.
Students CJ O’Donnell and Mary McDonnell presenting ATU Galway Minecraft Metaverse at the DigitalED22 Conference.
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Graphic Harvest of Dr Tony Bate’s Keynote Address, Teaching in a Digital Age
Graphic harvest of Sue Beckingham's Keynote Address, Learning as a Partnership June 2022 Issue Two
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Regional Engagement Forum One University for a Unique Region ATU Mayo May 12 Senior ATU management and regional stakeholders met at ATU Mayo on May 12 to discuss the economic and employment profile of the west and north-west region. The forum was facilitated by ATU President, Dr Orla Flynn. All attendees participated in a workshop on the distinctive profile of the region involving presentations and discussions with representatives from Enterprise Ireland, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) and the IDA.
David Minton, Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA) speaking at the Regional Engagement Forum.
Niall O'Donnellan, former Chair of IT Sligo and retired employee of Enterprise Ireland speaking at the Regional Engagement Forum.
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Conference ATU Sligo May 26 This year ATU Sligo were delighted to be able to host the UDL conference in person. The conference explored the ‘Student Voice’ and their perspectives of UDL. Presenters included staff and students. Attendees left feeling energised and ready to implement UDL into curricula to support ATU’s 20,000 plus students. The attendees considered many approaches to UDL. through an exploration of shared best inclusive practice. Through creating an awareness of a cross-campus approach to implementing a culture of inclusion and diversity, ATU has made significant strides in climbing the UDL ladder to bring this vision to reality.
Minister Simon Harris speaking at the UDL conference, about how inclusion initiatives like UDL benefits everyone.
The teaching and learning framework that is UDL has guided this transition to provide a high-quality educational experience to all its students. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris launched the conference, praising ATU for leading the way in Ireland on UDL. UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn, including students with disabilities. It aims to improve the educational experience of all students by introducing more flexible methods of teaching, assessment and service provision to cater for the diversity
of learners in our classrooms. This approach is underpinned by research in the field of neuroscience and is designed to improve the learning experience and outcomes for all students.
Pictured at the UDL conference, left to right, Professor Jacqueline McCormack, ATU Vice President for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and Online Development, Dr Niamh Plunkett, Head of Teaching and Learning, ATU Sligo, Minister Simon Harris and Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President.
I’m delighted this conference is going to specifically consider the student voice and their perspective of UDL. We are about making sure we embed UDL so that every student can reach their best potential. I want to commend everyone here at ATU Sligo for the substantial progress you have already made when it comes to UDL, for the highquality education experience you are providing to students and making education more accessible for a much wider range of learners. You are leading the way here in Sligo when it comes to UDL. ”
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris.
UDL Conference Themes • Engagement: Recruiting and keeping interest.
• Delivery: Showcasing UDL teaching approaches to delivery in the face to face and on-line classroom.
• Materials: Adopting a UDL classroom with accessible materials for all learner types.
• Assessment: Adopting alternative assessment practices through a UDL lens.
The UDL Conference keynote speaker was Dr Seán Bracken (pictured above), Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Principal Lecturer at the University of Worcester. June 2022 Issue Two
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Atlantic TU Offers 54 New Springboard Courses We are delighted to announce that we will be offering 54 courses across our campuses in Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Sligo in Science, Technology and Engineering, Business and Social Science disciplines under the new 2022 Springboard+ Programme. Funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), these courses are free for unemployed participants and for all participants on Further Education (Level 6) programmes. For those in employment, 90% of funding is available for participants opting to study ordinary degree (Level 7), honours degree (Level 8) and masters (Level 9) level courses.
Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris at the unveiling of the 2022 Springboard+ Programme on May 25.
Many of these courses are also reflective of our changing world including courses in cyber security, industrial automation and health informatics. They have been designed for learners who want to study part time at a pace that matches their work/life balance.
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ATU’s new Springboard one year courses are delivered part time and are fully online. They are designed for those seeking employment and those already employed, wishing to upskill. You can find out more by clicking here.
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Atlantic TU wins an Irish Construction Excellence Award At a gala evening in the Convention Centre Dublin, ATU Sligo won the award in the ‘Third Level – CPD’ category for its online and flexible Master of Engineering in Road and Transport Engineering at the Irish Construction Excellence Awards. While the university was also recognised by having their online and flexible Master of Science in Project Management also shortlisted
as a finalist, there could be only one winner. 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. This part-time blended programme is the first online master’s programme in Ireland to be accredited at the
education standard required for the registration of Chartered Engineers and was developed in partnership with the Department of Transport and the Local Authority Services National Training Group (LASNTG), targeting civil engineers working in the road and transport engineering sector.
Úna Parsons, Head of School of Engineering & Design, ATU Sligo and colleagues receive their Irish Construction Excellence Award.
I am delighted on behalf of the programme committee that the ICE award committee has acknowledged the quality and positive impact that the MEng degree has had on the civil engineering sector. This award provides further recognition of the academic integrity and flexibility of delivery for learners as evidenced by the degree’s full Chartered Engineer status awarded by Engineers Ireland in 2021.
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Dr Brian McCann, Course Coordinator of the Master of Engineering in Road and Transport Engineering June 2022 Issue Two
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Design and Innovation Postgrad Programme
Wins a National Education Award Atlantic TU’s Masters of Science in Design and Innovation recently won “Best Masters Programme” in the National Education Awards 2022. Delivered from ATU Galway City, the part-time multidisciplinary course was first offered two years ago in response to a number of important reports including the “National Planning Framework (NPF) Project Ireland 2040” which sets out the priorities for shaping the future growth
and development of Ireland and the west and north-west region The MSc in Design and Innovation programme is designed for people from varied disciplines who want to develop their innovation, design, management and leadership skills, while in full or part-time employment in industry, services and public bodies. The current participants who will graduate this year are professionals working in MedTech, Pharma, Refrigeration, Furniture Design, Civil
Left to right: ATU Galway Colleagues Dr Martin Taggart, lecturer, Dr Gabriel J Costello, Chair of the Masters in Design and Innovation programme and Emer Cahill, lecturer with the National Education Award.
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Engineering, Manufacturing and Education sectors. In one of the programme modules, a group of students worked on a research project with the Galway Parkinson’s Association and local design company Synecco, aimed at assisting patients and their families with medication adherence. The next two-year cycle of the programme will commence in September 2022. For more information go to the programme website by clicking here.
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At Atlantic TU we serve a diverse group of learners, staff, communities and organisations in the west, 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. www.atu.ie @atu_ie
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