Schedule of Event 8.45 – 9.15
Registration and Refreshments (Main Atrium, WIT Cork Road Campus)
9.15 – 9.30
Keynote Address Putting Irish Research Policy in Context: Implications of ‘Hunt’ and Research Prioritisation Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, Director of Research & Enterprise, Dublin Institute of Technology
9.30 – 9.45
A March towards a Technological University: WIT’s Research Challenges and Opportunities Professor Willie Donnelly, Vice President for Research & Innovation, Waterford Institute of Technology
9.45 – 10.10
Question and Answer Session
10.10 – 11.00
Research Theme: Environment, Health & Life Sciences Chair: Ms Susie Cullinane DNA toolbox for squirrel surveys Ms Denise O’Meara, PhD Student Department of Chemical & Life Sciences The provision of antenatal care for low risk pregnant women in the south-east of Ireland: an exploratory study Ms Annette Cullen Murphy, Masters Student Department of Nursing The development of a taper model and a diameter at breast height to total height model to predict user defined roundwood assortment volumes in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.) first thinning plantations in Ireland Mr Enda Coates, PhD Student Department of Chemical & Life Sciences Isolation, purification and identification of anti-MRSA compounds from Ulva lactuca Ms Shiau Pin Tan, PhD Student Department of Chemical & Life Sciences
WIT Research Day 2012
Nitrogen use efficiency on dairy farms in South-East Ireland Ms Elena Mihailescu, PhD Student Department of Chemical & Life Sciences 11.00 – 11.30
Coffee Break
11.30 – 11.40
The Research Journey Dr John Nolan, Principal Investigator, Macular Pigment Research Group
11.40 – 12.30
Research Theme: Materials & Energy Chair: Dr John Nolan An investigation into the properties of a bioactive polymer for renal failure patients Ms Reem Elsiddig, Masters Student Department of Chemical & Life Sciences Seeing the wood from the trees, or perhaps the whole tree itself? Characterisation and quantification of wood biomass for conversion into energy Mr Nicholas Mockler, Masters Student Department of Chemical & Life Sciences Real time, in situ monitoring of acoustic emission in CNC machining applications Mr Jonathan Downey, Masters Student Department of Engineering Technology Material moisture analysis using DC techniques and wireless propagations Mr Yaqiang Liu, PhD Student Department of Engineering Technology Scanning tunnelling microscopy for the study of conjugated polymers used in organic photovoltaic cells Mr Daniel Tiemann, PhD Student Department of Engineering Technology
12.30 – 13.00
Poster Viewing Session
13.00 – 13.50
Lunch & Networking
13.50 – 14.00
IRCSET INSPIRE Postdoctoral Fellowship Dr Steven Davy, Postdoctoral Researcher, Telecommunications Software & Systems Group
WIT Research Day 2012
14.00 – 14.50
Research Theme: New Information Technologies Chair: Dr Steven Davy Check-in based group management for first responders in disaster management scenarios Mr Leigh Griffin, PhD Student Department of Computing, Maths & Physics Self monitoring and controlling of home traffic for better quality and security using policies Ms Annie Ibrahim Rana, PhD Student Department of Computing, Maths & Physics Optimisation of OpenCL code generation in Par4All for heterogeneous architectures Mr Niall Donnelly, PhD Student Department of Computing, Maths & Physics On delay distribution in IEEE 802.11 wireless networks Mr Stepan Ivanov, Masters Student Department of Computing, Maths & Physics Classifying traffic flows of changing distributions Mr Runxin Wang, PhD Student Department of Computing, Maths & Physics
14.50 – 15.05
Them, Us and Me Dr Maeve Henchion, Head of Department of Agrifood Business & Spatial Analysis, Teagasc
15.05 – 15.55
Research Theme: Society, Culture, Economy, Business & Enterprise Chair: Dr Maeve Henchion An exploration of prisoners’ experience of prison education in Ireland Ms Geraldine Cleere, PhD Student Department of Applied Arts Steering through organisational change in acute psychiatric services Ms Claire Hayes, Masters Student Department of Nursing
WIT Research Day 2012
Managerial capability for innovation in Irish tourism micro firms Mr Arthur Kearney, Masters Student Department of Management & Organisation Fostering resilience: an exploration of the link between resilience, outcomes and foster care in Ireland Ms Danielle Douglas, Masters Student Department of Applied Arts Deconstructing stories of failure: a multi-perspective study of business insolvency in Ireland Mr Padraig McCarthy, PhD Student Department of Accountancy & Economics
15.55 – 16.15
Poster Viewing Session
16.15 – 16:30
Proclamation of the Winners of the Poster and Oral Competitions and Closure of Research Day 2012
16:30
Postgraduate Research Student Networking Event
WIT Research Day 2012
Environment, Health & Life Science Chair: Ms Susie Cullinane
WIT Research Day 2012
Denise O’Meara Title: DNA toolbox for squirrel surveys Supervisors: Dr Catherine O’Reilly, Dr Peter Turner Abstract TaqMan based assays were developed for species-specific identification of two species of squirrel found in the British Isles, the native red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and the introduced North American grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). These assays correctly identified tissue and hair samples of both species and there was no cross-species amplification. DNA methods have been optimized that can identify individual squirrels (genotyping) using hair samples. This can be used to census individuals without disturbing or trapping the animal. This can be utilized to assess the genetic variability and overall genetic health of the population. A molecular technique was also designed that can be employed to identify the mitochondrial DNA type (haplotype) that can show historical evidence of geographical isolation, historical movements and habitat fragmentation or continuity. The combination of these methods can be used to assess the genetic variability of red squirrels, manage the invasive grey squirrel population and assess the genetic background of a remnant red squirrel population to assist in the planning of a re-introduction or re-location programme as recommended by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines.
WIT Research Day 2012
Annette Cullen Murphy Title: The provision of antenatal care for low risk pregnant women in the southeast of Ireland: an exploratory study Supervisors: Dr Martina Gooney, Dr Patricia Chesser-Smyth, Ms Linda Sheahan Abstract Midwives are specialists in normal pregnancy and provide woman-centered care. Midwifery-led care is well recommended as being the best type of care for low risk women providing continuity, choice, and develops trusting relationships with women. Various different midwifery led schemes are now established in the South East but concerns exist regarding the knowledge and accessibility of these schemes. The aim of this research study is to explore the provision of antenatal care services for low risk pregnant women in the South Eastern region. A mixed methods approach is utilised involving 3 phases. Phase 1: a descriptive exploratory survey used questionnaires of low-risk pregnant women (n=394). The findings will inform Phase 2 which involves focus group interviews of low risk pregnant women. Phase 3 will comprise of focus group interviews with multidisciplinary professionals. The preliminary data was analysed using SPSS Version 17 using descriptive and non-parametric statistical tests. The qualitative data from the focus groups in Phases 2 and 3 will be analysed using a content analysis framework (Elo and Kyngas, 2008) and NVivo 9 software. Phase 1 preliminary findings demonstrated that whilst participants were positive regarding most aspects of their antenatal care, 72% were unaware of their low risk status. Findings also suggested that waiting times were excessive and issues with the provision of information and the opportunity to ask questions were evident. It is anticipated that new strategies may enhance the provision of midwifery-led care and suggest that integration of an antenatal referral pathway may enhance the current service.
WIT Research Day 2012
Enda Coates Title: The development of a taper model and a diameter at breast height to total height model to predict user defined roundwood assortment volumes in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.) first thinning plantations in Ireland Supervisors: Mr Michael Pedini, Mr Tom Kent Abstract A set of models for Irish grown Sitka spruce in farm forestry plantations at first thinning was developed, which can be used as a tool to predict the potential volume of user specified assortments recoverable during harvesting. The prediction tool requires sample plot data from a forest, where the dbh of every tree to be thinned in the plot is measured, and one tree in the plot is measured for dbh and total height. Data was collected from 429 trees on five farm forestry sites in Ireland. Three taper equations were tested for suitability. The Kozak (2004) variable exponent taper equation performed best. This taper equation requires total height as an input, and therefore an estimate of total height was needed. Four dbh to height equations were tested for their ability to fit the data. A Chapman Richards equation, which has been modified to localise to a sample plot using one sample tree height measurement and the dbh measurement of the sample tree, performed best. The developed models were validated on three plots from an independent validation dataset, a total of 89 trees. Overall, when compared to the validation dataset, the tool predicted the full stem length volume with a standard error estimate of 0.0098 m3 per tree, and a bias of 0.00003 m3 per tree.
WIT Research Day 2012
Shiau Pin Title: Isolation, purification and preliminary identification of anti-MRSA compounds from Ulva lactuca Supervisors: Dr Helen Hughes, Dr Peter McLoughlin Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - associated infection is a major issue in clinical settings worldwide. Difficulties in controlling and treating this pathogen resulted in the need to find novel antibacterial agents from natural sources with equal/greater potency than the approved antibiotics. Seaweeds, known to contain many bioactive compounds, represent such natural sources. Purification of the antibacterial compounds is important to eliminate possibility of synergistic/antagonistic effects from other compounds. Identification of the bioactive compound structures may facilitate synthetic production of such compounds. The aim of this study was to isolate, purify and identify anti-MRSA compounds from Ulva lactuca. The seaweed was first extracted with solvent followed by separation using bioautographic-guided methodology. This involved separating the extract on a thin layer chromatographic plate, followed by direct overlaying with MRSA-seeded agar. The band responsible for the anti-MRSA activity was then collected from the preparative TLC plate which was developed simultaneously with the bioautographic TLC plate. Further separation of the antiMRSA compounds was performed using silica column chromatography. This yielded a potent semi-pure fraction which inhibited MRSA at 10 Âľg and reduced MRSA growth at 6 Âľg. The anti-MRSA compound was further purified using reversed-phase high performance-liquid chromatography. Preliminary characterisation and identification of the purified compounds was performed using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC & LC-MS), infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). GCMS and LCMS analysis revealed the presence of fatty acids while the FTIR and NMR data suggested the presence of ketones. The identification of this compound is ongoing with high resolution LCMS.
WIT Research Day 2012
Elena Mihailescu Title: Nitrogen use efficiency on dairy farms in South-East Ireland Supervisors: Dr I.A. Casey, Dr J. Humphreys, Dr P. Murphy Abstract The Nitrates Directive was implemented in 2006 in Ireland under Statutory Instrument (SI) 378. This curtails nitrogen (N) use on farms. The objective of this study was to investigate farm-gate N balances and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) on dairy farms following Nitrates Regulationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; implementation. Twenty-one dairy farms in the south-east of Ireland were surveyed monthly in 2010. The N imports (chemical fertiliser, purchased concentrates, livestock and silage) and N exports (milk, livestock and silage sales) were quantified. The farm-gate N balance was the difference between N imports and N exports, whereas NUE was the ratio between N exports and N imports. The N balances (kg N ha-1) ranged from +45 to +277 with a mean of +196 (s.d. 61.9). The NUE ranged from 16% to 43% with a mean of 28% (s.d. 8.8). In comparison with earlier studies conducted between 2003 and 2006 (Treacy et al., 2008) and in 1997 (Mounsey et al., 1998), the mean N balance (+196 kg N ha-1) in the present study was lower (P<0.001) than between 2003 and 2006 (+244 kg N ha-1) and in 1997 (+304 kg N ha-1). The mean NUE in the current study (28%) was substantially higher (P<0.001) than between 2003 and 2006 (20%) and in 1997 (17%). The lower mean N balance and much higher NUE in the current study compared with similar previous studies in Ireland indicate improvement in farm-gate N balances and NUE on dairy farms after implementation of Nitrates Regulations.
WIT Research Day 2012
Materials & Energy Chair: Dr John Nolan
WIT Research Day 2012
Reem Elsiddig Title: An investigation into the properties of a bioactive polymer for renal failure patients Supervisors: Dr Peter McLoughlin, Dr Helen Hughes, Dr Eleanor Owens Abstract The present work provides insight regarding the physicochemical properties of a Polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAA-HCl) hydrogel, the active pharmaceutical ingredient of an oral drug prescribed to prevent the absorption of dietary phosphate for renal patients. Different formulations of PAA-HCl hydrogels using an aqueous crosslinking reaction were synthesised. The key attributes of hydrogels that modulate their properties and the link between these attributes and hydrogel behaviour were investigated. Results showed that the properties of the PAA-HCl hydrogels can be controlled by varying the crosslinker epichlorohydrin (EPI) and NaOH concentrations. The effect of the degree of crosslinker concentration on the properties of the hydrogels has been studied using swelling ratios, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calometric (DSC), and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR). Increasing the crosslinking concentration decreases the swelling ratio, the thermal stability and increases the glass transition temperature of the hydrogels. The linear relationship between hydrogel morphology and the glass transition temperature Tg obtained using DSC could be used to tailor-make hydrogels of specific Tg’s. SSNMR was found to be a promising tool for characterising solid biomaterials and examining the dynamic mobility of polymer chains. A series of kinetic studies were carried out in an agitated batch reactor. Phosphate binding was found to follow pseudo second order kinetics. Thermodynamic parameters such as ∆G°, ΔH° and ∆S° were evaluated in order to assess the relationship of these parameters and the polymer morphology. The binding reaction was found to be a spontaneous endothermic process with increasing entropy at solid liquid interfaces.
WIT Research Day 2012
Nicholas Mockler Title: Seeing the wood from the trees, or perhaps the whole tree itself? Characterisation and quantification of wood biomass for conversion into energy Supervisors: Mr Tom Kent, Dr Eleanor Owens Abstract Utilising wood as a renewable source of energy is a topical, yet broad subject matter. Furthermore, it is divided up into various sub-topics. Corollary, quality of wood fuel is the sub- topic that is core to proceedings. As timber for conventional uses is an internationally traded commodity, quality specifications are in place. In energy terms, quality specifications for trade also apply to wood fuel products. However, preliminary development of databases on anticipatory energy parameters are a necessary requirement in a sector that is fledgling. More specifically, physical wood energy parameters are the characteristics of interest. These include moisture content and basic density of wood. Such properties influence the quality of wood fuel, especially moisture content in terms of combustion efficiency, inter alia heating values, price paid, storage conditions and transportation. Both moisture content and basic density possess a high degree of variability, whereby the typical sources of variation encountered are currently under investigation for selected tree species. The species include six, three coniferous: Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and three broadleaved: ash (Fraxinus excelsior), alder (Alnus glutinosa) and birch (Betula spp.). Apart from the characterisation element, the sampling methods allow for quantification of whole tree biomass. All woody components of a tree can be converted into energy. Overall, in the interest of applicability, greater know how on physical wood fuel quality parameters/specifications and preliminary development of biomass resource inventories (converted from traditional volume based inventories used in industry) are the key deliverables anticipated.
WIT Research Day 2012
Jonathan Downey Title: Real time, in situ monitoring of acoustic emission in CNC machining applications Supervisors: Dr Paul Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary, Dr Ramesh Raghavendra Abstract Milling machines are commonly used to shape metal to designed patterns, by cutting away metal from a larger, blank piece. The operation can require very high precision, as the end-piece could be used in exacting environments, such as drilling the outer part of a human skull, mass spectroscopy or atomic force microscopy. Moreover, the cutting operation can take several hours to complete. Given these precision and time constraints, it is imperative to be aware of the quality/condition of the cutting tool, as the tool will degrade with use and such degradation can impact on the quality of the milled piece, even leading to it being discarded. Such discards cost the industry an average of 2%-5% of turnover per annum and can lead to inadvertently using imprecisely cut components. Although Computer Numerical Control (CNC) process monitoring has been intensively researched for more than thirty years now, this work takes a fresh look at the problem and presents a real-world approach to sensing the degradation in the cutting tool, based on sensing acoustic and vibration emissions taken throughout the cutting operation. Results are presented and suggestions made towards improving the operation so that it may be eventually fully automated. This work has been funded initially by Schivo, but has recently also passed the minimum threshold required for funding under the EU-FP7 SME programme, co-ordinated by the WIT SEAM centre.
WIT Research Day 2012
Yaqiang Liu Title: Material moisture analysis using DC techniques and wireless propagations Supervisor: Dr Paul Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary Abstract This work describes a method to measure moisture absorption of dielectric materials (powders). Moisture take-up and loss in a material can significantly alter the materialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s properties, for example, in pharmaceutical tablets. Measuring the moisture content gives advance indication of problems, but is often not carried out. Measuring moisture content can also take time, especially for new material batches or for batches of unknown material. A fast and accurate technique would be of significant potential in research or industry. For those Fickan materials, first method is using two temperature and humidity probes and Laptop/PC; second method based on wireless propagation. It is possible to measure those materials using wireless propagations. Dielectric materials (in this proposal drug powders) can hold quite an amount of moisture and appear normal to an observer. However, the efficacy of the material can be greatly compromised by the presence of such moisture. It is therefore important to quantify the amount of moisture in manufacturing output and in most cases to qualify the source, with a view to remediating the situation.
WIT Research Day 2012
Daniel Tiemann Title: Scanning tunnelling microscopy for the study of conjugated polymers used in organic photovoltaic cells Supervisor: Dr Joseph O’Mahony Abstract Photovoltaic cells convert light energy into electric energy. In organic photovoltaic cells, polymers, organic molecules or a combination of both are applied as the photo-active material. The cost (€/kWh) of energy conversion relates to the efficiency and lifetime of an organic photovoltaic cell. The efficiency depends on variations in the electronic properties and interface morphology of cell components at nanometre scale. Chemical and physical processes within the cell change these properties and lead to a degradation of efficiency, which is responsible for finite cell lifetimes. Scanning probe methods, based on the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) or scanning force microscope (SFM), allow the nanoscale investigation of electronic, optoelectronic and structural properties of materials used in organic photovoltaic cells. STM z-V spectroscopy has been reported to allow the extraction of the electronic bandgap of organic semiconductors with high lateral resolution. The construction of a digitally controlled STM setup is presented and results relating to z-V spectroscopy are discussed.
WIT Research Day 2012
New Information Technologies Chair: Dr Steven Davy
WIT Research Day 2012
Leigh Griffin Title: Check-in based group management for first responders in disaster management scenarios Supervisors: Dr Dmitri Botvich, Mr Eamonn de Leastar Abstract Location based check-ins, whereby individuals register their presence in some physical space, is a comparatively recent social networking phenomenon. Now a widely accepted metaphor, it can be usefully adapted and extended to realize innovative services within a disaster management context. Individuals, which may be casualties or potential ďŹ rst responder emergency personnel, checkin when a major event occurs. They provide initial context information including location, condition and available resources. A triage algorithm is applied to form groups of individuals which would contain ďŹ rst responders and potential casualties to be serviced. First responders directly interact with the group they have been allocated, and are allocated new group members over time. A full simulation of such a system is presented, including adoption of conventional Policy Based Network Management principles. These principles permit the authoring of high level group formation policies, encapsulating triage or other group formation algorithms, to be implemented, tested and adapted on the ďŹ&#x201A;y as a simulated disaster unfolds. The simulation environment is also presented, which is realised using modern components and tools that are also a viable foundation technology set for a real world implementation.
WIT Research Day 2012
Annie Ibrahim Rana Title: Self monitoring and controlling of home traffic for better quality and security using policies Supervisors: Dr Brendan Jennings, Dr Steven Davy, Dr Mícheál Ó Foghlú Abstract Methods for monitoring and analysing network data (specific to internet traffic) are well established. However, most of these methods are based on passive monitoring that collect and analyse data using either built-in system utilities or third-party applications. A typical approach for data analysis is syntaxbased parsing, which provides low-level detail about network events. Information extracted through this approach, however, is often less useful for the ordinary network users. On the other hand, semantic models not only make data interpretation more meaningful but can also help to manage the network more intelligently. Nevertheless, use of semantics in data monitoring is still at an infancy stage and some proposed solutions only define generic frameworks. This poster outlines a technique for the semantic uplift of monitoring data (capturing real-time events) and selection of policies to manage monitored network events. In core, the proposed technique defines a mechanism to implement autonomic control loop in home area networks. The proposed technique uses an ontologybased semantic model to contextualize monitoring data and selects the most appropriate policies to manage home area networks. The technique is explained and evaluated using two test cases, and the poster concludes with a discussion on limitations and future work.
WIT Research Day 2012
Niall Donnelly Title: Optimisation of OpenCL code generation in Par4All for heterogeneous architectures Supervisor: Dr Kieran Murphy Abstract Over the last 10 years there has been a paradigm shift in computing from single core to multi-core processors. Consequently, applications must now be designed to use multiple tasks operating in parallel. In addition, new processors with different core types have emerged offering increased performance. This heterogeneity in processors introduces difficulties for developers when developing applications that utilise these new processors. To address this, the Open Compute Language (OpenCL) specification was developed. OpenCL provides a single interface for programmers to write applications that can exploit heterogeneous processors. OpenCL does not, however, resolve the difficulty of writing applications for heterogeneous processors. Manually tuning parallel applications for specific processors can increase computational efficiency, but is complex and time consuming. Code generation tools, such as Par4All, aim to address this by moving the burden of developing the parallel implementation from the developer to compiler tools. While Par4All does generate valid OpenCL code from serial code, the resulting OpenCL code has limited capabilities to be tuned for different processor types and therefore may not utilise the full computational capabilities of the processors. The aim of this project is to augment the Par4all code generation process to generate parametrised OpenCL code that can be efficiently executed on processors with varying characteristics. This paper discusses one of the case study algorithms that was used in extending the Par4All code generation process. To demonstrate the effectiveness of parametrised OpenCL code, the OpenCL code generated using Par4All is compared against parametrised OpenCL code on both CPU and GPU. WIT Research Day 2012
Stepan Ivanov Title: On Delay Distribution in IEEE 802.11 wireless networks Supervisors: Dr Dmitri Botvich, Dr Sasitharan Balasubramaniam Abstract Modelling behaviour of IEEE 802.11 wireless networks have received significant attention over the recent years due to the dramatic growth of their popularity. Yet, obtaining MAC layer packet delay distribution estimation for a generic network remains challenging. Often services require their packets to be delivered over a network within a predefined timeout, whereas delivery of packets that overstayed their timeouts is cancelled. Probability for a generic packet delivery to be cancelled in this way commonly defines Quality of Service (QoS) provided by the network. Obtaining MAC layer packet delay distribution allows such a QoS modelling for IEEE 802.11 network and, hence, is of a high practical value. This work provides a technique that allows estimating such a distribution for the case of single-hop wireless networks. The technique is based on a terminating renewal process and delivers approximation of good quality, as it is proven by the results of extensive simulation.
WIT Research Day 2012
Runxin Wang Title: Building Traffic Classifier Adjusting to Changing Distributions Supervisors: Dr Lei Shi, Dr Brendan Jennings, Dr Dmitri Botvich Abstract Traffic classification plays an important role in many short to medium term network management tasks, as well as in longer term network dimensioning/planning tasks. In recent years a number of traffic classifiers have been proposed, with classifiers based on machine learning techniques in particular exhibiting high levels of accuracy. However, in practice, even if classifiers can be accurately trained at a given time, subsequently their accuracy will degrade when the characteristics of the network traffic change. In this paper, we propose an adjustable traffic classification system to address the issue. The key technique applied is ensemble classification, which allows the system be flexibly updated in response to the changing traffic distributions. In experiments we use two public traffic datasets exhibiting changing distributions to some extent. Our results should that ensemble classification results in improved classification accuracy in comparison to non-adaptable classifiers.
WIT Research Day 2012
Society, Culture, Economy, Business & Enterprise Chair: Dr Maeve Henchion
WIT Research Day 2012
Geraldine Cleere Title: An exploration of prisoners’ experiences of prison education in Ireland Supervisor: Dr Niamh Maguire Abstract While the link between prison education and reduced rates of recidivism is well established in the criminological literature, less is known about the relationship between prison education and desistance (the process of ceasing to commit crime). Several international studies suggest that prison education can increase an offender’s social capital and social bonds, both of which are important contributing factors in process of desistance (Laub and Sampson, 1993). These studies suggest that prison education is linked to increased self confidence (Tewksbury and Stengel, 2006), increased self control (Porporino and Robinson, 1992, more marketable job skills and employment eligibility, (Tewksbury and Stengel, 2006) all of which appear to be beneficial in the building of a person’s social capital and thus contributing to desistance from crime. In Ireland, little is known about the nature and potential benefits of Irish prisoner education. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a study specifically designed to explore prisoners’ experiences of prison education and to investigate whether or not participation in prison education contributes to an offender’s ability to desist from crime. The study adopted a mixed-method approach which included the use of semi-structured interviews and surveys to explore prisoner’s experiences of prison education, reasons for participation and non-participation as well as the value and benefits prisoners attributed to education in prison. Prisoners from two prisons, one closed and one open agreed to participate in the study. This paper will present the preliminary findings of the research beginning with prisoners’ experiences of prison education and then following by a brief examination of the possible links between prison education, social capital and desistance from crime. Having presented the preliminary findings, the paper will conclude by considering the implications of the findings for theory and practice.
WIT Research Day 2012
Claire Hayes Title: Steering through organisational change in acute psychiatric services Supervisors: Mr Michael Bergin, Professor John Wells Abstract In 2006, the national policy document ‘A Vision for Change’ was approved as the template for the delivery of mental health services across Ireland. Recommendations of the policy include a plan to close all psychiatric institutions in an effort to promote a community-based model of care and modernisation of mental health infrastructure. Adhering to A Vision for Change (2006) guidelines, acute mental health services will inevitably restructure services to facilitate contemporary community-based services. This study aims to explore organisational issues associated with the amalgamation of two acute psychiatric services in the south-east of Ireland. The study adopts a case study approach to facilitate the requirements of the research. Key stakeholders (n=30) involved in the amalgamation between the two acute psychiatric services were purposively recruited. Interviews were conducted utilising a semi-structured framework to obtain in-depth analysis. Despite a Vision for Change (2006) being described and recognised as the driving force for change by most participants, the vision of the amalgamation process was not equally shared and understood. Findings from the study depict varying views from both health professionals and management, thus conveying communication as one of the significant issues emerging from the research. This in turn had a significant impact on morale and cooperation within the organisation. Considering acute psychiatric services will continue to amalgamate in the near future, complying with policy guidelines, organisational issues remain a priority in achieving efficient service mergers. There are few “how-to” guides for successful mergers in the literature. The study targets healthcare leaders planning organisation amalgamations and those embarking on a smaller-scale integration of services by sharing the experiences of two acute mental health services in the south-east of Ireland. WIT Research Day 2012
Arthur Kearney Title: Managerial capability for innovation in Irish tourism micro firms Supervisors: Dr Denis Harrington, Dr Felicity Kelliher Abstract The tourism industry can contribute to future economic recovery, through economic growth, and employment creation (Department of Taoiseach, 2011). Micro firms constitute ninety percent of tourism firms (EU, 2011). They generate economic growth, sustain rural communities and develop indigenous industry (Kelliher and Reinl, 2010). Micro firm innovation is argued to have the potential to lead to sustainable competitive advantage (Simpson, 2001). In the Irish tourism context it faces significant barriers including limited managerial capability; risk intolerance; resource and time constraints (Fรกilte Ireland, 2010). Micro firm research over the past twelve years has increasingly focused on how owner/ managers can, through their own capabilities, enhance the business potential of the firm (Kelliher and Reinl, 2009; Devins et al. 2005; Greenbank, 2000). The purpose of this research project is to develop a model of tourism micro firm managerial capability for innovation. The project is in the latter stage of the development of a taxonomy of criteria for managerial capability for innovation. It is anticipated that the research methodology will be qualitative in nature reflecting an ontological perspective grounded in interpretivism. This reflects the complex social environment of the micro firm where decision making is deeply embedded in the social and local (Kruse 1997 cited in Devins et al. 2005). The research contributes to practice, theory and knowledge through providing a model tailored to owner/ managers. It enables policy makers better allocate scarce resources. Finally, it contributes towards the filling of a notable gap in the academic literature.
WIT Research Day 2012
Danielle Douglas Title: Fostering resilience: an exploration of the link between resilience, outcomes and foster care in Ireland Supervisor: Mr Frank Keating Abstract This research explores the link between resilience, outcomes and foster care in Ireland. The idea for the study was born from a desire to understand why some children and young people in foster care experience more positive outcomes than their peers. From conducting the literature review, it became evident that there is an extensive gap in the literature in terms of studies which have included the combined voices of both the adults and the young people at the heart of the foster care system. This study aimed to address this gap by providing an opportunity for foster carers, social workers, young people in foster care and foster care alumni to have a voice and share their lived experiences of the foster care system. To achieve this aim, the study adopted a mixed method sequential explanatory design (Creswell, 2003). Questionnaires explored the attitudes and views of foster carers and social workers across a range of issues. The findings from this phase were then analysed and aided the formation of the topic guides for the qualitative phase. Phase two involved conducting in-depth qualitative interviews with young people in order to gain an insight into the lives of children in foster care in Ireland. In particular the views of the young people in terms of their own resilience, factors promoting and preventing resilience and factors indicating â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;successfulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outcomes were examined. This paper will discuss the key themes which emerged from both quantitative and qualitative phases of the research and their implications for practice.
WIT Research Day 2012
Padraig McCarthy Title: Deconstructing stories of failure: a multi-perspective study of business insolvency in Ireland Supervisors: Dr Ray Griffin, Mr Chris Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Riordan Abstract Insolvency: cui bono? When this study commenced in 2008, the Irish economy was in the early stages of its worst ever financial crisis. Since then business failure has become a much larger part of the collective social awareness, and how we deal with insolvent individuals and businesses is now more pertinent than ever. By gathering stories that participants in insolvency proceedings (i.e. creditors, debtors, insolvency practitioners) told about their experience of business failure, this multi-perspective study represents a novel attempt to better understand business insolvency practice in Ireland. A deconstruction of these narratives renders alternative readings and consequently enables a more complete consideration of the process as it is created, enacted and imposed on individuals. Bankruptcy and insolvency laws in Ireland remain persistently faithful to their historical foundations. The path dependent evolution of the common law as well as the institutionalisation of practices which favour particular interest groups has preserved the underlying ideological construction of failed business people as financially irresponsible and morally corrupt. In addition, it is argued that current bankruptcy and insolvency laws do not provide a satisfactory resolution to debt collection and debt redistribution for any of the main stakeholders in insolvency processes. Entrepreneurs become subaltern subjects in the discourse on failure, whose voices are marginalised and silenced. Bankerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stories reveal the unsatisfactory economic and social manifestations of the current system. While insolvency practitioners demonstrate incredible difficulty in reconciling their professional actions with their personal desires. In addition to the policy implications of these insights, by adopting the still somewhat unconventional methods of storytelling and deconstruction, this study moves away from description towards a search for meaning, and thus represents an important theoretical contribution to the way we study business failure. WIT Research Day 2012
Poster Displays
WIT Research Day 2012
Environment, Health & Life Science 1. Development of a novel fuel using solid pig manure - effect of co-composting the separated solid fraction of pig manure with various biomass addendums on fuel characteristics Maeve Kennealy, School of Science 2. Isolation and characterization of nitrile-metabolising microorganisms towards the production of enantiopure pharmaceutical intermediates Erica Owens, School of Science 3. The development of non-invasive genetic techniques for the study of Irish deer species Ciara Powell, School of Science 4. Assessing the activity and inactivity patterns of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) patients and matched controls Rebecca Power, School of Health Science 5. Antimicrobial-producing marine Bacillus isolated from sand, seawater and seaweeds Maria Luz Prieto, School of Science 6. Effects of a 24-week low carbohydrate diet on vascular health Anthony Wekesa, School of Health Science 7. Retrospective study of thyroid cancer database at Waterford Regional Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, Cork University Hospital, Galway University Hospital years 1993 2009 Fawzi Ali, School of Health Science 8. Screening for diabetes in acute medical admissions in Ireland using guidelines from American Diabetes Association (ADA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense (VA/DoD) 2010 and WHO 2006 Kathleen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, School of Health Science 9. New versatile parallel sensor based on the damping coefficient of an array of oscillating quartz tuning forks Shibo Cai, School of Engineering 10. The development of a taper model and a diameter at breast height to total height model to predict user defined roundwood assortment volumes in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong) Carr.) first thinning plantations in Ireland Enda Coates, School of Science
WIT Research Day 2012
11. The provision of antenatal care for low risk pregnant women in the south-east of Ireland: an exploratory study Annette Cullen Murphy, School of Health Science 12. Penetration and distribution of Imiquimod (Aldara â&#x201E;˘) through full thickness human skin Jennifer Morrissey, School of Science 13. Chemoradiotherapy & rectal cancer: impact on symptoms, quality of life and radiosensitivity of lymphocytes as a prognostic indicator Claire Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Gorman, School of Health Science
WIT Research Day 2012
Materials & Energy 1. An investigation into non destructive means of testing for wood fuel quality parameters Alasdair Dunnett, School of Science 2. Seeing the wood from the trees, or perhaps the whole tree itself? Characterisation and quantification of wood biomass for conversion into energy Nicholas Mockler, School of Science 3. Novel sensors based on the extraordinary optical transmission of light through nanosized apertures Yiyang Sun, School of Engineering 4. An investigation into the properties of a bioactive polymer for renal failure patients Reem Elsiddig, School of Science 5. Development of hybrid SPM system using a quartz crystal tuning fork Dong Yang, School of Engineering 6. Material moisture analysis using DC techniques and wireless propagations Yaqiang Liu, School of Engineering 7. Scanning tunnelling microscopy for the study of conjugated polymers used in organic photovoltaic cells Daniel Tiemann, School of Engineering
WIT Research Day 2012
New Information Technologies 1. Pre-deployment policy coverage checking Jason Barron, School of Science 2. Context-aware middleware for smart grids Michael Donohoe, School of Science 3. Server selection and admission control for IP-based video on demand using available bandwidth estimation Brian Meskill, School of Science 4. Network management for the recursive internetwork architecture Cathal Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, School of Science 5. Information systems risk through a socio-technical lenses: development of a sociotechnical framework for IS risk John Organ, School of Science 6. Reconfigurable adaptive wireless sensor node Rentao Wang, School of Engineering 7. Maintaining privacy of date outsourced to a cloud based recommender service â&#x20AC;&#x201C; privacy by design approach for IPTV networks Ahmed El Mesiry, School of Science 8. Check-in based group management for first responders in disaster management scenarios Leigh Griffin, School of Science
WIT Research Day 2012
Society, Culture, Economy, Business & Enterprise 1. Surveillance, privacy and technology: contemporary Irish perspectives Kenny Doyle, School of Humanities 2. Shaping small firm finance: the role of country specific characteristics – the case of Ireland Andrea McNamara, School of Business 3. Behavourial finance: the psychology behind investing decisions – investigating momentum in markets Aine Murphy, School of Business 4. Network management capabilities during tourism destination lifecycles: a strategic net perspective Noel Murray, School of Business 5. An examination of the impact, causes and interconnectivity of enterprise support instrument inefficiencies: a study of the Irish enterprise support system David Pasley, School of Business 6. Intercultural competence and second language learning motivation in the integration process of Chinese and Irish students Allie Heying, School of Humanities 7. Capitalizing on organizational innovation capability in learning organizations to achieve the green economy Margaret Walsh, School of Business 8. Foreign direct investment (FDI) as catalyst for economic growth in Nigeria: an empirical study Victor Adebayo, School of Business 9. Towards a framework of understanding repair methods during the stages of dissolution in inter-organisational relationships Deirdre Fleming, School of Business 10. Understanding entrepreneurs’ motivations to engage and sustain engagement with learning networks: a longitudinal study Aisling O’Neill, School of Business 11. Managerial capability for innovation in Irish tourism in micro firms Arthur Kearney, School of Business
WIT Research Day 2012
WIT Research Day 2012
Research Day 2012 Advisory Board
Professor Willie Donnelly Ms Susie Cullinane Ms Rita Dalton Ms Eimear Fitzpatrick Ms Siobhan Harkin Ms Kathryn Kiely Ms Martha McIlvenny Ms Mary Mosse Dr Susan Whelan Dr Austin Coffey Dr Michael Harrison Dr Niamh Maguire Dr Richard Hayes Dr Wayne Cummins Dr John Nolan Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh Dr Brendan Jennings Ms Gemma McCarthy
Research & Innovation Research & Innovation Research & Innovation Research & Innovation Research & Innovation Research & Innovation Research & Innovation School of Business School of Business School of Engineering School of Health Sciences School of Humanities Office of the Registrar School of Science School of Science School of Science School of Science School of Science (Recipient of PhD Poster Award 2011)
WIT Research Day 2012