Dr. Paul Young is an Associate Professor and Head of School at Dublin City University's School of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. He holds a BA.BAI in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (1986) and a PhD (1991) from Dublin University, where his research focused on high-frequency vibration monitoring in machining processes. His industry experience includes project engineering at ESTECH Corp. (Japan) and research at University College Dublin's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. Dr. Young's research focuses on data-driven modeling to optimize engineering systems, with applications in manufacturing processes, electric vehicle design, sustainable refrigeration, and collaborative robotics. He has led EU projects and collaborations with Intel, Irish Manufacturing Research, and automotive manufacturers. His work integrates computer-aided engineering with industrial automation for efficiency improvements. He has supervised 12 PhD students to completion and contributes to Ireland's National Council on Collaborative Robotics in Manufacturing. His research has been funded by Enterprise Ireland, EU programs, and industry partners.
Yong Song Fan is a Lecturer in Civil Engineering at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. He holds a B.Sc. in Materials Science & Engineering from Xian University of Construction Science and Technology (1982) and a Ph.D. from the University of Birmingham (1998). His research focuses on mechanical systems, manufacturing processes, and environmental engineering, with notable contributions to workflow modeling, slider crank mechanisms, and combustion science. He has held roles including Senior Technologist at Lafarge Global Technical Centers and Visiting Scholar at the University of York. Research interests span interdisciplinary fields such as kinematics, process automation, and environmental pollutant analysis. His publications reflect expertise in vibration diagnostics, ERP integration, and plasma-based chemical reactions. Collaborative work in web-based product development and enterprise-wide systems integration highlights his commitment to advancing industrial and environmental technologies. Professional experience includes roles in academia and industry across China and the UK, with a career spanning over three decades. His work bridges theoretical research and practical applications, addressing challenges in manufacturing efficiency, material science, and sustainable energy processes.
Paul Liston is a Lecturer in the Department of Accounting and Business Computing at the Faculty of Business and Hospitality, Technological University of the Shannon. His research focuses on simulation-based decision support systems, with particular emphasis on healthcare logistics, manufacturing SMEs, and robotics collaboration. He has contributed to understanding humanitarian decision-making in crisis scenarios, optimizing contact center operations, and evaluating the impact of incubators on SME ecosystems. Research Interests: Liston’s work integrates operations research, discrete event simulation, and reinforcement learning to address complex systems. Key areas include: Healthcare system optimization (e.g., emergency department congestion) Manufacturing SME digitalization strategies Multi-robot systems collaboration Humanitarian logistics and disaster response modeling Virtual organization operational design Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes scalable reinforcement learning frameworks for autonomous systems, decision support tools in healthcare and contact centers, and analysis of Ireland’s innovation ecosystems. His 2024 paper on CESDQL demonstrates advancements in multi-robot coordination under sparse reward conditions, while 2023 studies highlight contact center simulation and incubator impact assessment. Advising & Grants: Accepting PhD students in areas like Humanitarian Operations Theory (as per TUS RISE scholarships). Active in collaborative research projects involving multi-country networks and industry partnerships. Labs/Teams: Engaged in interdisciplinary teams focusing on simulation-driven solutions for complex systems, with contributions to cloud computing simulation tools and lean manufacturing methodologies.
Dr Maria Chiara Leva serves as a Senior Lecturer within the Faculty of Sciences and Health at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), specifically in the Department of Food Science & Environmental Health. She concurrently holds a visiting lecturer position for Risk Assessment and Safety Management in Trinity College Dublin's School of Engineering, while maintaining associated Principal Investigator roles at TU Dublin's Science and Technology in Advanced Manufacturing research centre and Trinity's Centre for Innovative Human Systems. Her research program centers on Human Factors, Human Reliability Analysis, Human Machine Interface Design, Safety Management Systems, and Safety Culture, with over 60 publications spanning operational risk assessment and safety engineering applications. Dr Leva's work demonstrates consistent evolution from foundational human reliability modeling toward integrated safety management frameworks, with recent publications emphasizing real-time workload monitoring, risk intelligence systems, and cross-industry applications in manufacturing and process safety. Her research bridges theoretical human factors principles with practical implementation in high-risk operational environments. Dr Leva leads significant industry-academic initiatives including the spin-out company 'Tosca Human Factors Solutions', which originated from an EU project she directed as Principal Investigator. Her leadership extends to professional societies where she co-chairs the European Safety and Reliability Association's Human Factors technical committee and previously chaired the Irish Ergonomics Society. She also co-founded the annual Symposium on Human Mental Workload, now in its third iteration. Scientific Awards Female Founder Competitive Start Fund (National Digital Research Centre and Enterprise Ireland, 2016) Dr Leva has secured substantial research funding through EU projects and national grants, establishing her campus company as a conduit for translating academic research into industry solutions. Her advisory role in Tosca Human Factors Solutions demonstrates successful commercialization of academic expertise, while her ongoing research collaborations with manufacturing and process safety sectors highlight practical impact. She actively mentors through her academic positions and symposium organization, fostering next-generation researchers in human factors engineering. Her work operates within the interdisciplinary ecosystem of TU Dublin's Food Science & Environmental Health department and Trinity's engineering research centres, focusing on human-system integration challenges across food safety, industrial manufacturing, and critical infrastructure sectors.
Dr. Vincent Hargaden is an Associate Professor and Head of School at the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin. He holds a PhD in Decision Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has over two decades of academic and industry experience. His research focuses on three core areas: Workforce Planning in professional services, Design and Optimization of resilient supply chains, and innovations in Engineering Education. He leads the UCD Master of Engineering Management program and has received multiple teaching awards including the 2017 University Teaching Excellence Award. Education: BE (Mechanical Engineering), University College Dublin MEngSc (Computer Integrated Manufacturing), NUI Galway MBA, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School PhD (Decision Science), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Professional Diploma in University Teaching & Learning, UCD Research Interests: Supply Chain Resilience & Risk Assessment Blockchain Applications in Construction & Engineering Digital Twin Technologies for Manufacturing Industry 4.0 Integration in Agri-Food Sectors Active Learning Pedagogies in Engineering Education Notable Achievements: Co-Principal Investigator in Enterprise Ireland Dairy Processing Technology Centre H2020 VALUMICS Project (Food Value Chain Dynamics) IBM Global PhD Fellowship (2010) UCD Learning Factory Initiative Participation
Professor Robert Galavan holds the Chair in Strategic Management at Maynooth University's School of Business, where he directs the MSc in Strategy and Innovation. He previously served as founding Head of Business and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. An international expert in Strategic Management, he has taught globally and consulted for organizations like Google, Pfizer, and the Irish Defence Forces. His research focuses on managerial discretion in strategic decision-making, firm performance, and cognition. He has authored books including Uncertainty and Strategic Decision Making and Strategy, Innovation and Change . Awards include the Cranfield University Director’s Prize for Best Doctoral Thesis (2006) and Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Thesis commendation. He chairs the Irish Academy of Management’s Strategy Interest Group and serves on multiple academic and industry boards. His teaching uses innovative business simulations and technology-based approaches. Education: Honours BA in Management (Irish Management Institute), MA in Adult Education (National University of Ireland Maynooth), PhD in Management (Cranfield University). Professional roles include Board member of the Institute of Public Administration and trustee of Mount Street Club Trust. Research interests span strategic leadership, cognitive models, and organizational behavior. Recent work examines uncertainty management and cooperative competition (coopetition). Over 17 years of industry experience in manufacturing/service sectors, including roles in Quality Assurance and General Management, inform his academic work.
Dr. Viktoriia Ivannikova is an Assistant Professor in Aviation Management at Dublin City University Business School. She holds a PhD in Air Transportation Systems from the National Aviation University of Ukraine (2011) and has extensive experience in aviation management, airport operations, and logistics. Before joining DCU, she served as an Associate Professor, Assistant Head of the Air Transportation Management department, and Director of Education in English at the National Aviation University (2012–2022). She currently serves as an External Examiner for MSc in Airport Planning and Management at Cranfield University (UK). Her research focuses on sustainable air transport systems, geopolitics' impact on aviation, and digital transformation in aviation. Notable contributions include work on cargo operations optimization, airport security systems, and post-war aviation recovery. She has authored/co-authored four books and over 70 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Ivannikova is a member of IEEE, the European Aviation Conference Institute (EACI), and the University Transport Study Group (UTSG), and serves on editorial boards of Transport and Aviation journals. She has received the 'Big Silver Medal' for her research on airport design (2014) and actively participates in international conferences such as the European Aviation Conference and the Air Transport Research Society. Her professional roles include organizing academic conferences, leading DCU's CIPD Programme, and contributing to aviation policy via the Ukrainian Ministry of Education's Teaching and Learning Committee.
Prof Richard Arnett serves as Director of Psychometrics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), holding dual appointments in the Health Professions Education Centre and Quality Enhancement Office since April 2018. Previously, he was Deputy Director of the RCSI Graduate Entry Medicine Programme from February 2006 to April 2018. His expertise spans educational measurement, assessment design, and psychometric analysis across multiple national and international medical and healthcare education contexts. Arnett holds a PhD from University College Dublin, complemented by a Further & Adult Education Teaching Certificate from City & Guilds and a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management from Dublin Business School. His educational background supports his specialization in quantitative methods for educational research. His research focuses on psychometrics, assessment design, and performance standards maintenance in health professions education. Key interests include developing educational measurement scales, setting performance standards, and validating assessment instruments. Arnett's work addresses critical challenges in medical education assessment, including transnational program alignment, progress testing implementation, and technology-enhanced assessment security. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on medical education assessment methodologies , with particular emphasis on competency-based frameworks, human factors in assessment environments, and technological adaptations for educational measurement. His work spans diverse healthcare contexts including medicine, surgery, pharmacy, and radiology training. As Psychometric Consultant for the UK & Ireland Intercollegiate Board of Surgical Examiners and the Irish Institute of Pharmacy, Arnett provides strategic guidance on assessment design and quality assurance for national certification programs. His collaborative work extends to multiple international postgraduate and professional training initiatives. Arnett leads assessment strategy for RCSI's new undergraduate Medicine curriculum and supports data requirements for educational accreditation activities. He teaches the assessment module in the RCSI Diploma in Health Professions Education and an undergraduate module on Statistical Programming, demonstrating his commitment to developing assessment literacy among health professions educators.
