Paul O'Toole is a Professor of Microbial Genomics and Principal Investigator at the APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork. His research focuses on the gut microbiome's role in health, aging, and disease, particularly in the context of diet and probiotics. He leads projects like the ELDERMET study on elderly nutrition and the NU-AGE project exploring Mediterranean diets' anti-aging effects. He holds a BA (Mod.) from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD from Lund University, with postdoctoral training in Canada and New Zealand. Key grants include studies on dairy-derived microbiota, probiotic strain improvement, and microbiome analysis in aging populations. He has published extensively on Lactobacillus genomics, gut-brain interactions, and microbiome-driven health outcomes. His work bridges fundamental microbiology with clinical applications, emphasizing translational research. Scientific highlights include discovering microbiome links to cognitive decline, demonstrating dietary modulation of gut microbes to combat obesity, and identifying keystone species in healthy aging. He advocates for sustainability in conservation and food systems, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to global health challenges.
Professor Eugene O'Brien serves as Professor of Civil Engineering within the School of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin's College of Engineering and Architecture. His research focuses on critical structural assessment methodologies for long-span bridges, with particular expertise in traffic load modeling and bridge safety evaluation. His research interests center on structural engineering challenges related to bridge infrastructure, specifically traffic load assessment for long-span bridges , structural health monitoring systems , and sustainable infrastructure management . Professor O'Brien pioneered camera-based monitoring techniques to overcome limitations of traditional Weigh-in-Motion sensors during congested traffic conditions, enabling more accurate safety assessments of aging bridge infrastructure. His work addresses the critical gap in quantifying traffic loading on bridges with spans up to 2 kilometers, where conventional methods fail during stop-and-go traffic scenarios. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent research trajectory focused on probabilistic modeling of traffic loads, with increasing sophistication in handling extreme events and long-term infrastructure performance. His work spans fundamental statistical methods for load effect prediction, practical applications in real-world bridge assessments, and environmental considerations regarding infrastructure carbon footprints. The research demonstrates strong methodological evolution from basic traffic modeling to comprehensive lifetime assessment frameworks incorporating sustainability metrics. As co-founder and director of Roughan O'Donovan's subsidiary Innovative Solutions (ROD-IS), Professor O'Brien has translated research into practice through significant projects including the Malahide Railway Viaduct assessment (2009), EU-funded bridge lifespan simulation tools (2011), vibration reduction systems for bridge cables, and structural assessments for major international projects including the Ting Kau Bridge in Hong Kong, the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland, and the Chacao Channel Bridge in Chile. His consultancy work demonstrates direct application of academic research to critical infrastructure challenges worldwide. Professor O'Brien's research group operates at the intersection of structural engineering and sustainable infrastructure management, with particular emphasis on extending bridge service life through accurate safety assessment. Their work on the Chacao Channel Bridge demonstrates practical implementation of traffic monitoring systems using toll data to manage truck loads, while their environmental impact analysis shows how accurate safety assessments reduce unnecessary bridge replacements, thereby lowering the carbon footprint of transportation infrastructure through extended service life of carbon-intensive materials like concrete and steel.
Professor Francis Butler is a Full Professor at University College Dublin's School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, where he has been since 1990. His academic roles include research leadership in food safety, food chain integrity, and microbial risk assessment. He leads the UCD Institute for Food and Health and the UCD Centre for Food Safety as a Principal Investigator. Education: BE, Grad Dip University Teaching & Learning, MBA, and PhD from University College Dublin. Research Focus: His work centers on food safety hazards, quantitative risk assessment, and next-generation sequencing for pathogen identification. Recent projects include Listeria monocytogenes growth modeling, norovirus in oysters, and hepatitis E in pork products. He has secured over €6 million in research grants, including EU-funded projects like FOODINTEGRITY and SIGMACHAIN. Awards & Recognition: European Food Safety Authority Fellowship, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship, and UCD Teaching Grant. He coordinates international educational programs, including the UCD MSC Food Safety and Risk Analysis. Professional Activities: Member of EFSA advisory committees, editorial boards (e.g., Microbial Risk Analysis ), and international conference chairs. His work bridges academia, industry, and policy to enhance food safety standards globally.
Professor Mark Scott is a Full Professor of Planning and Dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at University College Dublin (UCD), where he has served since 2002. He is a leading scholar in rural planning and environmental policy with over 25 years of academic experience. His leadership roles include Dean (2020-2025), Head of School, and various subject leadership positions within UCD. Mark Scott earned his BSc, Diploma in Town Planning, and PhD in Environmental Planning from Queen's University Belfast. Prior to joining UCD, he worked at the University of Ulster and Queen's University Belfast, and also had planning practice experience. He has held visiting appointments at the University of Pisa and the University of New South Wales. His research focuses on the environmental and sustainability dimensions of spatial planning theory and practice, with specific expertise in rural planning, land-use governance, climate action, green infrastructure, and natural and built heritage. Professor Scott has published extensively in these areas with over 150 journal articles and book chapters, and has authored several influential books including 'Rural Planning Futures' (2025) and 'Postcapitalist Countrysides' (2025). His work demonstrates a strong focus on contemporary challenges in rural planning, climate adaptation, and sustainable development, bridging theoretical frameworks with practical policy applications. Professor Scott has received significant recognition for his contributions to the field: Elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (2024) Fellow of the Regional Studies Association Shortlisted for the Patsy Healey Award for Academic Excellence (2025) With research funding totaling approximately €6 million from various national and international sources, Professor Scott actively engages with policy and practice. He serves on the Board of the Heritage Council (2023-present), chairs the Historic Monuments Council in Northern Ireland (2025-30), and has advised numerous governmental bodies including Oireachtas Committees, the UK House of Lords, and the OECD. His leadership extends to editorial roles, having served as editor of Planning Theory & Practice (2008-2015 & 2018-2024) and currently on the editorial board of Town Planning Review. Professor Scott leads several significant research initiatives including the Wildfire Resilient Cultural Heritage project (funded by JPI Climate and JPI Cultural Heritage), CO-Bioecon (funded by Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine), and the Rural Planning in the 2020s project (funded by the Royal Town Planning Institute).
Dr. Jon Gruda is an Assistant Professor and Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour at Maynooth University's School of Business. He holds a PhD in Management from emlyon Business School (France) and a joint Dr. rer. nat. in Psychology from Goethe University Frankfurt. His research focuses on relational leadership, dark leadership traits, anxiety in the workplace, and personality psychology, with a strong emphasis on integrating machine learning and AI methodologies. Gruda has been recognized with prestigious awards, including selection for the Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Economic Sciences (2020). His interdisciplinary work includes predicting anxiety and personality traits via social media data analysis. He serves as an Associate Editor for journals like Personality and Individual Differences and Frontiers in Psychology . Education PhD in Management, emlyon Business School (2012–2017) Dr. rer. nat. in Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt (2012–2017) MSc in Affective Neuroscience, Maastricht University (2018) MSc in Management Research, emlyon Business School (2012–2014) Triple MSc in Management, City University London/ESCP Europe (2010–2012) BSc in International Business & Management, University of Groningen (2007–2010) Research Interests Gruda’s work bridges leadership studies, personality psychology, and data science. Key areas include: Dark leadership traits (e.g., narcissism, Machiavellianism) and their organizational impacts Machine learning applications for detecting anxiety and personality traits via social media Cross-cultural studies on leadership perceptions and attachment orientations Impact of physiological/psychosocial factors on leadership effectiveness Publications & Projects Recent projects include predicting state-level health outcomes linked to narcissism and developing algorithms to track anxiety using Twitter data. Over 20 peer-reviewed articles since 2017 highlight his contributions to organizational behavior and computational social science. Awards 7th Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting on Economic Sciences (2020) Benedictine University Award (Academy of Management, 2020) Wharton Global Faculty Development Program (2020) Grants & Collaborations Gruda leads projects on pro-environmental behavior and collaborates with the National Care Experience Programme on healthcare feedback analysis. Seed funding includes €301,930 for computational text analytics in healthcare. Labs & Teams Interdisciplinary research collaborations span psychology, data science, and public health, with a focus on applying machine learning to organizational challenges.
Zohreh Pourzolfaghar is an Assistant Professor in Management Information Systems (MIS) at the School of Business, Maynooth University (MU). She serves as Director of the IT-Enable Innovation Programme and cluster lead for the Digital Construction cluster at the Innovation Value Institute (IVI). She is also a member of Lero, the SFI Research Centre for Software. Education: PhD in Project Management (University Putra Malaysia, 2011); MSc in Management Systems and Productivity; BSc in Software Engineering. Research Interests : Focuses on digital transformation for SMEs, information management in construction, and smart city architectures. Leads EU-funded projects like EnTrust (agri-data governance), DIGI+ (sustainable digital transformation), and DigiFABs (food & beverage SMEs). Co-PI for projects such as GDI-IE (genomic data infrastructure) and PERFORM (digital retail innovation). Grants & Awards : Secured funding from SFI, Enterprise Ireland, and EU. Notable awards include the BIM Hero Award (2022) and Research Engaged Award (2022). Teaching : Courses include Digital Business, Digital Technology Governance, and Enterprise Architecture. Advises PhD students in MIS and digital transformation. Industry Collaboration : Works with firms like ArcDox and Corballis Technologies on BIM standards and data governance. Active in national and EU policy networks, including NSAI committees.
Aura Istrate is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Urban Planning & Sustainable Urbanism at the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at University College Dublin (UCD). With an international background spanning multiple continents, she conducts interdisciplinary research on sustainable urban development, focusing on active mobility, nature-based solutions, and climate-neutral cities. She teaches GIS and urban planning modules while coordinating several significant research projects across European and Asian contexts. University College Dublin, School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy Primary Coordinator of C-NEWTRAL (Horizon MSCA-DN 2024-2028) Co-Leader of REALLOCATE (Horizon Europe project 2023-2027) Principal Investigator for BIODIVERSA+ projects (NatureScape and NBS4AQUAMISSION) Educated at the University of Architecture and Urban Planning 'Ion Mincu' in Bucharest (BA and MA) and the University of Liverpool (PhD), Dr. Istrate further enhanced her teaching credentials with a Professional Certificate in University Teaching & Learning from UCD. Her academic journey reflects a strong foundation in architectural and urban planning principles combined with specialized expertise in sustainable urbanism. Dr. Istrate's research focuses on smart and sustainable urbanism, particularly examining active mobility, livable streets, green public spaces, and nature-based solutions in urban planning. Her work employs participatory, geospatial, and mixed methods to inform smart communities and the transition to climate-neutral cities. She has practical international experience in urban design and planning, with ongoing collaborations spanning European and Asian countries, currently teaching and researching across cultures in UCD and UCD's International Colleges (CDIC). Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on street vitality, urban heat adaptation, and nature-based solutions. The research demonstrates methodological diversity combining quantitative spatial analysis with qualitative community engagement approaches. Her work spans multiple geographic contexts, with particular expertise in Chinese urban environments and European cities, showing how urban planning concepts need to be contextualized for different cultural settings. The articles consistently address climate adaptation challenges through innovative approaches like urban nature games and fine-grained street classification systems. Dr. Istrate serves as a PhD thesis supervisor and is actively involved in major research initiatives including C-NEWTRAL (as Primary Coordinator), REALLOCATE (as Co-Leader), and BIODIVERSA+ projects (as PI for NatureScape and NBS4AQUAMISSION). Her grant portfolio includes Horizon Europe projects and other significant funding that supports interdisciplinary research on climate-neutral urban development. She has coordinated multiple teaching modules including Planning Design & Development, GIS & Planning, Intro to Spatial Planning, and Local Planning Studio. She leads international research collaborations and maintains active partnerships across various European and Asian countries. Her work bridges academic research with practical urban planning applications, particularly through her focus on research-by-design approaches and participatory methods that engage communities in the planning process. She has served as a lecturer, tutor, or teaching assistant across departments of Architecture, Planning, Environmental Studies, Global Studies, and Human Geography in Ireland, the UK, Czechia, Sweden, China, and Romania since 2010.
Michela Bertolotto is a Professor in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin (UCD). Her research focuses on spatio-temporal data modeling, GIScience, and applications of geospatial technologies in fields like urban planning and health informatics. She leads a research group and has supervised 19 PhD and 8 MSc students. Her work includes innovations in LiDAR-based flood risk visualization, semantic web quality assurance, and open-source spatial data analysis. Bertolotto has held roles including College Lecturer at UCD (2000–2006) and postdoctoral research positions at the University of Maine and University of Genoa. Education: BSc and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Genoa (1993, 1998). Professional achievements include over 100 publications, 24 grants (e.g., Science Foundation Ireland-funded Urban ARK project), and editorial roles at journals like the International Journal of Geographical Information Science. Awards include the UCD President's Research Award (2001) and NATO Postdoc Fellowship (1998–1999). Research interests span map personalization, volunteered geographic information (VGI), and geospatial data quality. Her lab develops tools like the LAMSkyCam (low-cost sky imaging system) and dynamic flood risk viewers. She chairs international conferences and serves on program committees for GIScience events.
Upaka Rathnayake is a Professor of Civil Engineering and Principal Investigator at the Mathematical Modelling and Intelligent Systems for Health and Environment (MISHE) research unit at Atlantic Technological University Sligo, Ireland. He has held academic and research roles globally, including in Sri Lanka, Japan, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. His research focuses on water resources management, hydrological modeling, climate analysis, and AI-driven solutions for environmental challenges. He holds a PhD from the University of Strathclyde and advanced certifications from Hokkaido University. Education: PhD in Optimal Management of Urban Sewer Systems (University of Strathclyde, 2013) Professional Memberships: Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka, Engineers New Zealand, International Association of Hydrological Sciences Research interests include: Hydrological modeling and climate change adaptation Multi-objective optimization and soft computing techniques Explainable AI applications in environmental systems Remote sensing and GIS for water resource management Recent articles highlight AI-driven solutions for air quality prediction, soil nutrient analysis, and flood risk assessment. Awards include the 2023 Presidential Award for Scientific Publications and multiple university excellence awards. He actively advises PhD students on projects like urban water systems optimization and climatic trends analysis. Rathnayake is an editorial board member of journals like Scientific Reports and PLoS ONE , contributing to peer review and policy-oriented research. His work bridges data-driven methods with traditional hydrological practices to address global environmental challenges.
Dr. Edoardo Celeste is an Associate Professor of Law, Technology and Innovation at Dublin City University's School of Law and Government. He leads the Erasmus Mundus Master in Law, Data and Artificial Intelligence (EMILDAI) and serves as Deputy Director of the Dublin European Law Institute. PhD, University College Dublin Law degrees: University of Rome 'La Sapienza', University of Paris II 'Panthéon-Assas', King’s College London His research focuses on digital rights, constitutionalism in digital contexts, and the intersection of law, technology, and sustainability. He coordinates the DCU Law and Tech Research Cluster and co-founded the Digital Constitutionalism Network. Recent publications examine digital sovereignty, AI sustainability, and constitutional responses to social media exclusion. His 2022 book Digital Constitutionalism: The Role of Internet Bills of Rights (Routledge) established him as a leading voice in the field. Irish Research Council Early Career Researcher of Year Award (2022) Principal Investigator for Cross-Border Data Protection Network (IRC/ESRC funded) Facebook Research grant for Digital Constitutionalism: Content Governance Standard project He supervises PhD students in digital rights, data protection, platform regulation, and digital sustainability while holding affiliations with the ADAPT Centre and UCD Centre for Human Rights.
Noelle Higgins is an Associate Professor in Law at Maynooth University. She previously held academic roles at the Irish Centre for Human Rights (NUI Galway), the School of Law and Government (DCU), and served as Teaching and Learning Innovation Lead at ATU. Her academic qualifications include Master's degrees in Irish and Law, a Higher Diploma in Education, and a PhD from NUI Galway on 'Wars of National Liberation and Self-Determination.' Her research focuses on international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law, with a current emphasis on cultural rights and cultural cleansing. She co-leads WG3 of the COST Action K-Peritia (cultural expertise in law) and is part of the Horizon2020 'ReCreating Europe' project on digital copyright law. She previously led an IRCHSS-funded project on international peace mediation. Her recent publications explore cultural heritage protection, indigenous rights, and the intersection of law and climate change. She has contributed extensively to legal education research, advocating for experiential learning tools like moot courts and field trips. Education: PhD (NUI Galway), LLM (International Human Rights Law), MA (Irish), Higher Diploma in Education Awards: None explicitly listed, but recognized for contributions to legal education and international law research Grants: Horizon2020 (2020), IRCHSS (2010) Labs/Teams: Member of the COST Action K-Peritia and ReCreating Europe Consortium.
Colm McLaughlin is a Professor of Employment Relations at the UCD School of Business. He serves as Vice-Principal for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the College of Business, Co-Director of the UCD Centre for Business and Society (CeBaS), and UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Coordinator. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and has held academic roles at the University of Auckland and postdoctoral positions at Cambridge, alongside industry experience in local government and hospitality. Education : BA and MComm (University of Auckland), PhD (University of Cambridge). Research Interests : Comparative employment relations, institutional regulation, gender equality, training systems, and low-paid work. Professional Appointments : Research Associate at Cambridge’s Centre for Business Research, Visiting Fellow at the University of Sydney and Victoria University Wellington. His recent research focuses on immigration policy as a skills supply mechanism in liberal market economies, trade union legitimation politics, and reflexive regulation frameworks. He has examined how ideational power resources shape labour relations and contributed to debates on corporate social responsibility and sustainable HRM practices. His work bridges theory and practice, particularly in case method pedagogy reform. Colm has received multiple awards, including the AMLE Best Article Winner (2017), Academy of Management Dark Side Case Competition Winner (2013), and University Teaching Excellence Awards (2020). His publications appear in prestigious journals such as Industrial Relations , Journal of Industrial Relations , and Academy of Management Learning and Education . He has served on editorial boards for Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society and Journal of Industrial Relations , and held leadership roles in committees like BITCI Leadership for Sustainability and the SDG Engagement Working Group.
Dr. Sarah Hamill is an Assistant Professor in the Law department at Trinity College Dublin (Trinity), where she has been since 2017. Her research focuses on property law, housing law, legal history, and public law. Prior roles include Lecturer at City Law School (London) and Catalyst Fellow at Osgoode Hall Law School (Toronto). She holds an LLB from the University of Glasgow, an LLM from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in Law from the University of Alberta. Her research explores intersections of public and private claims in property law, legal history (particularly 20th-century Canadian alcohol regulation), and issues of equality and freedom of expression in public law. Notable works include analyses of housing rights in Ireland, Alberta’s liquor laws, and the role of plebiscites in legal frameworks. Her scholarship has been cited by Canadian and Irish courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada and Ireland’s Human Rights Tribunal. Teaching responsibilities at Trinity include English Land Law, Housing Law and Rights in Context, and a final-year dissertation module on Law and Empire. She has also taught Property Law and Private Law Remedies. Dr. Hamill is active in media commentary on housing law, alcohol regulation, and student protests in Canada, appearing in outlets like the Irish Times and CBC Toronto. Her awards include the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation Fellowship and multiple graduate scholarships from the University of Alberta. Her recent publications (2020–2023) reflect ongoing engagement with property theory, housing policy, and historical legal analysis across jurisdictions.
John Byabazaire is a Research Fellow at the School of Computer Science, University College Dublin (UCD). He holds a PhD in Computer Science from UCD (2024), following a BSc (Gulu University, 2013) and MSc (Waterford Institute of Technology, 2018). His research focuses on IoT systems for data collection, remote sensing, AI-driven end-to-end system management, and fog analytics. He has held academic roles including Assistant Lecturer at Gulu University (2018–2019) and teaching roles at UCD since 2019, including Occasional Lecturer and Senior Teaching Assistant. His research spans smart agriculture, data quality in IoT, and education technology. Notable contributions include frameworks for yield mapping in precision agriculture, trust-based data validation in IoT, and machine learning approaches for livestock health monitoring. He has secured grants like the National ICT Initiatives Support Program (Uganda Government, 2019–2020). Teaching includes courses on cloud computing, web development, and distributed systems. His articles emphasize IoT data quality, agricultural analytics, and educational technology innovation. He actively promotes technology adoption in African education and agriculture sectors through collaborative projects.
Ciarán Mac an Bhaird is an Associate Professor of Business and Management at Dublin City University (DCU), within the Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge department. He holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin, a B.Comm and LL.B from NUI Galway, and an M.Sc. in Finance from DCU. His academic role includes teaching and supervising PhD students focusing on enterprise policy, high-growth firm financing, and entrepreneurship education. Research interests span resourcing small firms, capital structure, alternative finance, and public policy for SMEs. He authored Resourcing Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (Springer-Verlag, 2010), launched by the Irish Minister for Enterprise. His work has been published in journals like Small Business Economics and Venture Capital . He chairs the Entrepreneurial Finance track at the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference and serves as an associate editor for Research in International Business and Finance . Current PhD advisees include Simon Bridge, Nouf Alnasser, Batoul Batoulbanjar, and Sean O Reilly. Professional activities include contributions to policy reports for Enterprise Ireland and the Irish League of Credit Unions, and participation in the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Programme.
