Conor Ryan is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems at the University of Limerick. He is a Science Foundation Ireland-funded Investigator since 2002 and a member of multiple research centres including Lero – the Irish Software Research Centre and the Limerick Digital Cancer Research Centre. His research focuses on Genetic Programming, Grammatical Evolution, and their applications in domains like healthcare analytics, digital circuit design, and financial modeling. He has authored over 250 publications, with recent work emphasizing automated feature selection in medical diagnostics, neural architecture search, and blockchain ecosystems. Teaching includes courses on Foundations of Computer Science and Computer Games Programming. Research interests span evolutionary computation, machine learning, and interdisciplinary applications. Collaborations involve global institutions, reflecting his work's impact across computer science, engineering, and healthcare. His research has addressed challenges in breast cancer diagnosis via genetic algorithms, cryptocurrency volatility prediction using random forests, and automated generation of digital circuits. Ongoing projects explore interpretability in AI, energy-efficient computing, and sustainable transport systems through predictive analytics. Professional memberships include roles in the Centre for Research Training in Foundations of Data Science and the Data-Driven Computer Engineering Research Centre, underscoring his commitment to interdisciplinary innovation.
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.
Gaye Stephens serves as Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science and Statistics at Trinity College Dublin, where she is a core member of the Centre for Health Informatics alongside Dr. Lucy Hederman and Prof. Mary Sharp. She actively contributes to institutional governance as a board member of the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science and Industry (IPPOSI) and serves on the school's research ethics committee. Her research centers on patient-centered health informatics with focus areas including Electronic Health Record design , citizen engagement methodologies (such as Citizen Juries and Think-ins), and scalable information models for healthcare integration. She pioneers approaches that position patients as central stakeholders in health data governance, addressing critical challenges in digital health literacy, informed consent frameworks, and interoperability between legacy and emerging health technologies. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on knowledge engineering for healthcare , with particular emphasis on temporal data modeling in knowledge graphs (2024-2025), nurse knowledge elicitation through serious games (2023-2024), and novel methodologies like the WICKED framework for capturing clinical wisdom (2022-2023). Her work consistently bridges technical informatics with human-centered design principles. Stephens actively contributes to national health informatics infrastructure through memberships in: Royal Academy of Medicine of Ireland Council of Clinical Information Officers National Standards Authority of Ireland Health Informatics Group Health Informatics Society of Ireland (including Nursing and Midwifery group) e-Health Ireland ECOSYSTEM working group She supervises across undergraduate, MSc (Health Informatics and Global Health), and PhD programs while leading client-based final year projects. Her teaching portfolio includes Introduction to Health Informatics, Information Modeling, Connected Health, and Electronic Health Record Architectures, with research advising spanning health data governance and patient engagement projects. Stephens co-leads the Knowledge and Data Engineering Group's Health Informatics research stream, focusing on semantic interoperability, adaptive hypermedia systems, and novel engagement models for health data governance. Her current projects emphasize citizen-centered EHR architectures and interdisciplinary approaches to healthcare data integration.
Simon Colreavy Donnelly is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems at the University of Limerick. He is a member of the Interaction Design Centre and focuses on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, educational technology, and healthcare informatics. His work spans machine learning applications in medical data analysis, virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) for inclusive education, and deep learning techniques in chemical analysis and spectroscopy. Research Interests: His primary areas of investigation include generative AI for education equity, semisupervised learning algorithms, virtual learning environments design, and the ethical deployment of immersive technologies in healthcare and palliative care. He also explores NMR spectroscopy analysis using deep learning and develops tools for nutritional content estimation through image processing. Collaborations: His recent collaborations span international teams addressing challenges in toxicity-free online discourse (PAN 2024), semisupervised learning distribution mismatches, and VR applications for post-pandemic blended learning. His work integrates computational methods with real-world applications in education, healthcare, and chemical analysis. Labs/Teams: Active within the Interaction Design Centre at UL, his research group develops practical solutions for accessibility in digital education and healthcare systems, emphasizing user-centered design principles for extended reality applications.
Ian Pitt is a Lecturer in Usability Engineering and Interactive Media at University College Cork (UCC). He leads the Interaction Design, E-Learning and Speech (IDEAS) Research Group, focusing on multimodal human-computer interaction, auditory interfaces, and accessibility solutions for visually impaired users. Pitt holds a D.Phil from the University of York, followed by research fellowships at Otto-von-Guericke University in Germany before joining UCC in 1997. His research interests include speech-based interfaces, e-learning systems, and accessibility technologies for blind users. Key projects include the EU-funded ENABLE Network (2011–2014) and prototype development for UniWink. He has secured significant grants, including €72,009 from IRCSET for voice analysis research and €19,478 from the EU for ICT-supported learning initiatives. Pitt has advised numerous PhD students, including Flaithri Neff (2011), Emma-Kate Crowley (2014), and current candidates Aine Kearns and Patrick Egan. His publications span journals like International Journal of Game-Based Learning and conferences such as ICCHP and ACM SIGACCESS. He has contributed to committees for conferences like CHI and the Irish HCI conference. Teaching modules include Usability Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, and Digital Media Development. His work emphasizes inclusive design principles, with projects addressing navigation systems for blind students and adaptive e-learning frameworks. Recent research trends focus on ICT-delivered aphasia rehabilitation, emotional BCI interfaces, and multimodal learning systems. Collaborations include international partners through EU grants, reflecting his global impact in accessibility and educational technology.
Aysegul Liman-Kaban serves as an Assistant Professor in ICT/Digital Learning STEM Education at Maynooth University. Her work focuses on integrating immersive technologies like augmented reality, gamification, and AI into educational practices. She actively supervises PhD students and leads international research projects such as MIXAP-EU and From AI Anxiety to Empowerment. Education: Not explicitly stated in provided text Her research interests span: Immersive learning technologies (AR/XR, digital escape games) AI in education and generative AI applications Teacher digital competencies and professional development Flipped learning and multimedia pedagogy Ethical challenges in AI research Blended learning practices Recent publications demonstrate a focus on gamification, mixed reality, and AI applications in education, with methodological expertise in structural equation modeling, mixed methods research, and task-based learning analysis. She contributes to journals like Smart Learning Environments and Higher Education Quarterly . Key activities include: Organizing international conferences on STEAM education Leading EU-funded research on immersive learning tools Developing open-source educational technologies Pioneering generative AI integration frameworks
Dr. Laura Maye is a Lecturer at the School of Computer Science and Information Technology, University College Cork. Her research specializes in Interactive Media and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), focusing on participatory design methods and immersive technologies. Key research interests include virtual reality applications, co-design methodologies for cultural heritage, community-centered technology development, and sensory interaction studies. Her work emphasizes inclusive design and socio-ecological relationships in technology. Recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate strong trends in VR-based sensory studies, community radio innovations, and rehabilitation technology. Articles frequently employ mixed-methods approaches and highlight cross-modal perception, participatory frameworks, and rural HCI challenges.
Cathy Ennis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Maynooth University, Ireland, specializing in perceptually guided graphics and virtual reality. She is actively involved in research and teaching, with affiliations to the ADAPT Centre and D-REAL SFI Centre for Research Training. Education: BEng in Electronic Engineering, Maynooth University MSc in Cognitive Science, University College Dublin PhD in Computer Graphics, Trinity College Dublin PG Dip in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, DIT Research Interests: Dr. Ennis's research centers on creating realistic virtual humans and crowds, exploring multisensory perception in VR, and applying these technologies in serious games and interactive systems. Her work integrates AI, HCI, and immersive technologies to enhance user engagement and learning. Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on virtual character realism, VR-based education, and machine learning applications in animation and interaction. Notable themes include speech-animation realism, cultural VR experiences, and reinforcement learning for character control. Scientific Awards: Best Paper Award, IEEE VR 2022 Teaching and Supervision: Dr. Ennis currently teaches CS401 (Machine Learning and Neural Networks) and CS261 (Multimedia Technology). She is actively seeking PhD students and collaborators interested in VR, games, and virtual characters, particularly using machine learning for gesture generation and engagement. Labs and Teams: She is a Funded Investigator with the ADAPT Centre and D-REAL SFI Centre for Research Training, contributing to interdisciplinary research in AI, HCI, and immersive technologies.
Dr. Sabin Tabirca is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Computer Science and Information Technology, University College Cork (UCC). He holds a BSc from Bucharest University and a PhD from Brunel University. His research focuses on Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Algorithmics, Interactive Media, and HCI, with applications in computational cancer modeling, mobile health (mHealth), and parallel computing. He coordinates MPT Activities and is affiliated with the CRR Group and BCRI Centre. Notable awards include UCC's President Award for Innovation in Teaching (2007), IT@Cork Leader Award (2008), and UCC Staff Recognition Award (2013). His teaching includes modules like Parallel and Grid Computing, Mobile Application Design, and Graphics for Interactive Media. Dr. Tabirca has supervised over 70 MSc students and numerous PhD candidates, many of whom now hold academic and industry roles globally. His research includes developing mHealth apps for cystic fibrosis patients, 3D cancer visualization tools, and frameworks for mobile parallel computing. Publications span mHealth design pipelines, cancer prediction models, and mobile gaming for health education. He actively engages in interdisciplinary projects, blending computer science with medical and biological applications.
Dr. Sinéad Smyth is an Associate Professor and Head of the School of Psychology at Dublin City University . She holds a BA and PhD in Psychology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Sleep Medicine, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). As Chair of the MSc in Psychology and Wellbeing, she integrates behavioral science into educational frameworks. BA in Psychology PhD in Psychology Postgraduate Diploma in Sleep Medicine Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice Her research bridges health psychology , educational contexts , and neurodiversity , with a focus on: Sleep health in clinical and non-clinical populations Inclusive education for neurodivergent individuals (ADHD, Autism) Behavioral interventions using gamification and mindfulness Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their mitigation Assistive technology for autistic communities Recent publications highlight her work in sleep science , neurodiverse support systems , and game-based behavior change . She has contributed to systematic reviews on group contingency interventions and psychological flexibility, while her applied work includes tools like the LifeSeeker retrieval system. Awards include being shortlisted for the Irish Software Association’s Outstanding Academic Achievement in 2015. She collaborates on grants involving autism resource development and educational technology , and her teaching portfolio includes modules on experimental behavior analysis and neurodivergent support .
Jimmy McGibney is a Lecturer in the Department of Computing and Mathematics at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), now part of South Eastern Technological University (SETU). He holds a Master of Engineering from Dublin City University (1995) and a Bachelor of Engineering (Electronic) from University College Dublin (1992). His research focuses on network security, AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, trustworthiness in service compositions, and resource-constrained environments. External roles include serving as a Researcher at the Telecommunications Software and Systems Group (2000), a Research Assistant at Dublin City University (1996–1997), and a Systems Engineer at Aldiscon (1994–1996). His work emphasizes applied research in intrusion detection systems, network forensics, and trust management frameworks. Key research interests include AI applications in cybersecurity, trust metrics for service compositions, and securing edge computing environments. He has organized workshops on digital forensics and incident response, and his recent work explores AI methodologies for resource-limited systems. McGibney’s publications span over 38 works, including peer-reviewed chapters and conference contributions. Notable areas include network forensic readiness frameworks, deep learning-based intrusion detection, and trust overlays for spam protection. He has contributed to projects funded by industry and academic collaborations, focusing on practical cybersecurity solutions.
Dr. Michael McNamara is an Assistant Professor in ICT/Digital Learning at the School of STEM Education, University of Limerick. His work focuses on leveraging digital technologies, including immersive tools and AI, to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment in primary and STEM education contexts. PhD in Education (University of Galway, 2021) MSc in Education (University of Galway, 2010) Postgraduate Diploma (University of Galway, 2009) Bachelor of Education (Mary Immaculate College, 2004) Active in interdisciplinary research, McNamara contributes to fields like digital game-based learning (e.g., Minecraft Education), ocean conservation through immersive tech, and STEAM education with e-textiles. He leads projects such as STEM Café: Embracing Integrated STEM Education and participates in workshops on Arduino, Processing, and Microsoft DreamSpace. He has organized multiple events on STEAM innovation and insect-themed interdisciplinary learning, collaborating with institutions across Ireland. His 2025 publication on standardized assessment in primary schools reflects his commitment to balancing pedagogical rigor with technological creativity.
Pezhman Ghadimi is an Assistant Professor of Manufacturing Systems at the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD). He holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering and Operations Management from the University of Limerick. His research focuses on Circular Economy, Sustainable Manufacturing, and Operations Research, with notable contributions to supply chain resilience, waste management, and global trade dynamics. He has secured significant grants, including a €2.56m Marie Curie Doctoral Network (iCircular3) for circular economy research. Education: BEng (Mazandaran University of Science & Tech, Iran), MEng (UTM Malaysia), PhD (University of Limerick), and a Professional Diploma in University Teaching & Learning (UCD). Research Interests: Circular Economy, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Supply Chains, Data Analytics, and Risk Analysis. He emphasizes applying these themes to global trade networks, medical device supply chains, and EV battery systems. Key Awards: Second Best PhD Student Award in Engineering (2015) by the Iranian Association for Postgraduate Students in Europe and Russia. He actively reviews for journals like International Journal of Production Research and Journal of Cleaner Production . Grants & Projects: Over 14 grants, including leadership in the iCircular3 project and contributions to CircularDev initiatives. His work addresses disruptions in global supply chains, particularly under pandemic conditions and geopolitical shifts. Labs/Teams: Leads research groups focused on circular economy strategies, sustainable manufacturing systems, and Industry 4.0 integration in supply chains. Collaborates internationally on projects involving China, the EU, and Ireland.
Thomas Chadefaux is a Professor of Political Science at Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an M.A. from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. Prior to his current role, he served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Rochester and a Postdoctoral Researcher at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on the predictability of interstate conflict, leveraging advanced statistical methods, machine learning, and big data (e.g., satellite imagery, financial markets, news archives). He investigates decision-makers’ anticipation of war risks, the dynamics of conflict escalation, and the application of early warning systems. His work bridges empirical analysis with theoretical insights from game theory, contributing to top journals like the American Political Science Review and advising institutions such as the German Department of Foreign Affairs and the EU. Key achievements include awards for best paper (American Political Science Review, 2018), best conference paper (Oxford, 2012), and best visualization (Journal of Peace Research, 2014). His methodologies emphasize time-series clustering and pattern-based approaches to improve conflict forecasts. Chadefaux collaborates internationally on projects like the VIEWS Prediction Challenge and employs innovative tools such as dynamic synthetic controls for causal inference. His research underscores the interplay between public and private information in diplomatic crises, with implications for policy and international relations.
Dr. Monica Ward is a Teaching Professor at Dublin City University, currently serving as the Dean of Teaching and Learning within the Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs. Her work bridges technology and pedagogy, focusing on innovative educational tools. Office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs Glasnevin Campus, Room D114 Monica's research interests revolve around Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) , educational technology , and game-based learning . She has contributed significantly to inclusive education, language revitalization (e.g., Irish and Nawat), and formative assessment in both language learning and introductory programming. Her projects often leverage Artificial Intelligence , Virtual Reality , and gamification to create engaging, accessible learning environments. Her recent publications highlight trends in adaptive learning technologies , socio-cultural immersion , and student-centered CALL design . Notable works include studies on educational robotics for dyslexic learners, AI-driven text analysis in game-based language learning, and the impact of interactive oral assessments. Monica has developed educational games like Cipher: Faoi Gheasa and Cipher VR , which integrate mythology and technology to enhance language reconnection. She also explores peer observation, collaborative modules, and green approaches in educational app development, reflecting her commitment to sustainable and culturally relevant teaching strategies.
/prod01/channel_3/media/tcd/scss/headshots/Gaye-Stephens-BW.jpg)
