Niall Colgan is a Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering and Trades with research expertise in medical imaging and biomedical physics. His work focuses on MRI-based texture analysis for diagnostic applications. Research areas include: Prostate cancer diagnosis using multiparametric MRI Texture analysis of traumatic brain injury Development of accessible medical imaging technologies Recent publications demonstrate applications of machine learning for cancer grading and neurotrauma assessment. His work includes developing low-cost medical devices for educational purposes.
Ioannis Manolakis is a Lecturer in Chemistry at the Department of Life Sciences, Athlone Technological University (ATU) Sligo. He is a Principal Investigator at the Mathematical Modelling and Intelligent Systems for Health and Environment (MISHE) and the Precision Engineering Materials and Manufacturing Research Centre (PEM Research Centre). His research focuses on composite materials, particularly thermoplastics, carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), and their applications in biomedical, environmental, and marine sectors. He specializes in sustainable material processing, recycling of composites, and bio-inspired polymers for advanced applications such as antifouling coatings and 3D-printed implants. Education: Not explicitly stated in the text. Affiliations: PEM Research Centre, MISHE, ATU Sligo. His research interests span material science and polymer chemistry, with a focus on improving the recyclability and performance of composite materials. Notable areas include the use of recycled carbon fibers in CFRPs, development of biocompatible PEEK-based implants, and the creation of mussel-inspired antifouling coatings. Manolakis has contributed to over 20 peer-reviewed articles since 2007, with a strong emphasis on practical applications of materials in sustainable and biomedical contexts. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those addressing environmental sustainability and innovation in health technologies. Collaborations have explored material calibration, failure analysis, and the integration of rare-earth elements in magnetic materials. Grants and Advising: No specific grants or advisees are listed, though his research activities suggest involvement in collaborative projects. His labs focus on advancing material science through experimental and numerical methods. Labs/Teams: Leads research at the PEM Research Centre and MISHE, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to materials engineering and environmental health systems.
Dr. Luan Trinh is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of the Built Environment at the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. His research focuses on structural mechanics, composite materials, and advanced computational methods. Key areas include buckling analysis of cylindrical shells, vibration behavior of porous microbeams, and the application of modified couple stress theory in size-dependent structural analysis. He employs numerical techniques such as state-space approaches and inverse differential quadrature for modeling complex engineering systems. His work contributes to sustainable development goals through advancements in material science and structural optimization. Research interests include structural stability, composite materials, and finite element analysis. Recent studies emphasize the dynamic and static responses of functionally graded beams, porous microstructures, and elastically supported systems. Collaborations span international institutions, particularly in composite materials and mechanical behavior modeling. Publications highlight innovations in beam theories, buckling modes, and probabilistic analysis, often addressing practical engineering challenges such as compression buckling and boundary condition effects. While no specific grants or advisees are listed, his contributions are reflected in over 560 citations and an h-index of 11, underscoring impactful research in structural and materials engineering.
Babak Ziaie serves as an Assistant Lecturer (academic rank: Lecturer) in the Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering at Atlantic Technological University, Ireland, where he is actively pursuing his PhD with expected completion in September 2025. His doctoral research focuses on developing Ti6Al4V TPMS porous hip implants through topology optimization and additive manufacturing techniques. His educational background includes a Master's degree from K.N. Toosi University of Technology (2010-2013) and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Tabriz (2006-2010). Research interests center on biomedical engineering applications, specifically additive manufacturing of porous hip implants, finite element modeling, material science characterization, and biomechanical optimization to address stress shielding and fatigue failure. Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications reveals a concentrated research trajectory in TPMS-based implant design, integrating computational modeling with experimental validation. Key themes include mechanical property optimization of porous structures, stress distribution mapping, and clinical translation of bioinspired gradient implants to prevent bone resorption. Affiliated with ATU's MISHE (Mathematical Modelling and Intelligent Systems for Health & Environment) and PEM (Precision Engineering Materials and Manufacturing Centre) research units, his work directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). He is currently accepting PhD students for advanced research in orthopedic implant development.
Frank Peters is a Professor in the Physics Department at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, and leads the Integrated Photonic Group at the Tyndall National Institute. Previously, he worked in California at companies like Agilent Technologies and Infinera, contributing to the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). He joined UCC in 2005 and has since focused on high-speed and integrated photonic devices. He directed the Strategic Research Cluster: PiFAS (2007–2013) and currently leads the Irish Photonic Integration Centre (I-PIC) and CTVR2 photonics strand. His research interests include photonic integrated circuits, semiconductor lasers, computational modeling, and optical communication systems. Peters has developed software tools for photonic circuit design, such as the commercial package 'Vertical,' and his group works on finite element simulations, beam propagation codes, and optimization tools for PIC components. His recent work spans topics like monolithic integration of lasers, high-speed photodetectors, and advanced modulation schemes. Peters' contributions have been published in journals such as Optics Express, Journal of Lightwave Technology, and IEEE Photonics Technology Letters. He collaborates with industry and academia to advance photonic technologies for telecommunications and datacom applications.
Dr. Aswathy K C is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow Level I at the School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), where she contributes to the Standardize Project focused on open-source certification and regulatory compliance for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and off-site building technologies. Her academic background includes a PhD in Structural Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad (2024), an MS from the same institution, and a BTech from the National Institute of Technology Calicut. Her doctoral research addressed buckling modes in cold-formed steel (CFS) compression members, proposing a unified design approach currently under review for inclusion in the Indian Standard IS 801. Her research interests center on structural stability, particularly the interaction of local, flexural-torsional, and distortional buckling in CFS members. She employs advanced experimental and numerical methods, including finite element modeling, to investigate postbuckling strength and develop improved design equations. She is also expanding into sustainable and digital construction technologies. Her recent publications (2018–2025) in journals like Journal of Structural Engineering (ASCE) and Thin-Walled Structures reveal a strong focus on buckling interactions in CFS angle and channel sections, with systematic studies on global-global, local-flexural-torsional, and stiffened-unstiffened element interactions. These works combine experimental testing with extensive numerical databases to propose accurate strength prediction models. Dr. Aswathy is actively engaged in current research and has no listed scientific awards or students in the provided texts. Her work is primarily conducted within the MMC research group at UCD. She is supported by research grants through the Standardize Project and collaborates with researchers such as Anil Kumar MV. Her contributions are advancing the safety and efficiency of cold-formed steel structural systems. The research is conducted within the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) research group at the School of Civil Engineering, UCD, which focuses on innovative, sustainable, and digitally enabled construction practices.
Sandra Lenihan is a Lecturer in Chemical and Biopharmaceutical Engineering at Munster Technological University (MTU), where she has been faculty since 2009. She leads the Process innovation Engineering Research Group (PiERG) and serves as a Principal Investigator with the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technology Centre (PMTC) hosted at University of Limerick. Dr. Lenihan has established herself as a key researcher in pharmaceutical process engineering with strong industry connections. Her research focuses on developing predictive modeling for solid dosage pharmaceutical processes, particularly powder modeling for tablet processing and continuous manufacturing. She specializes in computational approaches using tools like Dynochem and finite element analysis to model unit operations including mixing, bioreactors, and filtration. Her work bridges academic research with industrial applications, resulting in numerous collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. Pharma Awards, Partnership Alliance WINNER (2018) Bridge Network Nomination for Invention of the Year (2018) Pharma Awards, 2nd Place: Education and Training Category (2020) Educational Awards, Best Student Experience Category Finalist (2020) Educational Awards, Career Impact Category Finalist (2020) Pharma Awards, Education and Training Category Finalist (2017) Dr. Lenihan supervises Capstone Final Engineering Research and Design Projects and has been instrumental in developing industry-academic partnerships. She previously served as Placement Manager for the Chemical Engineering Programme (2012-2020) and has secured significant funding through Springboard programs and Enterprise Ireland projects. Her teaching includes Process Engineering, Biopharmaceutical Engineering, and Pharmaceutical Applications, where she integrates practical industry experience with academic theory. She leads the PiERG research group, which provides solutions to the Pharma Engineering sector through expertise in predictive modeling and industrial pharma processing. Her current research includes an Enterprise Ireland IPP project in Tabletting and Coating (2022-2024) involving two postdocs working with Dr. Alexander Krok.
