Ralf Bierig joined Maynooth University's Computer Science Department in 2017, teaching topics including information retrieval, software testing, interaction design, and virtual reality. He is the programme director of the Higher Diploma in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Experience (UX). He earned his BSc (2002) from University of Furtwangen and PhD (2008) from Robert Gordon University. Research Interests His work spans information retrieval, interactive information retrieval, personalisation, information search behavior, usability (UX), and virtual reality (VR). Recent publications focus on multimodal concept indexing, hybrid IR approaches, and contextual adaptation in search systems. Publication Trends His research combines statistical semantics, graph modeling, and multimodal data analysis across academic collaborations in Austria, Germany, and international venues like ECIR and SIGIR.
Dr. Dongyun Nie is an Assistant Professor at Dublin City University's School of Computing. She holds a PhD in Computer Science with a specialization in Customer Relationship Management. Her core research explores customer lifetime value, forecasting, data mining, and record linkage. Her recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary work spanning health informatics, sports analytics, and environmental data engineering. Research predominantly focuses on machine learning applications for real-world data challenges including eye-tracking systems, lifelog analytics, and public health data infrastructure. Teaching responsibilities include modules on Machine Learning (CA4109), Enterprise Systems Configuration (CA2049), and Web Design (CA106), integrating research expertise into computing education.
John Breslin is a Personal Professor in Electronic Engineering at the College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, serving as Director of the TechInnovate and AgInnovate programmes. Associated with two Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland Centres, he is a Principal Investigator at Insight Centre for Data Analytics (specializing in data analytics) and a Funded Investigator at VistaMilk (Agri-Technology), while also leading the EDIH Data2Sustain project. With an h-index of 50, over 12,000 citations, and 300+ peer-reviewed publications including seminal books on the Social Semantic Web, he ranks among Ireland's most influential researchers in digital technologies. Breslin's research fundamentally bridges Semantic Web technologies, AI-driven data analytics, and practical innovation. His co-creation of the SIOC framework—implemented across 65,000+ websites by entities like Yahoo and Boeing—demonstrates real-world impact in social data interoperability. Current work leverages blockchain and federated learning for sustainable Agri-Technology through VistaMilk, while his TechInnovate programmes translate academic research into commercial ventures across healthcare, smart manufacturing, and energy systems. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals dominant themes in AI-enhanced security (35% of works), blockchain applications for sustainability (27%), and multimodal AI for healthcare (20%). His team pioneers privacy-preserving techniques for IoT and medical devices, neurosymbolic visual reasoning frameworks, and federated learning architectures addressing data heterogeneity—directly supporting his roles in national research infrastructures like Insight and VistaMilk. John has received several prestigious awards: IIA Net Visionary Award (twice) ITAG Outstanding Contribution to the ICT Sector Award Galway Chamber President’s Award Best Irish-Published Book Award (2020 for Old Ireland in Colour) Multiple Best Paper Awards He leads major research initiatives funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland: Insight Centre for Data Analytics (as Principal Investigator) VistaMilk SFI Research Centre (as Funded Investigator) EDIH Data2Sustain (as Principal Investigator) His entrepreneurial programs TechInnovate and AgInnovate have mentored 200+ startups, securing €50M+ in follow-on funding. Breslin co-founded PorterShed (Galway City Innovation District) and serves on Scale Ireland's Steering Group, creating Ireland's most active regional innovation ecosystem outside Dublin. He maintains active industry partnerships with Vodafone, Boeing, and agricultural cooperatives through VistaMilk's testbed facilities.
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. Sandrine Peraldi is an Assistant Professor in Linguistics at the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, University College Dublin (UCD). She currently serves as Head of Linguistics and Deputy Head of School, and coordinates the Graduate Diploma in Localisation. With a PhD from Paris Diderot University, her career includes over a decade as Research Director at ISIT in Paris, where she led interdisciplinary research and international collaborations. Her educational background includes: PhD in Theoretical, Descriptive and Automatic Linguistics, Paris Diderot University MLitt, Paris Diderot University Master’s in Language Industry and Specialised Translation Certification in University Teaching and Learning, UCD Dr. Peraldi's research focuses on Corpus Linguistics, Terminology, Discourse Analysis (especially in professional contexts), Intercultural Communication , and Translation Studies , with a strong emphasis on machine translation and post-editing. Her work bridges cognitive, technological, and professional dimensions of language use. Her recent publications reveal a clear trajectory toward the multimodal analysis of virtual workplace communication, particularly how engagement and non-verbal cues function in online meetings. She has also contributed significantly to metaphor analysis in political discourse and the integration of corpus tools in translation workflows. Her scientific contributions are recognized through active participation in peer review for journals such as Meta , TEANGA , and International Journal of Organisations , and editorial leadership as former Editor-in-Chief of the Bulletin du CRATIL . She has secured major funding from the European Commission (TransCert, QUALETRA, PICT, AGORA), UKRI-AHRC, and the National Forum for Teaching and Learning. She supervises PhD students and leads research projects such as the Interactional Variation Online project. She is also involved in professional service through the Human Research Ethics Committee and the EMT assessor network. Dr. Peraldi leads several research and teaching initiatives, including the ENEOLI Cost Action on lexical innovation and the development of scenario-based intercultural learning resources.
John Breslin is a Personal Professor in Electronic Engineering at the University of Galway, leading the TechInnovate/AgInnovate programs. His roles include Director of the Insight (Data Analytics) and VistaMilk (AgTech) research centers. He has authored 350+ publications and co-created the SIOC framework, widely used in web applications. His research spans Data Science, AI, Semantic Web, IoT, and Entrepreneurship. He has won multiple awards, including the Best Irish-Published Book and IIA Net Visionary Awards. His teaching spans 25 years, covering topics like Digital Control Systems and Innovation. He co-founded boards.ie, StreamGlider, and leads initiatives in Galway's innovation ecosystem. Research Interests: Data Science, AI, Social Semantics, IoT, Agricultural Technology, and Innovation. He is ranked top in Engineering and Computer Science citations at the University of Galway. His work contributes to UN SDGs related to Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. Education: Details not explicitly provided in text. Collaborations include Bosch, Cisco, IBM, and Harvard Medical School. Active in industry partnerships and startups, including the PorterShed Innovation District. Awards: Best Paper Awards, Entrepreneurship Recognition, and Academic Excellence. Supervised nearly 30,000 ECTS across modules, with a focus on graduate and postgraduate tech innovation programs.
Dr. Liting Zhou is an Assistant Professor at Dublin City University's School of Computing, specializing in multimedia retrieval and information systems. She completed her PhD in Computer Science at DCU under Dr. Cathal Gurrin's supervision, focusing on multimedia analysis. Her research develops algorithms for video understanding, multimodal learning, and lifelog retrieval applied to education, healthcare, and personal informatics domains. Key research areas include: Cross-modal video-text matching and retrieval Lifelog question answering systems Multimodal fusion techniques User-friendly retrieval interfaces She serves as reviewer for top conferences/journals and has chaired sessions at MMM (2023-2024) and ECIR (2023).
Soumyabrata Dev is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin (UCD), where he leads the THEIA lab focusing on interdisciplinary research in computer vision, machine learning, and remote sensing. His work addresses challenges in climate science, environmental monitoring, solar forecasting, and healthcare. He holds a PhD from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and has held postdoctoral roles at Trinity College Dublin and ADAPT SFI Research Centre. His education includes a B.Tech. (summa cum laude) from National Institute of Technology Silchar, India, and a visiting doctoral experience at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland. Prior to academia, he worked as a network engineer at Ericsson India (2010–2012). Research interests span image processing, environmental data analytics (e.g., air/water quality), solar energy forecasting, and AI-driven solutions for sustainable development. He collaborates globally with institutions in academia, industry, and government, aligning with UCD’s strategic goals for impactful innovation. He is an SFI Funded Investigator at ADAPT SFI and a UCD Climate Fellow (2024–2026). His scientific awards include the 2024 Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List. He advises numerous PhD/MSc students on topics like coastal monitoring, air quality modeling, and AI for sustainability. THEIA Lab’s projects include solar irradiance forecasting, knowledge graph-based climate data platforms, and blockchain-enhanced healthcare systems. He teaches modules on Operating Systems, Wireless Sensor Networks, and Augmented/Virtual Reality. His work bridges theory and application, emphasizing real-world impact in climate action and renewable energy.
Dr. David Sinclair is an Associate Professor and Year Head in the School of Computing at Dublin City University, affiliated with the Dependable Systems, Software Engineering, and Security research groups. His research spans formal methods, distributed systems, real-time systems, and AI applications in strategic games. Teaching responsibilities include foundational and advanced courses: CSC1018 Logic CSC1048 Computability & Complexity CSC1098 Compiler Construction CSC1141 Concurrent Programming CSC1049 Third Year Project supervision His publications demonstrate strong focus on real-time systems, motion prediction, and immersive technologies, with recent work exploring AI-driven virtual environments and light field processing. Research consistently addresses computational efficiency and formal verification challenges.
Suzanne Little is a Professor in the School of Computing at Dublin City University and a Principal Investigator at the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. She co-directs the SFI Centre for Research Training in Artificial Intelligence (CRT-AI) and serves as a Funded Investigator in the iForm Advanced Manufacturing Centre. She completed her PhD at the University of Queensland, Australia in 2006, focusing on tools for scientific multimedia data analysis and management. Her research centers on media analytics and information retrieval using computer vision and machine learning for content-based analysis of images/video. Key applications include object detection, event tracking, and semantic search in smart cities, surveillance, and medical imaging. Current projects investigate bias in deep learning models, micromobility safety, and biomedical data integration. Prof. Little has secured funding through multiple EU projects in multimedia, security, and autonomous vehicles. As an SFI Principal Investigator, she leads major initiatives in artificial intelligence and data analytics. She heads the Media Analytics research group at DCU and is a core contributor to the Insight SFI Research Centre, advancing data-driven solutions for real-world challenges.
Dr. Geoff Hamilton is Associate Professor at Dublin City University's School of Computing. His research develops program transformation hierarchies for applications in theorem proving, verification, optimization, and energy-efficient computing. The distillation algorithm—a key contribution—achieves orders-of-magnitude efficiency gains over standard techniques. Work spans automated verification tools, termination provers, security protocol analyzers, and complexity bounds calculators. Recent publications focus on side-channel attacks, concurrency optimization, and tight complexity bounds for loop programs. Teaching includes comparative programming languages, cryptography, and formal methods. Research consistently advances transformation-based approaches for parallelization, verification, and resource analysis. Current directions include smart contract verification and energy-aware program optimization methodologies.
Dr. Annalina Caputo is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing at Dublin City University and Academic Lead for the part-time MSc in Artificial Intelligence program. Since 2022, she serves as Assistant Head for Research Management. She is a funded investigator in the ADAPT and I-Form research centres, leading the Proactive Experience & Agency challenge. Her research spans Natural Language Processing, Information Retrieval, and Machine Learning, with applications in personalization systems. Dr. Caputo holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Bari Aldo Moro, where she researched Semantics and Information Retrieval. She previously held research positions at Trinity College Dublin as an EDGE COFUND Marie Curie Fellow and at the University of Bari. She has participated in numerous evaluation campaigns including CLEF, SemEval, and WSDM Cup. Her current research focuses on Intelligent Information Access, Text Representation, Temporal Dynamics in IR, Personalized Retrieval, Semantic IR, Quantum IR, Cross-Language Retrieval, Question Answering, and Recommender Systems in NLP and Additive Manufacturing contexts. Dr. Caputo serves as Guest Editor for the Special Issue on Knowledge Graphs for Search and Recommendation and is General Co-Chair for ECIR 2023. Her recent publications demonstrate strong focus on transformer-based recommender systems, NLP applications in healthcare/manufacturing, and interactive retrieval systems.
Dr. Luca Rossetto serves as Assistant Professor in the School of Computing within Dublin City University's Faculty of Engineering and Computing. His research focuses on advanced multimedia retrieval systems and interactive technologies. Primary research domains include multimedia information retrieval, virtual reality interfaces, and multimodal systems design. Recent work explores human-computer interaction paradigms for video retrieval systems and knowledge representation frameworks for large-scale multimedia datasets. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on retrieval system architecture and evaluation, with emerging emphasis on VR-based interfaces and multimodal learning techniques. Recent papers frequently address efficiency optimization and user-centered design in complex information systems. No awards or supervised students are documented. Laboratory affiliations include the vitrivr multimedia retrieval engine development team.
Dr. Suzanne Little is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing at Dublin City University and an SFI Funded Investigator within the Insight Centre for Data Analytics. She also serves as Co-Director of a research initiative at DCU. Her research centers on multimedia semantics , leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and information retrieval to advance content-based media analytics. This work focuses on developing intelligent systems that extract semantic meaning from multimedia content through interdisciplinary computational approaches. As an SFI-funded researcher, Dr. Little contributes to Ireland's national data analytics infrastructure through the Insight Centre. Her Co-Director role demonstrates active leadership in research program development and execution at DCU. She is embedded within the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, a major collaborative research environment driving innovation in data science applications across multiple sectors.
