Dr. Emanuele Pelucchi is a Research Professor and Head of the Epitaxy and Physics of Nanostructures (EPN) group at Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork. His research focuses on quantum technologies, epitaxial growth (MBE/MOVPE), quantum dot physics, and photonic integration. He leads a world-class MOVPE facility, pioneering developments in site-controlled quantum dots and entangled photon emitters. Pelucchi's work has resulted in over 129 international publications with an h-index of 28 (Scholar), including contributions to Nature Photonics and NanoLetters. He has held a Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator grant since 2006, establishing his group at Tyndall in 2007. His expertise spans semiconductor nanostructures, including III-V materials and quantum optics. Pelucchi actively reviews for top journals and chairs international conferences, contributing to the field's academic discourse. His MOVPE laboratory is recognized as a key resource for III-V materials, serving as a secondary supplier to the UK National Centre for III-V Materials. Pelucchi's research bridges fundamental physics and applied photonics, driving advancements in quantum information processing and optoelectronic devices.
Professor Markus Helfert is a leading academic in Digital Service Innovation and Digital Transformation at Maynooth University's School of Business . He serves as Director of the Innovation Value Institute , Hub for Data and Digital Research, and holds Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator roles at Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre and Adapt Research Centre. His research spans Service Innovation , Artificial Intelligence , Intelligent Transportation Systems , FinTech , and Enterprise Architecture , with active involvement in European Standardisation initiatives.
John McDonald is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Maynooth University, where he has held a faculty position since 2001. He is affiliated with the Maynooth University Hamilton Institute and the Assisted Living and Learning Institute (ALL). His research focuses on computer vision, robotics, and AI, emphasizing spatial perception and autonomous systems. He has contributed to areas such as visual SLAM, intelligent vehicle systems, and digital holography, with funding from SFI, EU, and other agencies. Currently, he is a Funded Investigator in Lero (SFI Research Centre for Software) and collaborates on the SFI Blended Autonomy Vehicles Spoke. Key research themes include simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), robotic navigation, 3D reconstruction, and applications in autonomous driving. His work integrates cutting-edge techniques in computer vision and machine learning to address challenges in spatial intelligence and perception. Publications highlight advancements in dense mapping, fisheye camera systems, and geospatial analysis. He has held visiting roles at MIT’s CSAIL and the National Centre for Geocomputation. His contributions span academic journals, conferences, and technical reports, reflecting a strong emphasis on both theoretical and applied robotics research. John McDonald has supervised numerous research projects and contributed to initiatives like the John and Pat Hume Doctoral Scholarships. His work bridges academia and industry, with a focus on real-world applications of autonomous systems and AI-driven robotics.
Dr. Sheila Castilho is an Assistant Professor at the School of Applied Language & Intercultural Studies, Dublin City University (DCU). She holds a PhD from DCU (2016) and a Master's from the University of Wolverhampton and University of Algarve. Her expertise lies in machine translation (MT), post-editing, and translation technology evaluation. She co-leads the New Trends in Translation Technology (NeTTT’22) conference and chairs DCU's Master in Translation Studies and Master in Translation Technology programs. Education: Licenciatura em Letras Inglês/Português (UNIOESTE University, Brazil) Master in Natural Language Processing (University of Wolverhampton & University of Algarve) PhD in Translation Technologies (Dublin City University) Research: Focuses on document-level MT evaluation, post-editing strategies, and user-centric MT assessment. Leads the DELA project and contributed to TraMOOC/iADAATPA initiatives. Published over 40 articles and co-edited 'Translation Quality Assessment: From Principles to Practice' (Springer, 2018). Grants & Projects: DCU PI for DELA (Document-level Evaluation) PRINCIPLE project (EU Low-resource MT) ELE (European Language Equality) initiative Labs/Teams: Active in ADAPT Centre (DCU) and collaborates with international NLP/MT communities (ACL, EMNLP, WMT).
Muhammad Muddasar is a Researcher at the University of Limerick's School of Engineering, affiliated with the Bernal Institute. His primary research focuses on developing sustainable materials derived from lignin for energy harvesting and storage applications. Under the supervision of Professor Maurice Collins, he investigates advanced materials such as hydrogels, ionic conducting membranes, and carbon nanomaterials to enhance renewable energy systems. His work emphasizes reducing environmental impact through innovative synthesis techniques and lifecycle analysis. Key research areas include thermoelectric materials, bioenergy production, microbial electrolysis cells, and lignin valorization. Collaborations span topics like low-grade thermal energy recovery, supercapacitor optimization, and carbon fiber production improvements. Despite no explicit awards listed, his contributions include over 17 peer-reviewed publications between 2021-2025, showcasing impactful work in Materials Today Sustainability, Advanced Functional Materials, and ACS Applied Polymer Materials. His articles highlight trends in lignin-derived materials for energy applications, sustainable manufacturing, and nanomaterial-driven bioenergy systems. Active in international networks, his research bridges material science and renewable energy engineering, addressing global sustainability challenges.
Catherine Mooney is a Professor in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin (UCD), leading the Life Science Data Analytics Group (LiSDA). Her research focuses on applying machine learning to healthcare challenges, including biomarker development, clinical decision support systems, and addressing ethical and technical barriers in healthcare AI. Education: BSc in [field unspecified] from Trinity College Dublin PhD in Computer Science from UCD Prof Dip University Teaching & Learning from UCD Research Interests: Machine Learning applications in healthcare Biomarker discovery for neurological and metabolic conditions Explainable AI for clinical decision support Promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM education Her work bridges computational methods with medical challenges, emphasizing ethical AI and translational research. Notable Awards: Best Paper Award in Applied Biosciences (2023) UCD Long-Service Award (2022) Best Poster Award at ITiCSE ’20 (2020) Her research has led to impactful tools like LiSDA’s clinical decision support systems for epilepsy and pregnancy care. She also advocates for gender diversity in computing, serving in leadership roles like Vice Principal for EDI in UCD’s College of Science (2022–2024).
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.
Olga Ryazanova is a Lecturer in Management at Maynooth University School of Business and currently serves as Social Sciences Associate Dean of Strategy and Governance. She holds a PhD from University College Dublin and an MA from the State University Higher School of Economics. Her research focuses on strategic management of higher education institutions, particularly the interplay between individual academic careers and organizational outcomes. Key areas include scientific performance measurement, societal impact governance, and doctoral education. Dr. Ryazanova has secured significant funding through projects like the SFI-funded '(In)visible work: understanding and measuring research translation into policy' (2024-2026) and the EU H2020 CHAMELEONS project. She has published in prestigious journals such as Academy of Management Learning & Education , Research Policy , and Journal of World Business , earning awards including the Global Forum Award (2014, 2018) and Carolyn Dexter Award finalist status (2016). Teaching : Courses include Business Models, Innovation Management, and Quantitative Research Methods for PhD students. Editorial Roles : Associate Editor of Academy of Management Learning & Education (2020-2026) and editorial board member for British Journal of Management and Research Policy . Leadership : Served as Secretary and Research Coordinator for the Academy of Management's Management Education & Development Division. Her research consistently addresses systemic challenges in academia, including career capital development, international mobility impacts, and equitable recognition of Global South scholars. She actively collaborates with institutions globally through projects analyzing research networks and doctoral employability.
Dr. Jonathan Bones is an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering at University College Dublin (UCD) and Principal Investigator of the Characterisation and Comparability Group at NIBRT. His research focuses on analytical methods for biopharmaceuticals, including liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for protein characterization, glycomics, and process optimization. He holds a BSc and PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Dublin City University. His work has been recognized through inclusion in the Medicine Maker Power List. He leads a team of 18 researchers, supported by SFI, EI, and industry partnerships. Education: BSc in Analytical Science (Chemistry), Dublin City University PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Dublin City University Research Interests: Development of advanced LC-MS platforms for glycomics, proteomics, and bioprocess analysis. Key areas include: Quantitative proteomics/metabolomics for bioprocess monitoring Liquid phase separations for complex bioanalysis Process analytical technology (PAT) His group collaborates with ThermoFisher Scientific on analytical workflows for biopharmaceutical characterization. Articles Trends: Recent work emphasizes analytical methods for AAV vector characterization, biosimilar comparability via MAM/iMAM, and process clearance of excipients. Over 126 publications highlight his contributions to biopharmaceutical quality control and process understanding. Awards: Medicine Maker Power List (2023): Top 100 influential scientists in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and analysis Advising & Grants: Supervises PhD students in bioprocessing and analytical chemistry Funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Enterprise Ireland (EI), and EU FP7 Industry collaborations with ThermoFisher Scientific and Bristol Myers Squibb Labs & Teams: Leads the Characterisation and Comparability Lab at NIBRT, focused on cutting-edge analytical tools for bioprocess development and product quality assurance.
Yan Delaure is Associate Professor of Fluid Mechanics at Dublin City University's School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Deputy Director of the DCU Water Institute. His research focuses on multiphase flows, environmental hydraulics, and computational fluid dynamics applications in wastewater treatment and marine systems. Research includes microbubble dynamics for aeration, fluid-structure interactions in deformable systems, and biomimetic antifouling solutions. Recent publications explore advanced simulation methods for turbulent flows and additive manufacturing process optimization.
Elaine O'Reilly is an Associate Professor and Vice-Principal for Research & Innovation at the School of Chemistry, University College Dublin . She holds a PhD in organic chemistry from UCD (2010) and has held academic positions at the University of Manchester (Postdoctoral 2010-2014), Manchester Metropolitan University (Lecturer 2014-2015), and University of Nottingham (Assistant Professor 2015-2019, promoted to Associate Professor 2018). Expertise in biocatalyst development and application Specialization in transaminase and cytochrome P450 engineering Focus on sustainable pharmaceutical and fine chemical synthesis Research Interests center on creating biocatalytic cascades for synthesizing complex molecules like chiral amines and iminosugars. She pioneered transaminase-triggered aza-Michael reactions for alkaloid synthesis and developed smart amine donors to overcome equilibrium limitations in biotransformations. Scientific Awards include the RSC Harrison-Meldola Prize (2017) Grants from EPSRC, BBSRC, and SFI support her work on continuous transaminase processes, heterogeneous biocatalysts, and sustainable chemistry collaborations with the University of Nottingham. Teaching Activities include coordinating the Aspects of MedChem and ChemBio module since 2019 and supervising PhD/BSc theses on biocatalysis and chemical biology.
Dr. Galatia Cleanthous is a Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Maynooth University, Ireland, affiliated with the Faculty of Science & Engineering and the Hamilton Institute. She joined Maynooth in 2020 after postdoctoral positions at Trinity College Dublin, Newcastle University, and University of Cyprus, and holds a PhD in Pure Mathematics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2014). Education PhD in Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece (2014) MSc in Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Diploma in Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Research Interests Her research bridges pure and applied mathematics, focusing on Mathematical Analysis , Probability , and Statistics . Specifically, she explores Geometric Analysis , Geometric Function Theory , and Harmonic Analysis on manifolds and metric spaces. In statistics, she works on Nonparametric , Spatial , and Environmental Statistics , developing adaptive estimation techniques and studying Gaussian random fields on spheres and other domains. Publication Trends From 2025 back to 2013, her work has consistently appeared in top journals such as Annals of Statistics , Bernoulli , Journal of Nonparametric Statistics , and Transactions of the American Mathematical Society . A clear trend emerges: early publications concentrate on pure analytic topics like Fourier multipliers and function spaces, while recent outputs integrate these theoretical tools into modern nonparametric statistics, density estimation on manifolds, and stochastic modeling of environmental and seismological data. Scientific Awards Master’s degree ranked first with grade 9.8/10, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2011) Diploma ranked first among ~200 students, grade 9.7/10, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2009) Undergraduate merit awards for three consecutive academic years (2005-2008), State Scholarship Foundation of Greece National first place in Cypriot high-school mathematics entrance exams (2005), Ministry of Education, Cyprus Advising & Outreach Dr. Cleanthous has supervised BSc and MSc students, including Ultán Doherty (BSc, 1st Class Honors, 2021) and Anush Harish (MSc, 2022). She serves as Chair of the Department PR Committee, Member of the University STEM Promotions Committee, and Member of the departmental Equality, Diversity & Inclusion committee. Beyond campus, she trains young mathematicians at the North Kildare Maths Problem Solving Club and organizes public engagement events for Science Week. Labs & Teams She is associated with the Hamilton Institute at Maynooth University, a multidisciplinary research institute fostering collaboration between mathematics, computer science, and engineering.
Katarina Domijan is an Associate Professor in Statistics at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Maynooth University, Ireland. She holds a PhD in Statistics from Trinity College Dublin (2008) and has been affiliated with Maynooth University since 2008, transitioning from Lecturer/Assistant Professor to her current role in 2024. Her academic career includes editorial roles as Associate Editor for The R Journal (2021–present) and the Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics (2015–2024). Research Interests focus on Bayesian methods for high-dimensional data, particularly in classification problems. She specializes in feature selection and model visualization, with applications spanning agricultural data analysis (e.g., hyperspectral imaging for lactose prediction), medical diagnostics (e.g., sepsis and cancer detection), and space physics (e.g., Saturn Kilometric Radiation classification). Her work bridges theoretical statistics with real-world challenges, including socio-economic studies and forensic science. Key Research Areas Bayesian statistical inference Machine learning for large feature spaces Statistical computing and model interpretability Data visualization and chemometrics Scientific Contributions include leading projects like VistaMilk Phase II (2024–2030, €152,300) and Measuring Carbon Sequestration (2024–2028, €174,788.90). Her 15 most recent publications highlight advancements in ensemble modeling, spatial statistics, and medical diagnostics. Scientific Awards Associate Editor, The R Journal (2021–present) Associate Editor, Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics (2015–2024) Student Supervision includes PhD and MSc graduates such as Dr. Bruna Wundervald (2024) and Dr. Mark O’Connell (2017). She also collaborates with researchers across disciplines, including Dr. Nadim Akasheh in food hypersensitivity studies.
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.
Dr. John G. Hayes is a Senior Lecturer at University College Cork (UCC) in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering . He holds a Ph.D. from UCC (1998), an M.S.E.E. from the University of Minnesota (1989), an M.B.A. from California Lutheran University (1993), and a B.E. from UCC (1986). His academic career began at UCC in 2000, and he directs the Power Electronics Research Laboratory (PERL) , focusing on industrial collaborations with companies like Analog Devices and General Motors. Research Interests : Power electronics, magnetic components, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, smart grids, and energy storage. Notable Work : Joint author of Electric Powertrain: Energy Systems, Power Electronics and Drives for Electric, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Vehicles (Wiley, 2018) and its Chinese edition (2021). Scientific Awards : 2011 IEEE William M. Portnoy Award for Best Paper/Presentation at IEEE ECCE. Advising : Supervised 10+ Ph.D. students across powertrain modeling, magnetic materials, and converter control. Current advisee: Conor Healy (Doctoral Degree). Labs : Leads PERL, which develops high-power converters for automotive and renewable energy applications, partnering with industry leaders like SMA Magnetics and United Technologies.
