Digital Commons Network^™

Circular Economies: Sustainable Transformation Of Workshop Waste Into Educational Tools, Tom Whitfield, Maceij Sidor, Ceri Almrott, Keith Colton

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This paper presents the Circular Economies in Design Workshops project, an initiative focused on transforming plastic waste into educational resources to advance sustainability within the university and help align with broader EU sustainability goals. Through hands-on processes like desktop injection moulding, students repurpose plastic waste into tools and components for educational purposes whilst also promoting sustainable practices in design workshops. The paper will discuss the project’s objectives, methods, and student involvement and consider the broader implications for sustainability, education and student-championed institutional change. Ireland ranks among the EU’s highest offenders for unrecycled plastic waste. Of the 53.1 million tons of …

Human-Centred Supervision: Shaping Future Designers Through Coaching In Final Year Projects, Ina O'Connor, Ceri Almrott

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Our most significant products require a designer whose understanding of human empathy matches their technical skills; therefore, design education must evolve to reflect this crucial balance. In this context, the supervisor’s role in Product Design final year projects is not just crucial but pivotal in preparing students to meet modern industry challenges. This paper argues that the most effective supervisors act not just as instructors but also as coaches – cheerleaders who push each student to navigate creative challenges, grow personally and professionally and reach their individual potential. The supervisor's influence has a considerable transformative effect, extending beyond the boundaries …

How Do We Encourage The Lowest Appropriate Level Of Technology To Solve Human Needs In Our Design Solutions, Ceri Almrott, Santiago Perez

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

As product design education evolves, the focus has shifted from creating tangible objects to delivering comprehensive product-service systems. Achieving a truly human-centred approach in student practice requires rethinking how we educate future designers and engineers. This paper examines the development of a European Low-Tech Hackathon, where students worked within a specific context of human and technological constraints. The Hackathon challenged participants to create solutions with a minimal technological footprint, aligning with sustainability principles and the core values of Low-Tech. It offers a unique lens through which to explore how technological education must adapt to contemporary demands for product and service …

Performance Evaluation Of Machine Learning Applications Using Webassembly Across Different Programming Languages, Sallar Khan, Tania Malik, Khalid Hasanov

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

WebAssembly (WASM) has emerged as a promising compilation target for languages traditionally not executed on the web and enable the cross-platform deployment of high-performance applications. While its general use cases have been well studied, the performance implications of executing Machine Learning (ML) workloads via WASM across different programming languages and runtime environments remain relatively unexplored. This paper presents a systematic evaluation of two representative ML models, K-Means and Logistic Regression, implemented in Python, Rust, and C++ and compiled to WASM. These models are executed in two distinct environments: a web browser and the WebAssembly System Interface (WASI), and their execution …

The Impact Of Climate Entrepreneurship Education In Higher Education Institutions: A University-Wide Climate Entrepreneurship Programme, Deirdre Mcquillan, Sylvia Gavigan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Scholars are grappling with what educational and pedagogical approaches are needed to create sustainable entrepreneurs able to cope with sustainability challenges. This paper explores the impact of a student-focused climate entrepreneurship education initiative (CEE) in Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). The paper draws on models and frameworks in the literature that integrate programme objectives and pedagogical methods with impact. The paper addresses two key questions. Firstly, how are students impacted by CEE in terms of the affectedness, skills development and the intention to start a climate enterprise. The second question asks how different types of interventions in CEE influence student …

An Exploration Of The Evolving Boundary-Spanning Leadership Role Of Architects, Rory Concannon, Roisin Murphy, Oluwasegun Seriki

Articles

Architects form part of multidisciplinary teams in the construction of the built environment. Traditionally they have played a leading role within the construction process, often managing entire projects to completion. In recent years the composition of construction teams have evolved, leading to a perception that the architects leadership role has been diminished. Little is known about the boundary-spanning leadership required by architects, particularly in the light of the evolving roles. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this research reduces this gap by exploring architect’s leadership practices in the context of changing boundaries within the construction team. Our findings reveal six specific competencies …

Transforming Student Coaching To Support Students' Personal, Academic, And Professional Success: Insights From The Student Success Coaching Programme, Abdellatif Atif, Tony Hall, Larissa Lamb, Michelle Millar, Majella Perry

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

The University of Galway introduced Student Success Coaching (SSC), a core commitment of an institution-wide innovation programme, Designing Futures. Designing Futures received significant government funding of €7.57m in 2020 to enhance the student experience through enterprise-engaged education, research-led learning, and cross-faculty teaching. An integral part of Designing Futures, SSC constitutes the holistic development element of the wider university programme, applying design thinking principles to support students’ personal, academic, and professional success. It encourages students to recognize their strengths and natural talents and navigate successful transitions into university life and community. Firstly, this paper outlines how design thinking theories and principles …

Industry Perspectives On Engineering Communication Skills For The Green Transition, Una Beagon, Stephen Harper, Paul Talbot

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

Effective communication skills are crucial in complex multidisciplinary, multistakeholder engineering projects, where engineers must articulate ideas, negotiate solutions and convey technical information across diverse audiences. However, despite their importance, communication skills are often undervalued in engineering curricula, as students and faculty may view them as peripheral to technical training. Through focus groups and interviews with practicing engineers in Ireland, the study explores communication’s role in professional tasks and stakeholder interactions. The study provides a flowchart outlining each stage of a civil and structural project. This was then used to identify key communication activities which are presented using the who, why …

Explaining Time Series Classifiers Through Post-Hoc Xai Methods Capturing Temporal Dependencies, Ephrem Tibebe Mekonnen

Conference papers

Time series classification is essential in domains such as healthcare and finance, where accurate predictions can have significant real-world consequences. However, in many high-stakes applications, understanding why a model makes a certain decision is just as important as the prediction itself. While deep learning models excel at capturing complex temporal patterns, their black-box nature limits transparency, making it difficult to trust and interpret their decisions. Although eXplainable AI (XAI) methods have advanced considerably for image and tabular data, applying them to time series remains challenging due to the intricate temporal dependencies and high dimensionality of the data. Post-hoc model-agnostic XAI …

Policy Recommendations For Higher Education Institutions To Begin Advancing From Digital Transformation To Bifurcation, Noel Fitzpatrick, Paul Hayes, Jan Cornelius Schmidt, Ester Toribio-Roura, Ceri Almrott, Camila D’Bastiani, Dominik Gager, Gerald Gallagher, Paul Grimm, Alessandra Sannella, Stela Stoykova

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Mechanistic Role Of Heavy Metals In Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere To Phyllosphere, Rahul Kumar, Tanja P. Vasić, Sanja P. Živković, Periyasamy Panneerselvam, Gustavo Santoyo, Sergio De Los Santos Villalobos, Adeyemi Nurudeen Olatunbosun, Aditi Pandit, Leonard Koolman, Debasis Mitra, Pankaj Gautam

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Heavy metal pollution represents a pervasive environmental challenge that significantly exacerbates the ever-increasing crisis of antimicrobial resistance and the capacity of microorganisms to endure and proliferate despite antibiotic interventions. This review examines the intricate relationship between heavy metals and AMR, with an emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms and ecological ramifications. Common environmental metals, including arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and lead, exert substantial selective pressures on microbial communities. These induce oxidative stress and DNA damage, potentially leading to mutations that enhance antibiotic resistance. Key microbial responses include the overexpression of efflux pumps that expel both metals and antibiotics, production of detoxifying …

Reinforcement Learning And Virtual Human Animation: A Novel Approach To Data-Driven Animation, Portraying Dynamic, Flexible Human-Like Behaviours, Vihanga Gamage

Dissertations

Virtual characters require animation capable of portraying dynamic, context-sensitive human-like behaviours. Several approaches to generating such animation have been developed, but each carries limitations. Motion capture can produce high-fidelity animation but is expensive and ill-suited to systems that must respond in real time. Physics-based reinforcement learning (RL) enables flexible, dynamic behaviour portrayal, yet relies on simulation feedback signals that are unavailable for social gestures. Supervised approaches can learn social behaviours from motion capture data but yield agents with limited flexibility and generalisation.

This thesis presents RLAnimate, a model-based, data-driven RL framework for character animation that enables a single agent to …

Genwriter: Reducing Gender Cues In Biographies Through Text Rewriting, Shweta Soundararajan, Sarah Jane Delany

Conference papers

Gendered language is the use of words that indicate an individual’s gender. Though useful in certain context, it can reinforce gender stereotypes and introduce bias, particularly in machine learning models used for tasks like occupation classification. When textual content such as biographies contains gender cues, it can influence model predictions, leading to unfair outcomes such as reduced hiring opportunities for women. To address this issue, we propose GenWriter, an approach that integrates Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) with Large Language Models (LLMs) to rewrite biographies in a way that obfuscates gender while preserving semantic content. We evaluate GenWriter by measuring gender bias …

Building Services Engineering July/August 2025

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

The International Society For Clinical Spectroscopy; Reflections On The First 10 Years, Małgorzata Baranska, Hugh J. Byrne, Peter Gardner, Alex Henderson, Nick Stone, Bayden Wood

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The article provides a perspective overview of the development and current status of the field of biomedical spectroscopy, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the International Society for Clinical Spectroscopy (CLIRSPEC). It provides a background into the prior evolution of the field, and international community, and rationale for the foundation of the legal entity, CLIRSPEC. It describes the continued dissemination and educational activities associated with the society, and maps out key technical developments, as well as trends towards clinical translation, and future perspectives.

Monitoring The Kinetic Evolution Of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation Using Raman Microspectroscopy, Francesca Ravera, Esen Efeoglu, Hugh J Byrne

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Raman microspectroscopy (RMS) offers a powerful, non-destructive approach for in situ monitoring of dynamic biochemical processes within cells. However, the ability to reliably data-mine the spectroscopic signatures and their evolution and extract meaningful information can be challenging. Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) regression analysis is a powerful chemometric technique that can potentially address this challenge by deconvoluting the spectra into individual component spectra, each representing a specific biochemical species, and regressing the solutions against kinetic constraints. In this study, MCR-ALS analysis was performed on spectral data of differentiation process of mesenchymal stem cells into chondrocytes, carried out on two …

Microbial Nanocellulose Based Biocomposites For Soft Bone Regeneration: From Present To The Future: From The Present To The Future, Probal Basu, Nabanita Saha, Tomáš Sáha, Petr Sáha

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Microbial nanocellulose (MC) draws special attention from the research community due to its unique nano-bio fabrication. This nanofiber-constructed biomaterial is biosynthesized by certain microbes in the purest form (devoid of lignin, pectin, and hemicellulose). Due to its striking similarities to animal collagen fibers, MC nanofibers have been used to develop osteoconductive biomaterial for soft tissue regeneration. High surface area, notable rheological properties, and biocompatibility make this material attractive for tissue regeneration. Concurrently, their bio-friendly characteristics are due to various bio-ceramic materials like calcium phosphate (CP) employed in conjunction with MC (for the development of scaffold/bio-composite). The significant interaction between MC's …

Gender Equality Training For Students In Higher Education: Scoping Review, Claire Condron, Mide Power, Midhun Mathew, Siobhan Lucey, Patrick Henn, Tanya Dean, Michelle Kirrane-Scott, Walter Eppich, Siobhan M. Lucey

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Introducing Hyflex Teaching Into Foundation Design, Juan Pablo Osorio

Case studies: Digital Education

Foundation Engineering is a postgraduate module in the ME in Civil Engineering, which covers the theoretical and practical aspects of the foundation design of structures, using lectures and tutorials as teaching methods. The module has 24 hours of direct contact with the lecturer and 76 hours of self-directed learning. This is a semester 2 module that follows Applied Geotechnical Engineering, which is delivered in semester 1 but is not a prerequisite. Both modules are optional in the programme; however, most students interested in the subject matter take both modules. The mode of delivery for both modules is usually online. For …

Using Knovel Steam Calculators Instead Of Printed Steam Tables, Anthony Reynolds

Case studies: Digital Education

Applied Thermodynamics is a cornerstone module in mechanical engineering curricula, providing students with the foundational understanding of energy systems, heat transfer, and the behaviour of working fluids such as steam. Traditionally, students have relied on printed steam tables found in the appendix of class textbooks to determine thermodynamic properties—an approach that, while educational, can be both time-consuming and prone to errors. With the increasing availability of digital tools in education, there is a growing opportunity to enhance the teaching and learning of technical subjects through technology. One such tool is the Knovel Steam Calculators, an interactive, web-based resource that allows …

Biocomposites For Sustainable Construction: A Review Of Material Properties, Applications, Research Gaps, And Contribution To Circular Economy, Waqas Ahmad, Sarah J. Mccormack, Aimee Byrne

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

To promote circular economy practices in the construction sector, researchers are investigating potential alternatives to traditional building materials. Biocomposites might be an eco-friendly substitute for synthetic composites, which has increased demand across numerous applications. This study reviews and synthesises current knowledge in the field of biocomposites for building applications and identifies existing research gaps. The literature highlights several forms of biocomposites employed in the construction industry, which can be broadly categorised as polymer, mineral/cement, and alkali-activated or geopolymer biocomposites incorporating biofibres or fillers. The constituents, production methods, and mechanical and functional properties of these materials are examined. Potential applications of …

A Novel Enrichment-Free, Low-Volume Filtration And Rapid Lysis (Elr) Method In Combination With Real-Time Pcr For Detection Of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (Stec) In Water, Zina Alfahl, Louise O’Connor, Dearbháile Morris, Terry J. Smith, Jean O'Dwyer, Paul D. Hynds, Martin Cormican, Liam P. Burke

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Consequences of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection can range in severity from asymptomatic infection to haemolytic uraemic syndrome, renal failure and death. Groundwater-derived drinking water is an important route for STEC transmission. Detection of STEC in water is crucial for timely response and public health interventions; however, currently used culture-based methods are time-consuming and laborious. Therefore, there is a need for rapid methods that maintain high sensitivity and specificity [1]. We describe a novel, sensitive, enrichment-free water filtration method using a convenient sample volume (100 ml) to detect DNA markers of STEC serogroups and virulence factors within 6 h. …

Advanced Biodegradable Antimicrobial Coatings By Combining Biopolymers And Natural Antimicrobials For The Active Packaging And Extending The Shelf-Life Of Fish And Other Seafood Products: A Review, Hariharan S. Melarcode, Onur Ertugrul, Paola C. Alzate Calderon, Joseph P. Kerry, Michael A. Morris

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Fish and other seafood products are an integral and valuable part of human diets. In advanced nations, the transportation of fish and other seafood products to customers requires packaging and display. Due to their intrinsic physicochemical properties, seafood products are particularly susceptible to microbial growth, resulting in shorter shelf lives and higher spoilage rates compared to other animal-derived proteins, such as meat. To prevent microbial spoilage and preserve the freshness and quality of fish and other seafood products, petroleum-based plastic materials are commonly used in combination with packaging technologies, such as vacuum packaging and modified atmosphere packaging. However, as these …

Mechanical Engineering Virtual Reality Lab, Alan Mcdonnell

Case studies: Digital Education

Students perform multiple engineering lab experiments within the Critical Utilities 1 module. The ‘Pump Laboratory’ experiment involves interaction with a fluid power training rig to record pressure and flow readings from a variety of system states. The recorded data from multiple pumping experiments is used to create pump and system characteristic curves and charts. This experiment is very appropriate to industrial practice and design. The typical cohort size is 10+ and the availability of only one training rig introduces a ‘pinch-point’ in the interaction capacity of the students; there is insufficient time for all students to perform all the separate …

Mobile Hyflex And Cfd, Fergal Boyle

Case studies: Digital Education

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is one of 12 taught modules on the Master of Engineering (ME) in Mechanical Engineering programme delivered on the Bolton St campus by the School of Mechanical Engineering. This programme is delivered as both a full-time programme (12 months) and a 2-3 year part-time programme with lectures held in the evenings only from 6-10 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. CFD is delivered in Semester 2 on a Tuesday evening from 6-8 pm in Room 236, a hardwired HyFlex room, with another module delivered directly afterwards. The number of students taking the module is generally around …

Introducing Hyflex Teaching In Geotechnical Engineering, Juan Pablo Osorio

Case studies: Digital Education

Geotechnical Engineering 2 is a third-year technical module in the BE in Civil Engineering and the BE in Structural Engineering, and it covers the theoretical and practical aspects of the retaining wall stability, foundation design and compressibility of soils. The two classes are merged together for it. It uses lectures, laboratories and tutorials as teaching methods. The module has 36 hours of direct contact and 64 hours of self-directed learning. It is a semester 2 core module that follows Geotechnical Engineering 1. The mode of delivery for both modules is in-person lectures at the lecture hall, with three laboratory practices …

Using The Ms Surface Pro 9 To Enhance Teaching And Learning, Anthony Reynolds

Case studies: Digital Education

Thermodynamics is a fundamental subject for mechanical engineers, focusing on the principles of energy conversion and the behaviour of matter under various conditions.Thermodynamics is very challenging for students for several reasons: It involves abstract concepts like entropy, which can be difficult to visualize and understand. It requires a strong grasp of mathematics(e.g.,calculus),which can be intimidating for somestudents. It intersects with various fields(e. g.physics and chemistry) requiring students to integrate knowledge from different areas.

Artificial Intelligence And Humanoid Robotics: Bioethical Implications Of Replacing Human Agency In Healthcare And Beyond, Sara Feizyab, Gabriele Bonetti, Maria Chiara Medori, Cecilia Micheletti, Immacolata De Luca, Kevin Donato, Jan Miertuš, Mehmet Sait Dundar, Miroslava Vráblová, Gary Henehan, Richard Brown, Robert Marks, Stanislav Miertus, Lorenzo Lorusso, Gianluca Martino Tartaglia, Munis Dundar, Sandro Michelini, Stephen Thaddeus Connelly, Ariola Bacu, Tommaso Beccari, Ornela Gordani, Xhilda Dhamo, Eglantina Kalluci, Dominika Vešelényiová, Iveta Dirgová Luptáková, Jiri Pospíchal, Matteo Bertelli

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The integration of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoid robotics into healthcare represents a critical evolution in biotechnology with profound societal implications. This review explores the bioethical implications of these technologies, and their potential to displace human agency in life-critical decisions. It adopts an interdisciplinary approach encompassing ethics, law, and technology. The review examines how innovations in AI and robotics might shift autonomy from humans to machines, and addresses the accountability challenges inherent in such transitions. We synthesize discussions on the ethical management of AI and robotics, underscoring the importance of maintaining human oversight and integrating ethical standards in technology …

Data Protection’S Function In Society: A Search For The Limits Of A Non-Absolute Right, Katherine Nolan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Development Of Edible Coatings To Enhance The Functional Properties And Shelf Life Of Food, Sophie O Riordan, Lily Jaiswal, Shiv Shankar

Level 3

No abstract provided.