Digital Commons Network^™

Implementing Inter-Institutional Lifelong Sustainability Education: The Uni-Eco E-Learning Case Study, Silvia Gallagher, Paula Murphy

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

Inter-institutional collaboration is a key strategic action for higher education institutions (HEIs) engaging in sustainability education initiatives. Collaboration of this type can strengthen sustainability knowledge sharing and production, develop student and staff sustainability competencies, foster research partnerships, and address strategic sustainability goals. However, meaningful scaffolding in terms of instructional design and professional development support is crucial for their success.

This research describes an inter-institutional e-learning sustainability education initiative (UNI-ECO e-learning modules) for staff and students in five European HEIs. It presents a novel instructional design model for sustainability knowledge dissemination and behavioural change applied in five sustainability e-learning modules. This …

Circular Pedagogy To Support Technological Universities Cultural Transformation, Ivaylo Peev, Jon-Hans Coetzer, Nadia Barkoczi, Iulia Stefan, Todor Todorov, Patrick Flynn, Claudia Marian, Sonia Munteanu, Lia Pop, Lucia Morales

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

European countries need active and proactive educational systems assisted by models that can drive a cultural transformation, which supports sustainable socio-economic and environmental development. In this paper, we reflect on the future of European education by engaging on a critical review of the literature, which informs the further development of a novel pedagogy that we have coined as “Circular Pedagogy.” We offer some insights on how the foundations of a new educational model (ANEM) could be cemented and solidly supported by pillars that acknowledge our societies' rich and diverse cultures. Furthermore, the discussions are framed as part of the European …

Profess 12 – Project Report Pr3: Briefing Document For Co-Creation Exercise, Una Beagon, Margaret Morgan, Ruchita Jani, Brian Bowe

Reports

This document was prepared as a guide for co-creation exercises which are carried out with students to help design the PROFESS 12 Summer School. The briefing document has been prepared with information on how the co-creation exercise (in the form of a 2 hour workshop) will be facilitated and also includes background material which can be issued to students to prepare them for the event.

Priority Skills For Engineers On The Island Of Ireland: Key Stakeholder Perceptions, Rosalind M Henry, Margaret Morgan, Una Beagon, Ruchita Jani, Janet Mckennedy, Brian Bowe

Reports

Executive Summary

Life on a shared island, in particular the island of Ireland (comprising Ireland and Northern Ireland), presents both challenges and opportunities, including for engineers tasked with addressing problems to help solve the SDGs that are indifferent to boundaries. Research demonstrates that (relative to current engineers) the engineer of the future will require a more diverse range of skills to navigate an increasingly complex work environment. Given this context, identification of relevant priority skills would therefore prove useful in focusing engineering educational initiatives.

Building on a European study (Beagon et al, 2022a) which identified at a European level the …

Education For Sustainability – Are We Forgetting The Economic Dimension?, Ozeias Rodrigues Da Rocha, Daniel Kamphambale, Jon-Hans Coetzer, Cormac H. Macmahon, Lucia Morales

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

The world's economies face acute anthropocentric challenges. We are witnessing significant structural disruption, driven by an urgent need to redress a historical focus on unchecked economic growth and unequal access to resources, requiring seismic transformations of our economic, social, and educational systems. Debate about sustainable development is becoming less controversial. Yet, many countries still struggle to commit to action. Whist political leaders engage in commendable discussion on sustainable practices, impacts range from rhetoric to constrained solutions. Our socio-economic and environmental challenges require collective effort, as we witness a contestation of development models that omit environmental preservation, lack inclusivity and compromise …

From Grey To Green: Reflections On Establishing An Urban Garden At Trinity College Dublin, Mariana P. Silva, Anangi Sumalde, Eleanor Flora Mullen, Simon Benson, Rachel Joanne Goodband, Conor O'Reilly, Nour Boulahcen

European Journal of Food Drink and Society

Urban gardens can be a part of the combined efforts of many to combat climate change and the associated risks posed by rapid urbanisation. These gardens can take shape on private, communal, or institutional scales, including urban educational campuses, where the teaching of sustainable gardening along with general knowledge about nature and ecology can benefit students, staff, and the wider community. This reflective piece centres on the experience of developing the Trinity Urban Garden (TUG) at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. While hoping to overcome the worry that the tiny, seemingly inhospitable plot may not allow for a garden to …

A Critical Reflection On The Importance Of Education For Sustainable Development, Daniel Kamphambale, Lucia Morales, Cormac H. Macmahon, Jon-Hans Coetzer

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development highlights the value of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in enabling societal progress. Contemporary society needs to consider sustainable development in a broader context where equity, diversity, and inclusion are integral to design of educational systems. Education can act as a disruptor that brings change to existing economic growth models misaligned with the needs and demands of modern society. As we transition to economic models that are more attuned to the needs of global society and planet, access to education, natural resources, and human talent is crucial for sustaining development, and …

Micron Agritech, Thomas M. Cooney, Martina Brophy

Case Study

Daniel Izquierdo Hijazi, CEO of Micron Agritech, sat at his desk and reflected on the future of his high potential agri-tech start-up. The company had evolved from humble beginnings as a student-led undergraduate degree project to a university spin-off, having secured its latest round of seed investment worth €1.5 million. The “cash runway” had been extended and the young founding team could now look to commercialisation and bringing their patent pending technology, the Micron Kit, from working product to market. However, there were some major decisions to tease out and challenges to overcome regarding the future strategic direction of this …

Biobased Construction From Agricultural Crops: Paper 1 - A State Of Play Of Commercial Solutions In Europe, Patrick Daly, Paula G. Barril

Articles

In response to environmental concerns and the global warming issue in particular there is a growing drive to decarbonise the building sector and transition it to more circular practices.

Biobased construction materials, products and systems are an important low carbon and circular strategy as they can enable low to negative carbon construction and have strong circularity advantages notably being able to enter the bio cycle, using renewable, low to zero toxic resources and provide a range of other performance benefits, including moisture and vapour regulation.

This novel research presents a unique state of play on the commercial application of biobased …

Building Societal Resilience Against Child Grooming Using Digital Technologies: The Solution Design, Christina Thorpe, Armin Shams, Matt Bowden

Conference Papers

Extended Abstract

Child grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them, therefore building societal resilience against it is of prime importance1. Although progress has been made, it is among the yet unresolved challenges in Ireland (the focus of research). With direct SFI2 training support and using Theory of Change and Design Science as the methods for research and innovation, we have done extensive stakeholder analysis, and we keep doing it further such that a solution is evolved in order to create societal resilience against child grooming, …

Inclusive Counterfactual Generation: Leveraging Llms In Identifying Online Hate, M. Atif Qureshi, Arjumand Younus, Simon Caton

Articles

Counterfactually augmented data has recently been proposed as a successful solution for socially situated NLP tasks such as hate speech detection. The chief component within the existing counterfactual data augmentation pipeline, however, involves manually flipping labels and making minimal content edits to training data. In a hate speech context, these forms of editing have been shown to still retain offensive hate speech content. Inspired by the recent success of large language models (LLMs), especially the development of ChatGPT, which have demonstrated improved language comprehension abilities, we propose an inclusivity-oriented approach to automatically generate counterfactually augmented data using LLMs. We show …

Explainable Ai For 6g Use Cases: Technical Aspects And Research Challenges, Shen Wang, M. Atif Qureshi, Luis Miralles-Pechu{\'A}N, Thien Huynh-The, Thippa Reddy Gadekallu, Madhusanka Liyanage

Articles

Around 2020, 5G began its commercialization journey, and discussions about the next-generation networks (such as 6G) emerged. Researchers predict that 6G networks will have higher bandwidth, coverage, reliability, energy efficiency, and lower latency, and will be an integrated “human-centric” network system powered by artificial intelligence (AI). This 6G network will lead to many real-time automated decisions, ranging from network resource allocation to collision avoidance for self-driving cars. However, there is a risk of losing control over decision-making due to the high-speed, data-intensive AI decision-making that may go beyond designers’ and users’ comprehension. To mitigate this risk, explainable AI (XAI) methods …

A Framework-Based Cross-Institutional Cpd For Academic Staff In Gen-Ai Literacy, Critical Inquiry And Authentic Assessment, Roisin Donnelly, Ita Kennelly

Books/Book Chapters

Generative-Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) has emerged as a transformative force profoundly influencing, if not revolutionizing the way we now teach and how students learn in higher education (HE). Despite the initial flurry of early research studies following the raising of public awareness of Gen-AI (and in particular ChatGPT), enduring pragmatic questions remain for academic staff on how best to protect and promote student learning, how to meaningfully support assessment integrity from a curriculum perspective, and additionally how to effectively use Gen-AI technologies to aid learning and foster deeper critical thinking.

No Coward Soul Is Mine’: A Critical Edition Of Select Works By Ina Boyle (1889 - 1967) - Volume I, Emma C. O'Keeffe

Dissertations

The primary aim of this project is to produce an authoritative critical edition of five works by Ina Boyle composed between 1913 and 1958, through the medium of digitally typeset scores, these include: Elegy (1913) for cello solo and orchestra, Psalm (1927) for cello solo and orchestra, the Virgilian Suite (1930–31), a ballet suite for dancers and orchestra, Lament for Bion (1944–45) for tenor solo and string quartet, and Three Ancient Irish Poems (1958) for soprano solo, viola and harp.

Tailored-Llama: Optimizing Few-Shot Learning In Pruned Llama Models With Task-Specific Prompts, Danyal Aftab, Steven Davy

Conference Papers

Large language models demonstrate impressive proficiency in language understanding and generation. Nonetheless, training these models from scratch, even the least complex billion-parameter variant demands significant computational resources rendering it economically impractical for many organizations. With large language models functioning as general-purpose task solvers, this paper investigates their task-specific fine-tuning. We employ task-specific datasets and prompts to fine-tune two pruned LLaMA models having 5 billion and 4 billion parameters. This process utilizes the pre-trained weights and focuses on a subset of weights using the LoRA method. One challenge in fine-tuning the LLaMA model is crafting a precise prompt tailored to the …

Two-Dimensional Dual Jets—A Comprehensive Review Of Experimental And Numerical Analyses, Paula J. Murphy, Sajad Alimohammadi, Séamus M. O'Shaughnessy

Articles

A dual jet system, comprising a wall jet flowing tangential to a solid wall and a parallel offset jet, possesses a unique flow field that has proven advantageous in many industrial applications. Despite this, investigations of dual jets are severely underrepresented in the published literature, meaning their flow and heat transfer characteristics are yet to be fully understood. Many published studies dedicated to the characterization of dual jet flows are entirely numerical in nature, and significant discrepancies exist among the reported findings. This can be attributed to the distinct lack of experimental data related to dual jet flows, which has …

Gdpr Compliance Via Software Evolution: Weaving Security Controls In Software Design, Vanessa Ayala-Rivera, A. Omar Portillo-Dominguez, Liliana Pasquale

Articles

Software should comply with international privacy laws, like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, implementing appropriate technical controls is often an error-prone and time-consuming process. This is partly due to the limited knowledge of software engineers about privacy and security. This paper proposes SoCo, a semi-automated approach to support organizations in achieving software compliance with the GDPR data protection principles. To do so, SoCo supports engineers in identifying and integrating appropriate technical controls in sequence diagrams during the design phase. SoCo includes a technique to assist engineers to identify data processing activities in software applications modeled as sequence diagrams …

Ai-Enhanced Vpn Security Framework: Integrating Open-Source Threat Intelligence And Machine Learning To Secure Digital Networks, Mohamad Hasan, Tania Malik

Conference Papers

In today's digital age, ensuring network privacy and integrity is of utmost importance. To address this, our work proposed an advanced VPN security framework that integrates open-source threat intelligence and machine learning (ML) to enhance cyber defences. By combining Wazuh for threat detection and analysis, and pfsense for firewall capabilities, with state-of-the-art ML algorithms, we present a robust VPN security solution to the challenges presented by the evolving landscape of cyber threats, representing a significant advancement in securing digital networks. This framework is strengthened by the integration of four ML algorithms— Gradient Boosted Trees (GBT), Random Forest (RF), K-Nearest Neighbors …

Micromixing Strategies For Efficient Mixing Processes: A Comprehensive Review, Delara Soltani, Tim Persoons, Sajad Alimohammadi

Articles

The demand for rapid, high-quality, and controlled mixing at the microscale has led to the development of various types of micromixers. Micromixers are commonly categorised as active, or passive based on whether they utilise external energy to enhance mixing. Passive micromixers utilise a complex geometry to enhance the diffusion coefficient at lower Reynolds numbers and induce chaotic advection at higher Reynolds numbers for effectively mixing fluids without external energy. Active micromixers, on the other hand, achieve precise, fast, and controllable mixing by employing external energy sources such as pressure, electric, magnetic, or acoustic fields. Some active methods such as magnetic …

Generation, Characterisation And Identification Of Bioactive Peptides From Mesopelagic Fish Protein Hydrolysates Using In Silico And In Vitro Approaches, Maria Hayes, Azza Naik, Leticia Mora, Bruno Iñarra, Jone Ibarruri, Carlos Bald, Thibault Cariou, David Reid, Michael Gallagher, Ragnhild Dragøy, Jorge Galino, Alba Deyà, Sissel Albrektsen, Lars Thoresen, Runar G. Solstad

Articles

This study generated bioactive hydrolysates using the enzyme Alcalase and autolysis from mesopelagic fish, including Maurolicus muelleri and Benthosema glaciale. Generated hydrolysates were investigated for their bioactivities using in vitro bioassays, and bioactive peptides were identified using mass spectrometry in active hydrolysates with cyclooxygenase, dipeptidyl peptidase IV and antioxidant activities. In silico analysis was employed to rank identified peptide sequences in terms of overall bioactivity using programmes including Peptide Ranker, PrepAIP, Umami-MRNN and AntiDMPpred. Seven peptides predicted to have anti-inflammatory, anti-type 2 diabetes or Umami potential using in silico strategies were chemically synthesised, and their anti-inflammatory activities were confirmed using …

The Trouble With Technology, John O'Connor

Conference Papers

In contemporary education, technology is either hailed as the panacea for affordable mass education or dreaded as a threat to our humanity. At the European Culture and Technology Laboratory, technology is understood in the context of the Ancient Greek origin of the word: technē—meaning a system or a method of making or doing, an art or a craft; a technique or a practice, even a way of thinking. The tools humans use are not merely a means of intervention in our environment but also a way of becoming human and thus, technology has a fundamental impact on our identity and …

Piloting Of Specific Common Tools In Support Of Digital And Online Learning, Orlin Marinov, Karlis Valtins, Janina Fengel, K.C. O'Rourke, Lubomir Dimitrov, Rossen Radonov

Conference Proceedings

This publication is an insightful exploration into the evolving landscape of digital and online learning, with a specific focus on the pilot testing and implementation of innovative educational tools. It aims to critically assess the effectiveness of these tools in enhancing the educational experience and the overall learning outcomes in digital environments.

This manuscript is particularly relevant for educators, education technologists, policymakers, and scholars interested in the advancement of digital education. It serves as a pivotal resource, providing valuable insights into the utilization and effectiveness of digital tools in education. The publication's contribution to academic scholarship is significant, offering a …

Workplace Implications For Female Leaders: Exploration Of Stereotype Threat Within Video Conferencing., Roisin Donnelly, Anthony Ryan

Journal Articles

A significant body of research has documented the effect to which stereotype threat can be triggered by both the physical environment and by the use of various technology media. However, there is a dearth of research exploring the relationship between stereotype threat, defined here as “the concrete, real-time threat of being judged and treated poorly in settings where a negative stereotype about one’s group applies” (Steele, Spencer & Aronson, 2002, p.385), and video conferencing software features - specifically virtual backgrounds. This literature review suggested that this feature might, in certain circumstances, negatively affect the performance of groups not stereotypically associated …

Effective Risk-Based Decision Making In Quality Risk Management, Valerie Mulholland

Dissertations

Patients expect safe, effective, high-quality medicines that are available when needed. Meeting these expectations is increasingly challenging in a global pharmaceutical supply chain, as evidenced by persistent product quality and supply issues. A key contributory factor to these issues is disruptions in manufacturing operations, which in turn are often caused by a hesitancy to change and to continuously improve approved processes. Regulatory agencies repeatedly indicate that they will consider increased autonomy for post-approval changes, if pharmaceutical manufacturing operations can demonstrate the effectiveness of Quality Risk Management (QRM) within the Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS). Thus, the question was posed by Dr …

Case Studies Of Restapi And Graphql Architectures, Janni Daniel Balraj, Gary Clynch

Academic Poster Collection

The adoption of microservices architecture has experienced significant growth, driven by its appeal in terms of modularity, scalability, and deployment ease. However, this proliferation of microservices has intensified the demand for efficient data exchange among them. While REST API has long been the standard protocol for microservices communication, its limitations in flexibility and performance have spurred the ascent of GraphQL as a more efficient alternative, as highlighted by studies comparing their performance. As the number of microservices continues to rise, traditional methods like REST APIs prove challenging, leading to issues such as over-fetching or under-fetching of data. GraphQL addresses these …

The North Of Ireland During The Interregnum: A Gramcian Analysis Of Power And Crisis, Chris Ó'Rálaigh

Articles

The North of Ireland was induced in to existence over a century ago, yet the polity lacked societal-wide legitimacy. The outbreak of conflict in 1968 signalled the beginning of an interregnal period in which the old order was substantially challenged. Whilst the Good Friday Agreement was idealised as an end to this interregnum, Brexit has re-opened the battle for politico-ideological supremacy. This paper traces the contours of the hegemony-seeking strategies of the various political actors from 1968-present and assesses whether we are in the crucial and final phase of the organic crisis of the North of Ireland.

Advances In Nanomaterials And Colorimetric Detection Of Arsenic In Water: Review And Future Perspectives, Abhijnan Bhat, Furong Tian, Baljit Singh

Articles

Arsenic, existing in various chemical forms such as arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)), demands serious attention in water and environmental contexts due to its significant health risks. It is classified as “carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top 10 chemicals posing major public health concerns. This widespread contamination results in millions of people globally being exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic, making it a top priority for the WHO. Chronic arsenic toxicity, known as arsenicosis, presents with specific skin lesions like …

Embodying Arts Festivals As Infrastructural Transformation Of Places, Bernadette Quinn

Books / Book chapters

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Features Extracted From Facial Images In The Context Of Binary Age Classification, Malik Awais Khan, Aurelia Power, Peter Corcoran, Christina Thorpe

Conference Papers

Age verification via facial images is used to enhance security, ensure online child safety, and manage access control with many approaches using classification models. However, many existing classification approaches face generalisation challenges due to homogenous racial nature of datasets. Moreover, many approaches fail to explicitly address the predictive potential of extracted facial features. To address the lack of racial diversity we selected representative samples from four different benchmark datasets: UTK-Face, Fg-Net, Morph and All-Age-Faces. Subsequently, we examined the predictive potential of local, global and hybrid sets of facial features. We extracted local features using two types of Local Binary Pattern …

Sustainability Policy Inventory, Conor Shaw, James O’Donnell

Tools

The purpose of this inventory is to inform Irish organisations, including the private sector, public agencies and semi-states, about current or upcoming EU and Irish policies which have implications on reporting or other action in relation to 'sustainability in construction'.