Digital Commons Network^™

Driving Impactful Change: Entrepreneurial Insights For Social Responsibility In The Irish Context, Anna Zherdeva, Deirdre Mcquillan, Lucia Morales

Articles

Today’s volatile situation at the global level, provoked by a significant rise in Economic and Political Uncertainty, emerged as an answer on countries attempts to manage the climate change crisis, armed conflicts, the rising cost of living, a growing divide between the more prosperous Global North and the poorest Global South that are reflected on the emergence of multifaceted, multiple and long-lasting crises. During periods of heightened instability and economic uncertainty, businesses struggle to build trusting relationships with stakeholders as they seek to reduce costs. Additionally, companies seek deep engagement as they confront the costs associated with sustainability challenges and …

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd) Based Assessment Of Animal Borne Data Logger Impact, Christopher Pass

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Animal borne data loggers are powerful tools that provide researchers with valuable insight into the behaviour and ecology of free-ranging marine animals. Despite their usefulness, the addition of a tag inevitably alters the forces acting on a swimming body and can increase the energetic cost of swimming. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools offer a powerful means of assessing tag impact and a number of previous works have employed CFD to this end but have typically been based on a range of simplifying assumptions. Chief amongst these simplifications is that animals can be modelled as rigid bodies with a simple tag …

Graphene Biosensors For The Detection Of Alzheimer's And Cardiovascular Disease Protein Biomarkers, Theodore Bungon

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Dementia describes a syndrome or group of symptoms associated with the decline of brain functioning such as loss of memory, mood, judgment, language, thinking speed, mental sharpness and other mental abilities. Different classes of Dementia are Jakob Disease, Korsakoff Syndrome, Vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington disease, young onset dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) etc. At present, AD is irreversible and incurable, and it worsens overtime, it is neurodegenerative, caused by the accumulation or build-up of abnormal protein in the brain. It is a type of dementia that is common, affecting about 60% of patients with dementia diagnosis. Globally, over 54 million …

Mesoscale Modelling For Investigating Effective Properties And Collective Performance Of Geopolymer Concrete, Feiyu Shi

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Concrete is a versatile construction material which, depending on architectural design and structural analysis, can be shaped into various forms so that requirements for beauty and functions of designed facilities can be met while structural strength of the facilities is sufficient to sustain both gravity and external loadings. It is so favoured by engineers that its consumption is just after water. However, Portland cement – a main ingredient for use in the manufacture of traditional concrete – is quite a “dirty” material which releases a large amount of carbon dioxide in the process of its production. Carbon dioxide is one …

Quality Of Experience Assessment For Enhanced Video Streaming Services, Avsar Asan

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

In the contemporary digital landscape, service and content providers are increasingly focused on delivering high-quality multimedia services, a commitment driven by escalating user expectations and the advent of technologies like ultra-high-definition video and interactive services. Despite considerable advancements and investments in enhancing service capabilities, the surging demand for video services presents a multifaceted challenge.The key to user retention and satisfaction lies in maintaining a consistent quality of service, a task complicated by the limitations of available bandwidth and the consequential network or service impairments. These factors significantly influence user experience, with the potential risk of increased user churn, which can …

Automated Vulnerability Scanning And Security Audit Framework For Maritime Systems, Avanthika Vineetha Harish

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

The maritime industry is a well-established sector, with the shipping industry dating back hundreds of years. The devices in this sector differ from those in the Information Technology (IT) sector in their usage, operations, hardware, andprotocols. Technological advancements have introduced new challenges in the sector, including the increased risk of cyber attacks. To effectively identify, respond to, and analyse these threats, it is essential to understand the cyber securityvulnerabilities in maritime systems and system-of-systems.Currently, there are no standardised methods or automated tools for conducting cyber security testing of maritime systems. This thesis presents an automated vulnerability scanning and security audit …

Digitised Dockyard: A Digital Twin For Multi-Objective Optimisation, Joseph Ross

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Digital twin technology is emerging as a transformative tool across multiple industries to digitally represent physical entities for monitoring and simulation. While many implementations focus on single systems or commercial applications, this thesis investigates the use of a digital twin to represent and optimise the operational logistics of a non-commercial, high-security maritime site. By treating the entire base as a holistic entity composed of interdependent systems, such as buildings, utilities, communications infrastructure, personnel, and services, the research explores how artificial intelligence techniques can be embedded within a digital twin to support decision-making.This thesis proposes and develops a bespoke digital twin …

Bayesian Multilevel Models For Survival Data From Multiple Centres, Lingling Zhang

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Recently, there has been an increasing use of flexible parametric survival models to analyse survival outcomes. Much of our work is based on a survival analysis model in which the baseline hazard function is modelled flexibly using an M-spline. Motivated by the analysis of a large kidney transplant data set supplied by NHSBT (NHS Blood and Transplant), we extend this baseline hazard function flexibility in various ways to allow a random effect for each transplant centre.After providing an introduction to survival analysis, we present an exploratory analysis of the NHSBT kidney transplant data. Next, we analyse the data using Bayesian …

A Framework For Tailored Organisational Cyber Security Training, Zinnar Ghasem

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Zinnar Ahmed Ghasem A framework for tailored organisational cyber security training AbstractSociety is increasingly becoming dependent on cyberspace; in such it is becoming an integral part of every-day life of most people in both work and home context. This dependency spans across individuals, businesses, and organisations including governments who are relying on cyberspace for various services, ranging from email to social networking, and from cloud computing to ecommerce and financial automated process and transactions. These services are vulnerable and face sophisticated cyber threats, risks and attacks, and potentially can result in financial losses and compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability …

Biodegradable Curcumin-Nanoclay Films For Extending Shrimp Shelf-Life And Freshness, Kalpani Y. Perera, Sneha Sabu Mathew, Luana De S.C. Carnaval, Dileswar Pradhan, Amit K. Jaiswal, Swarna Jaiswal

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Preserving food freshness is fundamental for minimizing waste. Intelligent packaging offers valuable information, enhances safety, and improves food quality during storage and transit. This study aimed to develop biodegradable, intelligent food packaging for shrimp using curcumin (Cur), gelatin (Gel), sodium alginate (SA), and nanoclay (NC) to enhance food safety and extend shelf life. The films with 1 % NC-Cur exhibited a 3.46-fold increase in UV barrier properties compared to the control, although Cur reduced transparency. Mechanical testing showed that films containing 0.5 % NC-Cur achieved optimal tensile strength (38.6 ± 30.9 MPa). The water contact angle (WCA) increased to 84.12 …

The Prevalence And Concentrations Of Four Waste-Pathogen Combinations From Land-Spreading Across High-Income, Temperate Regions – A Scoping Review And Pooled Analysis, Jennifer E.M. Mccarthy, Paul D Hynds, Declan J Bolton, Jesús M Frías Celayeta

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Recent Progress In Bioactive Loaded Hydrogels For Food Applications, Navjot Kaur, Hamid, Pintu Choudhary, Amit K. Jaiswal

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The review aims to explore the utilization of hydrogels in the food industry, specifically focusing on their capacity to encapsulate bioactive compounds for enhancing food safety, quality, and health benefits. Hydrogels, with their unique capacity to incorporate various bioactive agents such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and probiotics, are emerging as transformative tools in the development of functional foods. These hydrogels offer numerous advantages, including the preservation of food quality and the controlled release of encapsulated compounds. Their responsiveness to environmental stimuli allows for targeted release, which is crucial for optimizing the efficacy and shelf-life of bioactive substances. Research indicates that bioactive-loaded …

Prevalence And Concentrations Of Four Waste-Pathogen Combinations From Land-Spreading Across High-Income, Temperate Regions: Meta-Modelling And Distribution Fitting For Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (Qmra), Jennifer E M Mccarthy, Paul D Hynds, Declan J Bolton, Jesús M Frías Celayeta

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Techmate: A Toolkit For Advancing Gender Equality In Computing Education, Alina Berry

Academic Posters Collection

To address the issue of gender inequality in computing education.

To inspire and guide institutions to implement change and track progress with easy to follow guidance.

To provide champions with useful and easy to access resources.

Build Digital Annual Survey 2024 Results, Clare Eriksson, Robert Moore, Bilal Succar

Reports

The Build Digital Annual Survey 2024 presents a sector-wide snapshot of digital adoption and transformation across Ireland’s construction and built environment sector. Based on 137 responses, the report shows that most participating organisations have begun their digital transformation journey, with expected benefits including improved accuracy, operational efficiency, quality, cost reduction, and faster clash resolution. The findings indicate widespread use of common digital deliverables and increasing awareness of ISO 19650, CDEs, OpenBIM, and CWMF BIM requirements. However, the report also identifies persistent challenges, including skills gaps, uneven training provision, limited digital competence, and variable implementation of BIM requirements across public and …

Metamorphosis: An Evaluation Of The Adaptation And Re-Use Potential Of Suburban Housing For Older Homeowners, Michelle Moore

Masters

Ireland’s population is ageing at a rate that is more than twice the EU average. Public policy in Ireland aims to support older persons to age-in-place. Over 80% of older adults in Ireland live in an owner-occupied home, following many decades of public policy promoting home ownership as the tenure of choice. Limited research has been undertaken on the housing adaptation options that could result in privately-owned homes being made more suitable for the evolving needs of the rapidly ageing demographic. This thesis addresses the hypothesis that, with the provision of an appropriate suite of enablers, older homeowners can be …

Meditation Techniques And Their Relationship To Psychotic-Like And Mystical Experiences, Timothy Palmer

School of Psychology Theses

Meditation practice has been associated with benefits but also adverse experiences from anxiety to psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and even psychosis. The overarching aim was to identify how different types of meditation techniques (varying in bodily focus) differentially relate to psychotic-like experiences and cognitive abilities, including interoceptive awareness, affective awareness and decision-making. For this, I conducted two correlational studies and an intervention study.Different systems have been proposed for classifying meditation techniques. Nash et al’s (2013) approach categorises techniques by goal: Null Directed Methods (NDM), which aim for an “empty” state; Cognitive Directed Methods (CDM), aimed at an enhanced cognitive state; and …

Predictive Perception In Autism, Robert Harlow

School of Psychology Theses

This thesis investigates how predictive perception, motor coordination, and neurotype differences influences social perception in autism. It explores how these mechanisms contribute to social difficulties faced by autistic people, through the lens of the double empathy problem and second-person neuroscience.Chapter 2 examined how spoken intentions and visual evidence guide predictive social perception. Across four experiments, results supported a dual-process model whereby top-down expectations shape early perception but are overridden by visual input once motion begins. This led to the ‘kinematic dominance hypothesis’, suggesting motion cues dominate perception once movement begins due to their higher precision.Chapter 3 used high-resolution active motion …

Understanding Truth And Reconciliations Processes In An Art-Based Community Project Which Addresses Experiences Of Iatrogenic Harm In Mental Health Services, Joseph French

School of Psychology Theses

Research suggests that some service users may have harmful experiences of mental health services. Truth and reconciliations processes have addressed systemic harm in other contexts. However, these are complex and may have positive and negative impacts. Eight interviews were conducted with seven members of a community arts group which uses a truth and reconciliations approach. Members create art to express harmful experiences of the mental health system and display it at exhibitions where mental health professionals are invited to engage with it. The researcher used a constructivist grounded theory informed approach to understand how artists experienced a truth and reconciliations …

Detecting Meaningful Longitudinal Cognitive Change In Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease From Statistics To Clinical Tools: A Psychometric And Multivariate Evaluation, Wayelina Marianne

School of Psychology Theses

Objective: To improve early detection of transitional cognitive decline associated with stage 2 preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD), this study evaluated three statistical approaches: Reliable Change Index (RCI), Standardised Regression-Based (SRB) models, and Multivariate Base Rate (MVBR) analysis for identifying Alzheimer’s disease related cognitive decline over a 12-month interval. Method: A longitudinal cohort of older adults (N = 91), including healthy controls, individuals with Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), and diagnosed AD patients, completed a neuropsychological battery at two time points. Test–retest reliability and practice effects were estimated, followed by calculation of RCI, SRB, and MVBR indices at both 5th and 16th …

Exploring Individuals’ Experiences Of Working With Probation Who Have Personality Disorder: A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Approach., Nikki Morfey

School of Psychology Theses

Utilizing a Community-Based Participatory Action Research approach, semi-structured interviews were used to explore seven individuals’ experiences of working with Probation who self-identified as screening into the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of the data resulted in the construction of six Group Experiential Themes. Findings reflect participant confusion with the Personality Disorder label in light of feeling it was imposed without discussion, speaking to their experiences of the power dynamic in the probation relationship. Participants described being reduced to a case to be managed, with no space to be seen as a person, and a gap between …

The Experiences Of Systemic Invalidation In Chronic Pain Care Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Individuals: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study, Claira Moro

School of Psychology Theses

This study explored the lived experiences of individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities living with chronic pain and prescribed pain-relief medication. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, eight participants were recruited from a single primary care network in England. Two Group Experiential Themes were developed. This paper reports one: From dismissed to disengaged: the trauma of seeking help, with three sub-themes: (1) “Being fobbed off” – dismissal across healthcare and benefit systems; (2) “It just seemed horrible to me, to take it off me” – pain relief as withdrawn, stigmatised, or conditional; and (3) “Do I want to poke the bear?” – disengagement …

Bridging The Gap: A Mixed Methods Study Of Trainee Clinical Psychologists’ Experiences And Learning Needs For Working With Refugees, With Co-Produced Training Guidelines., Megan Stuart-Richards

School of Psychology Theses

AbstractRefugees face unique and traumatising challenges to their mental health across multiple socio-political climates. Services are providing inequitable support for refugees, which lack appreciation of transcultural conceptualisations of mental distress, amongst a backdrop of social injustice. Refugees were employed as Co-researchers to co-produce every stage of this project. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was utilised in this study to examine experiences and learning needs of 79 Trainee Clinical Psychologists (TCP’s) in their survey responses. Novel training guidelines, to be accessed via ‘supplementary materials’, were co-produced alongside scoped learning needs, which contribute to health research and practice. Four interrelated overarching themes became evident. …

“We've Just Kind Of Woven In All These Different Ways Of Keeping Him Close By” A Narrative Analysis Of How Children And Their Surviving Parent Co-Construct Continuing Bonds Following Parental Death, Miriam Summers

School of Psychology Theses

Continuing bonds research has predominantly focused on adults and considered from an individualistic perspective; consequently, little is known about how such bonds may be developed relationally within families. This study aimed to explore how parentally bereaved children and their parent/caregiver co-construct continuing bonds. Eight families were recruited, and parent/caregivers and their children were interviewed together. Narrative analysis explored semantic themes and interactional processes. The findings highlighted that continuing bonds are co-constructed through regular joint remembering, family acts of remembrance, joint connecting through objects and shared interpretations of signs from the deceased. Constructive interactional processes included collaboration, agreement and sharing positive …

Developing New Memory Tests In Alzheimer’S Disease: A Development And Initial Pilot Study., Áine Maguire

School of Psychology Theses

Objective: This development and pilot study aimed to create and assess the utility and feasibility of using three new computerised memory tests of semantic interference during learning, short-term visual memory binding, and cross-modal associative memory binding with people with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Method: The new memory tests were evaluated as potential diagnostic and staging tests in AD using a sample of older adults: 15 with a clinical diagnosis of AD, mean age 70.80±5.41 years; 14 with positive AD biomarkers but no known cognitive impairment (preclinical AD), mean age 70.60±4.49 years; and 15 healthy controls (HCs), mean age 69.60 ±7.38 years. …

A Comparison Of Aks And K3s On Vmss, Craig Dillon, Omar Portillo

Academic Poster Collection

A Comparison of AKS and K3s on VMSS

Nomad Vs. Kubernetes, Alexandru Constantin Cardas, Omar Portillo

Academic Poster Collection

Nomad vs. Kubernetes

Investigation Into Finops Techniques To Optimise Cost In Aws Cloud Deployments, Denis Parker, Kevin Bayliss

Academic Poster Collection

Investigation Into FinOps Techniques To Optimise Cost in AWS Cloud Deployments

An Evaluation Of Zero Trust Principles In Modern Software Development, Cezar Vararu, David White

Academic Poster Collection

An evaluation of Zero Trust Principles in modern software development

Cost Optimization In Open Telemetry, Niksa Jadric, Cormac Keogh

Academic Poster Collection

Cost Optimization in Open Telemetry