Research Ireland

23/06/2026

Join us online for the launch of the ESB Science Blast Inclusion Evaluation, where leading expert Dr Margaret Flood (Maynooth University) will share insights to help shape more inclusive programmes across education, STEM, and public engagement.

This is a chance to access practical learning and fresh thinking—no travel required.

📅 24 June
🕤 09:30 (launch session only)
💻 Online - https://www.rds.ie/rds-foundation/science-and-technology/esb-science-blast

If you're working in education, DEI, outreach or engagement, this session is for you.

Research Ireland

12/06/2026

337 primary schools across Ireland have received a Research Ireland Curious Minds Award for 2026.

Funded by Research Ireland, the Curious Minds Awards recognise schools that adopt a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to STEM in their teaching.

This year, 24 schools received the Silver Award, 295 schools received the Gold Award, and 18 schools received the Platinum Award.

Read more:

https://www.researchireland.ie/news/2026-curious-minds-awards/

11/06/2026

08/06/2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a big part of everyday life — from how we access information to how services are delivered in areas like healthcare and banking. This workshop offers an introduction to AI to better understand what AI is, where it can be found in daily life and what to look out for when using it.

This event is open to the public. No prior knowledge is required to join the workshop – everyone is welcome!

During the session, you will:

- Learn the basics of Artificial Intelligence
- Spot AI in daily life
- Discuss the benefits and potential risks of using AI
- Take part in conversations about AI in a friendly environment
- After the workshop, there will also be an opportunity to try out AI technologies firsthand through interactive demonstrations.

To register following the link provided https://tinyurl.com/AgeFriendlyAI or for any further questions email us at [email protected]

Research Ireland Dublin Cityuniversity

02/06/2026

🎪Next weekend, Fitzgerald Park will transform into a magical festival of STEM! Featuring awesome science shows under the Circus Top & Stretch Tents, potions straight out of Hogwarts, fire tricks, foam experiments, crazy robotics and unexpected thrills, there is something for everyone!

📆 June 6&7
📍 Fitzgerald Park

🔗For more information and to plan your visit https://www.corkcity.ie/en/cork-carnival-of-science/

Research Ireland Irish Examiner Cork's 96FM Cork City Council Pure Cork

26/05/2026

Why do summers feel longer when we are kids? Dr Ruth Freeman joined Drivetime on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss this.

"A lot of it comes down to how we make memories, and particularly when it comes to things being novel and new. When we're young, life is packed full of brand new experiences,"

"The brain pays really special attention to those new experiences because they're really important for learning. When we look back at our childhood, we have a really dense collection of really meaningful memories, and that gives us a sense that the time was longer."

Listen now:

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22615766/

25/05/2026

The festival programme is now LIVE! Explore the magic of Cork Carnival of Science at Fitzgerald Park this June 6th & 7th!

The programme has everything you need to plan your visit, including festival map, timings for shows, workshops and demonstrations!

Some of our headlining shows include Science2Life with The Science of Hogwarts, Mark the Science Guy presenting Science is my Super Hero and Bumble Movement Arts with Bee-ology, along with many more!
📆 June 6 & 7
📍 Fitzgerald Park
🔗 https://www.corkcity.ie/en/cork-carnival-of-science/

Research Ireland Irish Examiner Cork's 96FM Pure Cork Cork City Council

25/05/2026

A new study led by Prof James O'Donnell at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) will investigate how a person’s blood group can influence bleeding, clotting and transfusion outcomes.

The new €2 million Strategic Partnership Programme award is co-funded by Research Ireland and the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

Although blood groups are known to play an important role in bleeding and clotting, the reasons for these effects are poorly understood. People with blood type O, in particular, are known to have higher risk of excessive bleeding. This programme will investigate these links by analysing blood samples and health data from Irish blood donors.

You can read more about the study at:

https://www.researchireland.ie/news/irish-blood-transfusion-service/

19/05/2026

💙💛 Huge congratulations to our UCD Researchers, who have just secured more than €8 million in funding under the Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future programme, the highest amount awarded to any institution in this funding round.

Well done to Professor Adam Byrne, Dr Chuanjie Loh, Dr Rory Johnson, Associate Professor Andrew Mitchell, Dr Christopher Shannon, Professor Desmond Tobin, Dr Joseph Byrne and Associate Professor Morgan Fraser.

Supporting ambitious projects spanning antimicrobial resistance, cancer research, quantum technologies and astrophysics, the funding forms part of a national €20 million investment in high-risk, high-reward research initiatives across Ireland.

Of the eight UCD-led projects to receive investment, three will be funded through the Award stream of the programme and five through the Project stream.

Among these is ‘GlycoMetalGuard’, a project led by Dr Joseph Byrne of the UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, which is developing innovative antimicrobial coatings and therapies to prevent hospital-acquired infections associated with medical devices such as catheters and endotracheal tubes.

The research aims to tackle antimicrobial resistance by targeting harmful bacteria with novel sugar-based metal compounds, supporting safer healthcare environments and improved patient outcomes.

Other funded UCD research includes projects exploring new treatments for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), melanoma biology, quantum simulators, and the life cycles of massive stars.

The Frontiers for the Future Programme supports independent investigators pursuing innovative research over a four- to five-year period across a broad range of disciplines.

The UCD projects awarded funding:

🫁 ‘Defining the role for itaconate and its isomers in lung fibrosis’ | Professor Adam Byrne | €1,089,422

💡‘LIGHT4CARB: Leveraging Visible Light Photocatalysis for Stereoselective Access to Unexplored Carbohydrate Chemical Space’ | Dr Chuanjie Loh | €1,880,731

🧬 RIBOncology: Harnessing cancer genomics for (non-coding) RNA biology and therapeutics’ | Dr Rory Johnson | €1,298,618

⚛️ ‘Nanoelectronic Quantum Simulators’ | Associate Professor Andrew Mitchell | €789,259

🫀 ‘Targeting the Activin Type II Receptor to treat metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis’ | Dr Christopher Shannon | €803,490

🌞 ‘Leveraging the melanoma-protected human hair follicle for insights into the control of pigment cell proliferation and apoptosis relevant to cutaneous melanoma’ | Professor Desmond Tobin | €770,213

🩺 ‘GlycoMetalGuard: Glycoconjugate metal complexes as targeted bacterial therapeutics and protective coatings suitable for medical devices’ | Dr Joseph Byrne | €791,010

🌚 ‘How Massive Stars Die’ | Associate Professor Morgan Fraser | €686,296

07/05/2026

Welcome to Professor Konstantinos Salonitis, the new Director of I-Form, the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, hosted by University College Dublin

I-Form names Professor Konstantinos Salonitis as new Director 🚀

Professor Konstantinos Salonitis is the new Director of I-Form, the Research Ireland Centre for Advanced Manufacturing hosted by University College Dublin. An established figure in sustainable manufacturing, he will oversee the centre’s mission to shape the future of Irish manufacturing through high-impact research and digital technologies. He succeeds outgoing director Professor Denis Dowling.

"I am deeply honoured to take on the role of Director of the I-Form Research Centre at such an exciting time for advanced manufacturing in Ireland,” said Professor Salonitis. “I-Form has built a remarkable reputation for bridging cutting-edge research with real-world industrial impact, and I look forward to building on that strong foundation. Together with our talented team and partners, we will continue to position Ireland at the forefront of global manufacturing research.”

Funded by Research Ireland, I-Form brings together a nationwide pool of expertise in materials science, engineering, data analytics and AI to enhance processing efficiency and sustainability.

Professor Salonitis, who recently joined the UCD School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, brings extensive experience from Cranfield University, where he secured over €11.5 million in research funding and led its Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre. Author of two books, his portfolio includes more than 30 industry-funded projects and 350 papers in international journals.

Professor Kate Robson Brown (UCD) said he “brings an exceptional depth of experience in sustainable manufacturing and a proven track record of leadership that will be invaluable in driving forward I-Form's ambitions."

Research Ireland