Irish Chicago Late Generation Ethnicity and the Future of Irish America - INSIDE
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INSIDE
the Future of Irish America
Irish Chicago
Late Generation Ethnicity and
WINTER 2017
5. UCD’s Education 7. Making Sense 9. Irish Chicago 11. Social Housing
Strategy of Fatbergs in Ireland
Contents
Features
5 Vision and values
drive education
strategy
7 Developing sense
around ‘fatbergs’ 9 Irish Chicago -
Late Generation
Ethnicity and the
11 Social Housing
in Ireland
Future of Irish
America
Think Bigger, go further, learn more
Within the tome that is John Henry Newman’s The Idea of a
University is a sentiment that resonates 165 years on. His vision
for higher education was the provision of a liberal education
where students were not merely taught facts or imbued with
knowledge but rather, by virtue of their environment,
experienced “true enlargement of mind”.
And it is to this ambition that we turned when we set out to articulate
EILIS O’BRIEN a distinctive communication platform for UCD.
Director of Communication
and Marketing
This true enlargement of mind is a deeply held conviction that freeing
the imagination and unleashing each individual’s unique potential will
benefit the world at large. It is a sentiment that we can own, that gives us an emotional
connection to our heritage and that we can translate into 21st century parlance. So, true
enlargement of mind becomes an invitation and a challenge to our community to think
bigger, to reach further, to learn more and to go beyond expectations.
Thinking bigger is exactly how we behave; in the quality and global reach of our research
and of our academic expertise. It is about the scale of our achievement and endeavour –
both historic and potential.
We have taken “Think Bigger” and created a range of materials that draw from our research
and scholarship, from our teaching and our students - www.ucd.ie/thinkbigger. This central
idea will form the basis of our communication to different audiences over the coming years.
It is expressed through authentic stories from within UCD that seek to inspire and connect
beyond.
Professor Dermot Moran, director of the UCD International
Centre for Newman Studies, tells us: “Newman wanted the
University to preserve and hand on the wisdom of past
generations but also to be open to the future, to the
advances in science, to modernity. He had a vision of
students learning to be citizens of the world, true
cosmopolitans. He wanted to expose young minds to the
liberal arts, to the sciences, and encouraged them to see
the connections between things.”
As we reach out to our students and our graduates and our
growing community, we ask them to join us as we explore
life’s possibilities and seek to meet global challenges.
UCD thanks... Produced by: Eilis O’Brien and Mary Staunton
Contributors: Judith Archbold, Emer Beesley, Jennie Blake, Carla Design: Loman Cusack Design Ltd
Briggs, Ursula Byrne, Kate Conroy, Liam Delaney, Imelda Delap, Damien Print: Fine Print
Dempsey, Mags Darcy, Georgina Dwyer, Ursula Fanning, Ashlee Feng, Thanks to: Diarmaid Ferriter, Pat Guiry, Ann Lavan, Damien McLoughlin,
Ronan Gough, Helen Graham, Aleksandra Gronostay-Miara, Joanna Regina Ui Chollatain
Gumularz, Paul Harkin, Anna Kelly, Una Kelly, Liam Kennedy, Naonori
Kodate, Patricia Maguire, Imelda Maher, Kate Manning, Liz McFeely, In the compilation of this publication, every care has been taken to ensure
Audrey Murray, Bairbre Ní Chonchúir, Róisín Ní Mhara, Tadhg O’Keeffe, accuracy. Any errors or omissions should be brought to the attention of UCD
University Relations (ucdtoday@ucd.ie). We also welcome your suggestions Please Recycle
Elaine Quinn, Asim Sheikh, Mark Simpson, Cathy Timlin, Michelle Tracey,
Niamh Walsh, Miceál Whelan. for articles in future editions.
News
Pictured at the event are: Michael McGlynn, Dr Sheila Willis, Paul O’Donovan, Eamonn Sinnott, Mary Sutton, Dr Garrett Fitzgerald, Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Dr Des Rice OBE, Professor Edmond
Harty and UCD President, Prof Andrew Deeks.
UCD Alumni Awards 2017
Friday 10 November saw the 4th annual UCD Alumni Awards take place in UCD O’Reilly Michael McGlynn – UCD Arts
Hall. The President was joined by 400 guests including faculty, staff, alumni, supporters and Humanities
and friends of UCD to celebrate and honour the outstanding achievements of ten of our Michael is a composer, producer and Artistic
alumni at the awards ceremony, the evening was a true showcase for the impact and Director of the vocal ensemble Anúna which he
value of a UCD degree. founded in 1987. Today Anúna is regarded as
one of the finest vocal groups in the world and
Once again the awards were expertly Dr Garrett Fitzgerald – UCD Research,
Michael’s compositions have been performed by
hosted by Pat Kenny, BE 1969, during the Innovation and Impact
Grammy award-winning ensembles the Phoenix
evening he was joined ‘In Conversation’ by Garrett is the McNeil Professor in Chorale, Kansas City Chorale and Chanticleer.
UCD Alumnus Gerry Stembridge, BA 1979, Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at the This year he directed and scored the Noh
who shared anecdotes and stories of his time University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Theatre/Anúna collaboration of Takahime, a
on the satirical radio sketch show Scrap where he chairs the Department of Systems Japanese reworking of Yeats’ At the Hawk’s Well
Saturday. Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics in Tokyo’s Orchard Hall.
The awards ceremony followed dinner and directs the Institute for Translational
where the ten honorees were presented with Medicine and Therapeutics. His research has Dr Sheila Willis – UCD Science
their awards. They were nominated by peers been characterised by an integrative approach Former Director General of Forensic Science
and faculty and reflect the values UCD holds to explaining the mechanisms of drug action, Ireland Sheila’s career has focused on how
dear, integrity, excellence, collegiality, drawing on work in cells, model organisms science can be used to investigate crime and
engagement, creativity and diversity – values and humans. assist the administration of justice. She was
in the DNA of our University.
director of the laboratory from 2002 to 2016,
The evening was punctuated by Emily Logan – UCD Health Sciences
and during this time took the organisation to the
performances from UCD’s student body, UCD Emily is the first Chief Commissioner of the highest international standard. Sheila pioneered
Trad Soc opened the event, UCD Choral Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the introduction of DNA profiling to our legal
Scholars closed the formal part of the evening appointed by President Michael D Higgins in system and recruited an expert team of molecular
and UCD Jazz Soc entertained the audience 2014. In this role, Emily leads the IHREC in biologists to set up the national DNA Database
with an after-dinner performance in the their goal to protect and promote human rights System in 2015.
Conservatory. and equality. Prior to this, she served as
The black-tie event was made possible Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children and in Dr Des Rice OBE – UCD Agriculture
through the generous support of sponsors 2008 was appointed by her peers to the and Veterinary Medicine
Microsoft, Bank of Ireland, Intel, AIB, Eversheds position of President of the European Network Des is a veterinarian who specialised in
Sutherland, RKD Architects, Codex, PwC, of Ombudsmen for Children. livestock nutrition. After two years in veterinary
Three and Scott Tallon Walker, and supporters practice in Ireland, he spent four years developing
Lidl and The Gloss. Professor Edmond Harty – UCD
a Veterinary Investigation Laboratory in El
Engineering and Architecture
Salvador, followed by ten years on nutritional-
The recipients of the UCD Edmond is regarded as one of the world’s disease research in Belfast. For services to the
pioneers in agricultural technology. His
Alumni Awards for 2017 are: creativity, ambition, determination and
agri-food industry he received an OBE from the
British Government in 2004. Now, through his
Mary Sutton – UCD Social Sciences leadership has helped to make Dairymaster business, CCO, he provides coaching and
one of the most successful agri-tech mentoring services on strategic human behaviour
For most of her career, Mary worked in
businesses in the international arena. With an and stress management issues to businesses.
international development before joining The
impressive track record of filing over 90 patent He also works with community groups, including
Atlantic Philanthropies in 2008, becoming
applications and developing a multidisciplinary, veterinary peer supporters, on a voluntary basis.
Country Director for the Republic of Ireland in
innovation focused company of more than 350
2011. Now in her tenth year with Atlantic, she
people, Professor Harty has overseen Paul O’Donovan – UCD Sport
is overseeing the conclusion of its work in
Dairymaster’s success as a global leader in Paul is an Irish rower, world-class sportsman
Ireland in line with Chuck Feeney’s ‘limited life’
technology for dairy farming. and the only Irishman to win both World
and ‘giving while living’ philosophy.
Championship and Olympic medals in the
Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC – UCD Law
Eamonn Sinnott – UCD Business same year. With his brother Gary, he won silver
London-based human rights lawyer in the Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls at the
Eamonn is Vice-President of the
Caoilfhionn Gallagher was made Queen’s 2016 Rio Olympics. Two weeks later, he
Technology and Manufacturing Group at Intel
Counsel in 2017 in recognition of her became World Champion in the Men’s
Corporation and the General Manager of Intel
exceptional international work, acting for Lightweight Single Sculls in Rotterdam. A UCD
in Ireland. He has held a variety of management
journalists and peaceful protestors who have Ad Astra Sports Scholar from the age of 18 and
positions in Ireland and in the USA prior to his
been arbitrarily detained all over the world. throughout his undergraduate degree, Paul’s
appointment as General Manager in 2010
She recently led the legal team for Ibrahim work ethic and ability to balance a demanding
where he was instrumental in securing the
Halawa, the Irish national who, at 17, was degree with an even more demanding rowing
record $7 billion upgrade to the Leixlip
detained in Egypt in 2013. schedule is an inspiration.
campus.
3 | Winter 2017
News
Artificial Intelligence and the Future
On 19 September 2017 the UCD Humanities Institute, the UCD Institute for Discovery
and the UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy hosted their third public lecture in the
‘Plotting the Future’ series entitled ‘AI and the Future’. The lecture was delivered by
world-renowned cognitive scientist Professor Margaret A Boden OBE to an audience of
over 150 academics, students, industry leaders and members of the wider community.
In her lecture, Professor Boden talked provide a forum to discuss an issue that has
about the philosophical and technological such enormous implications for all of our
implications raised by Artificial Intelligence futures.”
(AI), and debated whether computers could ‘Plotting the Future’ is a public lecture
ever be really intelligent, creative or even series and forum for debate that explores the
conscious. She explained how the pursuit of urgent question of what it means to be human
Artificial Intelligence has helped us to in the age of Artificial Intelligence and Pictured are (l-r) Prof Robert Gerwarth and
Prof Timothy Snyder
understand how the brain works and for the Robotics. This informative series will continue
Professor
first time comprehend the enormous power in 2018.
and subtlety of the human mind.
“I cannot think of a single example of
human activity that will not be touched in
some way by AI, but there are huge dangers
Timothy Snyder
too even if you don’t believe there will be
superhuman intelligence in 30 years,” said Lecture
Boden. “Fortunately, people have started to
Timothy Snyder, renowned public
worry about it, and think about what the
intellectual, Professor of History at Yale
problems are and whether they can be
University and author of many critically
regulated. So it is a hugely exciting,
acclaimed books visited UCD School of
problematic and important area.” History in October 2017. Professor Snyder
Associate Professor Patricia Maguire, gave a talk based on his book Black Earth:
Director of the UCD Institute for Discovery, The Holocaust as History and Warning.
said that it was a great honour to host such a Following the lecture, Professor Snyder
true pioneer of women in the sciences: Professor Margaret Boden with Associate Professor took part in a question and answers session
“Artificial intelligence is the future, and we Patricia Maguire, Director of the UCD Institute for Discovery
and schoolchildren from Muckross Park, Donnybrook and chaired by Professor Robert Gerwarth, Head
were delighted to host Professor Boden and Gonzaga College, Ranelagh. of UCD School of History.
2017 UK and Ireland Confucius Institutes Conference
The 2017 UK and Ireland Confucius
Institutes Conference was successfully held
in UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland on 23
September. Along with the 100
representatives from over 30 UK and Irish
Confucius Institutes were Chinese
Ambassador HE Dr Yue Xiaoyong;
Mr Guocheng Zhao, Deputy Director-General
of Hanban; Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD,
Minister of State for Higher Education; and
UCD President Professor Andrew Deeks.
In his speech, Professor Andrew Deeks
said that the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland Minister O’Connor reflected on Ireland’s the Irish government’s willingness and desire to
(CII) has been dedicated to collaborating with mature and sophisticated relationship with China work together with China over the coming years
Irish and Chinese governments, enterprises in the area of education, which encompasses to ensure the successful development of the
and academic organisations to develop and student and academic mobility, higher education Confucius Institutes in Ireland. She said it was
enhance bilateral relations between the two collaboration, language learning, cultural envisaged that Chinese would be introduced as
countries since its inception 11 years ago. awareness-raising and research. She confirmed a Leaving Certificate subject in 2020.
UCD Access & Lifelong Learning Welcome Programme 2017
Over 1,600 incoming students took part in negotiation a series of stages or transformations develop a sense of belonging, being valued and
the UCD Access & Lifelong Learning regarding their entitlement to participate in HE. accepted.
Welcome Programme. This programme is Starting college is very exciting but also can The UCD Welcome Programme offers
designed to give students entering be daunting for all students but it is particularly activities that facilitate incoming students to
challenging for students from non-traditional build their confidence, to get to know other
through the alternative entry pathways,
backgrounds. In many cases they may be the students and have a good network of friends
i.e. HEAR, DARE, Mature Years, QQI-FET, only student from their school or community starting off, become familiar with the UCD
University Access Programme (UAP) coming to UCD. Some students may have campus and know where to go when they have
Open Learning, and Lifelong Learning, a been out of the educational system for a long a query. In short, it demonstrates their
head start settling into UCD. time and are apprehensive about returning to ‘entitlement’ to them.
learning. Some students may have had a poor The ALL Welcome Programme, delivered
The Welcome Programme addresses the
previous experience of learning or the impact by Access & Lifelong Learning staff, assisted by
specific needs of these students who are
of their disability or life circumstances may a team of 44 Access Student Leaders, was
offered a range of interventions and inputs to
mean it may take longer to settle in to a new offered over a two-week period in September,
facilitate their transition to higher education. For
setting or way of learning. Crucially, the ALL and culminated in the 2nd Annual ALL Student
many of these students, HE can be perceived
Welcome Programme helps students to Welcome event on Friday 15 September.
as an alien environment necessitating the
4 | Winter 2017
Feature
Vision and values
drive education
strategy
reflect the principles of our founder but in ways health services, but the focus must be on overall
Professor Mark Rogers that are relevant to a globally-connected world” wellbeing as opposed to dealing with acute
graduated from Trinity
College with a first- said the Deputy President. issues once they arise. It’s much better to have
class honours degree in The main priorities in the strategy are for earlier intervention and encourage our students
Genetics and obtained a
PhD in Genetics from the students to have a fully outcomes-based to talk to us and deal with the issues before they
University of Glasgow. become problems”.
During his career as a curriculum, with opportunities to develop
researcher, he successfully interpersonal, intercultural and life skills. “In the The Deputy President said that each role he
licensed immunodiagnostic
technologies that have been past, we had separate strategies that focused has taken on in his career has brought new
employed in BSE diagnosis, on educational attainment on the one hand and challenges, but challenges he has embraced. “I
resulting in over €2 million in
royalties accruing to UCD. on the student experience on the other. A big do miss research but the role that I have today
A former Dean of Science, difference in this strategy is that we’ve taken the brings different challenges. I hope that the
he promotes a student-
centred approach to view that if you really want to give students the decisions that I make help to enhance the
education that is research best possible university experience, you can’t student experience, after all that’s what we’re
informed and research led.
separate the two.” trying to achieve all the time. There is a lot to
The overall aim of the education strategy is achieve over the course of a five-year strategy,
“It is a great point then to enlarge to provide an educational experience that is to make the University a better place for
‘holistic’ and one that instils in students a desire everyone, but we’re also trying to make things
the range of studies which a to learn and create and to contribute to society better each day.” He noted that there is a lot of
University professes, even for the at all levels. Students at UCD have the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and while there is
opportunity to excel outside formal learning opportunity he said: “It’s just too early to tell. We
sake of the students; and, though environments through sport, culture and don’t know what it’s going to mean in terms of
they cannot pursue every subject community engagement. As well as this, the students coming from the UK and for Irish
which is open to them, they will be strategy sets out to promote academic support students who wish to study in the UK. We have
and advice, encouraging students to proactively a good international reputation and profile and
the gainers by living among those manage their health and wellbeing and to foster we want to enhance that and be clear that our
and under those who represent an institutional culture that values teaching and University is a large European urban campus.
research equally. We want to increase and broaden opportunities
the whole circle.”1 For Professor Rogers it’s about “the for global diversity”.
complete UCD experience, which is both inside UCD prides itself as the ‘university of first-
In these words from The Idea of a University, and outside the classroom”. While he noted that choice’ for Irish students and as a leader when
John Henry Newman advocated that the UCD has always delivered incredibly strong it comes to setting the national agenda through
principal purpose of a university was to provide educational programmes, “bringing the two the open and modular curriculums offered to
a liberal education; by which he meant to together really demonstrates to our students students. “It’s the natural course of a university
provide an environment in which there is “real that they have gained a significant number of to change and this current education strategy is
cultivation of mind”. Professor Mark Rogers, skills that are centred within their study but also an evolution of the previous iteration.” Professor
Registrar, Deputy President and Vice-President applicable on a much broader scale. In this Rogers feels that the current first year students
for Academic Affairs, has taken on the task of context, the University is seeking to anticipate on campus will have a different experience to
translating this vision into a tangible 21st century the realities of future digital worlds and is the graduating class of 2017, through the
education strategy for UCD. working with industry, the professions and the developments taking place across the University.
With a scale that enables UCD to offer the wider community to ensure that our graduates “Our message to students is simple; university
widest range of opportunities to 29,000 have the adaptable expertise required to excel education is a key time in your life, whether you
students, UCD is pursuing an education strategy in changing work contexts. I don’t like the join straight from school or later on, UCD is a
that seeks to equip Irish students and to attract phrase ‘job-ready’, we’re preparing students for place that has great faculty and staff who want
international students to a globally-focused life and we’re seeking to make a contribution to to inspire you and who want to support you in
university based in a vibrant city. “The education the cultural as well as the economic prosperity making the most of that time.”
strategy is shaped by our distinct traditions, of the country”.
relationships and external influences, and the Health and wellbeing is also to the forefront Professor Mark Rogers was in conversation with
major guiding influence is our values. We want of UCD’s Education Strategy: “We have supports Seán Dunne, journalist with The Irish Times.
the liberal education that we offer in UCD to in place for students such as counselling and
5 | Winter 2017
News
UCD Japan Keynote Lecture
UCD Japan’s Keynote Lecture took place on Thursday 12 October in UCD O’Brien
Science Centre. The lecture was the academic highlight of the two and half-week long
UCD Japan Fair, which was organised by the multidisciplinary group called UCD Japan
(established last year under the direction of UCD President, Professor Andrew Deeks).
The UCD Japan Fair covered a wide array of
topics ranging from Japanese food culture, the
history of samurai warriors, life in Japan as a
professional rugby player, research opportunities
in Japan, Japanese board games, Abenomics,
pop-culture diplomacy, robotics-aided care for
older people, Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, language
teaching and testing and the wartime history in
East Asia.
The Keynote Lecture ‘The Crucible of East
Asia: War Diaries and the Making of China and
Japan, 1937-1945’ was given by Professor
Professor Maria Baghramian pictured with
Aaron Moore (Handa Chair of Japanese-Chinese Professor O’Neill at the medal presentation
Relations, University of Edinburgh). It was very
Ulysses Medal
timely in the context of global uncertainty and
East Asia’s precarious situation.
The launch marked the new beginning of
UCD’s strong relationship with Japan beyond
this year’s 60th anniversary of diplomatic Pictured are (l-r) Professor Barbara Dooley, UCD Deputy
Registrar with HE Ambassador Mrs Mari Miyoshi, and
Presented to
relations between the two countries. communication robots from Japan.
Professor Onora
Ulysses Medals presented to O’Neill
Cass Sunstein and Samantha Power On 31 August 2017, UCD President
Professor Andrew Deeks awarded
the UCD Ulysses Medal, the highest
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Professor Samanatha Power and the most cited academic honour of the University, to
American legal scholar ever, Professor Cass Sunstein, have been awarded Ulysses Professor Onora O’Neill for her unique
Medals by UCD. The Harvard academics are married and have two children together. achievement in combining outstanding
The medals were presented by UCD academic scholarship with wide-
Registrar and Deputy President Professor ranging and extraordinarily effective
Mark Rogers. The citation for Professor Power service to public and political life.
was read by Professor Orla Feely, Vice- Onora O’Neill’s teaching career took her
President for UCD Research, Impact and to University of Columbia, University of
Innovation and for Professor Sunstein by Essex and finally to University of Cambridge
Professor Colin Scott, College Principal, UCD where, until her retirement, she was the
College of Social Sciences and Law and Vice- Principal of Newnham College.
President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Professor O’Neill has been the President
of the British Academy, the Chair of the
Professor Power has been called “a
Human Genetics Advisory Commission and
powerful crusader for US foreign policy as most recently the Chair of the Equality and
well as human rights and democracy” by Human Rights Commission. In 1999, she
Forbes. As a diplomat, journalist and was appointed to the House of Lords, as
professor, she has been a powerful and Baroness O’Neill of Ben Garve, where she
consistent advocate for principled American serves as a cross-bench member of the
engagement and global co-operation. From House. In that role, she has brought her
2009 to 2013, she served on the National formidable intellect and knowledge of
Security Council as Special Assistant to the complex ethical problems to guide and
President and Senior Director for Multilateral influence discussions of contested social
and political issues.
Affairs and Human Rights, where she focused
Beginning with her 1975 book, Acting
on issues including atrocity prevention, LGBT on Principle, Professor O’Neill’s writing has
and women’s rights, the protection of religious enabled new generations of scholars to
minorities, and the prevention of human understand and interpret the work of
trafficking. writings as well as directly as a policymaker. Immanuel Kant in a completely new light. In
In 2013 she became the youngest ever From 2009 to 2012, he was Administrator of the late 1990s Professor O’Neill’s
United States Ambassador to the United the White House Office of Information and publications began to show an even
Nations, where she served until 2017. During Regulatory Affairs, following nomination by stronger engagement with public moral and
this period she was also a member of President Obama. A prolific author, he has social issues. Her 2002 BBC’s Reith
President Obama’s cabinet and a senior written some of the most widely cited works Lectures on Trust, for instance, became a
seminal moment in discussions of the
adviser at the White House. She remains a in legal and public policy scholarship. His
conditions and requirements of public
powerful voice in defending and promoting a 2008 book Nudge with Richard Thaler has trustworthiness.
rules-based world order and in supporting had substantial impact on public policy across Professor O’Neill was in UCD as a
human rights. the world and was cited in the recent award keynote speaker at the conference on
Professor Cass Sunstein is one of the of the Nobel Prize to Thaler. His recent books ‘Trust, Expert Opinion and Policy’ organised
most influential legal scholars of the last range on topics from the impact of new social by Professor Maria Baghramian of UCD
century. He is currently Robert Walmsley technologies on democratic debate, the School of Philosophy and her co-PI,
University Professor at Harvard. As well as his ethical implications of Nudge-type public Professor Luke Drury of Dublin Institute for
academic work, he has had substantial policies, and the legalities of the US Advanced Studies, as part of their IRC
impact on public policy, both through his impeachment process. funded interdisciplinary research project
‘When Experts Disagree’.
6 | Winter 2017
Feature
Developing sense
around ‘fatbergs’
UCD engineer Dr Tom Curran is on a mission to stop ‘fatbergs’ from clogging up our sewers. He spoke to
Dr Claire O’Connell about developing new technology to fight the build-up of hidden fat.
Fatberg alert! A gigantic, greasy lump creeps Dublin have helped Dr Curran to leapfrog over
along the sewers under a city, clogging the pipes that search.
and forcing foul-smelling sewage out above “They have been very helpful with their
ground. It sounds like the script of a horror movie, expertise in electronics and they have helped me
but it’s an event that is all too real for the cities to use a dedicated ‘Internet of Things’ network for
where it has happened. Fatbergs form when the project that Science Foundation Ireland is
households and restaurants put fats, oils and rolling out on Irish campuses, including UCD,”
grease (FOGs) into the dishwasher or down the says Dr Curran. “In return, I can help their work by
sink, and flush products such as nappies and collecting data using the sensors I will put in place
wet-wipes down the toilet. under manhole covers for my test projects.”
The congealed waste mounts silently in Dr Curran hopes that the fatberg sensor
wastepipes, and the resulting fatberg can restrict system could ultimately give authorities a warning
the flow of wastewater and sewage until the that a blockage is forming. “If they know that,
problem spills out above ground. Then the fat then crews could be dispatched early to deal with
mountain often needs to be manually shovelled it before problems arise,” he says. “And this
and power-hosed away so that the waste can would help to protect the health of those crews
“In 2008 Dublin City Council implemented rules
flow freely again. and the wider environment.”
about managing fats, oils and grease and it has
But UCD engineer Dr Tom Curran is on the
reduced the fatberg problem in Dublin by about
case. He and colleagues are looking at
interventions that prevent or minimise the impact
of fatbergs, and his newest project will develop a
95 per cent. It made a big difference.”
Dr Curran is now working with a FOG How not to
build a fatberg
suite of sensors to warn of impending clogging so stakeholder group in the UK to develop free,
that action can be taken quickly. easy-to-understand visual instructions so that
kitchen staff know how to avoid adding to the
Monsterbergs fatberg problem, and his group in UCD partners Prevention is better than cure, and when it
with award-winning Irish start-up SwiftComply,
“A fatberg blocking a sewage pipe is like a
which offers restaurants an online platform to
comes to fatbergs that clog up sewers, the
blockage in an artery,” explains Dr Curran, a idea is to avoid loading fats, oils, greases
manage their fat, oil and grease waste.
lecturer in UCD School of Biosystems and Food and sanitary products into sewers in the
Engineering and Director of the MSc in Sensors
Environmental Technology Programme at UCD. first place.
“And just like in the body, if the blockage occurs By their nature fatbergs are an invisible
problem, but the chaos they ultimately cause can Dr Tom Curran has some expert advice to
in a major artery, or pipe in this case, the results
can be quite serious, with gas and sewage be extreme and costly, from environmental heed in the kitchen when cooking with fats
backing up and emerging into streets and problems to traffic diversions. “Often we only find and oils and cleaning up afterwards. “If you
premises.” out a fatberg is there when it starts to cause are having a fry, let the pan heat up so you
The resulting mess can not only damage damage,” says Dr Curran, who wants to develop
a sensor-based ‘early warning’ system to alert
use less oil,” he says. “That will save you
roads and gardens and pollute rivers, but fatbergs money too.”
can also potentially risk the health and lives of when trouble is brewing.
humans who need to physically climb into sewers Building on his previous research funded by
the Irish Research Council, he has now won a
Then once you are ready to wash up, be
and remove the troublesome blockages with sure to let any fats, oils or grease cool, and
shovels and high-pressure jets. prestigious Fulbright TechImpact Award to work
Some fatbergs are enormous – in September with Professor Joel Ducoste in North Carolina don’t be tempted to wash them directly
this year a 250-metre blockage that gummed up State University on a fatberg detection system. down the sink with hot water to speed
a sewer in East London weighed an estimated “In the first instance, we want to identify areas their passage. “As a rule, fatbergs tend to
130 tonnes (the equivalent mass of 19 African of high risk,” explains Dr Curran. “So we will map
out where restaurants are in relation to sewers,
occur around 300 metres from the point of
elephants, according to The Guardian). Last discharge because fats have had a chance
summer, the ‘Dublin Road’ fatberg in Belfast taking into account the diameter and conditions
congealed close to fast-food outlets and crews of the sewers, and calculate ‘hotspots’ where to cool down and harden,” says Dr Curran.
had to shovel the blockage out over a number of fatbergs are more likely to occur.”
This information will determine where a suite Instead, he recommends that you wipe fats
Sunday mornings.
of sensors could be stationed to monitor the off pans, utensils and crockery into the bin
Preventive measures sewer for early signs of trouble, and Dr Curran is for food waste.
preparing to put such sensors through their
This year, Dr Curran and colleagues published As for the bathroom, be aware that not
paces starting early next year.
a review in the Journal of Environmental “I’m looking to put sensors under manhole everything that seems flushable is good
Management of international measures to tackle covers so we can monitor the level of sewage,
fatbergs. They include educational campaigns for sewers, he cautions. “Wet wipes have
which would start to rise if there was a blockage,
such as ‘Cease the Grease’ in the USA and ‘Bin become a big problem in last 10 years,”
as well as the flow rate, which would slow if a
it - Don’t block it’ in the UK, he explains: “The fatberg is forming and also an increase in the he says. “People often think they can be
awareness around fatbergs tends to peak when levels of gases from a build-up of waste material,” flushed down the toilet and some say they
there is a problem in the local sewers.” he explains. can be on the pack. But while a lot of things
Dublin has had much success in preventing
are flushable, they are not suitable and they
the formation of fatbergs thanks to stipulations All the right connections
that restaurants need to install and maintain a can contribute to the fatberg problem.”
While Dr Curran had expected to have to
grease trap to hold back the fatty materials before review off-the-shelf sensors to determine the best
they get into the sewer. types to use, a conversation with another Fulbright Professor Tom Curran was in conversation
“Dublin is one of the leading cities in the world awardee, Dr Jacek Kibilda, and his colleagues with Claire O’Connell, science writer and
for these preventive measures,” says Dr Curran. from the CONNECT Centre in Trinity College contributor to the Irish Times and Silicon Republic.
7 | Winter 2017
News
UCD honorary degrees for outstanding contributions
to architecture, literature, science, politics and society
In one of the busiest weeks on campus with thousands of visitors attending graduation ceremonies, the University also presented honorary
degrees to five individuals who have attained outstanding distinction in their fields. This semester’s honorary degree recipients include cancer
support advocate and public sector chief executive Sir Ciarán Devane; architect Niall McLaughlin; poetry anthologist Niall McMonagle;
diplomat David Donoghue; and scientist Alistair Hetherington.
Niall McLaughlin – Honorary Degree of volumes; the New and Collected Lifelines was Industries (ICI), rising to a management-level
Doctor of Literature published in 2010. position over his eight-year period there. He
accepted the role as Chief Executive of
Niall McLaughlin is a multiple international
David Donoghue – Honorary Degree of Macmillan Cancer Support in 2007. The charity
award-winning architect. He is also Professor
Doctor of Literature is one of the largest in the UK and provides
of Architectural Practice at University College healthcare information, support and financial
London. He won the Young Architect of the An Irish diplomat who was centrally
involved in the negotiations for the Irish assistance to millions of cancer sufferers
Year award 1998, 16 RIBA Awards, he twice across Britain.
won the RIBA Stephen Lawrence Award, had government during the peace process, David
two appearances on the Stirling Prize shortlist Donoghue has also had overseas diplomatic
Alistair Hetherington – Honorary Degree of
and one on the Mies Van Der Rohe Prize postings in New York, Rome, Bonn, Paris,
Moscow, Vienna and Berlin. He served as the Doctor of Science
shortlist. He was awarded the RIBA Charles
Irish head of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in After graduating from the University of St
Jencks award in 2016.
Belfast during the period 1995 to 1999. It was Andrews with a degree in Botany and a PhD in
in this capacity as a negotiator for the Irish the area of physiological ecology, he moved to
Niall MacMonagle – Honorary Degree of
government that he was centrally involved in the University of Edinburgh, to work on cell
Doctor of Literature
the talks that culminated in the historic Good biology as a postdoctoral scientist. His seminal
Niall MacMonagle has worked as a teacher Friday Agreement in 1998.
research on calcium- and lipid-based signalling
and broadcaster but is best known as a poetry
anthologist. In the early 1980s, he began his Sir Ciarán Devane – Honorary Degree of in plant cells has revolutionised the field of cell
teaching career at Wesley College, Dublin, Doctor of Science signalling and advanced the field of calcium-
where he taught English for over 30 years. His and lipid-based signal transduction in cells. In
Sir Ciarán Devane started his career as an
qualities as a teacher quickly moved to national recognition of his outstanding abilities as a
engineer but has more recently worked as the
and international arenas with his development Chief Executive of one of the largest charities scientist, he joined the Scientific Advisory
in the mid-1980s of the Lifelines Project: and a public sector cultural body in the UK. He Committee of the UK Department of
Letters from Famous People about their took up an engineering position with one of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs and has
Favourite Poem. This project now spans four UK’s largest companies, Imperial Chemical advised the work of the Scottish government.
Dr Alison Reynolds wins inaugural UCD Allergan Innovation Award
Dr Alison Reynolds has won the inaugural UCD Allergan Innovation Award in recognition of
the innovative potential within her research to develop a new therapy for dry eye disease.
Dr Reynolds is an early career researcher in Speaking today Allergan Innovation Award
the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine with winner at UCD, Dr Reynolds said: “The bursary
close ties to the ocular pharmacology and will make a real difference to my research,
genetics group based in the UCD Conway enabling me to carry out pilot efficacy studies,
Institute. This award will provide Dr Reynolds visit international ocular surface experts and
with a research bursary of €7,000 to enable her attend the Ophthalmology Futures Forum
to develop a novel compound, uncovered in meeting in 2018. I am very grateful to Allergan
zebrafish, as a dry eye disease therapeutic. for this opportunity. I would also like to thank
Dr Reynolds believes that the new Enterprise Ireland for funding this work and my
compound identified, using tiny tropical fish as a UCD colleagues for their contributions and
research model, may provide a better alternative support.”
for the treatment of dry eye disease. Dr Alison Reynolds with her Allergen Innovation Award
UCD Smurfit School Executive MBA programme ranked 74th globally
In October UCD Smurfit School’s Executive part-time MBA programme was ranked business education, The Association of MBAs
74th in the world and 35th in Europe, according to the prestigious 2017 Financial Times (AMBA). This achievement ensures UCD Smurfit
Top 100 Global Executive MBA Rankings. September also saw UCD Smurfit School’s School remains the only business school in
full-time MSc in International Management ranked 15th globally by the Financial Times. Ireland (and one of only 82 worldwide) to hold
the prestigious ‘triple crown’ of accreditation
Earlier this year the MSc in Finance was positioned 36th in the world with Smurfit
from three highly respected accreditation bodies
Executive Development Open Enrolment programmes ranked 48th globally by the FT. – EQUIS (Europe); AACSB (US) and AMBA (UK).
The Financial Times Executive MBA ranking climbing 15 places in its rankings is further The Association of MBAs accreditation
analyses programmes based on several criteria evidence of that. This achievement is as a result represents the highest standard of achievement
including career progress, quality of faculty, of a relentless focus on continual improvement, in postgraduate business education and is
research and diversity. investment in our faculty, and investment in our based on a rigorous assessment of business
Commenting on the ranking, Professor Tony facilities to ensure optimum outcomes for our schools’ MBA programmes ensuring they
Brabazon, Dean, UCD Business said: “UCD students and graduates who continue to be in demonstrate the highest standards in teaching
Smurfit School has made great strides over the high demand both here in Ireland and and curriculum development. Attaining and
years in consistently improving its global internationally.” retaining the AMBA accreditation for another five
reputation as one of the world’s leading business The School also secured re-accreditation of years is further evidence of UCD Smurfit School’s
schools. Today’s announcement by the Financial its MBA programmes from one of the world’s commitment to excellence in business
Times with our Executive MBA programme leading independent authorities on postgraduate education.
8 | Winter 2017
Feature
Irish
Chicago According to the 2010 United States concern about the absence of new arrivals
from Ireland is the feeling of a “drift in the
Census, 34.7 million Americans claim younger generation…that they’re not as
involved as they would have been in the past.”
Irish American ancestry. Despite this A second finding is that Irish America is
becoming more conservative as it gets older. In
massive figure there has been little an age of accelerating social and technological
change, the elderly are likely to become more
academic effort, in recent decades, introverted.
Given these developments, the report’s
to find out who these people are. subheading, “Late Generation Ethnicity”,
seems apt. This is not to say that the death
What exactly does it mean, in the 21st century, knell is tolling quite yet. But, according to
if you claim to be Irish American? Kennedy “what it signifies is a late stage of the
ethnic story and the lateness is defined, on the
one hand, by the lack of new blood… but it’s
Professor Liam Kennedy, Director of the also signified by more subtle changes within
Clinton Institute, and his co-author Gemma the group whereby it is ever more inward
McNulty, have published the report Irish looking and less inclined to look towards
Chicago: Late Generation Ethnicity and the Ireland.”
Future of Irish America. The work was The special value of Kennedy and McNulty’s
commissioned by The Irish Abroad Unit of the study of the contemporary Irish American
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and community, is that it is based on new information
although it is an account of the status of the gathered. And, in its extended version, it
Irish in one city, it is intended to be the first step becomes the template for a comprehensive
in a comprehensive study of Irish America. examination of Irish America. To carry this out
Looking back on the moment that sparked the authors hope to survey and study the larger
his curiosity, Kennedy says, “Irish diplomats Irish American enclaves of New York, Boston,
would quote figures about this huge Irish Philadelphia and parts of the South, such as
Diaspora. And I thought to myself who are Atlanta and New Orleans. However, they
these people, where are they, what do they
already have firm reason to believe that much
think? Even now, I still don’t think we’ve
of the findings from Chicago will be replicated
enough information on that.”
though out the country.
In earlier generations there was a constant
It remains to be seen whether this is true.
interest in the successes and failures of the
Nevertheless, the writer’s project is ambitious
Irish in America. “You could follow big and
and admirable. “What we would hope to do is
reliable studies of Irish history,” Kennedy
continues, put these studies together” giving “the most
comprehensive snapshot of Irish America that
“Academics have done it we’ve had in modern times.”
proud. But there’s very little More than this, it would not only be
comprehensive but comparative, enabling us to
study of contemporary Irish see “variations in those different parts of
America. Scholarship stopped study that can be done sitting in front of a America… in how those different areas of Irish
computer in Dublin. You have to go out and get America settled, what their politics are. You
about 20 years ago.” into the field, interviewing people… You have to could begin to get a sense of what being Irish
Yet it’s obvious, on an almost a daily basis, do surveys. What’s crucial is to get fresh data.” American means.”
that American celebrities, politicians and So, they embarked on an extended series However, their ultimate conclusion may well
businessman publicly revel in their strong Irish of interviews and surveys within communities in be both positive and negative. Is it not likely
roots and yet the ethnic group goes unstudied. the Chicago area. One of their immediate that the loss of Irish American identity is the
One reason, Kennedy suspects, is that there is findings was that, no matter how proud these inevitable result of a successful immigration
the perception that Irish America has made it, interviewees were of their ethnicity, they shared story? The descendants of the exiles have
“graduated” as it’s put in the report and become a sense of despondency about the future. become natives, with only a fading folk-memory
mainstream and corporate, but this cannot be “Everyone had the same thing to say which of their own origins.
the reality for all 34.7 million. was “we’re not sure what’s going to happen
“Those millions must be ticking the Irish box with the next generation, we think things are Professor Liam Kennedy was in
for some reason,” Kennedy thought, “so what drifting, we’re not getting the same numbers conversation with Kate Hickey managing editor
is all that about?” Contemplating the research coming to our event or function, or sport or with Irish Central and Irish correspondent.
that might provide an answer to this question, cultural event, whatever it is.” This was a
the author commented: “This is not the kind of constant refrain. Adding to the communal
9 | Winter 2017
News
UCD Squared
Following on from last summer’s successful ‘UCD Squared – Connected One Health’
conference, links between the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine and the University of
California, Davis (UC Davis) Veterinary School continue to grow. This facilitates strong
relationships around project ideas that utilise expertise and resources from both sides
of the Atlantic in an effort to combat important and growing global problems.
During the summer, UCD student Alice
O’Byrne travelled to UC Davis, while Lynae
Shubin from UC Davis came to UCD to work
with Dr Gerald Barry. Lynae’s project in UCD
was titled ‘Investigating the presence of
antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria and
Professor Brian Caulfield, UCD School of Public Health, Influenza virus in Irish seal populations.’
Physiotherapy and Sports Science, recipient of the
NovaUCD 2017 Innovation Award. Alice worked with UC Davis faculty
member Dr Karen Shapiro on a project
entitled ‘Molecular epidemiology of
Connected Health Sarcocystis neurona from land to sea:
detection and molecular characterization in
Champion Receives opossums and marine mammals from
western Washington’. Pictured is Lynae Shubin from UC Davis carrying out a
nasal swab on a seal
the NovaUCD 2017
Innovation Award
The NovaUCD 2017 Innovation Award
has been presented to UCD’s Dean of
Physiotherapy, Professor Brian Caulfield,
who is championing a connected health
research and innovation ecosystem at
UCD and in Ireland.
The Award recognises the quality and impact
of Professor Caulfield’s peer-reviewed research,
his commitment and success in commercialising
the resulting intellectual property, and his
dedication to forging key strategic links with
policymakers, clinicians, industry leaders, Pictured at the launch of the new €5 million bespoke UCD Smurfit Executive Development Centre are Niall FitzGerald, KBE,
innovative start-ups and research groups to drive Chairman of UCD Smurfit School Advisory Boards, Helen Brophy, Director, Smurfit Executive Development and Dr Michael
WJ Smurfit, Founding Benefactor UCD Smurfit School.
advances in the connected health field.
Over the last 10 years the focus of Professor
Caulfield’s research programme at UCD has been
on exploiting technological advances to enhance
€5 million bespoke Executive Development
human performance, in the fields of connected
health and sport, through wearable and mobile Centre opened at UCD Smurfit School
sensing measurement and intervention
applications. These applications are now opening In September 2017 a new €5 million postgraduate business school and executive
up new avenues for human performance bespoke Executive Development Centre development offering on its doorstep is now truly
evaluation and enhancement in areas from elite was opened by Dr Michael Smurfit, realised.
sport to rehabilitation medicine to gerontology. marking the culmination of a five-year The investment programme over the past five
He is also a Director of Ireland’s largest years has allowed for a significant expansion of
investment programme which has seen
research centre, the Insight Centre for Data Smurfit Executive Development’s offering with
the creation of a world-class Executive
Analytics, where he leads the Personal Sensing both the number of programmes and graduates
Development offering in Dublin. increasing tenfold in that period, while also
research group and is also a principal investigator
in ARCH, Ireland’s industry-led Connected Health This latest evolution at UCD Smurfit School building a global reputation for excellence with its
Technology Centre. ensures Dr Michael Smurfit’s vision of Ireland and Open Enrolment programmes now ranked in the
its capital having an internationally respected world’s Top 50 according to the Financial Times.
UCD Archives schools project with Richmond Barracks
One of the outcomes of UCD Archives’ and provided copies which could be used in
recent Irish Research Council -funded project their history and drama programme, Stories
‘The Finest Men Alive’: Documents of from the Garrison.
Imprisonment and Protest has been developing Irma commented on the completed project
an ongoing relationship with Éadaoin Ní that: “The letters from Bernard O’Rourke really
Chléirigh and Catherine Neville who run helped to bring history alive for the children
Richmond Barracks and through them, with and his story was a great prism through which
the playwright Irma Grothuis. Irma is developing they were able to explore some of the events
an education programme for local primary of 1916.”
schools in conjunction with Richmond Pictured right is a letter written by one of
Barracks. As some of the letters used in the the participating children during the
online exhibition and catalogue were written programme, after Irma had worked with them
there, we thought that they might be useful for on Bernard’s story. The children were asked to
Irma’s programme. Archivist Sarah Poutch imagine that they were his daughter Claire and
worked with Irma and chose a sequence of they were asked to write back to Bernard after
letters from the Papers of Bernard O’Rourke receiving his letter from Richmond Barracks.
10 | Winter 2017Feature
How Social Housing is
Financed, Delivered and
Managed in Ireland
Ireland’s housing shortage is compounded by a major past had used social housing models similar to
Denmark and Austria.
undersupply of social housing. Looking to our past and She explained: “We raised local authority
European neighbours though could point to better models, borrowed loans or sometimes they raised bonds
and the rents tenants paid were linked to the cost
superior ways of financing public housing and above all of provision. And local property taxes, i.e.
else more sustainable and affordable schemes, as UCD’s residential rates, played a big role in refunding the
Head of School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social payment of the loans. The sector was much
more self-funding than it is now.
Justice, Professor Michelle Norris has investigated. The “People ask how did we manage to build all
Professor Michelle Norris
published author and senior lecturer in social policy the council housing in the 1950s when we were
broke? Dublin and Cork City Councils would
recently received a University accolade for her research have raised municipal bonds. If they felt that
into the sector, work which is now influencing government thinking on how social housing was a priority in their area, they
overhauling public housing building might just help solve the crisis. raised taxes or rates. Tenants rents were
historically linked to the cost of provision.”
Professor Norris’ research primarily looks at Professor Norris points out that this is the
how social housing is financed, delivered and standard European model. Furthermore, if
managed. In recent years, she has completed tenants can’t afford the rent, they get a subsidy,
several pieces of research around this. Last year like rent supplement. All these factors spread out
she completed a study for the Housing Finance repayments. In Ireland, this model worked quite
Agency, which she chairs, on how social well, she says, until the 1970s. However, the
housing is funded in Denmark, Austria and abolition of rates caused enormous problems.
Ireland. Her work won her the inaugural UCD Rents were then linked to tenant incomes
Research Impact Case Study competition, and therefore were low and unpredictable.
where she was declared overall winner. A key Moreover, Ireland began selling those houses at
question Professor Norris explored was how the a knock-down price.
other two nations successfully finance and So what do we need to do now? Professor
manage larger social housing sectors than us. Norris explains: “Firstly we need to stop selling off
She explains a key finding is that their council housing. Currently the discount is 60% of
schemes are not based on larger amounts of market value. So now the government pays
state funding. State funding for public housing 100% of the costs and if it is sold off, the profits
in Austria and Denmark is significantly lower are privatised.”
than Ireland. Sectors there are financed instead Furthermore, the overall level of social
mainly from private sources, including from housing is too low.
banks and bonds. Austria also runs a state- In 2015, the output for social housing was
backed special savings scheme, which helps around 1,500 units. She maintains that Ireland
finance social housing construction. needs to provide 5,000 units a year, particularly
In those countries, tenants also pay rents where needed in urban areas, in Dublin, Cork
according to the cost of providing the homes and Galway.
and they pay down loans over a very long time. She also believes local authorities should
The Austrian state therefor pays a small subsidy For banks in Denmark and Austria, social keep more of their local property tax, similar to
towards all of this, which is a loan covering 20% housing was also considered a safe haven the past. “Because the homeless problem is so
of costs. The opposite is the case here, as investment for lending. While it is not per se acute in Dublin, this should happen,” she
Professor Norris explains: “In Ireland, the state government guaranteed, it is robustly regulated. explains.
funds 100% of the provision costs. So the But the question is what could we do here in Solving the housing crisis will not be easy.
model used in other countries is much more Ireland to make social housing more sustainable? But there are avenues Ireland can follow,
affordable for governments. You spread the cost Having led over 20 research projects on especially when it comes to social housing
over a longer period and tenants make a bigger housing and produced 50 publications on results, supply. Prof Norris explained: “We can also look
contribution over maybe 30 or 40 years. So the Professor Norris’ research also saw her publish a to our past as well as abroad for what we need
system is basically self-financing.” book last year. Property, Family and the Irish to do.”
Her work also looked at the financial crash Welfare State looks at the history of how the
here and how social housing funding was cut by state has provided social housing since the Professor Michelle Norris was in conversation
82%. 1880s. This strangely revealed how Ireland in the with Juno McEnroe, Journalist with the Irish
Examiner.
Professor Michelle Norris, Head of UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, was declared overall winner of UCD’s
inaugural research impact case study competition in October. This is a new initiative established by UCD Research, Impact and
Innovation to build capacity throughout the University in the area of capturing and articulating research impact. Just under 40 case
studies were submitted as entries for the inaugural competition. The case studies were judged by a panel, composed of internal and
external experts, on three main criteria; capture and articulation; scale and significance and beneficiaries and reach.
11 | Winter 2017You can also read
