New Foundations initiative aims to deepen community and voluntary partnerships and supports North-South reconciliation Seven researchers at NUI Galway have secured funding as part of an initiative to support projects that will have a tangible impact on societal issues.  The awards have been made as part of the Irish Research Council’s New Foundations programme. They projects focus on NUI Galway partnerships which aim to deepen collaboration with community and voluntary organisations, global development, north-south reconciliation, our shared island and police-community relations They are:  Dr Conn Holohan will work with Galway Simon Community on immersive technology as a tool for advocacy and self-expression for people experiencing homelessness. Dr Elena Vaughan will partner with HIV Ireland in a stakeholder consultation and needs assessment to develop rights-based practice and policy guidelines to reduce HIV-related stigma in healthcare settings.  Dr Lindsay Reid will partner with Cúirt International Festival of Literature in her project - (Re)reading, (Re)writing, and (Re)shaping ‘The Classics’: Past, Present, and Future.  Dr Michaela Schrage-Frueh will partner with Age & Opportunity in the research project - Restorying Ageing: Older Women and Life Writing. Professor Patrick Lonergan will partner with Galway International Arts Festival on his research project - Diversity, Programming, and the International Arts Festival: Histories, Practices, and Policies.  Professor Jim Livesey was awarded funding for his research project - Citizens in Conflict: Early-Modern Political Theory and Contemporary Movements in Northern Ireland.  Dr Patricia Kennedy was awarded funding for her project - The Arts and New Digital Technologies for Peace Building and Reconciliation linked to Equality, Rights and Diversity.  Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris T.D., made the announcement, and said: “The community and voluntary sector plays a critical role in Irish life and will continue to do so. As these projects get underway, they support enhancement of the services this sector provides, while also providing excellent partnership opportunities for our researchers.”  Ends

More than 40 students and academics at NUI Galway have been honoured at the annual National University of Ireland awards.  NUI Galway awardees were commended for exceptional achievement in academic endeavour and span the wide range of learning at the University, from history, the Irish language and modern languages, to literature, medicine, education and engineering. Among the awardees were 28 from NUI Galway’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, including students honoured with the Dr Henry Hutchinson Stewart Medical Scholarships, one among the oldest awards to be offered by the National University of Ireland. President of NUI Galway Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh said: “This clearly highlights the high calibre of students studying at NUI Galway. We respect their academic excellence. “I congratulate everyone on their achievements and I would also like to pay tribute to the teachers and educators and other support staff for their work with our students and in helping them to achieve such high standards.” Dr Patrick O’Leary, former Head of Chemistry at NUI Galway and began his term as Registrar of NUI this month, said: “The NUI Awards reward exceptional achievement in academic endeavour but also seek to resource some of our brightest minds to continue their academic careers. Today we make awards in a wide variety of areas and the work spans studies of the early medieval era to the NUI Dr H H Stewart Medical Scholarships and Prizes, highlighting the importance of medicine and healthcare during Covid-19.  Congratulations to all the awardees.” Full details on the NUI Galway students and academics honoured at a special awards ceremony hosted by the National University of Ireland are listed below:  Among those awarded First Prize were: Recipient Award Martin O’Donoghue Publication Prize in Irish History, joint award Monika Jurkiewicz NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentship in Latin American Literature Tammy Strickland NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentship in Neuroscience Ciara Shortiss NUI Travelling Doctoral Studentship Prize in Spinal Cord Injury Regeneration Jenny Dixon NUI Scholarship and Prize in Education, joint award Lauren McMahon Pierce Malone Scholarship in Engineering Colm Ó Flathúin Scoláireacht Chiste Theach an Ardmhéara sa Ghaeilge Adam Mac Donnacha Duais Chiste Theach an Ardmhéara sa Ghaeilge Keith Dowling French Government Medal and NUI Prize for Proficiency in French   First prize awardees from the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, included:  Dr Evan White Anaesthesia Rebekah Sartini General Practice Brianna Reilly Medical Microbiology Róisín Thornton Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Sinead McKenna Ophthalmology Rosie Waldron Paediatrics Adithi Gowda Physiology Thomas Butler Psychiatry Ellen Casey Public Health Dr Emma Callaghan Surgery Anu Mohandes Nair General Nursing Joseph Doherty Podiatric Medicine Elise Byrne Speech and Language Therapy   The following were awarded Second Prize, Third Prize or Commendation:  Professor Niall Ó Dochartaigh and Dr Eugene Costello both received Commendations in the Irish History category. NUI Galway was also successful in a number of Dr H H Stewart Literary Scholarships including Chloe Bright in English and Bláithín Breathnach in French, with Bláithín also receiving a Commendation in Italian. Chloe Kennedy was awarded 2nd prize in Spanish, and Amy Kennedy 3rd prize in German. In the Irish categories Muireann Ní Cheannabháin was presented with 2nd prize in the Duaiseanna an Dr T K Whitaker sa Ghaeilge, and Amy Cox was awarded 2nd prize in Scoláireacht Liteartha an Dr H H Stewart sa Ghaeilge Awardees from NUI Galway’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences also included:  Second prize: Shania Coutinho, Anatomy; Anmol Mahesh, Biochemistry, Dr Aoife Fitzpatrick, Clinical Radiology, Cian Buckley O’Sullivan, General Practice; Zachary Hanrasi, Pathology; Emily Grehan, Midwifery; and Heather Gallen, Podiatric Medicine. Third Prize: Caoileann Nic Dhonncha, Anatomy; Dr Sarah Eustace, Clinical Radiology; Dr Rionagh Lynch, Medicine; Dominic Butler, Paediatrics; Wei Yang Lim, Pathology; Amy Marian Collins, General Nursing; and Muibat Cole, Children’s Nursing. Commendation: Dr Rionagh Lynch, Surgery Ends

Tens of thousands of antigen test kits are being provided to students at NUI Galway alongside Project UniCoV as part of public health efforts to limit the spread of Covid-19.  From Monday 17 January, students will be able to collect packs at four locations across campus.  Professor Breda Smyth, Chief Investigator of Project UniCoV and HSE West Director of Public Health, urged students to avail of the kits as well as additional testing, by signing up to take part in Project UniCoV.   “Everyone attending campus needs to adhere to the basic public health measures in the first instance – including not coming to campus if you have symptoms and are supposed to be self-isolating or restricting movements. “Being able to offer free antigen test kits on campus at NUI Galway and giving students the opportunity to take part in Project UniCov demonstrates how we can take a layered approach to public safety and the welfare of students and staff.” Students can collect five tests at a time. They are being advised to test twice a week, three days apart. They are also being advised to self-isolate if they test positive or develop symptoms and to follow public health advice.  Students are also being encouraged to avail of the option for further free antigen and/or salvia PCR testing for 12 weeks in semester two. A special QR code is being made available to students to support the research.  NUI Galway students are also encouraged to get the vaccine booster, to continue to wear face coverings and sanitise hands.  The University saw high levels of compliance from students with public health guidelines during the academic year and we thank them for that.  The distribution of free antigen test kits is funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.  John Hannon, Director of Student Services at NUI Galway, said: “There was huge demand for free antigen testing from students in semester one and we know there will be huge demand again. The distribution of the free kits is one of many key steps we are taking as a university to help minimise the spread of Covid and keep our community as safe as possible.” Funded by Science Foundation Ireland, the Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science, and the Health Service Executive, Project UniCoV aims to determine the feasibility of two rapid testing modalities - antigen testing and saliva PCR testing.  The research project is ongoing in four partner universities. To date, more than 27,700 rapid tests have been carried out, and about 3,300 students and employees have been tested bi-weekly. Further detail on unicov.org. Ends