Informatics, Physical & Computational Sciences

On this page:
Introduction
Digital Enterprise Research Institute
Centre for High-End Computing
LightHOUSE
National Centre for Laser Applications
Applied Optics

Introduction

The aims of researchers in Informatics, Physical and Computational Sciences is to nurture individual and collective research in the fundamental sciences. The University has been contributing significantly to the study of Mathematics and the core physical sciences since 1849. Studies in the field of Informatics, Physical & Computational Sciences include academic researchers from disciplines across the Science, Engineering & Informatics, and Medicine, Nursing, & Health Sciences Colleges and associated research institutes; the Digital Enterprise Research Institute and the Centre for High Performance Computing.

In informatics, by which we mean the next generation internet and semantic web technologies, NUI Galway uses its world-wide network of partners to participate in global standardisation efforts and to take the lead in improving the way people and businesses communicate and interact. It also advances the state-of-knowledge and application of IT through fundamental and applied research, in medical informatics, computational intelligence, and machine learning.

In the physical sciences, NUI Galway has scientific strengths in photonics and synthesis of new materials. Photonics and imaging science underpin large areas of research in the physical sciences. As a priority, laser applications, applied optics, biophotonics, and imaging are used to address major problems in scientific and medical research. In materials, NUI Galway has core strengths in the synthesis and structuring of specific novel polymers, nano-materials, and functionally engineered materials.

In computational sciences, NUI Galway conducts research into computational analysis, computational modelling and simulation, with particular strengths in computational mechanics. With specific research groups, computational analysis is used to address the problems presented by vast data sets flowing from imaging activities (biology, chemistry, astronomy, etc.) that require significant computing power to reduce, analyse and visualize. Modelling and simulation research contributes fundamentally to activities in this thematic priority and also in Biomedical Science and Engineering. Research in the computational sciences complements the experimental sciences: modelling has become an integral component of almost all physical and biological scientific endeavour.

Some of the major Institutes and Centres in Informatics, Physical & Computational Sciences are outlined here.

Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI)

DERI, the Digital Enterprise Research Institute, is the world’s largest research institute devoted to developing the next generation of internet technology. DERI brings together academic and industrial partners to boost innovation in science and technology, with its research focused on the Semantic Web. In the past five years DERI has developed into an internationally leading research centre, outnumbering any other research organisation worldwide in this particular field of research.

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Centre for High-End Computing (CHEC)

The Centre for High-End Computing (CHEC) at NUI, Galway aims to develop internationally competitive computational modelling and world-class research across the main disciplines and research institutions in Galway. Research interests within the Centre concentrate upon developing visualisation methodologies and developing optimised algorithms for large scale parallellisation using GPUs. The centre provides local high end computing resources for researchers and has links to the Irish Centre for High-End Computing. The Centre resources consist of the Hamilton SMP machine with 32 compute cores and 256 GBytes of memory; a 20 node with  2 processors cluster; 40 core cluster attached to Grid-Ireland and a Visualisation suite that can display 3-D images to allow for the analysis of complex data sets. CHEC hosts one of ICHEC's new machines - a 64 x 8 core constellation architecture with 48 GBytes / node and 6 NVIDIA Tesla GPU cards.

LightHOUSE

LightHOUSE is the Centre for Applied Photonics at NUI, Galway. The centre focuses on the development and application of advanced technologies in the field of Applied Photonics. Research and technology development are conducted in the areas of laser microfabrication, photonics-based nanotechnology, smart optics imaging and optical characterisation for applications in fields such as bio-medicine, nanoscience, optical communications and microelectronics. The centre is a research partnership which combines the expertise of the National Centre for Laser Applications (NCLA) and the Applied Optics Group, both located in the Department of Physics NUI Galway, into a centre of excellence in applied photonics.

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National Centre for Laser Applications (NCLA)

The National Centre for Laser Applications is a technology centre of excellence in the field of laser materials processing that conducts internationally recognised research, commercialises proprietary research activity, and promotes technology transfer to industry. The Centre has a broad range of expertise and a comprehensive suite of laser systems for the development of innovative products and processes.  The Centre interacts with industry through consultancy, laboratory-based feasibility trials, full R&D services, technology transfer, prototyping, laser safety audits and a number of tailored training courses in laser technology, applications and safety. The Centre is also active in collaborative research.

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Applied Optics

* The Applied Optics group research programme covers a wide variety of topics in applied optics and imaging science, including smart optics, adaptive optics, optical scattering and propagation, and engineering optics. The group currently numbers around 30 researchers from 13 countries, of whom about half are PhD students.  We have extensive collaborations, in particular with industry, and currently work on projects with six companies.  The group is funded mainly by Science Foundation Ireland, with additional funding from Enterprise Ireland, the EU, IRCSET, National Digital Research Centre and industry.

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*Image by Thierry Daubos: “Laser-based Profilometry of Medieval Irish Monuments" - Cross of the Scriptures at Clonmacnoise

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