Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, has launched the latest Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre, CONFIRM - a ‘smart manufacturing’ research centre led by University of Limerick (UL) and involving 42 companies.

The centre is funded by SFI and industry to a value of €47 million, making it one of the largest new research and development centres in the country. The manufacturing sector is the second largest employer in Ireland and accounts for 24 per cent of total economic output - €110 billion in exports.

The process behind your favourite hot drink involves growing the beans, harvesting, drying, roasting, grinding, brewing - and maths

Brewing the perfect cup of coffee has long been considered an art, depending on experience and skills honed by baristas and amateur enthusiasts alike over generations. However, each of the processes though which coffee is realised - such as growing the beans, harvesting, drying, roasting, grinding and brewing - are fundamentally science-driven applications. Even the most mature processes can benefit from a scientific approach, grounded in the language of mathematics.

Pat O’Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB (centre) Professor Kerstin Mey, UL Vice President Academic and the three ESB PhD Scholars, Cian Murphy, Hamid Hafizi and Indraneel Roy Chowdhury

Installation incorporating original Shannon Scheme turbine unveiled

Undetected fraudulent claims and lengthy processing times are in part the cause of rapidly deteriorating profitability in the global motor insurance market. It is estimated that fraudulent claims add approximately €50 to each premium in Ireland every year.

Bridie O'Connor, Jim Hartigan and Rita Goodwin helping launch the Move For Life research study at the University of Limerick

A research study, aimed at improving the health of people aged over 50 in the county, was today launched by the Minister of State with responsibility for Health Promotion, Catherine Byrne TD.

UL were among the winners at the annual Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) Impact Awards held in Dublin on 26th April.

MACSI, the Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry, won the “Consultancy Impact” award for its role in the development of a software application for Xtract 360 Ltd to re-create a car crash in real time to deal with undetected fraudulent insurance claims.

The awards were presented by John Halligan, the Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, who said the Government has taken a “pro-active approach” to encouraging and supporting research-based innovation.

From April 23-26 Graduate & Professional Studies in conjunction with the Assistant Deans in each faculty organised a thesis in three competition for each of the four faculties, up 12 participants from each faculty competed in four faculty heats . Each faculty sponsored prize money for the top three.  

The contestants presented an overview of their research in three minutes using three power point slides in an open forum. A judging panel selected three winners from each of the faculty heats to participate in a university wide competition.

The 12 finalists will compete in a University Final on 22 May 2018, the winners from each Faculty can be seen below.

L-R Dr. Mary Shire, Vice President Research, UL; Dr. Ioannis Manolakis, Dr. Walter Stanley, Dr. Ananda Roy UL / IComp, Dr. Vincent Cooper, EJ, Prof. Des Fitzgerald, President, UL 

UL celebrates commercialisation success at Innovation Awards

Levels of venture funding for UL campus company at an all-time high with six UL spinouts raising an excess of €2.6 million

UL unveiled a unique €2-million underwater robot at the docks in Limerick city today. The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was officially launched by Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen TD.

The Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded ROV Étaín can operate in challenging wind, wave, and tidal conditions and will be used to inspect, repair and maintain Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) facilities. 

Professor Brian Fitzgerald, Director of LERO

Lero, the SFI Irish Software Research Centre, has been named as winner of the 2018 award for industry collaboration by the global IEEE Computer Society.

This is the first time the IEEE Computer Society Technical Council on Software Engineering (TCSE) Distinguished Synergy Award has come to Ireland. Previous winners include IBM Center for Advanced Studies, Canada; Microsoft, USA and Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering, Germany.