UL Citizens' Assembly
The UL Citizens’ Assembly provided UL researchers with the opportunity to access funding for their engaged research, get feedback on their projects from a panel of experts, hone their communication skills, and present to civically engaged, cross-sections of citizens from Limerick city and county. The Assembly members chose the projects that received a €10,000 award.
Meet the winning projects as voted on by the assembly members.
The revolution is just a t-shirt away: Protest and Popular Music
What can popular music and its performance tell us about society and the political sphere which underpins that society? Nowadays we find ourselves in a different world; where ‘protest’ songs serve both left and right agendas more overtly, where music genres and song repertoires that aligned with certain politics in the past are put in the service of new, populist agendas, and where social media plays a critical role in disseminating truths and falsehoods.
This event discussed historical and contemporary examples of music and song seeking changes to the social order, and addressed the critical role that song, in particular, plays in both disseminating and challenging competing ideologies.
Research Impact: what we know and where we should go
The debate on research impact continues apace. As an agenda, it is one which requires scholars to demonstrate deeper engagement with broader audiences beyond academia, while at the same time continuing to satisfy the traditional university metrics of scholarly publications and citations. The capacity to demonstrate impact is now front and centre in the knowledge production process and was discussed by a panel of scholars from science, education, economics, management, strategy, and risk who provided insights on what we know about the research impact agenda thus far, where we go from here and what it means for university research agendas into the future.
Mapping Dance Research Ecologies
Dance researchers from the Irish World Academy hosted a special performance and a vibrant panel who mapped the evolving ecologies of dance research across arts practice, ethnographic inquiry, and transdisciplinary innovation. The interactive session showcased how dance-based research extends far beyond the studio by shaping pedagogy, informing community collaborations, and opened fresh pathways for creative and scholarly discovery at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Using Evidence to Influence Policy
How can early and mid-career researchers meaningfully influence public policy, inform decision-makers, and contribute to evidence-informed change? As the demand for robust scientific input into national and international policy grows, researchers at earlier career stages are increasingly seeking opportunities to engage—but often lack clear pathways, access points, and examples of how to begin. This thought-provoking event led by members of the Young Academy of Ireland (YAI) from ESRI, HIQA and UL, who provided practical, research-driven insights into how emerging scholars can contribute to policy processes in impactful and sustainable ways.
Economics for Social Good
How can economic methods and approaches help us understand and inform some of Ireland’s key social challenges? This event featured insights from three researchers from the Department of Economics, all recipients of the UL President's Research Excellence and Impact Research Output Award, who highlighted how economics can help contribute to social good across areas of health, education and the environment.
3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Grand Final
Welcome to the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Grand Final, where postgraduate researchers (PGRs) only have three minutes to tell you all about their research in a fun and accessible way.
The Grand Final saw contestants from each of the four faculties present their research live in front of an audience and panel of judges.
