Summer Research Series: Dima Albanna, BSc in Technology Management

Course: Bachelor of Science in Technology Management.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Ingrid Hunt.
Name of Research Project/Activity: Industry 5.0 and Sustainable Supply Chains: A SWOT Analysis of Organisational Awareness and Adoption in Irish Industry

Q) Can you tell me a bit about yourself and why you decided to study the BSc in Technology Management at UL?

I’m a Palestinian student who has a passion for learning and developing new skills. I used to study Software Engineering at my local university, but when I came to UL, I changed my major to Technology Management. In addition, I used to manage my own small business, which was an online store that included handmade jewellery that I created from scratch.
I am interested in photography and writing poems, as I can express my feelings through the art. I am an active volunteering member in both the Palestinian and Irish communities. In Palestine, I used to work with children who have been affected by the war, and here at the University of Limerick, I worked with older people by taking them on tours around the university and helping them with digital tasks.
I decided to study Technology Management because it combines engineering and business. Which I have always been interested in both fields and was often confused about which one to choose. When I found this course, I immediately chose it . It has been one of the best decisions I have made.

Q) What motivated you to apply for the Summer Bursary Programme?

As I mentioned before, I enjoy improving my skills, and research is one of the main skills I have always wanted to develop. I wanted to do research because it gives me the freedom to explore ideas and work in my own way while, of course, following the required guidelines and rules. In addition, as a first-year student, this programme is perfect opportunity to spend the summer time to strengthen my research skills, and expand my knowledge of important topics such as Industry 5.0 and how the world is adapting with it, and how they are dealing with its challenges.

Q) What are you doing as part of your research here at UL?

As part of my research at the University of Limerick, I am investigating organisational awareness and adoption of Industry 5.0 in sustainable supply chains. My research explores how organisations understand and apply the main principles of Industry 5.0, including human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience. I have been working closely with my supervisor from home on the project. My work involves reading and reviewing academic journal articles, writing the literature review, and designing an online survey using Microsoft Forms, which was distributed through Brightspace to MSc Supply Chain Operations students. 

The survey was used to collect participants’ views on the awareness, benefits, barriers, and challenges of Industry 5.0, and to develop a SWOT analysis of its adoption. One of the biggest challenges for me was reading large academic journals for the first time. At the beginning, it was difficult because I came across many new academic and technical words, but over time I improved my reading, research, and academic writing skills. Another challenging but very interesting part of the project was completing the ethics approval process. It was my first experience preparing research for ethical approval, and although it seemed complicated at first, my supervisor guided me through each step. As a result, I learned a great deal about research ethics and the importance of protecting participants throughout the research process.

I have really enjoyed this research because it has helped me develop my research skills, improve my critical reading and academic writing, and gain a deeper understanding of an emerging area of supply chain management. The aim of my research is to provide practical recommendations that can help organisations adopt Industry 5.0 more effectively and support the development of more sustainable, resilient, and human-centred supply chains

Q) what skills have you developed over the summer?

Over this summer, I developed many new skills such as reading skills by reading large journal articles, and I learned a lot of new technical vocabulary.
Also, I learned how to organise my ideas, and present them in a clear way, and I learned how to pay attention to details when writing and analysing information.
In addition, I strengthened my research and technical skills, from reviewing literature and analysing data to designing an online survey and presenting the findings. This experience has helped me become more confident as a researcher and has prepared me well for future research projects

Q) What has this experience taught you and what would you recommend it to others?

This experience taught me to be patient with the learning process and showed me that nothing comes easily. I realised that getting good results takes time, effort, and hard work. It also taught me to enjoy the process instead of focusing only on the outcome, because that makes the achievement much more satisfied. Most importantly, I learned that nothing is impossible to learn even if it’s in your second language. At first, many things seemed difficult, but with practice, persistence, and the right guidance, they became much easier. This experience gave me more confidence in my ability to learn new skills and overcome challenges.

Q) What are your future career plans, would you consider a career in research?

In the future, I hope to use my quality management skills that I have developed to open my own jewellery company. My main mission is to combine human creativity with modern technologies to create unique, high-quality products, while improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. I also want to use the research skills I learned through this project to conduct market research, to understand what customers prefer to spend their money on, choose the best materials, and make informed business decisions. In addition, these skills will help me identify potential challenges in the market and find effective solutions before they become major problems. I believe that combining research, technology, and creativity will help me build a successful and sustainable business.

Find out more about the BSc in Technology Management: Technology Management - BSc | University of Limerick