Best Universitylimerick Podcasts (2026)

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Episode 57: Music for parental and infant wellbeing: From pregnancy to early parenthood 42:47

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4h ago42:47

42:47

Associate Professor Triona Mc Caffrey, joint winner of the Presidents Research Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Starting Award 2025 In this episode we hear from Triona Mc Caffrey, Associate Professor of music therapy, at the Irish world academy of music and dance, a member of the Participatory Health research Unit, and the Health Res…

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Episode 56: Catalysing the Future: How Catalysis Drives the Green Transition 40:03

27d ago40:03

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Associate Professor, Bar Mosevitzky Lis, President's Research Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Starting Award Winner 2025 In this episode Associate Professor Bar Mosevitzky Lis Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering and a member of the Bernal Institute, discusses his research which is driven by examining …

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Episode 55: Transforming care for musculoskeletal pain: Impact through Partnership 39:18

1M ago39:18

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Professor Karen Mc Creesh, President's Research Excellence and Impact, Early Career Researcher Consolidator Award Winner 2025 In this episode we hear from Professor Karen Mc Creesh, Professor of Physiotherapy at the School of Allied Health, a Member of the Ageing Research Centre and the Health Research Institute at the University of Limerick. Karen…

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Episode 54: Mind the Gap: Bridging the Policy - Practice Divide Through Interdisciplinary Hate Crime Research 40:55

24d ago40:55

40:55

The European Centre for the Study of Hate is an interdisciplinary research hub committed to deepening our understanding of hate in all its manifestations In this episode Professor Jennifer Schweppe, School of Law and the Director of the European Centre for the Study of Hate, and Professor Amanda Haynes, Department of Sociology who co-founded the Ce…

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Episode 53: Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAfH), Outstanding Research Collaboration award winners 2024 44:00

12M ago44:00

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Established in 2019 through funding received from the Health Research Institute in UL, the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre is, the first of its kind in Ireland, with a vision is to become “World Leaders in physical activity research that demonstrates real-world impact in policy and practice”. In this episode Professor Catherine Woods, …

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Episode 52: Music Therapy hitting the right note in improving health and wellbeing 32:58

12M ago32:58

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Professor Hilary Moss, the winner of the Presidents Research Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Consolidator Award 2024. Hilary is Professor at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and a member of UL’s Health Research Institute. Hilary’s interdisciplinary research integrates humanities, health sciences and other areas including c…

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Episode 51: Nothing as practical as a good theory: A Social Identity approach to applied psychology 42:09

1y ago42:09

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Daragh Bradshaw, the winner of the Presidents Research Excellence and Impact Early Career Researcher – Starting Award 2024. Daragh is Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology and a member UL’s Centre for Social Issues-research. Daragh’s research specialises in the application of theory and method to address real-world issues. Focusing on…

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Episode 50: Crafting Tomorrow’s Materials One Molecule at a Time 44:07

1y ago44:07

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Damien Thompson is Professor of Molecular Modelling in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Director of SSPC, The Research Ireland Centre for Pharmaceuticals. He leads a research team, in computational design of structured materials at the Bernal Institute at the University of Limerick. In this episode Damien discusses the importance of rese…

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Episode 49: Sustainable high-performance batteries enabling the fight against climate change 38:23

2y ago38:23

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Dr Tadhg Kennedy, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Bernal Institute – winner of the Early Career Researcher – Consolidator Award 2023. Since 2016 Tadhg has established a well-funded group, securing more than €5 million in funding. Notably, €2.14 million has been granted directly to Tadh…

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Episode 48: Improving musculoskeletal and general health in chronic conditions and injured populations 38:47

2y ago38:47

38:47

Up to 45% of us will get knee osteoarthritis in our lifetime, yet it is often not prioritised, people with joint disease are being under-served in terms of delivery of evidence-based rehabilitation in the form of exercise and education, particularly for hip and knee osteoarthritis. Evidence suggests that exercise and education is very effective for…

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Episode 47: Developing collaborative innovative healthcare models and improving outcomes for older adults 50:46

2y ago50:46

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The Ageing Research Centre members are winners of the UL Presidents Research Excellence and Impact Outstanding Research Collaboration Award for 2023. The Ageing Research Centre (ARC) comprises an interdisciplinary group of academic researchers across the University of Limerick, external academic collaborators, clinical collaborators and a Public an…

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Episode 46: Music and Movement for Health and Wellbeing of Older Adults 32:37

2+ y ago32:37

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Arts-based health programmes that combine arts with science can enhance the physical and psychosocial health and wellbeing of older people. This podcast discusses the benefits of music and dance for older adults and in particular their experience of the Music and Movement for Health study which examined the feasibility and potential for benefit of …

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Episode 45: Creating bespoke breast prostheses for women post-mastectomy 27:59

2+ y ago27:59

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This project creating bespoke breast prostheses for women post-mastectomy, using state of the art digital manufacturing aims to roll out this year and to be available nationally in all symptomatic breast clinics. Research Team Dr Lorraine Walsh, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, Mater Private Network Limerick, and collaborator on the project; Siobha…

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Episode 44: The Mathematical and Statistical Modelling Collaboration Guiding Ireland’s Covid-19 Response 36:10

3y ago36:10

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March 2020 changed the lives of everyone around the around. We were all worried about the spread of COVID-19, fascinated with R number and hoping lockdowns would not last long. Working in the background was the UL team from MASCI (Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry) who as part of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Adviso…

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Episode 43: Advanced materials to purify the worlds air and water 8:35

3y ago8:35

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Researchers at University of Limerick are designing advanced materials which can purify the air and our water. Meet Dr Soumya Mukherjee, President’s Research Excellence and Impact award winner who has established his own research group, “NanoSorb,. With funding from Science Foundation Ireland, NanoSorb is at the forefront in the development of ener…

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Episode 42: Music therapy to support women’s perinatal wellbeing during pregnancy: Using music to nurture? 25:55

3y ago25:55

25:55

University Maternity Hospital Limerick is the first in Ireland to offer music therapy within its maternity care services. Meet the team behind this innovative approach to supporting wellbeing during pregnancy, Dr Mas Mahady, Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Tríona McCaffrey, lecturer in Music therapy and Pui Sze Cheung, PhD researcher. Based on feedback…

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Episode 41: Tackling the global energy storage challenge, one ion at a time 18:43

3y ago18:43

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Global energy crisis has never been more critical in the race to deploy more electric vehicles, better utilise wind, solar and alternative energy solutions, many challenges emerge. Among them is the need for faster, smaller, and environmentally friendly battery technology. Meet Dr Hugh Geaney, President’s Research Excellence and Impact Award winner…

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Episode 40: Covid-19 heroes, how the pandemic affected key frontline workers 33:03

3y ago33:03

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The term heroes have been widely used to describe those working in the frontline during the global Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Elaine Kinsella, President’s Research Excellence and Impact Award winner at University of Limerick and Dr Rachel Sumner, Cardiff Metropolitan University discuss their survey of these key workers, focussing on the wellbeing and at…

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Episode 39: “Nothing about us, Without us” President’s Research Excellence and Impact Award 2022 Winners 47:47

4y ago47:47

47:47

How do social and cultural changes occur, and how can policy be influenced to encourage these changes, particularly in terms of aiding people who are marginalized and stigmatized in our society? The award-winning research team from the University of Limerick's Centre for Social Issues Research is collaborating with government and advocacy groups to…

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Back pain: Treating the human - not the scan 34:18

4+ y ago34:18

34:18

The personal, societal and economic costs of low back pain are enormous, and the likelihood of being disabled by back pain has worsened in recent decades. Prof Helena Lenihan, Chair of the UL Research Impact Committee is joined by Dr Kieran O’Sullivan, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, School of Allied Health and winner of the President’s Research …

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Tackling multi-drug resistant infections through research collaboration 52:35

5y ago52:35

52:35

A 10 year partnership between UL and HSE has benefited patients dealing with multidrug-resistant infections, patients with cystic fibrosis and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Winner of the 2020 Outstanding Research Collaboration, President’s Research Excellence and Impact Award, the collaboration involves microbiologists, d…

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Zero Hours and Low Hours Work in Ireland 12:19

5y ago12:19

12:19

Zero hours work is work with no guaranteed hours. Researchers at the Kemmy Business School, have been examining the prevalence and impact of zero hours work and low hours work amongst Irish employees. Dr Lorraine Ryan, lecturer in Employment Relations & Human Resource Management in the Department of Work & Employment Studies at the KBS discusses th…

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Technology in Education: Why content is key 21:15

5+ y ago21:15

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Dr Ann Marcus-Quinn, a lecturer in Technical Communication and Instructional Design at the University of Limerick asks whether the move from book to tablet is the right one for the education system. She discusses how digital teaching and learning resources can be used, developed and shared in order to enhance teaching and learning in Irish educatio…

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Engineering Physical Activity in Breast Cancer 10:57

6y ago10:57

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Dr Michelle Norris shares how her project, ‘BREASTech’, is working to better understand how software and technology can impact the physical activity levels of breast cancer patients and survivors. She also discusses how her training as an ALECS Marie Curie COFUND fellow is helping her to share the impact of her research with a wider audience. This …

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Importance and challenges of getting the right wheelchair 39:06

6+ y ago39:06

39:06

Dermot Hayes, disability community activist from Ennis in conversation with Dr Rosie Gowran, School of Allied Health, UL and Leigh Gath, disability rights campaigner on the importance and challenges of getting the right wheelchair nationally and globally and the difficulties that wheelchair users face when proper supports are not available.…

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Personalised medicine and the pharmacy of the future 5:22

6+ y ago5:22

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Oisín Kavanagh is a pharmacist and PhD researcher with the Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC), the SFI Pharmaceutical Research Centre, at the University of Limerick. He discusses how advances in the distribution and production of medicines might shape the pharmacy of the future and how these could help to alleviate the financial…

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Research Soapbox 57:35

6+ y ago57:35

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The Research Soapbox event highlighted how research can make a real difference. The lunchtime showcase event took place in the Fab Lab in Limerick’s city centre and involved researchers from PhD to Professor with voices from the University of Limerick Thesis in 3 Competition as well as the Research Impact Podcast Series. The event was moderated by …

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Using psychology and the power of collective identities to combat adversity 11:22

6+ y ago11:22

11:22

Psychology has traditionally focused on biological, genetic or personality factors to explain why some people cope better or worse than others in adverse situations. However such a focus can lead to a therapeutic dead end as it is very difficult to change a person’s temperament or genetic predispositions. In the first of a series of guest host podc…

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Creating a Positive Energy City Centre in Limerick 28:09

6+ y ago28:09

28:09

In 1900, only 14% percent of the world’s population lived in a city. Today, for the first time in history, more than half the planet’s population reside in urban areas. These urban centres are now racing to become the smart cities of the future. Limerick has received a major boost in the race to become a smart city through its designation as Irelan…

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Music Festivals, Inclusion and Public Spaces 17:45

6+ y ago17:45

17:45

Ethnomusicologist, Irish traditional musician and lecturer at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Dr Aileen Dillane talks about her research project FestiVersities: European Music Festivals, Public Spaces, and Cultural Diversities. This research is supported through Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA), Eu…

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Cracking the code for personalised medicine 9:00

7y ago9:00

9:00

Personalised medicine is the next great global challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. The vision of the pharmacy of the future is one which employs disruptive technologies to enable on-demand manufacture of drugs designed to individual needs. Central to this vision is the concept of continuous processing. The Bernal Chair in Pharmaceutical Powd…

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Why involve the public and patients in research? 15:32

7y ago15:32

15:32

Anne MacFarlane, Professor of Primary Healthcare Research at the Graduate Entry Medical School, University of Limerick and member of UL’s Health Research Institute talks about her research in the area of Public and Patient Involvement in Research, specifically participatory health research with socially excluded communities. Recorded by GK Media Lt…

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A Europe-wide approach to combatting tax fraud and evasion 11:47

7y ago11:47

11:47

Tax fraud and tax evasion affects us all. Within the European Union, huge sums of revenue for public investment are being lost due to tax evasion and avoidance with estimates in the region of 1 trillion euros. Prof Sheila Killian of the Kemmy Business School talks about her research as part of the EU funded project called COFFERS - Combatting Fisca…

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Research Week - Open Science in The Netherlands 48:22

7y ago48:22

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Lecture as part of Inaugural UL’s Research Week by Prof Karel Luyben, former Rector Magnificus of TU Delft and an expert on Open Science. During his lecture Prof Luyben poses questions such as; What concrete conditions should be met first, for your organisation to embrace Open Science? What do you hope that your organisation will gain from open sci…

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Next generation battery technology for electric vehicles 10:17

7y ago10:17

10:17

The advent of the electric car heralds a new era of environmentally friendly transport. However, battery cost could put a brake on the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) for a mass market. Prof Kevin M Ryan, Chair in Chemical Nanotechnology, at the Bernal Institute, University of Limerick and his team are co-ordinating European research projects, S…

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Sepsis, a worldwide problem crying out for a solution 8:00

7+ y ago8:00

8:00

Dr Jakki Cooney, co-founder of UL spinout Cala Medical, based in the Nexus Innovation Centre in UL discusses her research. Cala Medical have designed and patented a unique device containing a specific immobilized enzyme which treats the excessive inflammatory response in the blood of sepsis patients. The treatment could dramatically cut the death r…

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Maths for the Digital Factory 47:50

7+ y ago47:50

47:50

Digital transformation impacts many areas of our lives and has given rise to a booming digital economy. This new commodity of data is continually growing and changing. The challenge however, is how this digital transformation can be harnessed to do what we already do, but much better. Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science & Industry (MACS…

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The good fight – breaking down barriers to create better policy and practice 17:52

7+ y ago17:52

17:52

Researchers at the University of Limerick are developing skills in interdisciplinary working and using this to inform policy and practice. The model involves multiple stakeholder engagement where ideas are expressed early and often, and are open to critique and contribution from other voices of interest. This model allows the group to fail faster b…

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Biomaterials and Biotechnology: From the discovery of the first angiogenesis inhibitors to the development of controlled drug delivery systems and the foundation of tissue engineering 58:02

7+ y ago58:02

58:02

Advanced drug delivery systems are having an enormous impact on human health. new drug delivery technologies including nanoparticles and nanotechnology are now being studied for use in treating cancer. Approaches for synthesizing new biomaterials, which can be used in fighting brain cancer and new approaches for engineering tissues are being develo…

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Nutrition supports for age related muscle mass loss 28:26

7+ y ago28:26

28:26

In Ireland, only 30% of women and 45% of men over 65 remain disability-free for life. Dramatic changes in cells start in our 30s, while in our 40s, health and functionality are impacted by increasing weight gain, decreasing bone density and loss or weakening of muscle. People with low lean tissue or muscle mass are classified as sarcopenic. Conserv…

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Mathematics and the identification of ‘superspreaders’ 8:52

8y ago8:52

8:52

In the world of social networks, “superspreaders” are users whose retweets can make information travel faster than everyone else. Prof James Gleeson from the Mathematics Applications Consortium for Science and Industry (MACSI) explains how his latest SFI funded project is using mathematics to help identify these superspreaders. He outlines how a be…

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Towards a cleaner carbon fibre future 5:36

8y ago5:36

5:36

Carbon fibre is a key material in a range of industries from automotive to wind energy. Dr Maurice Collins is leading a €4.9m EU wide project called LIBRE to create a cleaner and cheaper alternative means of carbon fibre production using lignin, a polymer found in wood and bark, rather than current petroleum based methods. He discusses the environm…

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Fix the Fixing – Defeating match fixing in sport 11:04

8y ago11:04

11:04

More than 12% of athletes have played in a match that was fixed and nearly 15% suspect they have, according to the findings of a European survey. Dr Deirdre O’Shea and Dr Tadhg MacIntyre are two psychologists who have been involved in a pan-European Erasmus+ project called Fix the Fixing. Their research seeks to tackle this global phenomenon, and u…

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Growing up with domestic violence and abuse: The impact on young people 13:00

8y ago13:00

13:00

The pervasive occurrence of domestic violence and abuse poses many challenges to Irish society. Dr Catherine Naughton talks about her PhD Research which was supervised by Prof Orla Muldoon and Dr Aisling O’Donnell in the Dept. of Psychology and Centre for Social Issues Research. Catherine discusses their research which explores the negative social …

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Phos"Fate": Where have all the nutrients gone? 21:57

8y ago21:57

21:57

Phosphate is a limited resource vital for global agriculture. Dr Iain Moyles and Dr John Donohue discuss their work funded by Science Foundation Ireland on mathematical modelling of nutrient flow in soil. During the podcast Iain and John describe the phosphate crisis which acknowledges that phosphorus is a limited resource and only a few countries …

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Scaling Agile Methods: improved software development 6:58

8y ago6:58

6:58

The software industry in Ireland is well established with 9 of the top 10 global software companies located in the country. Prof Brian Fitzgerald, Director of LERO the Irish Software Research Centre, discusses agile methods in software development and the exponential growth in the development of software across all industries. With €30 billion wort…

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The untold story - understanding the Multinational Sector in Ireland 17:07

8+ y ago17:07

17:07

Ireland’s economy is highly dependent on multinational investment with MNC’s employing well in excess of 160,000 people. Prof Patrick Gunnigle & Dr Jonathan Lavelle, Kemmy Business School discuss the influence that multinationals have on the Irish economy and our society as a whole and how the landscape of MNC involvement in the economy may evolve …

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Generating clean energy by imitating plant photosynthesis 11:19

8+ y ago11:19

11:19

The world needs solutions for its rapidly growing energy consumption which is projected to double by 2050. The advancement of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is vital to achieve environmentally sustainable progress. Dr Micheál Scanlon, from UL’s Bernal Institute, UL is working on a pioneering experimental approach that seeks to imitate photosynt…

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Autonomous cars, a game changer for the future of the motor industry 10:37

8+ y ago10:37

10:37

The advent of autonomous cars provides a number of challenges from a technological and design point of view and also raises interesting legal, liability and ethical questions. Dr Finbarr Murphy from the Kemmy Business School discusses his involvement as Principal Investigator in two European projects VI-DAS and Cloud-LSVA which aim to solve these c…

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Atomic Action Movies - Revealing the world, one atom at a time 14:35

8+ y ago14:35

14:35

Dr Andy Stewart is joined by PhD Students Kalani Moore and Eileen Courtney to describe the atomic action motives brought to life through microscopy. Since their discovery in 2004, 2D materials have sparked a worldwide race to discover new materials with stunning new properties. UL has been part of this drive for discovery through the Bernal Institu…