John and Pat Hume Scholarship Awards Research Titles

Fibre Thermoreflectance Sensor for Localised Measurements of Thermal Properties of Biological Tissues

Supervisor 1: Asst. Professor Zhu Diao

Email: Zhu.Diao@mu.ie

Department: Electronic Engineering

Abstract:

Fibre Thermoreflectance Sensor for Localised Measurements of Thermal Properties of Biological Tissues Department of Electronic Engineering Asst. Professor Zhu Diao "Understanding the thermal properties of biological tissues and living cells, including parameters such as heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity, is of paramount importance in diverse medical and biological applications. These properties play a critical role in tasks such as assessing lesion formation during thermal therapy, understanding cellular responses to thermal stress, evaluating vitrification in cryopreservation, and addressing temperature-related issues in opto-genetics. However, characterising the thermal properties of living tissues poses significant challenges due to their small size and limited accessibility, compounded by the stringent requirements for measurement accuracy and precision.

A cutting-edge method for thermal property characterisation is the frequency-domain thermoreflectance method (FDTR). It involves utilising an intensity-modulated continuous wave (CW) laser to heat the sample surface and a separate CW probe laser to detect the phase lag in surface temperature increase. This phase lag, usually measured using a synchronous detection scheme (lock-in amplification), contains valuable information about the sample’s thermal properties. While FDTR has traditionally been employed in free-space optical setups, these systems are often bulky and the rigid laser beam path makes them unsuitable for measuring biological tissues, especially in-vivo as required for practical medical procedures such as cryopreservation or thermal therapy.

This project aims to address these challenges by designing and constructing a compact optical-fibre-based thermoreflectance sensor for localised thermal property characterisation of biological tissues and living cells. The proposed prototype device builds upon the FDTR principle but integrates both the pump and the probe laser beams into an optical fibre. The highly flexible fibre allows for the guidance of laser beams to living tissues, enabling immediate measurement of their local temperature change. The free end of the fibre is coated with a metal ‘transducer’ that efficiently absorbs the pump laser beam, creating the necessary temperature changes for measurements. In this configuration, the heating power is dissipated through both the living tissues in immediate contact with the fibre’s free end and the fibre itself. Developing a two-directional thermal transport model will be crucial for accurately describing heat transfer under such conditions. The phase lag between the pump and probe signal will be measured using home-made electronics centred around a software-defined radio (SDR) board, responsible for essential lock-in demodulation and signal recovery functions. This design not only guarantees the compactness of the final product but also upholds cost-effectiveness, thereby possessing significant potential for commercialisation. Performance of the constructed system will be validated using standard samples with well-known thermophysical properties.

This Ph.D. project aims to address a critical challenge at the intersection of engineering and biomedical sciences. It offers an exceptional opportunity for the aspiring candidate to cultivate a diverse skill set encompassing biophotonics, applied optics, thermal engineering, bioelectronics, and numerical modelling. It is an ideal launching pad for individuals with an engineering background who harbour aspiration in optical engineering, bioengineering and medical device development and testing.

The Cultural Politics of the Global Ecological Crisis

Supervisor: Dr Chandana Mathur

Email: Chandana.Mathur@mu.ie

Department: Anthropology

Abstract:

This transdisciplinary research project will focus on the ways in which the contemporary ecological crisis intersects with local and global inequities. The Hume scholarship applicant is expected to propose a detailed ethnographic study of a particular local context, situated in a world region where issues of ecological decline and climate change have become a matter of urgent public debate. This grounded project should be attentive to the world historical and political economic flows within which everyday local level cultural processes are situated. For example, while investigating the on-the-ground political ferment in the iconic case of Amazon rainforest destruction, it would be necessary to consider Brazil’s position within the changing nodes and modes of global capitalism. The applicant should plan for both ethnographic and archival research strategies, but it is important to underline the fact that participant observation during an extended period of fieldwork will be a key form of data collection. The project will be supervised by a sociocultural anthropologist and a geographer, both of whom have drawn upon the perspectives of political ecology in their own research.

Comparative crop mycorrhizosphere microbiome function in agriculture

Supervisor: Dr. Grace Hoysted

Email: Grace.Hoysted@mu.ie

Department: Biology

Abstract:

Plants are intimately associated with a diverse set of soil microorganisms including fungi, which have driven terrestrial biogeochemical processes since plant terrestrialisation >500 million years ago. These below-ground interactions drive above-ground ecosystem function through their influence on plant productivity, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots, known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) rely on their hosts as their primary source of carbon receiving up to 20% of plant photosynthates. In return, AMF promote plant growth by enhancing the uptake of otherwise inaccessible soil nutrients, with their extraradical hyphae acting as an extension of plant roots allowing them to indirectly access a greater soil volume.

Recently, it was demonstrated that mycorrhizal fungi are more diverse than previously thought and include ‘fine root endophytes’ of the Mucoromycotina (MFRE). MFRE usually occur in plants co-colonised by the traditionally studied Glomeromycota AMF. Mutualistic symbiotic associations between mycorrhizal fungi and plant roots, are often liberated and further affected by bacterial associates, so-called mycorrhization helper bacteria (MHB) with MHB being increasingly appreciated for shaping phenotypes, function and ecology of plant-fungal interactions across diverse ecosystems. Latest research, using novel monoxenic cultures and wild-collected plants and fungi, has shown MFRE associations also confer nutritional benefits on host plants. While the direct exchange of plant-fixed carbon for AMF and MFRE-acquired soil nutrients has been studied, the critical tripartite interaction between plants, diverse lineages of fungi and their hyphospheric microbiomes and the resulting impact on carbon and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) functional dynamics remain unexplored.

This PhD project will test two hypotheses:

1) AMF and MFRE possess unique bacterial associates thereby providing evidence of functional complementarity between the two mycorrhizal fungal partners.

2) Application of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous will lower AMF and MFRE infection of plants and alter soil microbial communities to have lower expression of traits linked to nutrient mining from organic matter.
The project will use both novel lab techniques developed for MFRE fungal isolation and culture and pot experiments to test these hypotheses, both involving fully cross-factorial designs with and without mycorrhizal inoculation, their associated bacterial partners and nutrient additions under fluctuating temperatures to provide evidence of how different fungi communicate and interact in diverse ecosystems under a warming climate.
There is significant potential to promote symbioses between diverse mycorrhizal fungal partners and crops in agricultural environments to enhance soil nutrient uptake, in turn to reducing crop dependency on heavy fertilisation rates. This research will have implications for microbial soil ecology, from controlled to field conditions, especially if diverse bacteria allow fungi to engage in unexpected partnerships and unlock their potential as bioenhancers of globally important crops.

Tracing Massive Black Holes Through Time

Supervisor: Dr John Regan

Email: John.Regan@mu.ie

Department: Theoretical Physics

Abstract:

The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in December 2021 and the subsequent observations of the early Universe has allowed astronomers to study the formation of the first galaxies and black holes for the first time. JWST has shown that black holes with masses in excess of one million times the mass of the Sun are already in place only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. Moreover, these black holes are unusually massive compared to their host galaxy. The large black hole mass to host galaxy mass ratio implies that black hole evolution is significantly different in the early universe compared to the present day universe (where such ratios are not observed).
The formation pathways of massive black holes is unknown. Stellar mass black holes are known to form from the death of massive stars with masses of between 10 and 100 times the mass of the Sun. However, it is unlikely that these relatively small black holes (known as light seed black holes) can explain the existence of massive black holes with masses in excess of one million times the mass of the Sun. Another potential pathway is the formation of heavy seed black holes. Heavy seed black holes are theorised to have masses in excess of 1000 times the mass of the Sun and could be the starting point for the massive black holes observed in the distant Universe by JWST. If these heavy seeds can form, they will be rarer, but may be the answer to the existence of (over-)massive black holes.

This project will utilise the semi-analytic code, SHARK, to study the evolution of galaxies in the early Universe with a focus on understanding the formation and growth of early black holes. In particular, the project will involve making direct comparisons to incoming JWST data. Semi-analytic models, while less accurate than detailed hydrodynamic simulations, offer the ability to quickly test galaxy and black hole formation models. The parameterisation of the physics encoded in the semi-analytic code can be grounded in more detailed hydrodynamic modelling. Our group in Maynooth are world-leaders in hydrodynamical simulations of early black hole formation and this expertise will feed directly into the semi-analytical modelling.

The goal of this project will be to use SHARK to compare the results of different black hole seeding pathways against JWST observations. This will involve the need to augment the SHARK framework to include detailed galaxy formation prescriptions for the early Universe including metalfree star formation, supermassive star formation, primordial black hole formation and super-Eddington growth of both light and heavy seed black holes.

JWST data is providing astrophysicists with detailed observations of the early Universe for the very first time with unprecedented precision. The observations while intriguing also present a significant challenge to existing theoretical models. This project will use the state-of-the-art SHARK code to interpret the results from JWST and other near future observations from Euclid and the Rubin Telescope.

Lighthouses: Research and data beacons for a changing climate

Supervisor: Professor Peter Thorne

Email: Peter.Thorne@mu.ie

Department: Geography (ICARUS)

Abstract:

Lighthouse keepers around our island have long kept meteorological records as part of broader records of cultural significance. These constitute some of the most valuable records in climate science arising from sentinel sites at our interface with the ocean key to understanding changes in our climate and their societal impacts. Yet, they remain in paper form and unavailable to scientific and broader academic scrutiny. This project will shed light on these records by rescuing the data, analysing it, and sharing it with national and international repositories to improve understanding of extreme events and climate reconstructions.

The Irish Lights Data project of the Commissioners of Irish Lights has recently catalogued and imaged much of these data. But imaging them is only the first step, they still remain unusable until they are digitised to electronic records. Now they need to be transcribed and analysed. The earliest record on meteorology held in the Heritage Archive of Irish Lights dates to 1830s when a request was made to provide the Lighthouses with barometer, thermometer and rain gauge instruments; and applications were submitted to the Board to place telegraph signals at Tuskar Lighthouse. These early data could transform our knowledge of long-term climate variability and changes, crucial to understanding the emergence of a climate change signal at the land/ocean interface. The data are particularly valuable given their location on the very hinterlands of western Europe for informing international efforts at modelling past climate via centennial scale reanalyses.

The thesis work will begin by analysing the inventory, undertaking any additional imaging in collaboration with the Archive of Irish Lights team, and rescuing these data. Building upon experience with participatory learning techniques pioneered by the research team that have led to thousands of years of data recovery the student would next work with schools in the locality of the lighthouses to set up transition year projects to rescue the data igniting the imagination of the next generation of scientists. After that, the candidate will work with the supervisory team and Prof. Ed Hawkins at Reading University to assess the impact of the data on retrospective analyses of key storms. Finally, the data shall be shared with Met Eireann and the Copernicus Climate Change Service enabling broad usage by the national and international research communities.

The thesis will equip the student with a broad range of skills that are In high demand in climate science and beyond. The student will gain skills in archiving practices, design of participatory learning projects, data management and data analysis. The candidate would get the chance to work with some of the foremost experts nationally and internationally as part of the project.

Turning the Screen Around: Learning Co-Design of Care in GP Professional Formation Across Europe

Supervisor: Dr A. Jamie Saris

Email: Ajamie.Saris@mu.ie

Department: Anthropology

Abstract:

Most European Medical Establishments now believe that improving access to, and the functions of, the lowest level of clinical care is the key to containing costs and improving outcomes. Such documents as Slainte Care in Ireland are a token of this type of policy change. In this structure, GPs take on increased responsibilities in making their care highly-person/patient-centric. These changes have important implications for medical school training, which is also a process of professional formation that has steadfastly resisted harmonization across the EU, say, in comparison to PhD training. This project builds on previous research on Medical Professionalism, an HRB-funded project titles, “Medical Professionalism in Practice" that developed an understanding of relationship-centred professionalism in medicine for the public, students, teachers and clinicians" (Professor Kieran C. Murphy, RCSI PI) on which I was the Anthropology Lead. I envision this PhD support for a MD interested in a research trajectory in health services driven by ethnographic engagement, precisely the kind of research I have pioneered in Ireland. I see the Irish part of this work as part of a broader program of European-wide research.

Developing a Climate-Resilient Sustainable Building Stock: Investigating the Implications of Future Climate Changes on the Indoor Environment.

Supervisor: Dr James McGrath

Email: James.McGrath@mu.ie

Department: Experimental Physics

Abstract:

Context: In the face of escalating global climate change, a knowledge gap persists regarding the consequences of impending climate changes on human health within indoor environments. The effects of climate change on outdoor environments are well-documented. However, a significant void remains in understanding the implications indoors and, consequently, human health and well-being. Annually, European summers are experiencing an increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves, which can profoundly impact buildings’ performance and human health. Almost 75% of the existing European building stock is energy inefficient, and more than 85% of existing buildings will still be used in 2050. Therefore, the indoor built environment encounters unprecedented challenges, necessitating the simultaneous implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures. Existing policies focused on energy retrofitting (achieving sectoral emissions reductions to meet 2030/2050 mitigation targets), almost exclusively centre on climate change mitigation. However, failure to consider the impacts of future climates risks inadvertently exacerbating existing challenges. It is imperative to broaden the scope of research and policy considerations to holistically address the evolving dynamics of climate change within the indoor built environment, ensuring that adaptation measures do not inadvertently contribute to the complexity of the issue.

Research Question: Can energy retrofitting policies align with the potential impacts of future climates and enhance the resilience of the existing Irish building stock? In addressing this question, the escalating challenges posed by climate change and the consequential implications for indoor air quality, human health and comfort must be considered.

Project Methodology: The interdisciplinary methodology will employ an advanced building-physics modelling framework to simulate spatial and temporal variations within diverse building types. Building physics models leverage numerical calculations that embody the fundamental physical principles governing a building's behaviour. These models include components for heat transport, mass-balance modelling to simulate airflow, and the capability to dynamically adapt to changes in both external and internal factors. Models will comprehensively capture details on thermal properties, energy consumption, household ventilation rates, and the distribution of indoor air pollutants. Integrating these models with regional climate forecasts derived from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections will assess the performance of the Irish building stock under diverse future climate scenarios, encompassing various weather and pollution projections. The interactions between climate change and different building characteristics, critically influencing parameters related to indoor environmental quality, risks of overheating, and energy consumption patterns will be investigated.

Simulations will focus on:

• Developing baseline scenarios in the context of existing public policies concerning building retrofit measures and standards.
• Investigating a range of scenarios, including pre- and post-energy retrofit conditions, diverse ventilation strategies, and occupancy patterns.
• Employing data-driven techniques and optimisation algorithms to conduct a comprehensive sensitivity analysis.
Through this analysis, the project aims to identify potential high-risk scenarios. By evaluating these scenarios, the research will provide novel insights to identify optimal combinations of building features and climate-responsive strategies that enhance indoor air quality and overall occupant health. The outcomes will offer actionable insights into sustainable practices and inform future building design considerations in a changing climate.

Building EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) into a new model of Brand Equity.

Supervisor: Professor Elaine Wallace

Email: Elaine.Wallace@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

This project will investigate how consumer brands incorporate equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in their brand strategies, and will propose a model of Brand Equity incorporating EDI. EDI is an important societal issue, yet it is under-explored within the marketing literature. As brands are a strategic asset for many businesses, it is time for brand managers to consider the importance of adopting EDI strategies in generating Brand Equity.

Brand Equity is the term used to describe the value of a brand that is greater than the value of a similar unbranded product. It can be measured from the consumer’s or the firm’s perspective, considering the brand’s image and consumer-brand relationships, or the brand’s identity and financial performance. To date, models of Brand Equity do not incorporate or consider EDI, or the impact of EDI strategies and activities on other Brand Equity components such as brand image and perceived brand quality. Yet, academic literature emphasises that organisations must incorporate the principles of EDI in their brand strategies.

The main objective of the study therefore is to identify how EDI could be incorporated into a new model of Brand Equity, building on extant models of Brand Equity, and considering the perspectives of the company and its customers. In this study, EDI strategies include, but are not limited to: ensuring the workforce is comprised of diverse and inclusive customer-facing teams; ensuring representativeness in marketing communications; adoption of EDI policies in product and packaging design; and consideration of EDI principles in pricing or distribution.

The context of the study will be brands that serve consumer markets in Ireland, including service brands (such as banking and tourism brands) and fast-moving consumer goods brands (e.g., grocery brands). These sectors are important for this study, due to their value to the economy and their importance to consumers in their day-to-day lives.

Using a mixed-method approach, the project will research brands across these two sectors. Through in-depth interviews and surveys, it will investigate consumers’, managers’ and employees’ perceptions of current EDI practices, explore how EDI practices can be measured in relation to Brand Equity, and propose a new Brand Equity model incorporating EDI.

As a mixed-method approach is envisioned, the ideal applicant will have experience in conducting both qualitative and quantitative research. They should have working knowledge of conducting in-depth interviews and questionnaire design, as well as experience in data analysis – including thematic analysis of qualitative data, and analysis of quantitative data.

It is expected that outputs from the project will include conference papers and journal publications in leading international journals. Findings from this project will also have practical application for managers, employees, customers and other stakeholders. It will provide guidance to organisations seeking to incorporate EDI in their branding strategies, and in their performance measures. The project also has a wider societal impact, as it will raise interesting questions about the current and potential adoption of EDI strategies by leading Irish and international brands.

Homogeneous Biotherapeutics via Glycoengineering

Supervisor: Dr Roisin O'Flaherty

Email: Roisin.OFlaherty@mu.ie

Department: Chemistry

Abstract:

This 4-year PhD project is an interdisciplinary project in biochemistry led by Dr Róisín O’Flaherty (Department of Chemistry) & Professor Seán Doyle (Department of Biology), Maynooth University, Ireland. The major techniques used in this project will include enzymology, UPLC, mass spectrometry and functional assays that are directly applicable to the biopharmaceutical sector.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are the most widely used protein therapeutics in the treatment of cancers, arthritis, and other human disorders worldwide. Antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are another important class of biotherapeutics that consist of an antibody chemically conjugated to a cytotoxic payload. The effectiveness and safety of these therapeutic products are significantly influenced by the structure and composition of their glycosylation profile. Their glycosylation is therefore considered a critical quality attribute.
Currently the production of mAbs by mammalian (e.g. CHO cells) or alternative cell culture platforms gives rise to heterogenous mAb structures [1]. Contrastingly, homogenous mAbs demonstrate higher specificity and selectivity to their ligands (FcRs) [2]. The value of this is that the patient dose can be decreased for the same clinical outcome and consequently the value of the antibody can be enhanced. N-glycans can fine tune immunological responses such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or anti-inflammatory properties. Commonly, in currently marketed therapeutic mAbs, the glycosylation profile is suboptimal in terms of biological properties such as ADCC or may give rise to safety concerns due to the presence of non-human, and often immunogenic, glycans. This project will explore innovative developments in chemo-enzymatic glycoengineering in solution and on solid supports, which allow the generation of mAbs and ADCs carrying single, well-defined, uniform Fc glycoforms, which confers the desired biological properties for the target application. It will facilitate the characterisation of next-generation products using UPLC and mass spectrometry approaches and Fc Receptor binding and cytotoxicity studies using established methods developed in the O’Flaherty Glycoscience lab [3].

The developed approach offers significant benefits to the biopharmaceutical industry. It offers the prospect for new therapeutics with enhanced Fc effector functions, improved safety profiles, higher batch-to-batch consistency, decreased risks related to immunogenicity and manufacturing process changes, and the possibility to redesign mAbs and ADCs in an economical manner, for example in non-mammalian expression systems or for Biosimilars. This approach could also be a beneficial tool to the Glycoscience community where such approaches could be harnessed to study the role and control of glycosylation on biological systems at a tissue/cellular level.

Methodologies used:

• A chemoenzymatic glycoengineering strategy will be undertaken to generate single glycoform mAbs and biotherapeutics. This will involve glycosyl transferase mediated protein glycosylation and elongation.
• Solid support glycoengineering of biotherapeutics. This will include bioconjugation reactions to solid support(s) for in situ chemoenzymatic glycoengineering to generate homogeneous products.
• ICH Characterisation will include: 1) released N-glycan analysis using HILIC-UPLC and 2) glycosylation site analysis using LC-MS.
• Function studies will be conducted including binding studies using SPR and in vitro cell cytotoxicity assays.

[1] O'Flaherty et al, PMID: 29130774.
[2] Wang et al, PMID: 30917003.
[3] O'Flaherty et al, PMID: 31471495.

The Crucial Role of Culture, Language, and Heritage in Shaping Bioeconomy Strategies: A Comprehensive Exploration for Citizen Engagement and Societal Transformation

Supervisor: Dr Maire Nic an Bhaird

Email: Maire.NicanBhaird@mu.ie

Department: Education

Abstract:

This research embarks on an in-depth exploration of the intersection between culture, language, heritage, and the formulation of bioeconomy strategies, with a focus on citizen engagement and societal transformation. It is timely and aligns with bioeconomy as a policy priority for the European Commission and responds to the work of BioBeo in Ireland’s bioeconomy action plan for curriculum development. It also addresses Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a priority policy in Ireland. Rooted in the distinguished groundwork laid by Maynooth University (MU) through the acclaimed Horizon 2020 project, AgroCycle, and the ongoing Horizon Europe project, BioBeo, this PhD initiative seeks to expand our understanding of how cultural, linguistic, and heritage elements shape the discourse and implementation of circular bioeconomy concepts in communities. The MU BioBeo Sustainability Research Unit will increase their cohort of talented and innovative researchers who play a pivotal role in delivering the BioBeo vision of a vibrant and sustainable bio-based culture and associated economy. The MU BioBeo Sustainability Research Unit wishes to recruit a full time PhD in Education on the theme: science-for-society education, built around the concept of interconnectedness between language, heritage, identity and the natural environment (e.g. Irish spoken in coastal and rural communities). Ideally the candidate should have a high honours degree (2.1 or 1H) in a relevant discipline. Experience in teaching and knowledge of the Irish language is an advantage.

This PhD initiative is also situated within the broader context of Maynooth University’s collaboration with BiOrbic, the Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre, and aims to contribute significantly to Ireland's national bioeconomy research initiatives. BiOrbic, established as Ireland's premier bioeconomy research centre, plays a pivotal role in advancing the nation's bioeconomy agenda through cutting-edge research and innovation. This PhD initiative, operating under the BiOrbic umbrella, offers a PhD researcher unparalleled support, networking opportunities, international engagement and an immersive experience. Engaging with BiOrbic ensures contributing not only to academic knowledge but also influencing policy, practice and mainstream society in Ireland's evolving bioeconomy landscape.
By building upon the foundation laid by AgroCycle and BioBeo, this research project aims to bridge the gap between academic research and practical implementation by investigating how cultural and linguistic nuances influence the adoption and diffusion of circular bioeconomy principles among communities.

This research will employ a transdisciplinary approach, drawing from fields such as bioeconomy studies, cultural studies, linguistics, An Ghaeilge and education. The methodology will encompass qualitative and quantitative analysis to comprehensively explore the intricate dynamics at play. The outcomes of this research will not only contribute to academic scholarship but also provide actionable insights for policymakers, educators, and practitioners involved in shaping bioeconomy strategies geared towards citizen engagement and societal transformation.

This project represents a significant step forward in understanding the vital role that culture, language, and heritage play in shaping bioeconomy. By aligning with the objectives of BiOrbic, this ensures the translation of findings into tangible contributions to Ireland's evolving bioeconomy landscape.

Entrepreneurship, disadvantage, and economic development

Supervisor: Dr Luca Castellanza

Email: Luca.Castellanza@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

The project will investigate the relationship between entrepreneurship and social and economic development, preferably with a focus on the Global South and developing countries in general. While capitalism is typically seen as one of the roots of economic and social inequalities, entrepreneurship, especially when practised by poor, disadvantaged, or otherwise marginalized minorities, can serve as an empowering agent to attain social emancipation and economic prosperity. In recent years, there has been growing interest among scholars as to how entrepreneurship can influence socioeconomic development, particularly concerning such issues as poverty alleviation (Sutter et al., 2019), gender empowerment (Castellanza, 2022), resilience after crises (Shepherd et al., 2020), migration (Lassalle & Shaw, 2021), and sustainability (Doh et al., 2019). These topics are especially salient in low-income countries, where the correct implementation of entrepreneurship policies and support programs could potentially raise millions of people out of poverty while solving the endemic issues of conflict, pollution, and discriminatory institutions.

The project may focus on one among different issues, including, but not limited to, the role of entrepreneurial ventures in fostering sustainable economic development within poor communities, the processes by which discriminated and disadvantaged minorities may become integrated into their society through entrepreneurship, the design of entrepreneurship training program and public support policies aimed at promoting economic participation by the disadvantaged, and the effect of global supply chains in reiterating or ameliorating societal issues. Given the relatively underexplored and interdisciplinary nature of these sub-fields of research, prospective Hume Scholars will need a strong understanding of qualitative methodologies (e.g. case studies, grounded theory, thematic analysis, etc.), as well as an open mind to integrate methods from adjoining disciplines, such as ethnographies and field experiments, which could significantly advance knowledge of entrepreneurship and socioeconomic development within low-income countries. Successful proposals will need to include qualitative (sub-)studies, yet proposals with a more ambitious scope integrating conceptual work and mixed- or multi-method approaches will be preferred.

References
Castellanza, L. (2022). Discipline, abjection, and poverty alleviation through entrepreneurship: A constitutive perspective. Journal of Business Venturing, 37(1), 106032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.106032
Doh, J. P., Tashman, P., & Benischke, M. H. (2019). Adapting to Grand Environmental Challenges Through Collective Entrepreneurship. Academy of Management Perspectives, 33(4), 450–468. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2017.0056
Lassalle, P., & Shaw, E. (2021). Trailing Wives and Constrained Agency Among Women Migrant Entrepreneurs: An Intersectional Perspective. Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258721990331
Shepherd, D. A., Saade, F. P., & Wincent, J. (2020). How to circumvent adversity? Refugee-entrepreneurs’ resilience in the face of substantial and persistent adversity. Journal of Business Venturing, 35(4), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2019.06.001
Sutter, C., Bruton, G. D., & Chen, J. (2019). Entrepreneurship as a solution to extreme poverty: A review and future research directions. Journal of Business Venturing, 34(1), 197–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.06.003

Design of an Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex sole (DEBS)

Supervisor: Dr Linzi Ryan

Email: Linzi.Ryan@mu.ie

Department: Design Innovation

Abstract:

EB (epidermolysis bullosa) is a group of rare heritable skin fragility disorders, typically presenting as blistering of the skin from minor trauma. EB Simplex (EBS) is the most common form and disproportionally affects children and teenagers. It causes painful blisters on the soles of the feet after mild or moderate physical activity, causing reduced mobility and eventually wheelchair use. Sweating of the feet exacerbates the EBS condition so keeping the feet cool reduces moisture and prevents blisters from forming. Current solutions focus on treating EBS blisters rather than as a preventative measure. There are limited style choices available and are medical in appearance and costly. The medical aesthetic can make children and teenagers with EB feel excluded from their social groups, self-conscious and vulnerable, resulting in low compliance.

The aim of the research is to develop a proof-of-concept solution of a preventative, self-cooling insole for teenagers with EB which can be retro-fitted to an existing shoe. Combining material configuration and fluid dynamics, the sole will consist of a flexible Auxetic Metamaterials structure with fluidic channels. The user’s own walking motion will cause the metamaterial to compress, pumping the fluid around the channels through a cooling regulator, ensuring a consistent temperature. Small enough to sit within an existing shoe structure, the unit will be compatible with standard ‘off-the-shelf’ footwear.

Objectives:
• To design, prototype, test and evaluate:
o The Auxetic sole structure with sufficient mechanical strength to form fluidic channels while allowing flex during walking.
o Thermotropic polymer blends for use within the fluidic channels.
o jectives:The configuration of fluidic channels for effective flow around the foot and cooling regulator.
• To test and evaluate an off-the-shelf cooling regulator appropriate for integration into the sole.
• To prototype the selected solutions within the sole in relation to temperature regulation, flex and abrasiveness.

Methodology
Utilising a range of rapid prototyping equipment, an iterative Agile Product Development Methodology will be used.

1. Requirement specification: Functional specifications will be collaboratively developed with medical professionals and the Debra PPI panel. Functional specifications will include:
Insole:
• Compliance: Optimum Auxetic structure configuration to provide sufficient flex to distribute the fluidic material while not restricting walking.
• Pressure distribution: Even distribution of pressure to prevent trauma.
• Moisture management: Sufficient wickability to prevent excessive sweating or sweat retention.
• Usability: Must be capable of easy insertion into the shoe by the user.

Fluidic:
• Appropriate cooling properties: Capable of keeping feet within an appropriate temp range.
• Sufficient viscosity: Capable of moving freely through the cooling channels and temperature regulator.
• Hypoallergenic: Does not exasperate the EB condition in case of leakage.
2. Design: Building on the functional specification, a number of design solutions will be generated through sketching and low fidelity prototyping.
3. Develop: Potential solution(s) will be developed into 3D CAD models and analysed in relation to:
• Fluid dynamics: Identifying and addressing any fluid flow issues around the proposed sole structure.
• Compliance: Sufficient flex as defined in the requirements specification.
4. Test: Physical prototypes will be used to test solution functionality in situ.
5. Review: The Debra PPI panel will be used to test and provide feedback on the ease-of-use of the prototypes.

Evolutionary conservation of transcription factor paralogs with pleiotropic activities in plants

Supervisor: Dr. Diarmuid O’Maoileidigh

Email: Diarmuid.S.OMaoileidigh@mu.ie

Department: Biology

Abstract:

The expansion of gene families encoding transcription factors is a key mechanism that facilitates adaptation to environmental or biological influences in plants. Following duplication of a gene, due to a reduction of selective pressure, one gene copy may accumulate polymorphisms relative to its partner leading to several possible scenarios. Although the more rapidly evolving gene copy may cease to function, it may also acquire novel polymorphisms that lead to sub-functionalization and/or neo-functionalization. Alternatively each gene may retain similar functions leading to redundancy or gene dosage effects. Understanding this fundamental evolutionary process is a major goal in biology.

Among multi-copy transcription factor coding gene families, those corresponding transcription factors that have pleiotropic activities are of particular interest because of the potential trade-offs between maintaining crucial activities and evolving to respond to selective pressures. Plants are constantly challenged with a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses to which they must adapt including pathogens, herbivores, heat, flooding, and drought. Many transcription factor paralogs are responsible for fundamental developmental or physiological processes in addition to playing roles in biotic and abiotic stress response. The mechanisms by which these pleiotropic paralogous transcription factors have adapted to biotic and abiotic stresses while continuing to fulfil their essential developmental or physiological activities is poorly understood.

In this project, the successful applicant will work with two research groups that have independent but overlapping interests. The Comparative Developmental Genetics (CDG) lab, led by Dr. Diarmuid O’Maoileidigh, is interested in how transcription factors evolve to control developmental and physiological processes. The Plant Biochemistry Lab (PBL), led by Dr. Emmanuelle Graciet, is interested in the response of plants to combined stresses (e.g. flooding in addition to pathogen infection). Together, we will take a comparative approach using members of the Brassicaceae family to understand the activities of transcription factor paralogs on developmental, physiological, and molecular levels. We will work with the long-established model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the newly established model plant Cardamine hirsuta, and the oilseed crop Brassica rapa. We will use state-of-the-art techniques such as mass spectrometry, genome editing, laser-scanning confocal microscopy, RNA-Seq, and ChIP-Seq including fundamental methods in plant molecular biology.

This project is at the frontier of plant science research as it poses complex questions about multifactor inputs from endogenous and exogenous sources into gene regulatory networks, which integrate these signals to mount appropriate responses. This work aims to improve understanding of biological processes, which we believe will be of importance to tackling urgent challenges associated with climate change and environmental degradation to achieve a sustainable future. The successful applicant will receive training in multi-disciplinary research and a variety of techniques that are aligned with careers in academic and industrial settings. Through conference attendance and engaging with the networks of two supervisors, the successful applicant will have an exciting opportunity to break new ground in biological research and to kickstart a career in biological research.

Enabling grassroots approaches to sustainable development: a case study of small businesses in Ireland

Supervisor: Dr Keith Thomas

Email: Keith.Thomas@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

The UN sustainable development goals (SDG) are a call to action that primarily involves national governments and global institutions (United Nations, 2015). Global-level processes need, however, to be translated into organisational-level impacts through the engagement of businesses (de Villiers et al., 2021) and all companies can contribute to the SDGs (UNGC, 2021). The roles for SMEs is less clear (Smith et al., 2022), but there is a need to examine integration of sustainable development principles into regional development or bottom-up (local) practices (Clement et al., 2003). Fundamentally, with nearly 70% of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050 (Marvuglia et al., 2020), grassroots transformations led by local communities, cities and small businesses, tailored to the unique conditions of local context, are seen as an effective pathway to sustainability goals (Pansera and Sarkar, 2016) and as potential entry points for climate action (Moallemi et al., 2020).

Bottom-up or localised approaches are important for stakeholder engagement and to mitigate challenges and disagreements on local priorities, and competing interests of stakeholders. Yet, as (Moallemi et al., 2020) have also noted, a systematic and nuanced investigation of grassroot initiatives is yet unexplored. Much talked about as an approach (Wang et al., 2016), there is however a large unknown in sustainable development at regional (or local) levels (Gray, 2010, Mensah and Enu-Kwesi, 2019, Giovannoni and Fabietti, 2014, Mensah, 2019, Elmqvist et al., 2019, Chatterton and Style, 2001). Arguably, the traditional ways of thinking are not equipped to deal with this emerging concept, and a common and agreed way of thinking about and understanding regional sustainable development, as well as measuring its impact is needed.

This proposal will investigate business-to-business (B2B) pathways for collective action and impact by engaging local small business stakeholders (Moallemi et al., 2020). Distinguishing between B2B providers (est. some 10% of Irish industry) and business to customers (B2C) service or product users, (est. as over 90%), the aim is to focus on leverage points in B2B (business-to-business) interactions for collective impact. The study will use the three-stage approach based on policy, implementation and impact as devised by (Graafland and Smid, 2016) and evaluated in a study of corporate social responsibility (Banten and Thomas 2021) to examine illustrative small business cases in four industry areas: Hotels (services), Farming (agriculture), E-waste or electronic waste (technology) and Public Transport (services). Distinguishing two kinds of potential decoupling, policy-practice and means-end decoupling or green-washing (Delmas and Burbano, 2011), likely policy level outcomes include better structures and incentive mechanisms for local sector-specific climate action plans with collective impact in B2B relationships that could be extended to other localities nationally and perhaps internationally.

Race, gender and social movements

Supervisor: Professor Laurence Cox

Email: Laurence.Cox@mu.ie

Department: Sociology

Abstract:

What happens when racialised, often poor, women make social movements? How do people facing intersectional oppression, exploitation and stigmatisation become active agents for social change, reshaping themselves and the world around them?

This project area brings together two themes: on the one hand gender and race/caste (but also potentially class and other inequalities) which are widely understood as giving rise to pressure for social change – but this is often understood as happening almost automatically. On the other hand, social movements are often understood as particularly relevant for oppressed, exploited and culturally stigmatised groups – but without this process being explicitly theorised in e.g. feminist or critical race terms.

We want to explore how racialised women engage in social movements; how they become political subjects both individually (“cognitive liberation”) and collectively (forming a public social actor); and what this means for processes of “real democracy”, in the sense of an actual shift of power within society.

Globally, some of the most dramatic experiences of social change in recent years have centrally involved poor and racialised women, including the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas (1994 – present) and the self-administered areas of NE Syria (Rojava, 2012 – present). However researchers have increasingly emphasised the need to look “below the surface” of major social transformations of the past such as the US Civil Rights Movement and to see the role played by poor rural women alongside that of visible, usually male and educated, leaders, or in decolonising processes to pay attention to minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations and subaltern castes rather than western-educated leaders from dominant ethnicities. Despite this, media representations find the “heroic leader” narrative easier to reproduce than to trace processes of collective liberation and subjectification.

There are a range of appropriate methodologies for such research, from participatory action research to history from below and from feminist to indigenous approaches. However all are qualitative and dialogical, and involve paying close attention to the ways in which people articulate their ideas and act, ways which may be very different to those expected initially. A significant degree of cultural literacy or ethnographic engagement will be needed to understand these processes, as well as a willingness to engage with participants over a longer period in co-shaping the research to insure research ‘with’ not ‘for’ participants. Ethically, it is important for the research process itself to be experienced as worthwhile by participants, whether individually or collectively, and thought needs to be given to this.

In terms of empirical contexts, we are specifically interested in cases where racialised (or subaltern-caste) women form the heart of major collective struggles for social change, as opposed to processes of purely personal liberation, social mobility, agency through consumption etc. which have a qualitatively different character. As we are both actively researching in Asian Studies we are particularly interested in proposals addressing Asian movements (both movements in Asia or movements of Asian women), but not exclusively so.

Machine Learning for Musical Signal Processing

Supervisor: Prof Victor Lazzarini

Email: victor.lazzarini@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

Machine Learning (ML) offers tools that may allow us to develop new means of musical signal processing. In particular, Differentiable Digital Signal Processing (DDSP) has been shown in the literature to be a worthwhile route to explore. In this approach, techniques of synthesis such as frequency modulation, source-modifier and spectral models, granular methods, etc are subject to parametrisation that is continuously enhanced through differentiable means (e.g. by applying the resources of tensorflow etc). Since it builds up on existing working synthesis algorithms, it can be used to build intelligent musical instruments to improve the work on sound design and musical composition. We are interested in exploring this and a variety of other black - grey - white box models for computer music applications. This project is expected to feed into the work in computer music systems we have been developing for the past 25 years. In particular, our team participates in an international effort dedicated to the Csound sound and music computing environment. This PhD research will contribute to that development and to the integration of tools for ML into existing computer music practice.

Exploring Ableism and Career Sustainability in Academia

Supervisor: Dr Edward O'Connor

Email: Edward.OConnor@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

“Ableism in academia is endemic” (Brown and Leigh, 2018, p.988), yet this phenomenon has received little attention to date within equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) discussions in universities (Mellifont et al., 2019; Wolbring and Lillywhite, 2021). Ableism occurs when people with disabilities experience persistent disability-related discrimination (Lindsay et al., 2023), and has become recognised as an increasingly prevalent issue over the past decade (Harder et al., 2019).

While there is research exploring the experiences of invisible disabilities and chronic illnesses in academia (Brown and Leigh, 2020; Brown, 2021; Kerschbaum et al., 2017), there is limited research exploring the influence of ableism on academic careers (Lindsay and Fuentes, 2022; Seibert et al., 2024). In career studies, the whole-life perspective on career (Litano and Major, 2016) has become increasingly popular. This perspective on career extends the focus from an occupational and organisational perspective to a much broader, holistic perspective, where profession and career have a place and meaning. Unpacking the whole-life meaning of a career involves addressing the influence of one’s personal traits and characteristics and their corresponding impact on career choices, opportunities and progression. This project prioritises the individuals’ idiosyncratic career pathways, where perceptions of one’s traits and characteristics can determine career outcomes beyond the agency of the individual. Stigma is defined as traits or characteristics that categorise an individual as a “less desirable kind… reduced in our minds from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one” (Goffman 1990, p.12). Stigma can arise from both physical and mental impairments (Chung, 2020).

This project is situated within career studies in the human resource management (HRM) discipline. The project incorporates a focus on stigma (Goffman, 1990), social identity (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and ableism (Lindsay et al., 2023) within the specific employment context of academia. Contemporary career studies have begun to explore sustainable careers, which refers to work experiences that provide continuous growth and meaning for individuals (McDonald and Hite, 2018). However, there is a lacuna in the extant literature on career sustainability, ableism, and stigma (Bhaskar et al., 2023; Broadbridge and Fielden, 2018). This project addresses this gap by exploring the lived experiences of ableism among academics with invisible disabilities (De Vos et al., 2020), including attitudinal barriers to career progression (Brown and Leigh, 2018). This project will contribute to theoretical and empirical knowledge and debates on disability-related barriers (Levitt et al., 2023), informing career studies’ theory and higher education institutions’ policies and practices.

A qualitative research approach will facilitate the collection of rich, deep and nuanced personal accounts, pertaining to ableism, stigma and career sustainability in academia (Bluhm et al., 2011). Ethical approval will be a crucial part of this project, given the sensitivity of the subject.

Statistical modelling applied to fisheries management

Supervisor: Dr Rafael de Andrade Moral

Email: Rafael.DeAndradeMoral@mu.ie

Department: Mathematics and Statistics

Abstract:

The use of statistical modelling frameworks is pivotal to study fisheries systems and inform decision-making when developing management strategies. This project aims to develop improved statistical tools to optimise the assessment of different biodemographic components for fisheries management purposes.

It can involve, for instance, producing open-source software that implements statistical methods to be used by fisheries biologists and applied ecologists to carry out inferential and prediction tasks from using their own data. The main focus would be to fill analytical gaps when studying many different biodemographic parameters in fish populations.

The student may also work on optimising fish monitoring protocols to allow for the modelling of temporal trends. This can be done through simulation studies using state-of-the-art frameworks, as well as by proposing extended approaches.
Another contribution involves forecasting population dynamics of different species of fish. This would allow for the investigation of the extent of different anthropogenic stressors on the demographics of endangered populations, as well as to inform management strategies.

All datasets and expertise in fisheries science will be provided by experts from the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), Québec, Canada. The student will work closely with Dr Julien Mainguy, Mr Martin Bélanger, and Ms Eliane Valiquette from the MELCCFP, who are current collaborators of the proposed supervisors.

SAFE: A Formal Verification Framework for Detecting Cyber Security Issues in Safety Critical Software

Supervisor: Dr Hao Wu

Email: Wu.Hao@mu.ie

Department: Computer Science

Abstract:

Digital services and computer applications are quickly spreading across every aspect of our modern society. This means our society now heavily depends on the cyber infrastructure that supports these services and applications. This imposes new challenges in terms of cyber-attacks and potential securities. For example, disturbances in financial, industrial or day-to-day consumer services could cause a significant financial loss.
As the digital transformation in our society spreads further, the potential for cyber-attacks grows much faster. Nowadays, systems that provide digital services are large complex systems. This means that a significant number of resources are needed to protect or secure these systems against known cyber-attacks.

Formal Methods (FM) shows us a rigorous mathematical approach to discover and reduce possible cyber threats at all stages of the lifecycle of a system. The system is specified using precise mathematical formalisms to describe what a system should do without adding constraints on how to do it. The main benefit of using FM stems from precise mathematical proofs of a system design. The proofs provide strong assurances by exploring all possible system behaviours and once proven true it remains true. FM is a well-suited approach to assurances of cyber security for our modern digital society.

To tackle cyber security challenges imposed on our society, we will explore the following three areas:

(1) Specification: using lightweight FM techniques and tools to analyse a system requirement before its concrete implementation.
(2) Model checking: using state-of-the-art model checkers to check whether a system meets its given specification and safety properties.
(3) Theorem proving: encoding system behaviours into state-of-the-art theorem provers to find counter-examples that can break safety properties of a system, namely a potential cyber-attack.
The aim of this project is to create a framework that allows us to build an attacker model, express the security requirements within the model and automatically verify whether a system could behave correctly against its design intentions.
This framework consists of three main components (1) a new specification language to enable users to build an attacker model, (2) a formalism that can describe semantics of different types of security requirements, (3) an algorithm capable of reducing entire specifications to low-level instances that can be efficiently solved by state-of-the-art theorem provers.

Fear of Loneliness and its Consequences: A Mixed Methodological Study

Supervisor: Dr Joanna McHugh Power

Email: Joanna.MchughPower@mu.ie

Department: Psychology

Abstract:

Loneliness is routinely framed as a public health crisis (Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2018) because it is linked with poor health outcomes (Baarck & Kovacic, 2022). The language used in public health debate usually frames loneliness in concerning terms, calling it an “epidemic” (Holt-Lunstad, 2017), a “killer” (Rubin, 2017), and the “enemy” (Macdonald et al., 2018). Framing loneliness like this is likely to increase fear of loneliness (Sagan, 2023), which involves feelings of worry and abandonment and avoidance of being alone (Ventura-León, Sánchez-Villena, Caycho-Rodríguez, Barboza-Palomino, & Rubio, 2020) and which in turn causes psychological distress (Applebaum, 1978; Tsang & Fung, 2018). We currently critically lack an evidence base concerning fear of loneliness, particularly among older adults, who are the target of most public health interventions, under the (incorrect - see Luhmann & Hawkley, 2016) assumption that older adults experience loneliness more often than younger adults; in fact, loneliness risk peaks in emerging adulthood and older-old age (Luhmann, & Hawkley, 2016). As such, the aim of the proposed project is to gain an understanding of fear of loneliness, and its mental health correlates, at different ages.

Methodology

A parallel convergent mixed methodological approach will be employed (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007) whereby results from qualitative and quantitative studies will be integrated to triangulate findings (Tonkin-Crane et al., 2016). Objective 1 is to understand the experience of fear of loneliness among two groups: older Irish adults (aged 65+), and emerging adults (aged 18-29), an interpretative phenomenological analytic (IPA) approach will be used (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2021) IPA is useful when the aim is understanding how an individual makes sense of their lives, and has previously been used by us to explore meanings of loneliness among rural older adults (McHugh Power, Hannigan, Carney, & Lawlor, 2017).

Objective 2 is to validate the Brief Scale of Fear of Loneliness (Ventura-León et al., 2020) among older adults in Ireland, using a confirmatory factor analytic and differential item functioning analytic approach, as we have previously used for inspection of post-traumatic stress scales (Fox, Hyland, McHugh Power, & Coogan, 2020). This scale has already been validated in adults aged 18-40 (Ventura-León et al., 2020). Collecting data using a cross-sectional survey, we will validate the scale and also inspect mental health correlates of fear of loneliness with age as an effect modifier, to see whether fear of loneliness is associated with distinct mental health outcomes at different ages.

Finally Objective 3 will be to elucidate potential service utilisation consequences of fear of loneliness, by interviewing users of the ALONE visitation service (https://alone.ie/community-impact-network/) to understand whether fear of loneliness, rather than loneliness itself, plays a key role in determining service uptake. This component arises from the organisational needs of ALONE, because despite visitation services being designed for older persons who are lonely, existing users mostly do not report loneliness (Burke, 2015). Results from this study will likely be analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019).

The rise of right-wing nationalism

Supervisor: Dr Avril Brandon

Email: Avril.Brandon@mu.ie

Department: School of Law and Criminology

Abstract:

The rise of right-wing nationalism and populism has been a feature of global politics over the last fifteen years. This has included the growth of right-wing parties, alongside rising anti-immigrant sentiment. In many countries, this has led to the breakdown of the cordon sanitaire – a policy of refusal to work or cooperate with certain extreme political parties. Further, a growing influence of right-wing nationalist parties has been observed in policy agendas of other centrist, mainstream parties, particularly in relation to immigration policies. In the most extreme circumstances the continued rise of the far-right has manifested in terrorist attacks such as the horrific attacks perpetrated in Norway, New Zealand, the United States and beyond.

There has been a focus on some specific high-profile attacks and anti-immigrant sentiment in a select number of regions and countries. However, there needs to be a broader international focus of research in this area in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the continued proliferation. Alongside the consideration of traditional politics and political communication there needs to be a consideration of the intersection between increasing right-wing extremism and the role of social media in organisation recruitment strategies.

Considering the above, the supervisory team of Avril Brandon and John Morrison, at the School of Law and Criminology, are seeking doctoral applicants who are interested in examining national and/or international right-wing nationalism and extremism. We welcome applicants to determine the regional and topical focus of the project specifically. We are interested in receiving proposals which focus on violent and/or non-violent manifestations of right-wing nationalism and extremism, including but not limited to political protest, terrorism and broader right-wing political engagement.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate the central focus of their proposed research, and the justification for this. Within this there is an expectation of a demonstrable expertise in the core literature on the chosen topic, alongside a realistic timeline for completion. The proposals must have detailed methodological proposals that clearly match the proposed research questions/hypotheses. This must include clear consideration of the ethical implications of proposed research and how any ethical concerns will be mitigated. Accordingly, applicants should have strong methodological training and a demonstrable interest and expertise in the research focus of their proposal. We welcome applicants with a grade of high 2:1 and above at Masters level. Applicants’ academic background can be from relevant disciplines within the social sciences and/or humanities.

System interaction and legal black holes in European human rights law

Supervisor: Prof Tobias Lock

Email: Tobias.Lock@mu.ie

Department: School of Law and Criminology

Abstract:

In Europe, human rights are protected by a plurality of sources and at different levels: international protections (e.g. international human rights treaties, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), regional protections (such as the European Convention on Human Rights or the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights); national (such as in Bunreacht na hÉireann) and sub-national (e.g. in the constitution of Bavaria). The same is true for more focussed aspects of human rights protection, such as asylum law, where we find protections at the international (e.g. the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol), regional (EU asylum law), and domestic levels (domestic legislation/administrative practice) also. In many cases these protections will overlap.

However, in some instances they interact in an uncoordinated manner, putting the very protections they are meant to provide at risk. Parallel systems of protection have a tendency to grow into legal doctrinal and institutional silos, which do not interact resulting in harm to those who either do not easily fit into one category or another or those who are entitled to protection from two, largely uncoordinated systems of rights protection. For example, in Ireland, victims of human trafficking who are also applicants for international protection may receive a lower level of material assistance than victims of human trafficking who do not engage with the asylum framework. It is the examination of these kinds of gaps (or legal black holes) in the protection of human rights that this project would entail.

In substantive legal terms, the concept of intersectionality was developed in order to better understand the complex real-life causes of a human rights violation and the impact of overlapping forms of discrimination. This concept, however, does not address well the systemic dimension, i.e. the interactions between different systems of protection. This is where we would identify the gap which this project would help to fill.
The focus of the project should be on European law (either EU law or ECHR law or both) and its interactions with either international or domestic law (or both) or contradictions and resulting legal black holes within European law. Additional dimensions – such as the deterioration of the rule of law in some EU Member States – could be an additional research focus.

The project proposal should identify a specific substantive area of research (e.g. the rights of refugees; EU membership of human rights treaties; etc) as its focus and outline which potential legal black holes there might exist.
In terms of methodology, the project is relatively open, though it is expected that a substantial element of doctrinal legal methodology will be employed. This can (but by no means must) be coupled with other methods, such as comparative, “law in context”, or socio-legal methods (e.g. qualitative research involving structured interviews or similar).

Wage Theft, Power Imbalances, and Legal Barriers Faced by Workers in Ireland

Supervisor: Dr Rhiannon Bandiera

Email: Rhiannon.Bandiera@mu.ie

Department: School of Law and Criminology

Abstract:

The under- or non-payment of wages, overtime, premiums, commissions, pension contributions, and leave to which workers are legally entitled, along with unauthorised deductions from and workers’ repayment of remuneration, is referred to increasingly as wage theft. Wage theft is becoming “more widespread” (Migrant Justice Institute, 2024), indeed “systemic” (Australian Senate Economic References Committee, 2022), in common law countries despite there being a minimum wage and employment and labour laws to guarantee fundamental labour rights, like adequate pay. Last year, more than €250 and €300 million in unpaid wages were recovered in the US and Australia, respectively (Australian Fair Work Ombudsman, 2023; US Department of Labor, 2024). Yet, the extent of wage theft occurring is not known, and these figures are an underestimate, as only a few workers bring a complaint against their employer, a subset of those have their complaints pursued and decided in their favour, and their employer actually make a back-payment (National Foundation for Australian Women, 2020: 10).

In Ireland, the Workplace Relations Commission recovered almost €2 million in unpaid wages in 2023 (O’Donovan, 2024). Though the legal framework in Ireland is more robust compared to other common law jurisdictions when it comes to workers’ remedies, the onus is overwhelmingly on workers to identify breaches of their rights and make a complaint (O’Sullivan, 2023). A criticism is that workers receive little legal or professional representation or advice (i.e., Irish law assumes workers have substantial legal knowledge), and complaints mostly fail because of “preliminary issues”, such as the expiration of the statutory time limit, the employer being incorrectly identified, and other procedural requirements having not been satisfied (O’Sullivan, 2023: 362). These issues exacerbate the already large power imbalance between workers and their employers. Wage theft disproportionately affects low-paid and non-permanent workers, migrants, temporary visa and undocumented workers, refugees, asylum seekers, women, (international) students, and Indigenous peoples (e.g., Travellers). Workers are deterred from making a complaint due to the perceived “negative value” (i.e., cost of litigation relative to the back-payment and compensation received), repercussions (e.g., termination of employment), length of time between the receipt of and decision on a complaint (i.e., an average of 12 to 24 months, depending on whether there is an appeal), and difficulties in recovering back-pay (e.g., when an employer applies for bankruptcy) (O’Sullivan, 2023).

Wage theft is harmful, not just to workers and their families, but to society broadly. It contributes directly to wage inequality and stagnation, and the costs are often passed onto taxpayers (e.g., through loss to the Exchequer in underpayment of employment taxes and social security contributions, and through victims being forced onto various forms of social welfare) (Leighton, 2018: 189). Wage under- and non-payment and withholding wages are also known indicators of (and precursors to) forced labour (International Labour Organization, 2022).

Given the lack of data and known issues, research is urgently required to identify not only wage theft’s extent and effect on marginalised groups in Ireland, but also ways in which victim support and access to remedies can be improved.

Developing new spatially-explicit machine learning and artificial intelligence methods

Supervisor: Dr Kevin Credit

Email: Kevin.Credit@mu.ie

Department: Geography (NCG)

Abstract:

New machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) approaches are increasingly being used across the social sciences to answer questions related to transportation, housing, neighbourhood change, and economic development (among others). This is in part driven by the increasing availability of data (both public and proprietary) at higher volumes and velocities than traditional statistical techniques were intended for (Austin & Kusumoto, 2016). However, most of the existing work using these methods has focused on modelling predictive outcomes rather than understanding explanatory or causal relationships (Nikparvar and Thill, 2021; Helbich and Hagenauer, 2022). In addition, despite the inherently spatial nature of much of the ‘big data’ currently being produced, relatively little research has been devoted to how these methods handle spatial information and how they could be used to better understand spatial patterns and processes. And while advances in these individual areas are being made, significant gaps in our knowledge remain at the intersection of the two, i.e., explainable geographic artificial intelligence (X-GeoAI) (Papadakis et al. 2022) and spatial-causal machine learning (Credit and Lehnert, 2023).

The goal of this project, then, is to contribute to the creation of new knowledge in the domain of spatially-explicit ML and DL methods. The supervisory team welcomes applications from prospective students who are interested in pursuing spatially-relevant research on topics including:

-Structured comparisons between ML and DL models and traditional (spatial) econometric approaches;
-Methods for optimising spatial pattern prediction and/or the creation of new indicators of spatial association (or heterogeneity);
-The development or use of new, spatially-explicit explanatory or causal ML models, such as the causal forest;
-The development or use of new visualisation methods for non-linear relationships in ML and DL models, such as accumulated local effects (ALE) plots;
-The integration of spatial data or approaches into existing DL models, e.g., convolutional neural networks (CNN) or graph representation learning;
-The development of new frameworks that integrate large language model (LLM) queries with spatial data visualisation and analysis;
-The use of ML and DL models for assessing the presence and structure of error in ‘big’ open spatial data;
-The use of ML and DL models to create new sources of open spatial data;
-Critical evaluation of the use of ML and DL models or open data in spatially-relevant professional practice, e.g., urban planning, business location planning, policing, etc.;
-The development or use of ML or DL models for specific geographic applications, e.g., entrepreneurship, housing prices and construction, transportation emissions, building energy, walkability, policing, voting patterns, etc. The supervisory team is familiar with a number of ‘big’ open spatial datasets on these topics that could be used to answer important substantive research questions using new methods.

Given the growing interest in this research domain - and the rapid development of new ML and DL approaches - this project has the potential to substantially contribute to the changing methodological and conceptual practice of geography, regional science, and urban planning brought on by the ‘big data’ revolution (Ash et al., 2018).

Dermal Biosensing – 2D and nano materials for enzymatic assay of Melatonin Biomarkers (Skin DEEP)

Supervisor: Dr Eithne Dempsey

Email: Eithne.Dempsey@mu.ie

Department: Chemistry

Abstract:

Motivation:
The enzyme tyrosinase (TYR) is a biomarker of melanocytic lesions and therefore of significant interest for early diagnosis of diseases such as melanoma (Li et al., 2022). TYR is a transmembrane, Cu-containing monooxygenase inside the melanosomes where it catalyses the oxidation of mono- and diphenols, such as L-tyrosine and L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) (Darvishi et al., 2019) with initial steps involving hydroxylation of tyrosine to L-DOPA and subsequent oxidation to dopaquinone. Melanoma is one of the most dangerous types of skin cancer and cutaneous malignant melanoma is the fifth most common malignancy in men and the sixth most common in women in the US (Mossberg et al., 2014). The gold standard is histopathology and to assist dermatologists in decision making, several technologies such as spectral imaging and electrical impedance spectroscopy have been proposed to detect microstructural alterations inside the skin layers due to a tumour. Melanoma needs to be identified at early stages when still localised near the skin surface, prior to the penetration of cells to the bloodstream with formation of metastases (Darvishi et al., 2019). Therefore, advancing novel methodologies for sensitive detection of tyrosinase in biological systems is imperative for early clinical diagnosis of melanoma and related diseases (Wang et al., 2023).

Approach and Methodology:
In this project we will develop an innovative bioelectrochemical enzyme assay approach for TYR activity with the view to apply the sensing approach directly to skin biopsy samples. The ratio of TYR substrates L-tyrosine and L-DOPA is also of clinical significance as a serological marker in its own right due to alterations during metastases and melanoma (Sam et al., 2022). The work proposed has its roots in expertise and prior knowledge within the supervisory team (Dempsey et al., 2004, Fredj et al., 2018, Fredj et al., 2020, Fredj et al., 2019) in relation to electrochemical sensing of TYR redox active substrates at electrocatalytic nanostructured surfaces. The workplan targets research outputs which span three workpackages over the course of the four-year PhD programme.

WP1: A starting point will involve screening of potential electrocatalytic agents/nanofunctionalised materials for suitability towards selective and quantifiable signalling. Electrochemical sensor design for regeneration of redox active TYR substrates (catechol, L-DOPA) with the aid of bespoke surface confined electrocatalytic materials.

WP2: The use of scanning electrochemical microscopy for redox profiling of tape lifted “dummy” skin samples following transfer onto a conducting substrate coated with alginate/PVA hydrogel with activity probing via Pt microelectrodes. This allows lateral and vertical activity distribution investigations, being significant for the progression of the disease in real scenarios.

WP3: integration of the transduction elements with a customisable electronic control unit (potentiostat) which makes it possible to realise parallel sensing of temperature and galvanic skin resistance. The prototype electronic control system will involve a customisable Arduino based potentiostat (Meloni, 2016) with off the shelf electronic components capable of performing the electrochemical measurements, together with temperature and galvanic skin sensor response (GSR) (Shetgaonkar et al., 2021). Integration of allied electronics has the potential for transduction and wireless transmission to be carried out enabling smart and remote healthcare applications.

Music and Musicians in the Marketplace (1780–1940s): The Music Business

Supervisor: Prof Fiona Palmer

Email: fiona.palmer@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

Projects connected with the culture and commerce of the music profession in Britain and Ireland (1780s–1940s) that engage with issues including career trajectories, professionalization, networking, reception, and performance practice.

Topics include:
Socio-economic history of music/the music business
Conducting/conductors/the conducting profession
Music in Britain and Ireland
Biography and life writing (including career trajectories, image-making and influence)
Insitutional histories
Music criticism
Orchestras and choral societies
Performance practice including music publishing and reception studies

Nurse Management & Leadership Development in the Irish Context

Supervisor: Prof John Cullen

Email: John.G.Cullen@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

The Report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery (Department of Health (2022) directed the Office of the Nursing and Midwifery Services Director (ONMSD) ‘with the Higher education institutions, to develop and offer Continuing Professional Development programmes in line with service need for registered nurses and midwives with the initial focus to facilitate the development of: Advanced leadership, supervision, and delegation capabilities; Digital health and communication; Data analytics and decision making' (Recommendation 23, page 64).

Management development is a broad field that emerged from management studies, education and social science and attempts to enhance the practice of managers and improve the personal resource base of managers and/or the intellectual capital of organizations (Cullen and Turnbull 2005). Management development encompasses a variety of approaches, which range from structured postgraduate education and training initiatives to informal learning approaches.
Research on management and leadership development programmes and practices for nurses and allied health professionals is sporadic and favours empirical studies on management competency requirement and development (Kirk 1987; Dubnicki and Sloan 1991; Lorentzon 1993; Hall et al. 2000; Lin et al. 2007; Vestal 2007; Sade and Peres 2015; Gunawan et al. 2022; Kim and Lim 2022) or reports on new programmes (Dunne et al. 1988; Henninger et al. 1994; Sullivan et al. 1994; Tronchin et al. 2015). No peer-reviewed research on management or leadership development for nurses has been published in the Irish context.

This lacuna is significant, as research has identified the necessity of management development to be culturally and professionally specific, and the Report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery (2022) has requested strong capabilities in leadership and management, digital health, data analytics and decision-making. In the past implementing new forms of management structures in health-care settings without understanding the reality of working lives of health care professionals has resulted in nurse attrition (Menzies 1960) and significant identity work to accommodate the expanded competencies of working in a changing healthcare sector (Chulach and Gagnon 2016; Bolander et al. 2019; Martin et al. 2020; McNiven et al. 2021).

In order to develop an approach to nurse management development which is specific to the current and future requirements of the Irish health context, this research will adopt a qualitative or mixed/methods approach to understand the current and future challenges to the practice of nurse management in Ireland. This may involve ethnographic or semi-structured interviews with nurse managers (at any level) about their current leadership challenges or the technical and organisational changes their profession will face, or their experiences of management learning and education to date.

It aims to create a nuanced understanding the experience of nurses working in various Irish contexts that will inform management education programme development. Alongside making high-level theoretical contributions to the field of health management development/management learning, it is also hoped that the research will assist in the crafting of high-quality and relevant postgraduate programmes in the field of health management in Maynooth University.

Unravelling the processes that allow fungi colonise and infect the eye

Supervisor: Prof Kevin Kavanagh

Email: Kevin.Kavanagh@mu.ie

Department: Biology

Abstract:

What is fungal keratitis and why is it a problem ?
Microbial infection of the eye can be due to bacterial, viral or fungal pathogens but fungal infections (known as fungal keratitis) can be the most difficult to treat and lead to severe vision loss and/or removal of the affected eye (1). In developing countries this condition most commonly occurs in farmers and rural dwellers, and the filamentous fungus Fusarium solani is the dominant cause (2). This fungus is a widespread pathogen of plants and is commonly found in soil and decaying vegetation (3). Ocular infection can result from direct physical injury (e.g. thorn), or fungal spores in dust attaching to the corneal surface (4). The virulence factors (e.g. adherence, enzyme production, secondary metabolites) that allow this fungus infect plants are thought to be important in corneal colonisation and infection (5). Globally, there are over one million new cases of fungal keratitis per annum leading to severe vision loss and/or eye removal in approximately 10% of cases. In the developing world late diagnosis and the delayed commencement of antifungal therapy is common therefore vision loss and surgical removal of the eye can be the usual outcomes (6).

Proposed project outline
The interaction of Fusarium solani with the ocular surface is not fully characterised. During fungal infection of the eye, host cellular and immune responses are initiated but it appears that these may lead to increased tissue damage and may facilitate the passage of the fungus through the corneal surface leading to scarring, ulceration and penetration of the anterior chamber with associated vision loss. In this project the protein and toxins secreted Fusarium solani will be characterised to assess their ability to disrupt cells and facilitate tissue invasion. The response of a 2D and 3D airlifted cultured corneal cells to Fusarium solani will be visualised using molecular and proteomic techniques as this will give an indication of how the fungus infect the cornea and disrupts vision. The ability of Fusarium solani to trigger cellular and inflammatory responses that could lead to tissue damage will be evaluated. Factors affecting the susceptibility of Fusarium solani to antifungal drugs during ocular infection will be examined and the optimal antifungal agents to treat this condition will be identified.

Importance of project
Fungal keratitis is a devastating condition if left untreated due to lack of appropriate antifungal therapies or late diagnosis and is a particular problem in the developing world where it is a disease most associated with impoverished rural dwellers. This project will characterise how Fusarium solani interacts with the corneal surface using a well establish corneal cell line and highlight therapies for reducing the impact of this devastating condition.

References
(1) Ansari, Z., et al. (2013). Curr Fungal Infect Rep 7; 209 – 218. (2) Brasnu, E., et al., (2006). Brit J. Ophthalmology 91: 588-591. (3) Zhang, N., et al., (2006). J Clin Microbiol, 2186-2190. (5) Coleman, JJ (2016). Mol Plant Pathol 17: 146 – 158. (6) Mahmoudi S., et al., (2018). Mycoses 61: 916-930.

PhD projects in any area of Medieval Music, Music Notation, or Digital Musicology

Supervisor: Prof Karen Desmond

Email: Karen.Desmond@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

I work on the manuscripts and notation of French and English polyphony in the later Middle Ages. My research centers on the aesthetic and theoretical systems that underpinned medieval music composition, and investigate change and creativity in the arts.

I welcome applications from prospective PhD students interested in working on any aspect of medieval music, music notation, or digital musicology.

Intersectionality in Ireland

Supervisor: Prof Anna Hickey-Moody

Email: Anna.HickeyMoody@mu.ie

Department: Media Studies

Abstract:

This PhD project will explore intersectionality in the Republic of Ireland, documenting the contextual specificities shaping the interconnected nature of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and other identities that collectively shape an individual's experiences and perspectives within the Irish context. It will identify pressing contemporary social issues influenced by multiple factors, with a view to providing scholarly resources for shifting complex systems of privilege and oppression.

In the Irish context, intersectionality is particularly important to understand as the country has undergone significant social and cultural transformations in recent decades. Historically, Ireland has grappled with issues related to gender inequality, religious identity, socioeconomic disparities and Colonial oppression. The intersectional lens allows for a more nuanced understanding of these issues by acknowledging that individuals may experience overlapping forms of discrimination or privilege.

One crucial aspect of intersectionality in Ireland is the consideration of the country's diverse population. As a nation that has seen a rapid increase in immigration and superdiversity, understanding how different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds intersect is vital. Immigrants, particularly those from marginalized groups, may face unique challenges that stem from the intersection of their nationality, race, and socioeconomic status.

Gender is another critical dimension within the Irish context. Women in Ireland have long advocated for gender equality and reproductive rights, and intersectionality allows for an examination of how gender intersects with factors such as class, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. LGBTQ+ rights and issues also play a significant role, with the recognition that individuals within this community may face discrimination based on both their sexual orientation and other intersecting identities.

Significantly, intersectionality in Ireland extends to socioeconomic considerations. Class disparities have historically existed, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may face additional challenges when their social class intersects with other identity markers. This can impact access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.

This PhD will map the nature of intersectionality in Ireland and focus on one or two key contemporary social issues pertaining to one of the demographics outlined above. Ethnography and media analysis will be employed to understand lived experience and identify discrepancies between lived experience and media representation. Other research methods may be included where appropriate.

As the first significant doctoral work on intersectionality in Ireland, this thesis will provide a framework for understanding the multidimensional nature of identity and oppression in the Republic, allowing for a nuanced and inclusive approach to social issues. It will facilitate a ground-breaking exploration of how different aspects of identity intersect and shape individuals' experiences within the evolving cultural and social landscape of Ireland.

Developing And Assessing a Relational Abilities Index of Intelligence

Supervisor: Prof Bryan Roche

Email: Bryan.T.Roche@mu.ie

Department: Psychology

Abstract:

The current research programme is concerned with the development of a novel means for measuring human intelligence, based on the concept of relational reasoning. Specifically, recent research has shown that the ability to reason in relational terms is a learned aptitude. In effect, for the first time we may begin to conceive of intelligence entirely as an attainment concept rather than as an intrinsic trait. Coupled with this emerging realization, is the development of at least two proposed interventions to enhance relational reasoning skills in the hope of also enhancing scores on objective measures of intelligence using traditional gold-standard IQ tests.

The current research programme will consist of two main packages. The first and primary package is related to the assessment of the internal psychometric validity of the current iteration of a relational abilities index available in the published literature. This evolving test, which originated here at Maynooth University, requires analysis in terms of psychometric features as it does not yet pass the bar as a standardized test with good construct validity and reliability. Specifically, concerns have been raised in the literature regarding such issues as its inter-participant discriminability, split-half reliability, amongst other psychometric features.

The current research requires a graduate of Psychology who is highly competent in statistical analysis, and ideally with some experience working in the field of psychometrics at final year project or Masters level, to help develop methodologies to address these shortcomings of the current iteration of the relational abilities index test. Part of the aim of this package would also be to establish the nature of the score distribution of this test across the population, as well as to assess its external / convergent validity. Research studies would likely involve the testing of systematic iterations of the test on human participants for validation of the proposed modifications.

The second package of the research relates to the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance human intelligence vis-a-vis the enhancement of relational skills. While several studies have now established the potential of enhancing the intellectual skill levels of children, to date no published studies have done so with adults. An obvious challenge to assessing the effectiveness of such interventions with an adult population is the likely ceiling effect encountered as a result of the relational skill fluency achieved by these individuals prior to an intervention. The second package of this research will quantify the diminishing return of relational reasoning interventions with increasing developmental maturity. The successful candidate will contribute to the experimental design of this study that would address recent concerns regarding the shortcomings of relational skill training interventions already conducted with children. As an addendum, this second package also offers the opportunity of assessing the sensitivity of an improved relational abilities index test to the effects of such interventions.

Quick, extreme sea levels: an unmapped coastal hazard for Ireland

Supervisor: Dr Gerard McCarthy

Email: Gerard.McCarthy@mu.ie

Department: Geography

Abstract:

On the 13th November 2023, Storm Debi raced into Galway Bay on its rapid transit across Ireland causing a trail of destruction. In Kinvara, at the south of the bay, video emerged of the sea above the height of house doors, with the storm surge over 2m above the tide. In Oranmore, sea walls were destroyed. In Galway city, boats were floated onto the quaysides.

Storm Debi was unusual in the speed it crossed Ireland. It highlighted a vulnerability and knowledge gap about coastal vulnerability. While, tide gauges were able to capture the phenomena due to their 5 minute sampling, available meteorological data at 1 hour intervals missed the extremes. Short timescale sea level extremes have been gaining attention in recent years such as the June 2022 meteotsunami that affected the south and east coasts of Ireland (McCarthy and Berry, 2022, Weather).

This project will better understand these phenomena by analysing the Irish tide gauge network. A catalogue of storm surge to meteotsunamis will be produced to understand the frequency and severity of the risk. Case study modelling will take place to investigate the simulation of such short timescale events in Galway Bay. Finally, we will consider the future and whether vulnerability to these types of sea level extremes may increase with climate change.

McCarthy, G. D., & Berry, A. (2022). Observation of a meteotsunami on the south coast of Ireland. Weather, 77(8), 281-282.

Composing boundaries – practice-based research across creative interfaces

Supervisor: Dr Ryan Molloy

Email: ryan.molloy@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

I am interested in supervising interfacial creative research comprising practice-based portfolios. The primary areas of exploration are composition (or music creation more broadly conceived) and traditional Irish music, and in particular the confluence of the two. I have experience in supervising and examining practice-based research across a broad range of creative interfaces. I also am interested in supervising performance PhDs in traditional Irish music, with particular expertise in accompanimental practices in the tradition.

Impact of Circular Economy Principles and Sustainable Supply Chain Practices on Phytomining Startup’s Global Expansion and Performance

Supervisor: Farhad Uddin Ahmed

Email: Farhad.Ahmed@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

Policy makers around the world are increasingly emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices, with the Circular Economy (CE) principles continue to remain at the forefront (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017). These principles emphasize resource efficiency, waste reduction, and long-term sustainability, spurring innovation in processes and technologies, and improving operational efficiency (Korhonen et al., 2018). In this context, it becomes crucial to acknowledge the interconnected pillars of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations. These considerations have become indispensable criteria for evaluating the ethical and societal impact of businesses, including environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and governance practices (UN Global Compact, 2021).

One sector where the application of CE principles holds significant promise is Phytomining, a method of extracting metals using hyperaccumulating plants that grow in metal-rich soils which are classed as contaminated, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional mining while regenerating the soil (Sheoran et al., 2011). However, the integration of CE principles into the supply chain (SC) operations of Phytomining startups presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, especially when trying to expand internationally (Bocken et al., 2016). Implementing ethical, transparent, and environment-friendly sustainable supply chain (SSC) strategies is pivotal for Phytomining ventures to scale sustainably across borders while balancing profitability, regenerative capacity, and social equity (Vats & Sreedeep, 2021; Hunter et al., 2020). Moreover, the exploration of CE and SCM practices within the regenerative mining domain aligns with multiple UN’s SDGs which underscore the importance of responsible industrial practices, sustainable consumption, and collaborative partnerships, aligning seamlessly with the objectives of Phytomining startups seeking ethical and sustainable global expansion.

Evidence suggests that surprisingly there are no single commercially operational Phyto mining startups in the UK yet and few to none in Europe that have expanded beyond their national boundaries. The constrained global expansion as evident, presents a compelling research opportunity, as the underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain inadequately understood, necessitating further in-depth investigation employing the qualitative or mixed method approach.

PhDs in Seventeenth- and Eighteenth- Century Music / PhDs in Contemporary Heavy Metal Music

Supervisor: Dr Estelle Murphy

Email: Estelle.Murphy@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

Dr Estelle Murphy is a musicologist with specialisms two areas: late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century music and its sources (especially that of Britain and Ireland); and contemporary popular music (particularly Heavy Metal).
Dr Murphy welcomes the opportunity to work with PhD candidates with interests in music and musical sources (manuscript and print) of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She is one of the few musicologists with expertise in the rastrography/rastrology of music manuscripts and related source-study skills. She enjoys working with students for the creation of critical editions of music, wordsetting techniques in the English language, and cultural and political analyses of music.
Her interests in supervising Heavy Metal research are related to the performance of gender, female masculinity, feminism and anti-feminism, and the death-growl vocal technique.

Learning to Learn Optimally and Compositionally

Supervisor: Prof Barak A. Pearmutter

Email: Barak.Pearlmutter@mu.ie

Department: Computer Science

Abstract:

Bayesian inference is optimal but also, in general, intractable. It also obeys various algebraic relationships (explored in the hlearn package by Mike Izbicki and associated publications), the most interesting of which allows an optimal inference P(C|A∪B) to be determined from the optimal inferences P(C|A) and P(C|B). These relationships suggest a novel strategy: define the operations of an appropriate “algebra of learning” and use deep learning to find functions that approximate these operations, and then apply them as an inference-speed learning method. This is a form of meta-learning, in which a system that learns is itself learned rather than being directly engineered. Due to the nature of such an algebra, relations arise with other areas of deep learning: representing sets and partitions, auctions and voting, learning symmetry groups, and data distillation. The algebraic structures in play lend themselves to various applications: in federated learning, in one-shot learning, in rapid adaptation, in data compression, in data unlearning (erasure), in efficient cross-validation, in personalized medicine, in compression, and elsewhere.

Aside from mathematical maturity and the desire to learn new approaches, required background would include some probability theory, some machine learning including experience with deep learning frameworks like JAX or PyTorch, some abstract algebra, and some data science.

Dark Triad Managerial Behaviors, Organizational Culture and Employee Well-Being

Supervisor: Dr Jon Gruda

Email: Jon.Gruda@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

Building on the seminal research by Paulhus and Williams (2002), this dissertation topic focuses on the link between organizational culture and dark triad trait (DTT) managerial behaviors.

The DTTs encompass narcissism, characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, and a lack of empathy; Machiavellianism, marked by manipulation and a focus on self-interest over moral considerations; and psychopathy, noted for impulsivity, callousness, and a lack of remorse. These traits are linked to behaviors that are self-serving, manipulative, and fundamentally unethical, raising significant challenges within the context of leadership and organizational dynamics. Organizational culture, a complex tapestry of shared values, beliefs, norms, and practices, plays a pivotal role in shaping the behaviors and attitudes of its members. Performance-oriented cultures, with their sharp focus on outcomes and results, often prioritize success and achievements, sometimes at the risk of sidelining ethical standards and interpersonal relations. Such an environment may inadvertently provide fertile ground for individuals with dark triad traits to thrive, as the emphasis on results above all else can validate and even reward their manipulative and self-serving behaviors.

This study aims to investigate these contrasting dynamics by examining how leadership behaviors influenced by dark triad traits manifest across different organizational cultures. Specifically, it will explore whether the relentless pursuit of performance in some organizational cultures exacerbates the expression of dark triad traits in leadership and whether a robust DEI culture orientation can mitigate these tendencies, thereby promoting a healthier, more ethical organizational environment. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) cultures, which value diverse perspectives, promote equitable opportunities, and foster an inclusive environment, may inherently discourage the exploitation and unethical behaviors associated with dark triad traits by emphasizing ethical conduct, mutual respect, and collaboration.

Prospective PhD students with a background in business and/or psychology are encouraged to apply. This dissertation will be based on quantitative research methods. That means students will learn statistics, research design, and how to think quantitatively before examining relevant data. Once you have mastered these crucial steps, you will be working on existing datasets, as well as setting up and conducting your surveys and online experiments to facilitate data collection for your dissertation. You can expect to work side-by-side with your advisor and to produce high-quality scientific publications as a result of your doctoral work.

Nua-Ghaeilge, Taighde Ealaíonta, agus Taibhealaíona /PhDs in Modern Irish and Performing Arts

Supervisor: Professor Tríona Ní Shíocháin

Email: Triona.NiShiochain@mu.ie

Department: Nua-Ghaeilge/Celtic Studies

Abstract:

Prof Tríona Ní Shíocháin

Ollamh le Nua-Ghaeilge agus le Taibhealaíona/Professor of Modern Irish and Performing Arts (English below)

Fáiltím roimh iarratais i réimsí na Nua-Ghaeilge agus na dTaibhealaíon.

Tá suim ar leithligh agam sa taighde ealaíonta trí mheán na Gaeilge, san amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós, i dtraidisiúin cheoil agus rince na hÉireann, san eitnicheoleolaíocht agus sa cheoleolaíocht. Tá saineolas agam ar bhanfhilí na Gaeilge ón 17ú haois i leith, ar an gcumadóireacht bhéil, ar nósanna athchumadóireachta i measc amhránaithe/taibheoirí/ceoltóirí/rinceoirí; ar an eagrán iltéacsúil agus ar mhodhanna eagarthóireachta a chur in oiriúint do thraidisiúin taibhithe/bhéalaireachta; ar stair na smaointeoireachta laistigh de thraidisiún na hamhránaíochta; ar chúrsaí fáistine agus polaitíochta i dtraidisiún na Gaeilge; ar theoiricí an taibhléirithe, ar an dteoiric bhéil, ar theoiricí na hantraipeolaíochta/na heitnecheoleolaíochta/na teoirice sóisialta; ar thaibhléiriú an fhéin trí mheán na hamhránaíochta, an cheoil, an rince agus na filíochta; ar léann feimineach agus inscne na Gaeilge; ar thraidisiúin cheilte/ailtéarnacha smaointeoireachta.

Cuirim fáilte go speisialta roimh iarrthóirí ar mian leo tabhairt faoin gcleachtas cruthaitheach féin mar chuid dá gcúrsa dochtúireachta (PhD Nua-Ghaeilge (Taighde Ealaíonta)), nó rompu súd a bhfuil suim ar leith acu sa chleachtas cruthaitheach mar mhodh lárnach taighde.

I welcome applications for PhDs in Modern Irish and Performing Arts.

My specialist research interests include the following: Irish-language artistic research, the sean-nós singing tradition, Irish traditional music and dance, and ethnomusicology/musicology; women oral-composers/poets from 17th-19th centuries, oral composition and re-compositional practices among singers/performers/musicians/dancers; the multi-text edition and editorial methodologies for performance-based/oral traditions; the history of ideas in song; prophecy, politics, millenarianism and singing; performance theory, oral theory, anthropological/ethnomusicological theory and social theory; the performance of the self through music, song, dance and poetry; Irish-language feminist and gender studies; subjugated/alternative knowledges.

I particularly welcome PhD candidates interested in undertaking creative practice through the medium of Irish as part of the PhD in Irish-language Artistic Research or those interested in engaging in creative practice as a core methodology.

The impact of EU agricultural policies on greenhouse gasses emission intensities and the geographical distribution of the dairy sector across member states

Supervisor: Dr Bruno Morando

Email: Bruno.Morando@mu.ie

Department: Economics

Abstract:

Reducing greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions is one of the main priorities of the EU. According to the European Climate Law, emissions should be reduced by 55% (with respect to 2005) by 2030 and climate neutrality should be achieved by 2050. One of the main obstacles to achieving this goal is the farming sector, which contributes significantly to the GHG emissions. According to the latest Eurostat Air Emission Account (Q2, 2023), 14% of the bloc's greenhouse gasses emissions derived from agriculture, although this sector only represents 1.4% of the GDP.

The need for a reduction in emissions from agriculture clashes with other historic EU goals, namely rural development and long-term food security. This is particularly evident when considering the abolition of milk quotas (fully implemented in April 2015), which liberalized the dairy sector in order to increase the volume and efficiency in production.

This policy resulted in an expansion in the dairy sector of countries with a natural comparative advantage in milk production, Ireland being a prime example. While the number of dairy cows since 2010 has gone down by 5% when considering the whole EU, it has increased by 50% in Ireland (EUROSTAT, 2023). The more efficient reorganization of the dairy sector across member states resulted in increased EU milk production (it rose by 6% since 2015). What is more, it led to a reduction in the bloc's emission intensity. However, GHG emissions dramatically increased in those member states where dairy production expanded. More specifically, EU livestock emissions were reduced by 10% (EUROSTAT, 2023). By contrast, In Ireland, where production increased by 38%, emissions increased by 10%.

Overall, the abolition of milk quotas improved the production and emission efficiency in the whole EU dairy sector, as production increased in more efficient member states. It is noteworthy that a large share of their production is exported and consumed elsewhere in the EU (for example, National Milk Agency data from 2020 indicates that 90% of the Irish dairy production was exported). However, as they are producing more, these states are now also mechanically producing higher levels of emissions, bringing them further away from the 2030 target.

This project aims to study, both theoretically and empirically, the gains from geographical specialization of the EU dairy sector both in terms of reduction in emission intensities and of production efficiency in order to suggest new and evaluating existing agricultural policies concerned with the sometime conflicting objectives of mitigating climate change and ensuring food production and security. The theoretical aspect revolves around the creation of a model featuring different countries with heterogeneous comparative advantage in agricultural production, calibrated around EU member states. The model would then be used to simulate the result of different policies. The empirical section uses of farm micro-data (from the FADN EU dataset) to study in practice the impacts of different policies (subsidies/milk quotas abolition) on farm-level production and emission mitigation decisions.

Applying students can indicate their preferences in terms of the theoretical or empirical emphasis depending on their skills and interests.

Immersive Audio and Musical Experimentation

Supervisor: Dr Gordon Delap

Email: gordon.delap@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

This project, which is located at the intersection of musical composition and computer science, aims to investigate artistic applications of immersive audio.

In everyday experience, we encounter sounds that emanate from any distance, point of elevation, and direction. Sound sources are often in motion. Sounds change through interaction with objects in an environment. Can technology replicate this depth and richness of experience? Can spatialisation be applied as a compositional parameter, in the sense that pitch and harmony have previously been applied? How can immersive audio technologies be used in creative applications?

The objective of the project is to work towards addressing these research questions. Observations captured via the investigation are expected to be generalisable; observations and developments can impact a range of audio-visual contexts, including augmented and virtual reality, and the potential impact on such areas is held to be one of the benefits.

Methodology
The project applies ambisonic technologies and other strategies in an effort to exploit the full richness and range of the human listening experience for creative endeavours. The adaptability of these technologies makes them particularly appealing for exploration. The form of surround sound that they employ means that outcomes can be applied in a variety of scenarios, from headphone listening to large-scale, multi-channel loudspeaker environments. Previous related work has involved multidisciplinary collaboration with partners in the United Kingdom and France, and alongside consideration of artistic applications, the project provides scope to optimise spatial technologies for creative purposes, as well as to further investigate how Human-Computer Interaction and Machine Learning might be harnessed towards the handling of space as a musical parameter.

Summary
Given the growing importance of these technologies in various fields, this project is poised to make a significant, multidisciplinary impact. It could influence areas ranging from artistic creation to technological innovation in audio-visual media.

Women, gender, and music in 20th-century / 21st-century Ireland; popular music memoirs; music and feminism

Supervisor: Dr Laura Watson

Email: Laura.Watson@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

I invite proposed PhD projects in the following areas of musicology and/or popular music studies:
- women/gender, and music in 20th-century / 21st-century Ireland;
- popular music memoirs;
- music and feminism, including feminist activism.

Methodologies suitable for these fields include historical and cultural approaches grounded in musicological understanding; archival research; critical readings; score analysis; popular-music analysis; feminist analysis; music criticism.

Healthcare delivery: understanding complexity through a systems thinking approach

Supervisor: Dr Nicola Mountford

Email: Nicola.Mountford@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

The contemporary healthcare field is characterised by complex challenges: diverse user needs, multiple evolving technologies, organisational challenges, digital transformation and integration. Adding to this complexity is a constantly-changing policy environment, and an ageing population with increasing healthcare needs.

How healthcare delivery can be organised to respond to such changes is a defining question for our times. Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) Complex Adaptive Systems, (‘CAS’) “represent a genuinely new way of simplifying the complex” (Anderson, 1999, p. 216). They “are systems of individual agents who have freedom to act in ways that are unpredictable, their actions are interconnected, and such action may change the context of other agents” (El-Ghalayini, 2017, p. 7). The use of a systems thinking approach in healthcare delivery can provide a better understanding of the complex interactions and interdependencies among various components of the healthcare system. By taking a holistic view of the system, healthcare practitioners can identify and address issues that may not be apparent when examining individual components in isolation. This approach can lead to more effective and efficient healthcare delivery, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This project aims to apply systems thinking and complexity theory approaches to answer questions of organisational design (including decision-making process and strategic development) within healthcare in Ireland and further afield.

Research Objectives:
The research will analyse the organisation design of healthcare delivery, paying particular attention to the design of decision-making processes and the strategic management of healthcare delivery that underpins such design and decision-making. It will employ a lens of complexity theory/systems thinking to identify how interdependencies and emergent behaviours shape service design and definitions and delivery of value. It will take a multi-stakeholder perspective to understand the implications of such approaches for patients, healthcare professionals, and healthcare management. It will examine how complexity in these contexts influences policies, choices and outcomes for all stakeholders, including policymakers. It will propose strategic approaches within healthcare systems that embrace the principles of complexity/systems thinking, fostering adaptive and innovative solutions to evolving healthcare delivery challenges.
Flexibility will be provided for applicants to develop projects with a range of core elements, including:
• The context, its interconnectedness, and how systemic behaviours emerge.
• Digital transformation and its impact on interconnectedness and emergent behaviours.
• Actor attention to systems and uncertainty, contrasting with planning and mitigation.
• Responses to uncertainty in public service delivery.
• User-centred approaches to service delivery and intersectional influences.
• Adaptive and distributed leadership challenges in complex service delivery.
• Innovation within complex systems.

Methodology:
This research may employ a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative analyses or may choose a purely qualitative approach. Methods may include systems modelling, case studies, participant observation, and/or interviews with key stakeholders in healthcare systems. Emphasis will be on applying theoretical concepts from complexity science and systems thinking to practical challenges in healthcare delivery management and policy.

Career Opportunities:
The successful conclusion of a PhD will provide a substantive base for a career in consulting, public service management, or academia.
Keywords: Systems thinking, systems theory, complexity science, leadership, management, healthcare, organisation design, organisation behaviour, strategic management

Ecologies of War: Ethnographic Research on Multiform Conflict

Supervisor: Prof Hana Cervinkova

Email: Hana.Cervinkova@mu.ie

Department: Anthropology

Abstract:

In times of peace, military activity leaves a carbon “boot print” more significant than the planet-warming emissions of many industrialised countries. In times of war, from the Ukraine to Gaza, we also see ecological disruption and widespread environmental devastation. Doubtless, it is vital to illuminate and estimate the ecological cost of war. However, it is also essential to attend to how wars are fought using ecological weapons in culturally saturated space. Throughout history, at least since Thucydides, and certainly with Clausewitz, the military forces have used the environment as a weapon of war: generals changed the course of events by changing the course of rivers, and chaos became “the fog of war.” Today, Russian “Glubokaya Operatsiya” and Western “deep war” both imagine conflict happening in multi-dimensional space, not just the battle lines on a map. From the Russian occupation of nuclear facilities in Ukraine to threats to the “liveability” of Gaza, the world is witnessing new ecologies of war. However, we lack the conceptual apparatus to analyse the strategic and cultural dimensions.

This project seeks cultural depth through a globally significant example of ecological warfare. We are interested in how military planners interpret and seek to use ecologies--denoting systems, cultural, socio-technical, and “natural”--as weapons or have their plans thwarted by the need to “respect” the environment. We are interested in the advocacy groups that seek to protect the environment during conflicts. We are also interested in how communities live with the toxic legacies of war, especially those spaces that are hazardous from both a military and cultural perspective. We aim to recruit a doctoral candidate who will work at the cutting edge of critical military and security studies in anthropology, a candidate who will, through detailed ethnographic research, articulate the multi-form complexities of ecologies of war and its registers of articulation.

We expect this research to nest in a growing and respected anthropological literature informed by, for example, Joseph P. Masco’s The Theatre of Operations (2014) and Adrianna Petryna’s Life Exposed (2002), and adjacent to interdisciplinary work on “disaster” and recovery, such as Jean-Luc Nancy’s After Fukushima (2015), and theoretical work in Geography stretching from early work on defensible space to contemporary engagement with “atmospheres” and territorialization. However, a scholarly problem of conceptual scale persists. Conceptual work on environment and ecology during conflict tends to emerge from Western centres of intellectual power, often as extensions of pre-existing theoretical assemblages, rather than from conflict zones as “fields” of possibility. As Pierre Bourdieu noted in The Logic of Practice, ethnography can generate theory from practice. Thus, we aim to elicit “native” frames of military planners, environmental protectors, protestors, and the people who live in ecologies of war, attending to how people grapple with the terms and conditions of conceptualization.

We acknowledge that research on conflict involves specific ethical challenges and requires experienced mentorship and support. The supervisors are experienced in advising graduate students working on such projects.

Advancing Green Computing: Energy-Efficient Lightweight Cryptography for IoT Security

Supervisor: Dr Erivelton Nepomuceno

Email: Erivelton.Nepomuceno@mu.ie

Department: Electronic Engineering

Abstract:

Over the past half-century, civilization has experienced a significant evolution in computer technology. This advancement is marked by a dramatic increase in computing processing capabilities, opening extensive opportunities for integration in both personal and industrial domains.

The design paradigm in computing has been strongly associated with the conceptual and physical limitations of computer chips, predominantly composed of large-scale transistor arrays. The initial strategy focused on enlarging chip size, doubling transistor count every two years. Yet, this approach faced a major obstacle known as the 'power wall' phenomenon, which imposes limits on the number of transistors due to increasing operating frequencies. This hurdle prompted a change in basic assumptions towards more efficient computing designs, reducing silicon usage, eliminating superfluous features, and devising specific-purpose hardware architectures optimized for specialized processes like digital signal processing, computer vision, security, and artificial neural networks.

A key development in this area is the emergence of specific-purpose architectures within a unified system, notably the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT employs a distributed system approach, assembling a variety of computers, both specific and general in purpose, within a cohesive network. This network leverages advanced technology from potent data centres, processing real-time information from low-end nodes—compact, low-power, networkable devices dedicated to data acquisition and/or actuation. IoT stands out as a critical area in computing with the potential to tackle major global challenges, including climate change, deforestation, urban surveillance, and healthcare.

Both industry and academia are actively working to minimize silicon and power consumption in low-end nodes. This effort aims to 1) enhance cost-effectiveness, given the substantial impact of mass-produced nodes on overall expenses, and 2) mitigate electronic waste, which poses significant environmental and public health risks, especially with battery-powered nodes that contain harmful elements. Yet, the drive to reduce costs in low-end nodes often leads to compromised security, given their limited capacity for standard cryptographic protocols. The need for robust cybersecurity is paramount, particularly when sensitive data is transmitted over the internet by systems with minimal functionality. Currently, the demand for effective cryptography is at its peak, facing unprecedented constraints. Central to any encryption system is a Pseudo Random Number Generator (PRNG), which employs logic statements to simulate random-like behaviour. While traditional cryptographic algorithms could afford additional complexity layers, low power require a consistent solution implying careful balance between enhancing security and managing power consumption.

In response to these challenges, our research initiative focuses on developing low-power, sustainable, and cost-effective Light-weight cryptography (LWC) specifically for IoT low-end nodes. This research involves examining the operational aspects of instruction program execution and logical synthesis to understand how computing frameworks generate random-like signals and the implications for hardware and software implementation costs. Additionally, we aim to explore the integration of LWC into network interfaces, with the goal of creating a compact, energy-efficient, and sustainable digital circuit that meets stringent security standards while maintaining minimal implementation costs.

Intelligent Adaptation of Serious Games for Enhanced Teaching: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence

Supervisor Dr Edgar Galvan

Email: Edgar.Galvan@mu.ie

Department: Computer Science

Abstract:

In our pursuit of enhancing educational technology, our research embarks on a pioneering exploration by harnessing the capabilities of evolutionary algorithms for the autonomous adaptation of serious games in the area of teaching. Evolutionary algorithms, inspired by the principles of natural selection, will function as an intelligent optimisation tool, iteratively refining the content and dynamics of serious games to seamlessly align with the diverse and evolving needs of individual learners. This adaptive process seeks to elevate the overall efficacy of instructional materials, ensuring a personalised and immersive educational experience. This is particularly important given our lack of preparedness for online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Complementing this evolutionary paradigm, our methodology integrates cutting-edge deep neural networks for the sophisticated training of our system. Deep neural networks will play a pivotal role in comprehensively analysing the nuanced data generated from students' interactions with serious games, allowing our system to discern intricate patterns related to engagement levels. Through the iterative learning process facilitated by deep neural networks, the system will adeptly capture and interpret visual cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and other behavioural indicators, providing granular insights into the varying degrees of engagement, attentiveness, and comprehension exhibited by end-users during gameplay.

The amalgamation of evolutionary algorithms and deep neural networks establishes a robust foundation for our groundbreaking approach. This interdisciplinary synergy not only offers a dynamic and responsive educational platform but also propels our research towards creating a paradigm shift in adaptive learning environments. By leveraging the capabilities of deep neural networks, our system aspires to finely tune the educational content, ensuring a tailored and captivating learning journey that reflects the distinctive characteristics and preferences of each end-user.

Automating Music Archiving: A Cutting-Edge AI Framework for Intelligent Music Metadata Generation

Supervisor: Behnam Faghih

Email: Behnam.Faghih@mu.ie

Department: Computer Science

Abstract:

In the dynamic landscape of the music industry, where a staggering 120,000 new tracks are released daily, effectively managing the vast number of musical files poses a formidable challenge. This challenge extends beyond mere storage concerns and delves into the intricacies of searching for specific compositions or even specific features of compositions, up to verifying their originality for copyright purposes. In addition, using these compositions for machine learning or music recommender systems is challenging.

Currently, each music track is described by its high-level metadata, such as music genre, composer, artist name, publisher, instruments, key signature, and BMP.

However, this metadata, is imprecise in many ways, as sophisticated low-level features that could be drawn from the rich acoustic detail in the tracks themselves are not accounted for. This is a glaring omission, and this study aims to bridge this gap by creating a cutting-edge system capable of autonomously generating comprehensive metadata for music files. The successful candidate undertaking this PhD research will immerse themselves in traditional audio signal processing techniques and explore diverse machine learning methodologies to discern their applicability in the realm of music metadata generation. They will also investigate the application of the emerging field of Differentiable Digital Signal Processing to the task.

The envisioned outcome is a sophisticated system that, when presented with a music file as input, employs state-of-the-art AI frameworks to produce a detailed list of metadata for the given file. This tool will be open-source and available globally as a library, website, and/or web API. An example application of this system could be for folk music musicologists who have many hours of field recorded material from a wide variety of sources. The software could help archivists and analysts generate detailed descriptors for further comparative analysis as well as identify more accurate clusters among their data. As another application, machine-learning based systems require labelled music for music classification, generation, recommendation, etc.

Through this process, the candidate will not only contribute to advancing the field of music information retrieval but will also gain profound insights into various AI, signal processing, and machine learning techniques.

While prior knowledge of music is not a prerequisite, a passion for AI and an eagerness to engage with cutting-edge technologies are essential qualities sought in potential candidates.

This research opportunity is ideal for individuals who aspire to delve into the exciting intersection of artificial intelligence and music, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in the realm of automated music metadata generation.

Gender and the Sentencing of Serious Sexual Offences in Ireland

Supervisor: Dr Sinead Ring

Email: sinead.ring@mu.ie

Department: School of Law and Criminology

Abstract:

The project addresses two areas in which there has been little to no research to date in Ireland: first, the role of gender in sentencing and second, sentencing for serious sexual offending. It will explore whether the sentencing judge’s gender makes a difference, if any, to the approach taken by the sentencer to devising a sentence for someone convicted of a sexual offence.

Representation of women on the bench is linked by scholars to enhanced legitimacy of the legal process (Hunter 2015). Although the Irish judiciary is increasingly diverse, particularly in recent decades, with more women judges on the bench now than since the foundation of the State, very little is known about whether the judge’s gender actually matters in sentencing. While there is some important research on sentencing and gender most focusses on the role of convicted person’s gender (eg Daly 1997). In recent years, gender of judges has become a focus in the US (Steffensmeier 1999; Boyd 2016) and UK (Feenan, 2008) and France (Phillippe 2020), this is still an emerging field internationally, with very little research conducted on this topic in the Irish context.

Sentencing for rape and serious sexual assault is a key site for examining the question of gender (and therefore legitimacy) in the criminal process, because it involves a fundamental violation of a person’s dignity and bodily autonomy. In these cases, the sentence imposed will often be of great importance to the victim-survivor and their family, in terms of the recognition of the harm done. Sentencing also carries an important communicative effect in terms of societal condemnation of the wrongfulness of sexual violence. Whether or not a custodial sentence is imposed is often of huge significance, but other issues arise too such as length of the sentence, what other offending should be taken into account if there are multiple counts, the weight to be given to a guilty plea, and the weight to be given the requirements around registration as a sex offender and post-release supervision. While the apex courts have offered some guidance on how to sentence in cases of rape (People (DPP) v. Tiernan [1988] I.R. 250 and People (DPP) v. FE [2019] IESC 85), sentencing judges still have a very wide discretion. Therefore, it is important to understand if gender matters, and if so, how.

The study will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods. First, a gender balanced panel of sentencing judges in the Central Criminal Court will be asked to read and sentence a series of hypothetical cases (sentencing vignettes), and give reasons for their sentences.

Second, a selection of cases in a defined time period will be identified using legal databases and will be analysed for gender of the judge, along with other relevant factors such as offence(s), and presence or absence of any mitigating and aggravating factors.

This approach will lead to important insights into the effects, if any, of gender in how a judge approaches the task of determining an appropriate sentence in cases of serious sexual violence.

Ecological change through time - Palaeoecology project

Supervisor: Dr Helen Shaw

Email: Helen.Shaw@mu.ie

Department: Geography - ICARUS

Abstract:

If we were to land in Ireland today, what would we understand of the ecology just by looking at what we observe now? Would we know that some really important habitats, such as ancient woodlands, have been lost? Would we know which species were native to the area and which introduced? Would we know about peat bog drainage and shrinkage? Would we know which species are native or which populations are reducing or expanding? The environment, and life within ecosystems, is always changing, driven by internal processes, climate shifts and human land use. Our observations about ecology and biodiversity need the perspective of time.

Palaeoecology is the study of old (palaeo) ecology. Fundamentally we discover what ecological changes took place over long timescales. Specifically, the proposed project will use pollen (and other small biological particles such as fungal spores) to act as proxies for past plant presence and environmental conditions. The palaeoecological method is tried and tested. The work involves taking samples from stratigraphic (laid down in a time series) deposits such as peat, extracting the pollen and spores in the lab and identifying the types and counting them using a microscope. We can see tree species changes in woodlands and also look at the sediment and see erosion caused by farming. Or we can look at the changing layers of a peat bog and see how the ecological change impacts carbon storage through the layers. We can also look to see how much grazing there was in a landscape, by counting spores from fungi that live on dung, and thus understand historical agriculture. Palaeoecologists are ‘dirt detectives’ and ‘supersleuths’, they interpret all the little preserved signals from muddy deposits of former landscapes and use these to reconstruct and learn about the past. Every pollen grain and spore counted tells a story, we just have to reveal it.

There are many projects possible using palaeoecological approaches.

Rewilding is a growing movement to put back nature, including woodlands or boglands. Knowing what was there previously, and how the ecosystems developed, is essential to determine sustainable conservation management for the future.

Cultural landscapes are created by a mix of past land use and ecology, and can be very biodiverse (think hay meadows for example). Conserving these important landscapes for biodiversity in the future means knowing the past changes and management structures that have allowed them to develop. Combined palaeoecological and historical approaches are important here.

As well as small changes, environments are subject to large scale sudden changes such as fire. Charcoal deposited in peat can be used to establish past fire records, frequency, intensity and ecological impact of fire and how this has changed through time.

Palaeoecologists are also constantly updating the methods that they use, to encompass more biological proxies, and to understand and quantify thoroughly how we can interpret each proxy as a biological or environmental indicator. Cutting edge experimental projects are also possible using and developing new analysis model tools and proxies.

Reconstructing past environments via palaeoecology also needs big data approaches, there are opportunities to work with collations of existing datasets to establish regional changes linked to climate, or large-scale changes in land use.

You are welcome to talk to me about any of these ideas and we can develop a project to suit your interests and aspirations. You will become part of a supportive team, learn lots of ecological and geographical skills across fieldwork, lab work and data analysis, and contribute to important questions to support future environmental management for biodiversity, sustainability and more.

SleepTimeData: Advancing Mental Health through Innovative Sleep Data Analytics

Supervisor: Dr Lorna Lopez

Email: Lorna.Lopez@mu.ie

Department: Biology

Abstract:

Project Area: Biology/Psychology/Behavioural Science

Potential Methodology: The SleepTimeData PhD project will use novel radar-based technology for the long-term sleep monitoring of individuals with a neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions. The project will use a combination of analytical approaches, including quantitative analysis of sleep data, psychometrics and qualitative assessment of participants’ experiences. This comprehensive approach aims to drive innovative advances in sleep data analytics to advance our understanding of mental health challenges.

Project Context: Sleep is recognised as a core pillar of both physical and mental health. A key challenge in sleep medicine has been gathering long-term data on sleep patterns within individuals due to the technical limitations of sleep-tracking devices. The SleepTimeData project will deploy novel radar-based sleep monitoring technology that will facilitate the collection of sleep data across time-spans of months to years, allowing for substantial progress in understanding links between sleep problems and mental health.

Challenges and Technology in Contemporary Times: Governing AI in Practice

Supervisor: Dr Ciara Bracken-Roche

Email: Dr. Ciara Bracken-Roche

Department: School of Law and Criminology

Abstract:

Ireland has made significant progress in terms of digitalisation over the past decade. Ireland is well connected to advanced networks, and public sector services are increasingly available online. The next phase of digitalisation will increasingly involve the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI)
technologies as tools to support, or in some cases to automate, human activities in different areas of society. As the data imperative grows in unprecedented ways, surveillance allows for additonal data to be collecte across individuals and institutions. To develop an inclusive digital society, it will be important that we ensure that these AI technologies are not only developed ethically, but that they are also applied ethically. It will be important to develop systems of responsibility and accountability which facilitate the exercise of individual and collection rights.

Europe-wide high-level principles and legislation are providing ethical and legal frameworks to guide the development of AI and multiple bodies are involved in standards development. In 2021, Ireland published its national strategy for AI. These policies set high expectations for the development, use, and governance of AI in Ireland. The EU’s AI Act is also forthcoming and will further dictate areas for development and areas for limiting AI across sectors and contexts.

But how is AI being applied in everyday contexts in Ireland? How is AI being used by the media, the police, and other public sector bodies? Will AI exacerbate or help to mitigate inequalities? How can we ensure that the governance of AI is transparent and works in the public and citizen interests?
Within this topic the successful candidate may choose their theoretical approach (e.g., political economy, data justice, surveillance studies, digital policy) and their empirical case studies may come from different domains of interest. The project may include an international comparative element. Special consideration in this broad area will be given to students who are keen to investigate legal and regulatory conditions propelling or limiting AI. As well as the role of AI in criminal justice functions would be especially interesting to the researchers.

Urban Soil Biodiversity and Human Health in Ireland

Supervisor: Dr Tara Dirilgen

Email: Tara.Dirilgen@mu.ie

Department: Biology

Abstract:

***Note: Other project proposal ideas in the areas of environmental sustainability, biodiversity, above and below-ground interactions welcome. Please get in touch with supervisor directly to discuss.***

Biodiversity and its value to humans (in the form of Ecosystem Services or Nature Based Solutions) is increasingly recognised and valued (as demonstrated by laws, policies and incentives to protect, enhance and restore biodiversity). However, below-ground (soil) biodiversity has been largely overlooked, despite playing a key role in delivering many of these services that we as humans rely on e.g. making nutrients available to plants [1].
There is growing evidence to suggest that soil biodiversity is important in urban environments e.g. greenspaces and may even promote human health in cities [2,3]. This link has not been fully explored, with little to no research in this space in Ireland.

This interdisciplinary project, investigates the link between soil biodiversity and human health in urban environments. The supervisory team reflects these disciplines to provide the Hume scholar with the necessary guidance and expertise to carry out the project. A suite of skills (incl. transferable skills) will be gained throughout the project, which can be used across sectors and beyond Ireland.

The PhD project outlined below can be modified and enhanced to suit the interests of the prospective Hume scholar. It is expected that the interested candidate will get in touch with the primary/lead supervisor to arrange a meeting to discuss further developing this project proposal.
1. Public perception of soil biodiversity in Ireland
This study will comprise a national survey of public perceptions on soil biodiversity and its value in urban landscapes e.g. public parks, etc.
2. Urban soil biodiversity – Phoneix Park case study
This study will characterise and map soil biodiversity of Phoneix Park [in collaboration/permission with relevant bodies]. It will be the first of its kind in Ireland, similar to that carried out in Central Park in New York [4].
3. Link to human health
This study will investigate direct and indirect links between soil biodiversity to human health.
Soil biodiversity benefits to mental health [co-supervisor: Dr Tadhg MacIntyre, Dept Psychology]
Soil biodiversity benefits to physical health e.g. immunoregulation [co-supervisor: TBC, Health Institute]
4. Mapping human and soil health indicators [co-supervisor: TBC, Health Institute]. This study will use existing human health and biodiversity datasets to compare, contrast and investigate these links.

REFERENCES
[1] Wall, D. et al. (2015). Soil biodiversity and human health. Nature, 528(7580), 69-76.
[2] Fan, K., et al. (2023). Soil biodiversity supports the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions in urban greenspaces. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7(1), 113-126.
[3] Sun, X., et al. (2023). Harnessing soil biodiversity to promote human health in cities. npj Urban sustainability, 3(1), 5.
[4] Ramirez, K. et al. (2014). Biogeographic patterns in below-ground diversity in New York City's Central Park are similar to those observed globally. ProcB: biological sciences, 281(1795), 20141988.

Breaking barriers to school attendance: a trauma-informed approach

Supervisor: Catriona O'Toole

Email: Catriona.A.OToole@mu.ie

Department: Department of Education

Abstract:

An increasing number of young people, both in Ireland and internationally, are experiencing School Attendance Problems (Määttä et al., 2020). The term School Attendance Problems (SAPs) refer to difficulties labelled as school refusal, and more recently termed school avoidance or emotionally-based school avoidance; as well as other types of school absenteeism, such as truancy, school withdrawal or school exclusion (Heyne, Gren-Landell, Melvin & Gentle-Genitty, 2019).

The reasons for SAPs are complex and multifaceted, and have been made more challenging by the Covid-19 pandemic. To help address these challenges the Irish government announced a €6 million campaign to promote school attendance (DES, 2023). However, it is increasing clear that the world is changing, schooling is different, students’ needs are more diverse, and our approach to school attendance and each student’s relationship with education must be different too (Heyne, et al., 2024). Consequently, there is a need to take seriously the lived experience of students who experience SAPs and respond in compassionate and trauma informed ways.

This project will involve the design, implementation, and evaluation of whole-school responses to school attendance problems. Drawing on a mixed-methods case study design and participatory methods of enquiry, the project will involve collaboration with students, parents, and school personnel, particularly school leadership, guidance counsellors and wider student support/attendance teams. It also involves forging alliances with relevant external agencies, including the National Educational Psychological Service, and the Education Welfare Service to ensure integrated response plans.

It is envisaged the project will proceed in a number of phases. Phase I will involve a systematic review of conceptual and empirical literature in the field of school attendance and trauma-informed education, as well as selection of two-three case sites (schools), and consultations with students, parents, school staff, and representatives from outside agencies. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to gather information about attendance-related issues at schools. Informed by the consultations and literature review, Phase II will involve the co-design of bespoke interventions in schools, including universal and preventative whole-school responses, and targeted supports for specific groups/individuals (e.g., guidance counselling interventions, adaptations to curriculum/pedagogy). In line with the Continuum of Support Model, (NEPS, 2010; Witte, Mosley-Howard & Ahuama-Jonas, 2015), interventions will be adapted according to the needs of students. Phase III will involve implementation of the interventions in chosen case schools and guided supports/mentorship of school attendance teams. Phase IV will involve deep exploration of student experiences and narratives, along with process and outcome evaluations, which will comprise comparison of baseline and post-intervention attendance and engagement data, and analysis of barriers and facilitators of change. Overall, it is hoped that the project will transform educational practices, shaping a future where all students feel a sense of belonging in school and are enabled to thrive in harmony with our evolving world.

Design of Multimetallic CO2 Reduction Catalysts as Artificial Cofactors

Supervisor: Dr Tobias Kraemer

Email: Tobias.Kraemer@mu.ie

Department: Chemistry

Abstract:

The combustion of fossil fuel feedstocks and the associated accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere leading to climate change represents one of the most pressing environmental and economic issues in the 21st century. However, our society critically depends on petrochemical feedstocks, with oil, coal and gas currently meeting 80% of the global energy demands and accounting for 95% of chemical commodities.

Utilising CO2 as a cheap and renewable feedstock for the production of important platform chemicals would bring a step change in terms of mitigating anthropogenic global warming and achieving a global green circular carbon economy. To realise this goal, chemical processes need to be developed that allow for direct conversion of CO2 into carbon-based chemical feedstocks and fuels. Recent progress in electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 has resulted in the formation of C1 products, e.g. methanol and formic acid. A more economically viable option would be the generation of multi-carbon (C2+) oxygenates and hydrocarbons from direct CO2 coupling, particularly when driven by renewable electrical energy. However, substantial challenges exist owing to the chemical inertness of CO2 as well as the requirement of substantial reducing equivalents in these processes. Moreover, the C–C coupling steps impose further demands on the geometric and electronic structure of any suitable catalyst platform. Despite some progress achieved with heterogeneous metallic catalysts, the industrial upscaling of this technology is currently hindered by poor efficiency and selectivity of present-day catalysts. What’s more, fundamental insight into the detailed mechanisms of these transformations at the electronic structure level is currently lacking. To overcome these challenges, inspiration will be drawn from Nature, which has evolved highly efficient metalloenzymes for biological CO2 fixation.

A common feature is the presence of bimetallic sub-sites containing a redox-active nickel centre. As part of an interdisciplinary team led by Dr Kilpatrick (Leicester), this project will explore new biomimetic heterobimetallic (NiFe) and homobimetallic (FeFe, NiNi) catalysts for CO2 reduction/coupling featuring a novel dinucleating beta-thioketiminate ligand platform. The effect of the ligands in the spectroscopic and electronic properties of these complexes will be analysed, and correlated to their electrochemical reactivity towards CO2 and CO. State-of-the-art computational methods will be used in concert with experiment to study the electronic structure and reactivity of the catalysts involved in this project. The mechanism and effect of the metal-ligand combination for the activation of CO2 and its subsequent onward reactivity will be investigated by rigorous mapping of the underlying potential energy surfaces. These results will be benchmarked against the best performing literature examples to establish structure/activity relationships and guide the design of improved catalysts. Characterisation of reaction intermediates will be corroborated by theoretical spectroscopy (e.g. EPR, UV-vis, IR, Mossbauer). In addition to routine thermodynamic and spectroscopic calculations, the electronic structure and bonding will be interrogated using dedicated protocols such as Energy Decomposition Analysis (EDA) and Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM). In silico screening will enable a broad survey of chemical space and focus the experimental effort by identifying the most promising metal-ligand combinations.

Ischemic Stroke - New Mediated Second Generation Biosensors for the Real-time Detection of Glucose and Lactate

Supervisor: Prof John Lowry

Email: John.Lowry@mu.ie

Department: Chemistry

Abstract:

Research Area/Methodology: Stroke is the world’s second leading cause of mortality resulting in around 6 million deaths annually. It can be classified as either ischemic stroke, which account for 85% of cases, or haemorrhage stroke. Cerebral ischemia is known to cause a complex cascade of cellular events, leading to both acute and delayed neural death and severe brain dysfunction in both humans and animal models. The main factors mediating the effects of ischemia in the brain are reductions in the supply of O2 (hypoxia) and glucose (hypoglycaemia), both of which are vital substrates for the continual function and survival of cerebral tissue. The complex processes involved in brain ischemia are still not completely understood and the ability to measure analytes of importance in ischemic models, including glucose, O2 and lactate (the end product of aerobic/anaerobic glycolysis and now considered an important energy substrate in the brain when glucose levels are limited) in real-time is of considerable interest and importance.

Over the past three decades we have successfully developed several biosensors (e.g. glucose and lactate) and sensors (e.g. O2) to study brain neurochemistry under normal physiological conditions. Enzyme-modified electrodes, particularly amperometric devices, are the most thoroughly investigated in the biosensor field, with our “first generation” versions incorporating oxidase enzymes and monitoring the formation of hydrogen peroxide dominating neurochemical applications. However, there is a critical limitation associated with the use of these devices in vivo under conditions of significantly reduced O2, such as ischemia induced hypoxia; oxygen dependent-oxidases need oxygen to reoxidise their cofactor and return to their electron accepting (oxidised) state. As such, our current biosensors are not suitable for use under such conditions and we thus propose to modify our successfully developed composite manufacturing strategy to design, develop and characterise (in-vitro and in-vivo) new mediated second-generation biosensors for the detection of glucose and lactate.

Context: Research will be divided into the following work packages:

WP 1.1 (Months 1-6): The postgraduate researcher will initially undergo extensive training in in-vitro methods including instrumentation and software use, biosensor/sensor manufacture and characterisation, electrochemical techniques, and neurochemistry.

WP 1.2 (Months 7-44): In vitro development and characterisation studies of sensitivity, linear calibration range, response time, interference properties, and stability. We will test incorporating an artificial cosubstrate (e.g. ferrocenemonocarboxylic acid and Prussian blue) into our successful PPD/PEI-Sty/enzyme-composite design. If this is found to be unsuitable with respect to facile electron transfer we will look at combining the roles of enzyme co-immobilisation and electron-transfer mediator by using a redox polymer (e.g. PVP-Os(2,2'-bipyridine)2Cl) and horseradish peroxidase. Here the mediator couple is non-diffusing, so electron transport occurs via electron hopping. There are several advantages to the use of this type of system: peroxidase in the membrane prevents H2O2 from simply diffusing away from the biosensor before being detected, thus eliminating potential crosstalk with co-implanted sensors; additionally, the mediator is prevented from leaching out of the biosensor membrane, thereby eliminating the need for a containment membrane while simultaneously improving biosensor longevity.

WP 1.3 (Months 45-48): Thesis write-up and submission.

The Human Creative as Mediator of Sensorial Feedback Between the Modalities of Sight, Sound and Touch – An Investigation Through a Portfolio of New Artworks

Supervisor: Dr Iain McCurdy

Email: Iain.McCurdy@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

In an increasingly virtual world and one in which control and decision-making is more frequently outsourced to automation and AI, this project will reassess the centrality and pre-eminence of the human in creative practice and genuinely innovative thinking within the mesh of emergent technologies that serve visual, audio and tactile pathways.

This aim will be achieved through the undertaking of a portfolio of mixed-media artworks that will chart research at the intersection between gestural capture, performer/composer control, haptic feedback, visuals, shape, vibration, and reciprocal musical sound. The broadest range of formats will be considered include fixed media works, installations, performances, improvisations and inventions. Through the creation of these artistic works, the modalities of sight, sound and touch will be seen as nodes on feedback loops and not endpoints on closed lines from cause to effect. Each modality acting as both a cause and an effect enacted by the intervening creative transduction of human imagination.

The possible outcomes might include audio-visual works, sound installations, live improvisations, immersive interactive environments, instrument/interface design and prototyping. Research outcomes will also be presented in papers at key international conferences for computer music and new instruments as well as at University research symposia and study groups. Progress will be published on the project website for the benefit of the wider community and commercial development of particularly innovative outcomes will be investigated.

The tools and techniques chosen for the creation of these works must provide sufficient openness to enable unique and innovative outcomes. Potential tools that will leverage expertise and specialisms at Maynooth include Csound, Pd, Supercollider, TouchDesigner, Arduino, Daisy Seed and Bela. These can be supported by more consumer-orientated technologies such as VR headsets, touch-screens, Leap Motion, Kinect, mobile device technologies and 360 video. Methods and media should also access featured practices in music technology at Maynooth such as ambisonics, multichannel sound, DIY prototyping and hardware modular synthesis.

Transnationalising the history of European nationalism: ‘the nation’ below and beyond political ideology

Supervisor: Prof Filipe Riberio de Meneses

Email: Filipe.DeMeneses@mu.ie

Department: History

Abstract:

Recent years have witnessed several important developments in the history of nationalism in modern Europe that have led to its rethinking. New paradigms such as that of ‘national indifference’ have questioned the extent to which non-elites in modern Europe subscribed to the national projects promoted by state-building elites, focusing instead on the ambiguity of national identity in the presumed heyday of national sentiment, the first half of the 20th century. Drawing attention to phenomena such as multiculturalism and multi-lingualism, intermarriage, shifts over time in declared ethnic, linguistic, or national affiliation denoting either opportunism or changing loyalties, commitment to internationalist political projects such as socialism, etc., has deconstructed the idea of monolithic, homogenous polities seeking to achieve or preserve statehood in the name of ‘the nation’. Understanding how ‘the nation’ was conceptualised and appealed differently to people function of their age, gender, social class, and/or (dis)ability has helped unpack nationalism as political ideology by looking less at its formulation and more at its reception within inherently diverse societies. In consequence, so-called ‘ethnic conflicts’ and histories of ‘nationalist violence’ have often been exposed as grounded in much more material, pragmatic considerations related to shortages, famine, and social antagonism rather than political or ideological enmity.
At the same time as approaching nationalism from below has painted a much more complex picture than the one associated with a world centred around nation-states, a ‘transnational turn’ in nationalism studies has challenged the very idea of ‘national histories’, revealing them as always-already embedded in an international context that profoundly affected their trajectories. Not only the emancipatory-minded liberal nationalists of the 19th century but even ultra-nationalists such as fascists in interwar Europe (and beyond) cultivated connections with like-minded actors and organisations in other countries, within the limits of their exclusionary projects that were never envisaged as ‘universal’. Such connections indicate that instead of seeing internationalism and ‘the national’ exclusively as antagonists, we need to consider their mutual imbrication.

Our proposed research aims to combine these two research directions, supplanting the state- and ideology-centred approach to the study of nationalism with a focus on the multiple connections established by nationalist activists, both elite and non-elite, in 20th century Europe, as well as the mutations they underwent in the post-war context. Using the example of fascist movements, where the existing interpretations typically take for granted that ‘the national’ trumped any internationalist orientation, allows tapping into the constitutive but problematic dialectic between the national and the international, which, we argue, was fundamental for all forms of politics in 20th century Europe.

Such an endeavour is not only relevant in its specific historical context. Considering the intensifying links between right-wing parties, organisations and individual actors in present-day Europe, and their exclusionary claims made in the name of a common European legacy (e.g., notions of a ‘Christian Europe’), understanding ‘the national’ simultaneously at a grassroots and international level is a salient issue for security in the broader region.

A quantifiable method of invoking emotional arousal within a virtual environment

Supervisor: Dr Natalie Culligan

Email: Natalie.Culligan@mu.ie

Department: Computer Science

Abstract:

The goal of this project is to explore methods of creating and measuring emotional arousal from a user within a virtual environmental. This will be achieved through environmental clues that the user is being observed, such as representations of cameras or eyes replicating previous studies in this area. The emotional arousal will be recorded through pre and post experiment surveys, and recording physiological responses to emotional arousal such as heart rate. Through this work, we will leanr how to create more immersive virtual environments for video games and VR experiences.

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Graduate Research Academy: An tAcadamh Taighde Iarchéime

PhD Scholarship Opportunities 2024

Supervisor 1: Asst. Professor Zhu Diao

Email: Zhu.Diao@mu.ie

Department: Electronic Engineering

Abstract:

Supervisor: Dr Chandana Mathur

Email: Chandana.Mathur@mu.ie

Department: Anthropology

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Supervisor: Dr. Grace Hoysted

Email: Grace.Hoysted@mu.ie

Department: Biology

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Supervisor: Dr John Regan

Email: John.Regan@mu.ie

Department: Theoretical Physics

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Supervisor: Professor Peter Thorne

Email: Peter.Thorne@mu.ie

Department: Geography (ICARUS)

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Supervisor: Dr A. Jamie Saris

Email: Ajamie.Saris@mu.ie

Department: Anthropology

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Supervisor: Dr James McGrath

Email: James.McGrath@mu.ie

Department: Experimental Physics

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Supervisor: Professor Elaine Wallace

Email: Elaine.Wallace@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

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Supervisor: Dr Roisin O'Flaherty

Email: Roisin.OFlaherty@mu.ie

Department: Chemistry

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Supervisor: Dr Maire Nic an Bhaird

Email: Maire.NicanBhaird@mu.ie

Department: Education

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Supervisor: Dr Luca Castellanza

Email: Luca.Castellanza@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

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Supervisor: Dr Linzi Ryan

Email: Linzi.Ryan@mu.ie

Department: Design Innovation

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Supervisor: Dr. Diarmuid O’Maoileidigh

Email: Diarmuid.S.OMaoileidigh@mu.ie

Department: Biology

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Supervisor: Dr Keith Thomas

Email: Keith.Thomas@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

Supervisor: Professor Laurence Cox

Email: Laurence.Cox@mu.ie

Department: Sociology

Abstract:

Supervisor: Prof Victor Lazzarini

Email: victor.lazzarini@mu.ie

Department: Music

Abstract:

Supervisor: Dr Edward O'Connor

Email: Edward.OConnor@mu.ie

Department: School of Business

Abstract:

Supervisor: Dr Rafael de Andrade Moral

Email: Rafael.DeAndradeMoral@mu.ie

Department: Mathematics and Statistics

Abstract:

Supervisor: Dr Hao Wu