National University of Ireland, Maynooth
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Awakening the Entrepreneurial Mindset.
Get PDFThe article focuses on the concept of the entrepreneurial mindset and its significance in education, emphasizing that being entrepreneurial extends beyond merely starting a business. It argues that everyone possesses the potential for an entrepreneurial mindset, which encompasses innovative thinking, risk-taking, and opportunity recognition. The piece advocates for a shift in educational approaches from traditional teaching to experiential learning, encouraging educators to foster self-reflection, curiosity, and lifelong learning among students. By embracing their own entrepreneurial journeys, educators can effectively model and inspire the development of entrepreneurial mindsets in their students
‘Post-fascism’, or how the far right talks about itself: the 2022 Italian election campaign as a case study
Get PDFWhile the mainstreaming of the far right is attracting growing scholarly interest based on its contemporary relevance, the role that far-right self-representation strategies play in this process has seen limited engagement. In this article, we argue that far-right actors employ a post-fascist logic to bring their ideas closer to the mainstream. This logic rests on a dual message, whereby they attempt to outwardly distance themselves from fascism while at the same time recontextualising fascist ideas. To explore these dynamics, we use a mixed-methods approach to discourse analysis to examine far-right social media posts during the 2022 Italian general election. Taking all Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts during the official campaigning period from the party and leader accounts of Lega per Salvini Premier and Fratelli d’Italia, we explored articulations of the post-fascist dyad within this context. Our findings underscore how both far-right parties ridiculed accusations of fascism and depicted themselves as ‘centre-right’, yet they commonly used fascist dog-whistles and violent anti-immigration discourse to construct a broader conspiracy narrative and portray themselves as Italy's saviour. While Italy proves a paradigmatic case, this research has wider implications for the need to explore the relationship between self-representation and mainstreaming
Biobank donation in search of public benefits and the potential impact of intellectual property rights over access to health-technologies developed: A focus on the bioethical implications
Get PDFThe availability of biomaterials is a key component of health research and the development of new health-technologies (including, diagnostics, medicines, and vaccines). People are often encouraged by biobanks to donate samples altruistically to such biobanks. While empirical evidence suggests many donors are motivated by the desire to contribute towards developing new health-technologies for society. However, a tension can arise as health-technologies whose development is contributed to by donors’ biomaterials will often be protected by intellectual property rights (IPRs), including patents. Patents give rightsholders control over how patented technologies are used and can be used in a way that impedes public access to technologies developed. Yet, there are no binding European legal obligations mandating disclosure to donors of how IPRs can operate over downstream health-technologies and how they could impact access to health-technologies developed, nor are there legally binding obligations to ensure public accessibility of technologies developed. Focusing on the bioethical implications posed, this article argues that the current situation can impact donors’ autonomy and dignity interests. A more holistic approach is needed for biobank donation, which embeds a consideration of donors’ expectations/interests from the point of donation through to how such samples are used and how health-technologies developed are accessed. We put forward avenues that seek to address such issues
Celebrating Thirty Years of the Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership.
Get PDFIn 2022, the Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership
(SLIP) marked its 30th year with the publication
of Leaves from the Cotton Tree: Celebrating
Thirty Years of the Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership
(funded by a grant from Irish Aid).
The book takes its name from the iconic cotton tree
where, in 1792, a group of former slaves, who had
come from Nova Scotia, established the beginning of
the settlement that became Freetown. Sadly, the tree,
which was a national landmark, suffered signifi cant
damage during a heavy rain storm in May 2023
District energy modelling for decarbonisation strategies development—The case of a University campus
Get PDFUniversity campuses can be considered as microcosms of urban districts, since they are typically located within or near a city and have a significant impact on the surrounding area. Moreover, they have a high energy consumption due to the large number of buildings, facilities, and services that use energy for transportation, heating, cooling, and lighting. This makes university campus as testing facility for decarbonisation strategies that can be replicated in other urban areas. The present study discusses a decision-making framework based on a digital twin model for analysing decarbonisation strategies of University College Dublin in Ireland. The thermal and electricity networks of the university campus are modelled to analyse the current status of energy consumption and associated carbon dioxide emissions. Five future development scenarios are explored to identify the optimum pathway for decarbonisation. Conclusions show that the campus can achieve a 10% reduction in emissions without the need for new generation units, while introduction of a new biomass CHP unit would increase this reduction to 17% compared to the baseline. Furthermore, Coupling this with the installation of 3 MW of solar photovoltaic, the calculated campus potential, a total reduction of 26% can be achieved
Development and physical characteristics of the Irish shelf-edge Macnas Mounds, Porcupine Seabight, NE Atlantic
Get PDFModern cold-water corals (CWCs) occur in a wide range of water depths, with Desmophyllum pertusum being one of the most common species. Pleistocene, Holocene, and modern coral mound formation by living CWC reefs have previously been described in the Porcupine Seabight from water depths greater than 700 m in the vicinity of the transitional zone between the Eastern North Atlantic Water and Mediterranean Outflow Water. Here we document occurrence of fossil corals retrieved from two cores at 370 m depth in the Macnas Mounds, a relatively shallow occurrence for mounds on the Irish shelf-edge. Both cores feature D. pertusum restricted to the upper two metres, immediately overlying an erosive surface and a coeval major down-core change in grain size from sand to mud. Radiocarbon dating of coral specimens indicates the CWC mounds initiated 7.82 Cal ky BP. Our study unequivocally documents the existence of Holocene shelf-edge coral mounds in the eastern Porcupine Seabight and highlights the possibility of other occurrences of CWCs in similar settings elsewhere in the northeast Atlantic. Given that no living CWCs were encountered in the study area, we suggest that the area previously experienced more favourable conditions for CWC mound initiation and development along the shelf-edge margin, possibly due to differing conditions in the European Slope Current which flows northward along the continental slope from south of the Porcupine Bank to the Faroe-Shetland Channel. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)
Analysing the Impacts of Dynamically Evolving Selection Policies in Monte Carlo Tree Search Through Evolutionary Algorithms
Get PDFThis thesis presents an innovative exploration into the synergy between Monte Carlo Tree
Search (MCTS) and Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs), focusing on the evolution of selection
policies within MCTS. MCTS, a powerful and versatile algorithm, has seen widespread
adoption in various domains, from strategic gaming to robotics, due to its ability to
effectively navigate large and complex decision spaces. However, the adaptability of its
selection policy, a critical factor in its performance, remains a challenging aspect that
demands further research.
The primary aim of this work is to investigate how evolutionary processes can be
harnessed to adaptively evolve MCTS’s selection policies online, thus enhancing the algorithm’s
efficiency and robustness in different problem landscapes, as well as in different
stages of the search. By integrating EAs into MCTS, this thesis explores the dynamic and
context-aware exploration of the search space, potentially surpassing the performance of
traditional approaches.
The thesis lays the groundwork for understanding the fundamentals of MCTS and
EA embeddings for online decision-making. It offers a detailed survey on the integration
of MCTS and EAs, particularly focusing on enhancing MCTS’s selection policy without
prior exposure to the domain.
A series of test problems, including the Function Optimisation Problem and proposed
simplifications of the board game Carcassonne, provide a platform to evaluate the interaction
between MCTS’s tree policy and game tree characteristics. Empirical analyses
of evolved selection policies are presented, comparing them with traditional MCTS and
Minimax approaches and assessing their performance.
The thesis aims to contribute significantly to AI and decision-making algorithms by
advancing the integration of evolutionary strategies within MCTS. It focuses on developing
adaptable and effective selection policies, examining the role of every aspect of
the evolutionary processes, and refining EA integration for enhanced decision-making
efficiency in MCTS
A Feasibility Study on the Introduction of a Community Court in Ireland Based on a comparative analysis of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre in Australia and the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre in England.
Get PDFThis doctoral thesis assesses the feasibility of introducing a community court in Ireland – based on a comparative analysis of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC) in Australia and the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre (NLCJC) in England – and provides evidence-based recommendations to inform policymakers of the approach that is needed to successfully implement this innovative court model.
Building on the two previous proposals to introduce a pilot Irish community court, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Australia, England, and Ireland, and an online survey of Tallaght residents, this thesis concludes that a community court is feasible in Ireland, and that such an initiative, if adequately resourced and structured, would have the capacity to transform high-crime communities and improve the quality of life of residents. The thesis also argues that it is the optimal time for Irish policymakers to reconsider the community court model, but that in doing so, close attention must be paid to the key recommendations made within this thesis which serve as a guidebook for how to successfully implement a community court.
The best practice guidelines set out for the establishment of a community court in this thesis include: adequate resourcing, funding of dual staff members, built-in mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation based on relevant indicators of success, accessible placement in a high-crime area with established support services, a standalone and purposefully designed building in which the court is not the main focus, a strong commitment to the principle of community justice, intensive community consultation and continuous community involvement, creation of political champions and advocates at every level of the criminal justice system, a single judge with experience in therapeutic jurisprudence, and the on-site co-location of criminal justice agencies and support services. Furthermore, it is suggested that Tallaght is a prime location for a pilot community court as it is an area with a large population, high crime rates, a strong sense of community, and an existing foundation of established support services.
On the whole, the thesis demonstrates that an ill-conceived community court risks becoming a waste of vast resources, but that if these evidence-based recommendations are carefully followed, the community court model can have a truly transformative impact on high-crime communities
A whole-campus approach to technology and inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education in Ireland
Get PDFThe increasing demand for equitable higher education necessitates changes in how to consider and develop inclusive university settings. Using a systems-thinking lens, this article examines the whole-campus approach to technology and inclusion of college students with disabilities in Ireland. In-depth interviews with students with disabilities and other stakeholders representing higher education, non-profit organizations, and government bodies uncovered critical areas and dynamics for understanding and building institution-wide capacity for overcoming barriers to technology and access, and creating a systemic culture of inclusion in higher education. Five themes were identified: equity of technology-based access; shared responsibility and accountability; staff knowledge development; institutional commitment and management; and student partnership. The study indicated that embedding guidance, recognition and expectations for universal design, technology-inclusive practice, and meaningful input of students with disabilities across all areas of university life would help to cultivate more equitable higher education for all
Depression Literacy and Self-Reported Help-Giving Behaviour in Adolescents in Ireland
Get PDFThis questionnaire-based study aimed to explore depression literacy (DL) and help-giving experiences in 12–18-year-old adolescents (N = 535, Mage = 14.9 years, 51.8% male) in Ireland. In response to a vignette depicting a character displaying symptoms of depression, 46.7% labelled these symptoms ‘depression’, with increasing age and empathy associated with increased likelihood of labelling as such. Almost all (92.1%) believed the character needed help, but the perceived helpfulness of potential responses varied. Over one-third (38.2%) indicated they knew someone who had displayed similar symptoms in the past year, with 85.2% of these reporting having helped this person. Reported help-giving responses included comforting the person, encouraging professional help-seeking, and informing an adult. The findings suggest adolescent DL can be best supported by developmentally-sensitive interventions that encourage empathy and the importance of engaging adults’ assistance