2023 Programme

Victoria Ward

Biomaterial Researcher- Winner of University of Galway 2022 Threesis

Victoria is currently undertaking her PhD at University of Galway, at the College of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences.

With a specialized degree in Anatomy, her research involves understanding what happens in the body when things go wrong, specifically after a heart attack. Her research strives to find new strategies to prevent heart failure by investigating the implementation of hyaluronic acid hydrogel combined with parasitic secretion therapy.

Winner of the University of Galway Research Office's Threesis in 2022, Victoria will go on to represent the university at this year’s national Three Minute Thesis competition. Her research work is supported by the Science Foundation Ireland AMBER centre.

Inspired by her mother living with a part bionic heart, Victoria has seen firsthand the detriment caused by a heart which doesn’t work properly. Therefore, she is determined and dedicated to helping find a better solution for failing hearts everywhere.

John Breslin

Personal Professor at University of Galway

John Breslin is a Personal Professor in Electronic Engineering at University of Galway, where he is the co-principal investigator at the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. He is a co-founder of Boards.ie, Adverts.ie and collaborative office space PorterShed. From Fanore in the Burren, he is now living in Conemara.

Their Book “Old Ireland In Colour” was such a phenome in 2020, they went on to release Old Ireland in Colour 2 and 3. John and Sarah-Anne believe these images and captions offer an illuminating look and Irish Life, Irish People and the dramatic transformation and change that has occurred over the past 125 years.

Conor Judge

Doctor, Lecturer and Researcher

Dr. Conor Judge is a consultant nephrologist at Galway University Hospital Saolta University Hospital health care group and a Senior Lecturer in applied clinical data analytics with the University of Galway - College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

Dr Judge and a team from CMNHS have recently developed the new MSc in Applied Clinical Data Analytics, at the University of Galway. The MSc is specifically designed to teach healthcare workers, how to code in R, health research methodology, statistics, and analysis of clinical data.

Conor completed his PhD in the Health Research Board (HRB) Clinical Research Facility Galway and the Translational Medical Device Lab through the Welcome Trust Health Research Board Irish Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) Programme and went on to complete a research and clinical fellowship in epidemiology and nephrology at McMaster University, Ontario, Canada from 2020 to 2022 funded through the HSE Dr. Richard Stevens Fellowship.

Prior to medicine, Conor trained as an electronic and computer engineer and has a passion for combining data analytics with medicine. As a trainee, Dr. Judge created two electronic health record databases in Galway University Hospital that have been used for over 100,000 patients since 2017.

Most recently, Dr. Judge has been awarded the Health Research Board’s Clinician Scientist Fellowships (CSF) 2023 scheme, worth €700,000, with a research project on ‘An artificial intelligence approach to improving blood pressure treatment’. Which will address the significant care gap in hypertension management.

Dee from the Sea” Dee Newell

Long-Distance Swimmer and Ironwoman

Dee first began swimming in Lough Corrib, the neighbouring lake to her home in Corrandulla in Co. Galway. Now a fully-fledged open-water swimmer, she takes on both long-distance and extreme-cold challenges. In 2019, she successfully completed a solo crossing of the English Channel. Followed by an ice kilometre in 2020, as well as numerous other challenges. Most recently, attempting but not completing a crossing of the North Channel.

Dee is also an open-water swim coach with Swim Ireland and SwimQuest. Taking many on their paths from dipper or pool swimmer to open water swimmer, as well as coaching people to prepare for channel swims.

Despite her swimming sounding like a full-time job, Dee is based in Dublin and works full-time in the Irish Defence Forces, where she is an army commandant. Having experience in several appointments both at home and abroad, her current role is as an Aide de Camp to the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.

Dee swims not only for the love of it itself, but for the love of the swim community and nature.

Daragh Fleming

Writer, Author, Poet and Mental Health Advocate

Daragh runs the award-winning mental health blog, ‘Thoughts Too Big’ and has published a number of books, including short stories, poetry, and essays. Daragh’s work appears in many places, including The Irish Examiner, The Ogham Stone, Beir Bua and a variety of other literary magazines. He has also both won and been shortlisted for several awards.

When not writing Daragh works as content lead for The Mental Health Education Charity “A Lust For Life”. Daragh has played a significant role in advocating for better Mental Health services in Ireland, as well as working towards reducing the stigma surround Mental Health as a “See Change Ireland” ambassador.

Although, born and bred in Cork he is no stranger to Galway having published his book ‘Lonely Boy’ with Galway publisher The Book Hub Publishing Group.

In his work, Daragh focuses heavily on masculinity, accessing emotions and examines the role we play in maintaining our own wellbeing and happiness. While also blending humour into his work. Claiming it is essential to embrace ‘silly goose’ energy wherever possible. However, Daragh’s mission is a serious one - normalising all topics relating to mental health so that no one falls victim to their own minds.

Sarah-Anne Buckley

Associate Professor at University of Galway

Dr. Sarah-Anne Buckley is an Associate Professor of History at University of Galway. Co-principal investigator of the ‘Tuam Oral History Project’ on the Tuam Mother and Baby Institution, she has published extensively on the history of Modern Ireland. Past President of the Women’s History Association of Ireland, she is the current Chair of the Irish History Students Association. From Cobh Co. Cork, she is now living in Salthill.

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh

Stiúrthóir Oibríochtaí agus Acmhainní Daonna TG4 | Director of Operations and HR at TG4

Gaeilge

Tá cúlra ag Trevor sna meáin agus sna healaíona. Bhunaigh sé gnólacht amharclannaíochta Gaeilge darb ainm ‘Na Fánaithe’, agus é i mbun coláiste. D’oibrigh sé mar Stiúrthóir Ealaíne sa ‘An Taibhdhearc’ sular thosaigh sé ag traenáil mar Léiritheoir/Stiúrthóir teilifíse.

Bhí páirt lárnach aige sa tsraith drámaíochta ‘Ros na Rún’ a bhunú, agus d’oibrigh sé ar léiriúcháin teilifíse eile do TG4 agus do RTÉ chomh maith. Cheap agus sheachaid sé clár ceardlann drámaíochta agus scoileanna Samhraidh idirnáisiúnta i nGaeilge d’aosaigh óga de chuid na hÉireann agus na hAlban agus bhunaigh sé an nuachtán Gaeilge ‘Gaelscéal’ a bhfuil dámhachtainí buaite aige.

Bhí athrú poirt ag Trevor ansin agus thosaigh sé ag plé le forbairt pobail, rinne sé bainisteoireacht ar ghnólacht forbartha le haghaidh ionchuimsiú sóisialta, oideachais agus eacnamaíochta i gConamara Theas sular toghadh é ina Sheanadóir chuig Parlaimint na hÉireann, áit a raibh sé ann ar feadh seacht mbliana. Sular fhill sé ar na meáin, ina bhfeidhmíonn sé anois mar Stiúrthóir na nOibríochtaí agus Acmhainní Daonna do TG4.

Lena chaint ar ‘REAL Leadership’, tá sé d’aidhm aige tacú le ceannairí chun an domhan a athrú chun feabhais agus chun glúin nua ceannairí a spreagadh le bheith muiníneach agus chun tabhairt faoin dúshlán céanna.

English

With a background in media and the arts, Trevor set up Irish language theatre company, ‘Na Fánaithe’ while still in college. He then worked as Artistic Director of ‘An Taibhdhearc’ before training as a TV Producer/Director. Central to the setting up of the drama series ‘Ros na Rún’, he has also worked on other TV productions for TG4 and RTÉ.

He has devised and delivered a programme of drama workshops and international summer schools as Gaeilge for young adults from Ireland and Scotland and established the award winning national Irish language newspaper, ‘Gaelscéal’.

In a change of direction, Trevor transitioned into community development, managing a social inclusion, education and economic development company, serving South Connemara before his election as a Senator to the Irish Parliament, where he served for 7 years. Before returning to media, where he is now Director of Operations and HR for TG4.

With his talk on ‘REAL Leadership’, his mission is to support leaders everywhere to change the world for the better and encourage a new generation of leaders to come forth and take up that challenge as well.

Muuzhaffar Hazman

AI and Social Media Researcher

Muz is an AI and Social Media researcher from the University of Galway and the Science Foundation of Ireland's Research Centre for Digitally Enhanced Reality. They spend an inordinate amount of time on Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube in pursuit of their PhD in Internet Memes (or so they claim). Their work focuses on incorporating user perspectives and sociolinguistics into how AI interprets multimodal memes.

Muz has had a longstanding fascination with novel ideas, from running a matchmaking service for religious conservatives in his home country of Malaysia to being an ergonomics engineer at a particle accelerator laboratory. This is why Muz is obsessed with memes. According to Muz, "Memes are a uniquely powerful vehicle for ideas, one that we must never underestimate", but also, thanks to memes, "It has never, in the history of humankind, been so accessible for anyone to inscribe their ideas onto the world."

In this interactive talk, Muz will be inviting members of the audience to share their favourite memes while taking them on a journey to dissect our relationship with social media. Memes, while seemingly harmless, can often fuel the most negative parts of society, spreading hate and racism for one. Muz’s research in AI aims to change that narrative, drowning out online negativity.

Ol’ Times

Rock Band

Born in February 2019 after a chance meeting on the musical highways of Galway City Ol’ Times has been busking and gigging their way through Ireland, the UK, and Europe since. Gathering a dedicated fanbase across the globe as well as developing an ever-growing following on social media.

Comprising of Gabriele, Kai, Manuel, Colm, and Finn, they combine the influence of classic rock with their own original tone, creating a fiery cocktail of intensely grooving sounds. the international band hail from various background, including Argentina, Italy, and the West of Ireland.

After touring critically acclaimed shows throughout 2023, they successfully kicked off their mission to spread the gospel of rock ‘n roll. Delivering raw energy, explosive stage presence, and true love for their craft. They are determined to leave an indelible mark on the music scene.

Playing notable headline shows in Galway’s Roisin Dubh, Whelan’s Live, and festivals All Together Now and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the band is set to join UK band Alabama 3 on their tour this winter but not before writing their anticipated debut album with Brixton Legends frontman, Larry Love.

With a mix of acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, keyboards, and driving ambition, the band will take you through its process of delivering a sound that seamlessly blends the old and the new.