Theme: Inspiration

A TEDxUCD event has taken place annually since 2013 and TEDxUCD 2017 will take place on Tuesday 5 December.

The 2017 event will feature exceptional talks and performances from members of the wider UCD community including staff, student, alumni and friends.

UCD DramaSoc Theatre
University College Dublin
Dublin 4, Dublin, Dublin 4
Ireland

Amber Cushing

Assistant Professor UCD School of Information and Communication Studies

Dr Amber L. Cushing is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor in digital curation and digital cultural heritage at the UCD School of Information and Communication Studies where she directs the MSc in Digital Curation and the PhD Programme. Her main research area of interest is how individuals perceive meaning in digital cultural heritage objects, their experiences with the objects, and the implications of such meaning perception for cultural heritage institutions in society. Dr Cushing graduated with a BA in History from Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, a Masters in Library Information Systems with a focus on Archives Management from Simmons College, Massachusetts, and a PhD in Information and Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Twitter: @cushinga

Antonio Martin-Carrillo

Lecturer in the UCD School of Physics

Dr Antonio Martin-Carrillo is a lecturer in the UCD School of Physics where he is a member of the Space Science Group studying the transient Universe and in particular Gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic electromagnetic explosions in the Universe since the Big Bang. Dr Martin-Carrillo uses space observatories to study the high-energy emission of these sources, and ground-based telescopes such as Watcher. Watcher is a UCD professional telescope located in South Africa and used to help scientists to understand the nature and origin of these powerful explosions. He leads an outreach programme called Skywonders Ireland where he uses astrophotography to explain in simple words the science behind such photographs. Dr Martin-Carrillo graduated with a BSc and MSc in Physics with astronomy and theoretical physics from University Complutense Madrid, then worked at the European Space Agency before completing his PhD investigating Gamma-ray Bursts and pulsars at UCD. Twitter: @antmarcarr

Bahareh Heravi

Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Information and Communication Studies

Dr Bahareh Heravi, is an Assistant Professor at the UCD School of Information and Communication Studies, where she is the founder and Programme Director of the new Data Journalism CPD programme. She is passionate about creating innovative data-driven solutions for the news industry, and helping journalists equip themselves with data skills required in the 21st century newsroom. Prior to joining UCD Dr Heravi was a Research Fellow and leader of Insight News Lab. She is also the former Lead Data Scientist at The Irish Times, where she spearheaded the Irish Times Data and led the paper’s R&D programme. In 2011 she was awarded Google’s ‘Women Techmakers’ Scholarship, an Award given to recognise outstanding young women scholars in computer science and related fields. Dr Heravi holds a PhD in Information Systems from Brunel University London. Twitter: @Bahareh360

Colin Keogh

PhD student at UCD’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Colin Keogh is a PhD student at UCD’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. He is studying biomass energy, waste recycling, additive manufacturing, biological imaging and innovative design. In 2017 Colin was included in Forbes’ top 30 under 30 list for Europe in Science and Healthcare, was named one of JCI’s Ten Outstanding Young People and was named a Nissan Generation Next Ambassador. Colin is also the co-founder of a social enterprise, The Rapid Foundation, which aims to disperse 3-D printing technology to 3rd world locations and conducts printing workshops in schools. The goal of The Rapid Foundation is to change the way development aid is distributed, and improve the innovation potential of all people. The work of The Rapid Foundation won the IMechE 2016 Fritz Schumacher Award. Colin graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and a Masters in energy systems engineering from UCD. Twitter: @colinj_keogh

Dominic O’Connor

Marie Curie Research Fellow & PhD candidate in the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science

Dominic O’Connor is a Marie Curie Research Fellow and a PhD candidate in the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sport Science. His research focus is on using exercise mimetics as an interventional strategy to combat the side effects of cancer and its treatment. Coming from a Sports Science background, cancer is a new and exciting area for him and he is excited to use his knowledge of exercise to help improve the quality of life of cancer survivors through rehabilitation. His research forms part of the wider CATCH (Cancer: activating technology for connected health) training network, which aims to bridge the gap in cancer care through technology supported physical exercise. Dominic graduated with an honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science & an MSc in Exercise Physiology from Abertay University, Dundee. Dominic is passionate about exercise and is keen to raise awareness to its benefits across the lifespan. Twitter: @domdom2407

Eimear Cahalin

Co-founder of Vivid Edge

Eimear Cahalin is co-founder of Vivid Edge, an Irish company headquartered at NovaUCD, which is pioneering Energy-Efficiency-as-a-Service, to enable large energy users to undertake projects they would not otherwise take on. An experienced Chief Financial Officer, Eimear has spent much of her career to date working in global investment banks in London, before her life-long interest in sustainability saw her move to Mainstream Renewable Power, then a start-up and now a global leader in the development of wind and solar energy projects. Eimear graduated with a B. Comm (Banking and Finance) and a Masters in Accounting from University College Dublin. She is a proud alumna of Arthur Andersen, a fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and a member of the Institute of Directors. Eimear is passionate about life-long learning and all forms of diversity. Twitter: @EimearCahalin

John Francis Leader

Consultant Psychologist and Cognitive Scientist

John Francis Leader is a consultant psychologist and cognitive scientist who specialises in positive psychology, experiential learning and mixed reality therapy to assist people in successfully navigating the physical, the virtual and the imaginary. John spends his time between training, consultancy and therapeutic work in private practice and academic research which he conducts within the Cognitive Science Programme at UCD. By combining multimedia techniques with current psychological research John's work aims to make therapy more fun, immersive and effective, a type of theme park meets therapy experience. As part of his applied work John builds multimedia installations. His latest piece is an ex-military 1976 Series III Land Rover fitted with a virtual reality system that overlays a graphically-rendered version of the vehicle's interior. Twitter: @JFLdotCOM

Mark Rowe

Medical Doctor

Dr Mark Rowe graduated from UCD School of Medicine in 1991 and established his family practice at the Waterford Health Park. The building was subsequently shortlisted as a finalist for World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival Awards in 2010. In 2013, the Waterford Health Park received the ‘A Place to Flourish’, Global Health Improvement Award. Dr Rowe’s commitment to the built environment, was recognised when he was shortlisted for a prestigious Loeb Fellowship in the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University in 2016. Dr Rowe has an unbridled desire to change the culture of ‘a pill for every ill’. Instead he encourages people to become active participants and leaders in their own wellbeing. He was appointed to the inaugural Healthy Ireland Council in 2014 and is also a member of ‘Leading by Design’. He is the author of two books, 'A Prescription for Happiness’ and ‘The Men’s Health Book'. Twitter: @drmarkrowe

Mary Horgan

President of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland

Professor Mary Horgan is President of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland; Director of Graduate Entry Medicine, University College Cork (UCC), and a Consultant Physician/Infectious Diseases in Cork University Hospital. With over 20 years of experience in the field of infectious diseases, Professor Horgan undertook a Fellowship in the specialty in Washington University Medical School, St Louis, USA in 1990 and was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine at Washington University in 1995. She returned to Ireland in 1997 to take up the position of Consultant in Infectious Diseases at Cork University Hospital. She graduated from UCD in 1986 and trained in Internal Medicine in the Mater and St. Vincent’s University Hospital. She was conferred with an MD from UCD in 1995. She was awarded her MRCPI and MRCP (Lond) in 1988 and 1989 respectively and FRCPI in 1997 and FRCP (Edin) in 2004. She was inducted as a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2015

Monica Gorman

Lecturer in Agricultural Extension and Innovation UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science

Dr Monica Gorman is a lecturer in agricultural extension and innovation UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science. Her research focus is on agricultural extension with a particular interest in supporting women in agriculture. Dr Gorman grew up on a small farm in Co. Wicklow and after completing her BAgrSc and MAgrSc in UCD she went to work with Concern in Sudan. In Sudan she worked with semi-nomadic pastoralists on the border with Eritrea and from there she moved to Tanzania where she worked first with Irish Aid and then with IUCN on community development in agriculture and natural resource management. She returned to Ireland and completed a PhD at UCD and then spent the next 10-years working on international development. In 2013 Dr Gorman returned Ireland and to her current role at UCD where she is bringing her diverse experiences to bear in strengthening the attention to the social sciences in a School with a dominant natural science perspective and focus. Twitter:@monicamgorman

Siobhan McDonald

Visual Artist & Artist in Residence at the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science

Siobhan McDonald is a visual artist & Artist in Residence at the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science. She was previously an Artist in Residence at Parity Studios. She is interested in the changeable nature of landmass, historical events and their interconnection to time. She regularly travels to diverse locations like Iceland & the Arctic Circle to record and distil what is ephemeral and essential in these fragile landscapes. Using diverse methodologies, she works collaboratively with historians, scientists & composers on projects combining ideas of interaction on the natural world. Her projects manifest in many forms including painting, drawing, film and sound. She received a Bursary Award from the Arts Council Ireland; a Culture Ireland Award for Imagining Ireland in the UK and has also had many solo exhibitions. She graduated with a BA in Fine Art from the University of Ulster and a Masters in Visual Arts Practices from IADT. Twitter: @SioMcDonald

Stephen Cluskey

Social Entrepreneur, Disability Advocate and Public Speaker

Stephen Cluskey is an award-winning entrepreneur, disability advocate and public speaker. Having suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury at the age of just 18, which left Stephen paralysed from the neck down, he has since gone on to achieve in a short time, more than most would in a lifetime. Stephen graduated with an Honours Degree in Business Studies from the Open University. He attended UCD to study Economics, after his accident, via the UCD Access & Lifelong Learning Programme and also studied in Dublin City University. Stephen has started 2 award-winning businesses and 1 social enterprise. He offers a very unique, positive perspective on life, challenging individuals to realise that almost anything is possible with the right will and determination. Twitter: @StephenCluskey