Highlights of the recent College Research Culture Event

The UCD College of Engineering & Architecture (CEA) held a Research Culture event on Monday 3rd March 2025 at the UCD University Club. The event included a keynote talk on ‘Engineering Solutions- Sustainability and Diversity’, by Laura Burke, President of Engineers Ireland & Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to mark International Women’s Day 2025.   This was followed by a talk on sabbatical leave by Assoc Prof Shane Donohue, UCD School of Civil Engineering, who shared his experience of planning for a sabbatical and the benefits of doing so. 

Engineering Solutions- Sustainability and Diversity:  In her keynote talk Laura Burke, President of Engineers Ireland & Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), discussed the sustainability challenge and also its relevance to International Women’s Day as diversity is inextricably linked with addressing and delivering sustainable solutions to the challenges we face and to create a better world for tomorrow.  Laura delivered a strong message that fundamental shifts are now required to achieve the levels of transformation needed to meet Ireland’s targets in energy, water and air quality.  She highlighted that with all the changes and growth Ireland has experienced in its economy and across society, taking incremental actions alone is now no longer sufficient to keep pace with the increased pressures of climate change and to create a sustainable healthy environment.  Regarding the (opens in a new window)EPA State of the Environment Report 2024, she highlighted the links between the economy, infrastructure, and environment, as they each affect each other.  The report identifies that transformation of our energy, transport, food and industrial sectors is critical to achieving a sustainable future; also that investment in water, energy and transport infrastructure is critical for protecting the environment; and, as a consequence, our health and we must act to reduce the modifiable risks to our health from environmental exposures.  Laura explained that the challenges we face require a step change in the level of engineering talent in the economy, and it is critical therefore to grow and embrace diversity within STEM, including the engineering profession, to ensure our thinking, experience, and perspectives represent all cohorts of our population and society – as only then can we come up with the best solutions.  Laura outlined how a group of dedicated Engineers Ireland members have been working to address the gender imbalance within the profession and she gave examples of some initiatives Engineers Ireland is running, such as the (opens in a new window)STEPs Programme, to help with the challenge of attracting and retaining women into the engineering profession, and to re-engage those who have left it.  In her final comments Laura emphasised that we all have an important role to fulfil in promoting the engineering profession. 

Laura Burke Quote: ‘But where we are right now, while it is better, is nowhere near good enough.  We are always playing catch-up. We now have virtually no seriously polluted rivers, but we have hardly any pristine ones left, either.  We now recycle more but produce more waste than ever and export much of it.  We are taking positive actions across multiple fronts, but they are not keeping pace with the growing pressures, and our environment is being squeezed.  Increments now are not best use of scarce time and resources: We need to make a fundamental shift’

Research Sabbatical Leave: Shane Donohue, Associate Professor in Geotechnical Engineering at UCD School of Civil Engineering, spoke about the why, how, and where of his recent research sabbatical leave that he took in the first trimester of 2024.  In planning his leave, Shane referred to the UCD Research Sabbatical Leave website and the UCD Research Sabbatical Policy documentation which contain very useful information about the process of notification, key forms and finance details relating to salary, pension and replacement costs.  Faculty considering applying for sabbatical leave should also discuss it, including their plans/suggestions for teaching cover, as early as possible with their Head of School. Shane outlined the two types of sabbatical leave offered within UCD, including one for the 6-month duration which faculty can apply for every 3.5 years, and there is also a longer 12-month sabbatical option available that covers two teaching terms which faculty can apply for every 7 years.  Shane explained that he took the shorter 6-month sabbatical during which he continued to be based at UCD and used the time to focus on research, making several short visits to other research organisations and collaborators in Sweden, France and the US, and also to do some geotechnical fieldwork in the UK.  Shane recommends that any faculty considering applying for sabbatical leave should plan in advance what they want to achieve from it in terms of developing research partnerships, projects, proposal preparations, and papers.  He also advises people to consider carefully what duration and if / what levels and patterns of travel are appropriate, as it can vary for everyone depending for instance on what personal and family commitments they might have.  Throughout his talk, Shane spoke very positively about taking a sabbatical leave as it is very beneficial to have a break from teaching and administration to concentrate on your research.  He noted taking a research sabbatical supports the University’s strategy by increasing the quality, quantity and impact of research, scholarship and innovation, and that encouraging the uptake of sabbaticals is now also a key action in the College’s new CEA Strategy for Research, Innovation & Impact 2025-30.