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MESSAGE

The Marine & Energy Social Sciences & Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group

MESSAGE: the Marine & Energy Social Sciences & Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group is an interdisciplinary research group hosted by the UCD Earth Institute, carrying out fundamental research with a particular focus on coastal, marine and renewable energy challenges.

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News

Group photos from Message research speed dating event, November 2024 27Nov
MESSAGE research speed dating event November 2024

MESSAGE hosted a research speed dating event under the theme of the ‘Blue Museum’. The event was led by Verity Burke and Josie Taylor.
Foram event logo 14Nov
"Foram" lunchtime talk and panel discussion

As part of Science Week, MESSAGE member Dr. Fergus McAuliffe co-organised a public event called "Foram" at the beautiful National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire.
The Irish Sea seminar poster November 2024 11Nov
The Irish Sea: Ecological, Sociocultural and Economic Insights

Green Foundation Ireland and the UCD Earth Institute hosted a seminar exploring the diverse values of the Irish Sea. Researchers, including members of the MESSAGE group, presented ecological, sociocultural, and economic approaches to the valuation of coastal and marine ecosystems.
Democracy & the Environment coastal change event poster 29OCT24 29Oct
Democracy & Environment Series V: Navigating the Community Impacts of Coastal Change

On October 29th, MESSAGE and the UCD Earth Institute co-hosted an event on "Navigating the Community Impacts of Coastal Change", at the Museum of Literature, Ireland (MoLI). Speakers included MESSAGE members Dr. Fergus McAuliffe, Dr. Shauna Creane and Dr. Tomas Buitendijk, as well as Dr. Katherine Cronin from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Mr. Xavier Monteys from Geological Survey Ireland.

IE-NARR Group photo at the Moneypoint site visit September 2024 14Oct
Irish Energy Narratives in the Transition (IE-NARR) energy transition workshop

In late September 2024, the IE-NARR team organised a two-day programme of community events in Kilrush, Co. Clare, focusing on the transition from fossil fuel-based energy production to renewables at the Moneypoint Power Station, and what this might mean for people living in Kilrush and the surrounding areas.

Visual representation of Dundalk Bay shown to participants during interviews and the focus group 12Aug
Ecology & Society 2024 paper

Research by MESSAGE members published in a new July 2024 Ecology & Society paper highlights the complex public perceptions of carbon-storing marine sediments in Dundalk Bay. 
MESSAGE founders at launch 21May
MESSAGE research group launch event in May 2024

Launch of new interdisciplinary research group MESSAGE hosted by the Earth Institute
Geertje Schuitema Earth Institute coffee morning illustrative poster 2MAY24 03May
Geertje Schuitema Earth Institute talk May 2024

In May 2024 Geertje Schuitema (UCD College of Business) gave an Earth Institute coffee morning research talk on Marine Spatial Planning and public engagement.

Members

Members

MESSAGE has an active membership and is keen to work with partners across Ireland and internationally, both on existing and new projects.

Attendees at the MESSAGE launch event buffet, May 2024

About MESSAGE

MESSAGE: the Marine & Energy Social Sciences & Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group is an interdisciplinary research group that is part of the UCD Earth Institute and iCRAG’s ‘Earth Science in Society’ research challenge. The group carries out fundamental research at the intersection of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with a particular focus on coastal, marine and renewable energy challenges. MESSAGE is jointly initiated and coordinated by Associate Professor Geertje Schuitema (UCD School of Business), Dr. Mark Coughlan (UCD School of Earth Sciences), Dr. Fergus McAuliffe (iCRAG & UCD School of Earth Sciences), and Dr. Tomas Buitendijk (UCD School of Business), all of whom are members of UCD Earth Institute as well as iCRAG, the Research Ireland Centre for Applied Geosciences.

The team are keen to work with partners across Ireland and internationally, both on existing and new projects. Any colleagues who are interested in collaborating can contact the team at (opens in a new window)geertje.schuitema@ucd.ie or (opens in a new window)tomas.buitendijk@ucd.ie.

Contact MESSAGE

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
E: tomas.buitendijk@ucd.ie