Explore UCD

UCD Home >

News and Opinion

News

Journalist making notes 08Apr
New journalists in residence for 2025 at UCD Earth Institute

UCD Earth Institute is delighted to announce four new resident journalists who will work with the institute and its members over the next year. With this second round of residencies, we look forward to collaborating with four impressive journalists working across a range of media with diverse experience and interests.
Views of beech trees from below 08Apr
“Go on, tell us a story!” – Using storytelling as a tool in science communication to enrich research culture.

The UCD Institute of Food and Health, the UCD Earth Institute, and the UCD Conway Institute—supported by funding from the UCD Research Culture ReCLAIM award scheme —are launching a new science communication training programme to upskill our research communities through storytelling.

Africa, Ireland and UCD: Working together to address global sustainability challenges - Call for Presentations 07Apr
Africa, Ireland and UCD: Working together to address global sustainability challenges - Call for Presentations

UCD Earth Institute and UCD Global Engagement are hosting a half-day research event on 22 May which builds on UCD's Africa Engagement Strategy by showcasing research and platforming conversations around UCD research in and about Africa in the areas of climate, environment and sustainability. The full programme will be announced soon but we are currently inviting presentations from UCD researchers whose work connects to these topics.

Does working with an artist interest you? 24Mar
Does working with an artist interest you?

Interested in working with artists as a researcher? Please complete short survey for the ARISE project
200 18Mar
Our 200th member(s)!

We have welcomed thirteen new Earth Institute members since the turn of the year whose arrival brings our academic membership to over 200. Welcome to Sourav Bhattacharjee, Gary Boyd, Sarah Browne, Michelle Carey, Allen Higgins, Devon Kerins, Brian Leonard, Alessia Paccagnini, Saptarshi Sen, Seaneen Sloan, Italo Sousa de Sena, Ye Tian and Yunpeng Zhang.

Earth Institute International Women\'s Day Research Celebration 07Mar
Earth Institute International Women's Day Research Celebration

UCD Earth Institute held an International Women's Day Research Celebration on Thursday 6 March at 15:00 in Quinn School of Business, focussing on the gender dimension of research. UCD President Professor Orla Feely opened the event and we heard from Dr Marion Boland from Research Ireland as well as six research case studies.
UCD artists in residence in RHA exhibition about bogs 28Feb
UCD artists in residence in RHA exhibition about bogs

UCD artists in residence Fiona McDonald and Siobhan McDonald feature in BogSkin exhibition in the Royal Hibernian Academy which runs until 20 April 2025. Fiona collaborated with staff from the School of Agriculture and Food Science on the creation of her installation.

Mite on the head of a bee pupa Gilles San Martin 24Feb
Tackling the varroa mite: A global threat to honey bees

The invasive Varroa parasitic mite has contributed to significant decline in honey bee populations since the 1960s. Newly published meta-analysis by UCD researchers has evaluated the efficacy of different treatments against the Varroa mite.
Views of beech trees from below 20Feb
Communications vacancy at the Earth Institute

We're looking to recruit a communications professional to work with our environmental, climate and sustainability research community, helping us build relationships with stakeholder groups, communicate our research findings more widely and to further the societal impact of our work
End view of a pile of metal pipes

The Perpetual Motion Economy

Can we engineer our way to sustainable growth, asks Dr Kevin Roche from the UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, or does the ideal of the circular economy defy the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

Read more

Comment and opinion

End view of a pile of metal pipes 11Mar
The Perpetual Motion Economy?

Can we engineer our way to sustainable growth, asks Dr Kevin Roche from the UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, or does the ideal of the circular economy defy the Second Law of Thermodynamics?
Storm, lighthouse 21Feb
Greater than the sum of their parts: why the aftermath of Storm Darragh highlights neglected disaster scenarios facing Ireland

Dr Ronan McDermott from the UCD Centre for Humanitarian Action and School of Agriculture and Food Science explains why the aftermath of Storm Darragh rather than Storm Éowyn is indicative of the complex multi-hazard interactions that climate change will present Ireland
View of Leinster House, Dublin. Jeanhousen, wikimedia 17Jan
Lessons from a decade of climate politics in Ireland

With the publication of the draft Programme for Government this week by the incoming coalition of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, supported by Independents, Dr Cara Augustenborg (UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy) reflects on ten years of analysing and assessing Irish governments on their climate and environmental policies.
Man carrying out experiment in a field, large capital N 12Dec
N is for Nitrogen

Ernest Osei-Asante's research investigates how optimising livestock diets can mitigate urine nitrogen emissions. Ernest, a doctoral researcher and Teagasc Walsh Scholar from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, explains his work in our A-Z of Environmental and Sustainability Research series.

Hand holding Climate Justice Now placard 18Nov
Climate change, degrowth and social justice

Interview discussing human rights, gender, wellbeing, degrowth and the four day week with Dr Orla Kelly, UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice.

Green Hydrogen factory concept. Credit: iStock 14Nov
Can sea water power the future of green hydrogen?

Climate change is having a major impact across Europe. The European Drought Observatory has reported that nearly 50% of the continent is under drought warning with southern European countries having already in place severe water restrictions. So where does the green hydrogen economy sit in all of this, asks Veronica Sofianos from the UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering?
(opens in a new window)
Comic strip about fatbergs 07Oct
Fatbergs, comedy, culture and the bioeconomy

Interview discussing sustainability, agriculture and food production, waste management, circular economy, culture, heritage, research communication and public engagement with Associate Professor Tom Curran, UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering.

Heritage grain varieties at the Organic Village at the National Ploughing Championship 2024 24Sep
A UCD archaeologist at The Ploughing

Why would an archaeologist from UCD be interested in attending ‘the Ploughing’, one of the largest gatherings of farmers in Europe? Meriel McClatchie, an Associate Professor at UCD School of Archaeology, highlights the value of stepping outside the university to meet people from the wider farming sector, where together we can explore the deep history of farming in Ireland and its relevance for the future.

Pine marten in a forest, large capital M 31Jul
M is for Mammal

The history of mammals in Ireland is complicated, with extinctions of large mammals in the past and management problems in the present. Will it come full circle with the reintroduction of some of the long-gone large mammals in the future?, asks Virginia Morera-Pujol, a postdoctoral researcher in the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Sciences.

Photo of a group of workers harvesting tea 26Apr
Geographies of power: understanding empire and environment

Interview discussing the Russian empire, environment and empire, landscape and environmental change, visual culture and representation, political ecology and capitalism with Associate Professor Jennifer Keating, UCD School of History.

Discover more

Find out more about Earth Institute research and researchers in our opinion pieces, interviews, blogs and news archive

UCD Earth Institute

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 7777