News & Events

In August 2024, the Earth Institute welcomed three new Institute members: Muhammad Gulzari, Tensay Meles, and Aisling Reilly.

Dr Muhammad Gulzari (School of Civil Engineering) is a new faculty member at UCD with research interests in finite element modelling, structural dynamics, and applied mechanics.  His research also includes acoustic metamaterials - artificially engineered materials/structures with unusual mechanical and dynamic properties. They are found promising in wave manipulation with potential application including vibration and noise control.  Muhammad's research also deals with how to integrate waste materials in construction projects, promoting circular economy.  Muhammad is an Irish Research Council-Research Fellow and received the Seal of Excellence Award from EU-Horizon MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2021.

Dr Tensay Meles (School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy) is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Economics & Policy at UCD Environmental Policy.  His recent research covers building energy performance certificates, electricity markets and tariffs, environmental valuation, adoption of renewable energy technologies, and economic preferences & their temporal stability. He employs randomized controlled trials, panel datasets, surveys combined with administrative data, as well as machine learning techniques in his research.  Tensay has rich experience in designing and administering household and firm surveys in developing countries, particularly in Tanzania and Ethiopia.  His work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals including Environmental and Resource Economics, Energy Economics, and Energy Policy.

Dr Aisling Reilly (School of Agriculture and Food Science) is a Lecturer / Assistant Professor in Horticulture in the School of Agriculture.  Her research interests include sustainable crop production through plant genetics, and the use of endophytes as biological alternatives to chemical fertilizer and pesticide inputs.  Aisling's research seeks to address the issues facing food production and sustainable agriculture, which aligns with the challenges outlined by the research theme Plants for the Future.  Aisling has contributed to activities and events organised by the Earth Institute, such as the campus plant walks in 2023 and 2024.  This provided the opportunity to engage with the public and other colleagues across the UCD campus , which is crucial for translating research for non-specialist audiences and for driving environmental changes.