Nearly €2 million in funding awarded to UCD environmental research projects

25 February 2025

^{EPA's funding focuses on Irish environmental and climate research Credit: Robert S. Donovan} 

Three environmental research projects from UCD have received a total of nearly €2 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The agency has funded a total of 25 new projects across 10 organisations, focusing on policy-relevant environmental and climate research in Ireland.

The UCD awardees are: 

• Dr Alison Connolly, UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, UCD Centre for Safety and Health at Work
  Project: Human Biomonitoring for Ireland (HBM4IE) Environmental Chemical Exposure Study
  
  
• Dr Enrico Secchi, UCD College of Business
  Project: Just Transition in Ireland’s Circular Economy: Scaling and Supporting Irish Food and Fashion Resource Recovery
  
  
• Dr Grace Cott, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science
  Project: Solutions for Optimum Restoration of Saltmarshes

“The HBM4IE study will collect and analyse samples, including blood and urine, to evaluate chemical exposures among the Irish population,” said Dr Connolly of her project.

“HBM4IE will advance the use of human biomonitoring in Ireland, as well as contributing to ambitious EU goals to reduce pollution to levels no longer considered harmful and create a toxic-free environment.”

EPA hopes that the projects will address knowledge gaps and support the development of research capacity in strategically important areas.

The agency will support and train the researchers to disseminate their outputs to policymakers and other users.

“Our latest EPA State of the Environment Report highlights the scale of challenges facing Ireland and the need for determined action across climate, sustainable consumption, biodiversity and pollution goals,” said Laura Burke, Director General at EPA, announcing the awards.

“This new EPA funding will help to build the vital research talent and knowledge needed in Ireland to respond to these challenges and achieve a healthier environment. I congratulate the successful research teams and look forward to seeing the positive impacts these projects will have on environmental protection in the years ahead.”

By: Rebecca Hastings, Digital Journalist, UCD University Relations

To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie