Researchers at 51 have received funding under the Research Ireland New Foundations programme for nine projects designed to tackle national and global issues.
These awards will support researchers in developing collaborative projects with community organisations and government departments addressing health, social, environmental, and economic challenges in Ireland and worldwide.
Research Ireland has announced funding for a total of 59 projects worth €683,677. New Foundations promotes close collaboration between researchers, civic society groups, and policymakers.
The programme includes co-funding from a range of Government Departments and agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Irish Aid), Department of Education, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA), Department of Rural and Community Development, and The Heritage Council.
The nine successful UL projects are:
- Associate Professor Tríona McCaffrey, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance
Mums using Music (MuM)-Community': An early intervention using music to support women’s mental health and wellbeing during pregnancy
- Associate Professor Elaine Kinsella, Department of Psychology
Empowering voices: Understanding stigma in gynaecological cancer care
- Associate Professor Áine Kearns, School of Allied Health
Collaboratively Working towards a Child-Friendly Justice
- Associate Professor Daragh Bradshaw, Department of Psychology
Traveller and Roma young people experiences in the classroom: Evaluation of the Kids’ Own Publishing resources
- Dr Helen O’Leary, School of Allied Health
Tackling Weight Creep in Knee Osteoarthritis; A Co-Design approach
- Associate Professor Anne Griffin, School of Allied Health
The Food Finder: Towards a collaborative national approach to mapping food environments to address food security
- Associate Professor Niamh Nic Ghabhann Coleman, School of History and Geography
Locating Loss: Histories of Infertility in Landscapes and Spaces
- Associate Professor Patrick Doyle, Department of Politics and Public Administration
CoopNet: Establishing a Social and Solidarity Economy Research Network of Ireland
- Associate Professor Robert Lynch, Department of Physics
Primary School Outreach through Hands-On Battery Construction for Promotion of Gender Equality in Physics
Making the announcement, Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO of Research Ireland, said: “The New Foundations programme exemplifies how research can be a powerful tool for societal change. By supporting collaboration between academic researchers and those working on the frontlines of community development and public policy, we can co-create knowledge that directly benefits people’s lives. We are proud to support these new projects, which will contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable and evidence-informed Ireland.”
The projects will last over a period of 9-12 months, and will enable researchers to build new partnerships, explore innovative ideas, and bring academic expertise to real-world issues through research actions, network development, conferences and workshops, and capacity building for interdisciplinary collaboration.