Rachel Msetfi

Yesterday, as part of Maynooth University Research Week 2026, we held our Research Achievement Awards and Graduate Research Academy Awards, recognising the outstanding contributions of our researchers and research students.

These awards showcase the wonderful research taking place across Maynooth University, and recognised the enormous amounts of hard work that lie behind every achievement. Research requires not only curiosity and creativity, but also dedication, persistence and resilience, often over many years. It is particularly rewarding to recognise excellence at different stages of the research journey, and to see the many ways in which our research is making a difference.

Warmest congratulations to all our award recipients and nominees! 2026 staff awardees: Ian Marder, Conor Cahalane, Katriona O'Sullivan, Sadhbh Byrne, Máire Nic an Bhaird, and Rafael de Andrade Moral.

A special thank you to the Research Development Office and the Graduate Research Academy, Maynooth University for organising these events, and to everyone involved in supporting and recognising the achievements of our research community.

#MaynoothUniversity #ResearchWeek2026 #ResearchExcellence #ResearchImpact #GraduateResearch

A wonderful event this morning as part of Maynooth University Research Week 2026!

Congratulations to Professor Xu Wang and the Maynooth International Engineering College (MIEC) team for organising MIEC Research Connections, a series of fascinating lightning talks showcasing research across AI, robotics, photonics, wireless communications, sustainable technologies and biomedical engineering.

MIEC is our partnership with Fuzhou University in China and is a wonderful example international research collaboration. It was inspiring to hear about the excellent research being undertaken by colleagues and to see the opportunities for sharing knowledge, learning from one another and developing new collaborations.

A lovely reminder that research thrives through openness, exchange and collaboration across borders.

Many thanks to all the researchers who shared their work, and congratulations again to Xu Wang and the MIEC team!

maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/mi…

#MaynoothUniversity #ResearchWeek2026 #MIEC #InternationalCollaboration #Research

A fascinating discussion at Maynooth University yesterday on Creativity in the Age of AI, as part of Research Week 2026.

As AI becomes increasingly capable of producing creative content, it raises some fundamental questions: What makes human creativity distinctive? Can AI enhance our creative capabilities, or might we risk losing something important along the way?

I really enjoyed chairing a stimulating discussion that brought together perspectives from technology, education, cultural policy, human development and the creative industries. The conversation reinforced that this is about much more than technology. It is about how we value, develop and support human creativity in a rapidly changing world.

My thanks to our excellent panellists Brian Donnellan, Markus Helfert, Michael OReilly, Nadia Feldkircher and Fiach Mac Conghail, and to everyone who contributed to the discussion.

Special thanks to Victor Lazzarini and our colleagues in the Arts and Humanities Institute (AHI) at Maynooth University and the Innovation Value Institute for organising such a thought-provoking event!

#MaynoothUniversity #ResearchWeek2026 #ArtificialIntelligence #Creativity #ResearchInnovation

It was a pleasure to welcome researchers, health charities and civil society organisations to Maynooth University yesterday for Research Together 2026, now in its fifth year!

One of the messages I emphasised was that good research is not just about finding answers — it is also about asking the right questions, and recognising who should help shape them. Bringing together researchers, health charities and people with lived experience creates opportunities for more meaningful and impactful research.

This years event was particularly timely as we strengthen our commitment to engaged research through our new MU Futures Hub, supported by the Higher Education Authority, and our role as a full site in the national PPI Ignite Network.

Wonderful to see so many conversations and connections developing throughout the day. Sincere thanks to Health Research Charities Ireland, The Wheel, the Maynooth Futures Hub and Research Development Office for making the event such a success.

maynoothuniversity.ie/mu-futures-hub…

#ResearchTogether2026 #MaynoothUniversity #EngagedResearch #PPI #ResearchImpact

Maynooth University Research Week 2026 starts today!

One of the highlights of the University calendar is Research Week, when we have an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary breadth, creativity and impact of research taking place across Maynooth University.

This year, we have more than 50 events taking place between 19 and 22 October, showcasing research from across our three faculties: Arts and Humanities, Science and Engineering, and Social Sciences.

What I particularly enjoy about Research Week is the opportunity to step outside our own disciplines, discover what colleagues are working on, hear new ideas and make connections that might not otherwise happen.

I'm also delighted that so many events are open to the wider public. Universities have an important responsibility not just to generate knowledge, but to share it and create opportunities for people to engage with research that matters to them.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in organising this years programme and to all our researchers who are sharing their work!

Full programme: maynoothuniversity.ie/research-week

#MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #ResearchWeek2026 #ResearchImpact #ResearchExcellence