Image: Sirirat/Shutterstock
Almost 300 Irish-based researchers are celebrating the news that their academic work is to be funded by the Irish Research Council.
The Irish Research Council (IRC) has revealed that 284 early-career researchers have been awarded a total of €22m under its Government of Ireland programmes.
The purpose of these programmes is to provide support for exceptional postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, and this year has highlighted a wide diversity of project focuses.
Among them are Boglarka Krkos, a postgrad student at Cork Institute of Technology who will work towards identifying novel antimicrobials for the control of antibiotic resistant pathogens, and Madhusanka Liyanage, a postdoc researcher at University College Dublin who is researching secure east/west-bound communication for 5G networks.
Other researchers include Sarah Parker, a postgrad student at Trinity College Dublin whose research is focused on family homelessness and housing exclusion in the Dublin region, and Eva Barrett, a postdoc researcher at NUI Galway who is investigating how a strengthening programme can improve the health of older people in residential care.
Speaking at the announcement of the awards, Prof Jane Ohlmeyer, chair of the IRC, said: “Our programmes are highly competitive and internationally reviewed, which means that the successful awardees have demonstrated the highest standards of excellence.
“We look forward to supporting the researchers as they cultivate important skills and expertise for a variety of career avenues, including academia, industry, civil society and the public sector.”
Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation John Halligan, TD, was also at the announcement at the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), and said: “In recent years, the IRC has funded 58 researchers here at WIT alone, representing an investment of over €4m.
“This investment encompasses postgraduate, postdoctoral and principal investigator-led awards. I look forward to continuing to work with the IRC to deliver on its mission of sustaining a vibrant research community to underpin Ireland’s future.”
