Rachel Msetfi

Fantastic to see Maynooth University’s Faculty of Science & Engineering launch 25 new ARDÚ Doctoral Scholarships supporting the next generation of researchers across Data Science & Digital Transformation, Health & Wellbeing, and Sustainability & Climate Change. These fully funded scholarships represent a significant investment in interdisciplinary research and research talent development, enabling doctoral researchers to contribute to solutions for some of the most pressing global challenges facing society today. The themes align strongly with Maynooth University’s Research Beacons and our commitment to impactful, collaborative research with real societal value. A fantastic opportunity for prospective PhD researchers interested in working at the intersection of innovation, technology, health, sustainability, and societal impact. Find out more here: maynoothuniversity.ie/graduate-resea… #MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #ResearchBeacons #PhD #Scholarships #DataScience #DigitalTransformation #HealthAndWellbeing #Sustainability #ClimateChange #Innovation

It was a pleasure to visit the THRIVE Centre of Business Excellence in Navan, hosted by Meath County Council and the Regional Skills Forum, to see first-hand this impressive new hub for innovation, enterprise, and regional development. The THRIVE Centre has fantastic facilities, bringing together supports for enterprise, tourism, food business development, broadband, and climate action under one roof to help businesses start, grow, and succeed. There is enormous potential in strengthening collaboration between higher education and regional partners to support inclusive economic development and deliver societal impact — something that resonates strongly with Maynooth University’s commitment to interdisciplinary and engaged research. Thank you to Meath County Council and everyone involved for the warm welcome and tour! meath.ie/council/news/m… #MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #Innovation #RegionalDevelopment #Enterprise #EconomicDevelopment #Collaboration

Dance is expression – but access isn’t equal. On #InternationalDanceDay, Delia Ferri at Maynooth University shows why inclusion in dance is essential to cultural rights and diversity. Read the full story 👉 bit.ly/4cNdTMf

Delighted to attend today’s launch of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s 2025 Thematic Research Call Awards at the State Laboratory campus in Backweston. A great day for Maynooth University, with funding awarded to: • Prof Fiona Walsh – antimicrobial resistance in environmental systems • Prof Emmanuelle Graciet – plant health and crop resilience in oilseed Congratulations to both on this well-deserved recognition! This is important work and reflects the strength and impact of our research community. Continued investment in research like this is critical to addressing complex challenges across the bioeconomy.

Great to attend the National Challenge Fund Event today and to support Maynooth University colleagues Dr Amy Fahy and Professor Fabiano Pallonetto on their success with the RENEW project. RENEW is tackling one of the most important challenges of our time — enabling communities to actively participate in the energy transition through innovative, scalable solutions. It’s a strong example of how interdisciplinary research can deliver real societal impact, bringing together technology, policy, and community engagement. The National Challenge Fund is an impressive initiative, supporting teams to move from ideas to real-world solutions addressing national priorities in areas like climate and digital transformation. Great to see Maynooth University research contributing so strongly in this space — and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of RENEW as it develops. #MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #ResearchBeacons #ClimateChange #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy #ClimateAction

The newly launched De Chastelain Scholarship Programme is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen research links between Ireland and Canada. The programme is supported by both governments and offers awards of up to CAD $16,500 to enable short research visits (3–6 weeks) across all disciplines. While framed around peace and reconciliation, this is interpreted in its broadest sense — spanning the systems that underpin stable, thriving societies: governance, health, environment, culture, technology, and more. Eighteen scholarships will be awarded each year, with opportunities for both Emerging Scholars (within seven years of PhD) and Established Scholars, and a strong emphasis on supporting early-career researchers. 📅 Deadline: 11 May 🔗 icuf.ie/scholarships/d… If you know colleagues who might be interested, please do share — it would be great to see a strong and diverse pool of applicants from across disciplines and institutions in both Ireland and Canada. #ResearchOpportunities #InternationalCollaboration #MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #ResearchBeacons

It was a privilege yesterday to attend the inaugural lecture of Professor Fintan Sheerin, Professor of Nursing and Founding Head of the School of Nursing at Maynooth University. Fintan spoke about the development of nurses across their careers — and the distinction between being ‘a nurse’ and being ‘nurse’. His reflections on presence, and on the importance of the space between humans, were particularly powerful. Fintan reminded us that care is not only about expertise and tasks but about connection, presence and humanity. This resonates strongly with Maynooth University’s Health & Wellbeing Research Beacon — where the focus is not just on advancing knowledge, but on improving lives through inclusive, person-centred approaches. A deeply reflective and inspiring lecture. Congratulations to Fintan! #MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #ResearchBeacons #HealthAndWellbeing #Nursing #HealthEducation #NurseEducation

At Maynooth University, @con20or and colleagues in @Maynoothgeog and Education have been bringing space into Irish classrooms—using real satellite data to engage students with the world around them and build critical digital and spatial skills. I am really happy to see this work gaining the national recognition it deserves! It’s a brilliant example of research in action: connecting our expertise in geospatial data, sustainability, and digital innovation directly into schools. What makes this especially significant is that this initiative was recognised by the Higher Education Authority as an Institutional Story of Impact—a national case study of how universities can deliver meaningful societal value. It’s a powerful reminder that impact is not abstract—it happens in classrooms, in communities, and in the opportunities we create for the next generation. 🔗 hea.ie/funding-govern… 🔗 maynoothuniversity.ie/faculty-social… #MaynoothUniversity #MUResearch #ResearchBeacons #DataScience #DigitalTransformation #Geospatial #STEMEducation #PublicImpact #DigitalSkills

Maynooth University and University of California, Berkeley are working together using the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship programme as a platform to build international partnerships. The UC Berkeley, Rausser College of Natural Resources and the Institute for European Studies are interested in hosting postdoctoral fellows and developing joint applications with Maynooth researchers. We are now inviting expressions of interest from: • postdoctoral researchers interested in developing an international MSCA fellowship • academic colleagues interested in hosting a fellow and building new collaborations with Berkeley If you are a postdoctoral researcher considering an MSCA fellowship, or a colleague interested in hosting, we would be delighted to hear from you. We will support a structured process including matching, proposal development, and an intensive workshop in Ireland ahead of the September MSCA deadline. 📅 Updated expression of interest deadline: 5 May 2026 More information and how to get involved: maynoothuniversity.ie/research/msca-… This is an excellent opportunity to build new international collaborations and attract outstanding research talent. #MSCA #Postdoctoral #ResearchCollaboration #InternationalResearch #MaynoothUniversity #Berkeley

Delighted to receive a copy of Understanding Cybersecurity Management in the Construction Industry: Challenges, Strategies and Trends by Zohreh Pourzolfaghar, Arash Habibi Lashkari, Rozita Hashemi, and Markus Helfert from Maynooth University's Innovation Value Institute This book is part of the Understanding Cybersecurity Series and offers timely insights into how digital transformation is reshaping risk in the construction sector, from IoT and connected systems to AI-driven environments. As infrastructure becomes smarter, the importance of robust cybersecurity strategies becomes ever more critical. Many thanks to the authors for sharing their work, I’m looking forward to diving deeper into the intersection of cybersecurity, digital construction, and emerging technologies. link.springer.com/book/10.1007/9… #Cybersecurity #SmartConstruction #DigitalTransformation #Infrastructure #Research

Excited to be developing a new research collaboration between Maynooth University and UC Berkeley, using the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship programme as a platform to build international partnerships. The UC Berkeley, Rausser College of Natural Resources and the Institute of European Studies, UC Berkeley are interested in hosting postdoctoral fellows and developing joint applications with Maynooth researchers. We are now inviting expressions of interest from: • postdoctoral researchers interested in developing an international MSCA fellowship • academic colleagues interested in hosting a fellow and building new collaborations with Berkeley We will support a structured process including matching, proposal development, and an intensive workshop in Ireland ahead of the September MSCA deadline. 📅 Expression of interest deadline: 27 April 2026 More information and how to get involved: maynoothuniversity.ie/research/msca-… This is a great opportunity to build new international collaborations and attract outstanding research talent. @NatureAtCal @UCBerkeleyIES #MSCA #Postdoctoral #ResearchCollaboration #InternationalResearch #MaynoothUniversity #Berkeley

Delighted to highlight this exciting initiative at Maynooth University! A core strength of Maynooth is how we bring people and ideas together, across disciplines, across borders, and across sectors, to tackle complex global challenges. Our Distinguished International Collaborator programme is an important part of that vision! Through the Programme, we are opening our doors to leading international scholars and innovators who want to engage with our research community in a flexible and meaningful way. This programme is about building genuine, lasting collaborations that enrich our research environment and extend our global partnerships. If this resonates with you, take a closer look and start a conversation. #AcademicCareers #GlobalCollaboration #ResearchLeadership #HigherEducation perrettlaver.com/maynooth-unive…

I had the pleasure of visiting Berkeley Lab with Daniel Kearns, Attaché for Talent and Innovation at the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco. Many thanks to Eoin Brodie and his colleagues for hosting us and for such an engaging discussion about their research, as well as the opportunity to see some of the outstanding facilities at Berkeley Lab. Visits like this really bring home what sustained national investment in research infrastructure can enable. As Ireland moves forward with initiatives such as the INSPIRE programme, it is exciting to think about the scale of scientific ambition and collaboration that this kind of investment can support. Thank you again to Eoin and the Berkeley Lab team for their time and generosity in sharing their work! #ResearchInfrastructure #INSPIRE #BerkeleyLab #InternationalCollaboration @LBNLresearch

Priorities for 2026

Talent, excellence and impact at the heart of this new @Researchirel strategy! Wonderful to hear accounts of impactful research at the launch.

LIMERICK IN PHOTOS: All ills cured at teddy bear hospital SPECIAL ‘paw-scriptions’ were filled out as the beloved teddy bear hospital returned to the University of Limerick this past week. More on the link in our bio. 📷 Arthur Ellis #Limerick #LimerickInPhotos

A further highlight of our visit to Aga Khan University in Nairobi was the opportunity to tour the campus and see first-hand the academic facilities and the Aga Khan University Hospital. From the health sciences education spaces and advanced simulation laboratories, to the library’s wonderful learning environment and the Graduate School of Media & Communications’ journalism and media production facilities, the campus was impressive providing a wonderful learning environment. Thank you to our @AKUGlobal University colleagues for the generosity of the welcome and the open discussions about how our institutions can continue to learn from one another. #HigherEducation #GlobalPartnerships #HealthEducation #MediaEducation #ResearchCollaboration #AKU #MaynoothUniversity

I was honoured to attend the @AKUGlobal University Convocation in Nairobi this week and to witness the graduation of so many talented students in education, nursing, medicine and the health sciences. These graduates will go on to shape health systems, education systems and communities across East Africa and beyond. To celebrate their achievement alongside AKU leadership, faculty and families was really inspiring. During the visit, we also held a focused AKU - Maynooth University Research Session, co-led by @virani_md and myself. We had excellent discussions around shared priorities, including: • Climate change, sustainability and community resilience • Digital innovation, data science and data governance • Health, nursing and workforce development • Mental health, ageing and global health equity What stood out most for me was the depth of alignment, not only in research excellence, but in shared purpose. Both institutions are committed to research that is community-engaged, globally relevant and impact-driven. The STEADY Network (funded through Erasmus+) is supporting 42 mobilities between our institutions and is already creating meaningful opportunities for exchange, collaboration and co-creation. This will ensure that these conversations translate into sustained partnerships between researchers, staff and students. More to follow! #GlobalPartnerships #HigherEducation #ResearchCollaboration #GlobalHealth #Sustainability #DataScience #AKU #MaynoothUniversity

Peer review is essential — but it’s breaking under the weight of workload. Research funding and publishing rely on vast amounts of un-costed peer-review labour. Reviewers are increasingly hard to find, workloads keep growing, and improving fairness often means more reviewers and more coordination — all of which costs time and money that the system rarely acknowledges. A recent Nature Communications study explored a lottery-first funding model: short expressions of interest, a lottery to decide who progresses, and peer review only at the final stage. The results were interesting: Of course there were far fewer proposals to review and the authors estimated 68% lower process costs AND Higher representation of women among applicants and awardees No drop in proposal quality once peer review takes place So in theory we should not abandon peer review, but we should use it where it adds the most value. We would then avoid exhausting reviewers — and levels of collegiality — on applications that can never be funded. Curious to hear what others think! nature.com/articles/s4146…