Archive 2008
News and Events 2008
- TCD Environmental Engineering Provides Safe Drinking Water in Kenya through Solar Disinfection System
- Irish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building workshop and website
- School of Natural Sciences Researches the Impact of Climate Change on the Volcanoes of Central Africa
- National University of Rwanda seeks senior academics as mentors
- Vacancy - TIDI Coordinator
- Vacancy - TIDI Doctoral Programme Officer
- Doctoral Training for Development in Africa
- Conference: Strengthening Institutions for Development and Poverty Reduction
- MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation fieldtrip to Kenya
- Inaugural Lectures of Professor Patrick Honohan and Professor Frank Barry
- Collaborative Research on East Africa Territory Integration within Globalisation (CREATING)
- EquitAble: Enabling universal and equitable access to healthcare for vulnerable people in resource poor settings in Africa
TCD Environmental Engineering Provides Safe Drinking Water in Kenya through Solar Disinfection System
14th November 2008
The first full-scale continuous flow solar disinfection system for a village community has been installed in Ndulyani in the Mutomo area of Kenya to supply safe drinking water for approximately 600 people. The system has been developed over several years by successive research students under the supervision of Laurence Gill in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.
The site selection, community liaison and installation of the pilot system were carried out this summer by Colin Price, an MSc student in Civil Engineering, while working for the Irish humanitarian organisation, GOAL as part of a fellowship. The aim of the pilot project is to demonstrate the appropriateness of the technology in terms of the robustness of the system, ease of installation and operation and the acceptance of the system by the local community. The project will monitor the anticipated improvements to the health of the village community after drinking such solar disinfected water supplies. Future objectives are to collaborate with GOAL to stimulate the start-up of a local company to fabricate these systems, while back in the laboratory in Trinity College, research work is ongoing into enhancing the process by the addition of a fixed photocatalyst.
Read more about this on-going research in Kenya on the TCD Communications Office website.
Irish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building host second workshop and launch website
10th – 13th November 2008
The Irish-African Partnership for Research Capacity Building is a three-year pilot project bringing together all nine universities on the island of Ireland and four universities in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda. It is a unique, high-level partnership to develop a coordinated approach to research capacity building in higher education institutions in order to make an effective contribution to the reduction of poverty in those countries. The newly launched webportal [http://www.irishafricanpartnership.ie] aims at linking project partners in a virtual community through which information, ideas and knowledge may be exchanged. The second workshop of the project recently took place in Entebbe, Uganda, and included TCD representatives Provost John Hegarty, IAPRCB Steering Committee co-chair Jane Grimson, Sharon Jackson, Ceppie Merry and Yaoxue Lin. Discussion papers from the workshop are now available from the website.
See www.irishafricanpartnership.ie for more information.
School of Natural Sciences Researches the Impact of Climate Change on the Volcanoes of Central Africa
3rd November 2008
Researchers from Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences recently travelled to the Virunga volcanoes on the Western Rift in Central Africa to research the affects of climate change in the area. The research is part of ongoing research funded by the US National Geographic Society and the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET).
The Virunga volcanoes straddle the borders between Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and are associated with some of the highest levels of biodiversity on the continent of Africa, including half the world’s surviving population of mountain gorillas.
TCD researchers, Professor David Taylor and Gayle McGlynn were joined in the field by Dr Julius Lejju and May Murungi from the Department of Biology at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Uganda. This joint research will contribute to the understanding of how environments function, illustrate how biota and ecosystems are likely to respond to future climate change-related processes and assist both scientists and policy makers in dealing with these issues.
View the photo gallery and read more about this climate change research on the Virunga volcanoes on the TCD Communications Office website.
National University of Rwanda seeks senior academics as mentors
October 2008
The National University of Rwanda is seeking out academics from North America and Europe that are recently retired or about to retire, or on sabbatical, to teach or to mentor our mid level managers (Deans and Heads of Departments in both Academic and Administrative divisions) at NUR on a medium term basis. We feel that at the National University of Rwanda there is great potential among our students as the future leaders of Rwanda and are looking for those in the international community that will be willing to give them guidance and instruction during their days at University in order to ensure a bright future for Rwanda and her citizens.
For further information, please contact Sharon Jackson
Vacancy - TIDI Coordinator
Salary: €45,000 - €65,000 per annum. Status: 3 year contract
The successful candidate will be the main driving force and overall manager of the activities of TIDI. The postholder will be involved in coordinating global development related strategies across all of Trinity's faculties and will be closely involved in building and sustaining partnerships with partner institutions involved in research and higher education relating to developing countries.
A postgraduate degree and excellent organisational and communications skills are essential. This post will start as soon as possible.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon on Friday, 7th November, 2008. Regrettably, we are unable to accept any applications received after this date. Interviews are likely to be held in late November 2008.
Funded under the Programme of Strategic Cooperation between Irish Aid and Higher Education and Research Institutes (2007-2011).
Trinity College Dublin in an equal opportunities employer.
Visit http://www.tcd.ie/vacancies/ for further information.
Vacancy - TIDI Doctoral Programme Officer
Salary: €45,000 - €65,000 per annum. Status: 3 year contract
The successful candidate will coordinate the newly established programme Collaborative Doctoral Training for Development in Africa being organised by Trinity in Collaboration with several other institutions in Africa and elsewhere. The largest component of this programme is the International Doctorate in Global Health (Indigo).
The idea candidate will have research experience relevant to developing countries, (preferably with a research doctorate, which could be in any of the Social, Health or Natural Sciences). Proven teaching ability is essential, while some understanding of curricular design and assessment, implementation and evaluation is an advantage. This post will start as soon as possible.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon on Friday, 7th November, 2008. Regrettably, we are unable to accept any applications received after this date. Interviews are likely to be held in late November 2008.
Funded under the Programme of Strategic Cooperation between Irish Aid and Higher Education and Research Institutes (2007-2011).
Trinity College Dublin in an equal opportunities employer.
Visit http://www.tcd.ie/vacancies/ for further information.
Doctoral Training for Development in Africa
1st October 2008
Through delivery of doctoral training in collaboration with African partners, this new programme will help strengthen higher education in and for Africa. The programme will involve students in the health, social and natural sciences, based in African higher-level institutions in partnership with Trinity College Dublin. In addition, it will raise awareness and build development skills of Ireland-based doctoral students through new postgraduate training offered to students at Irish institutions. It will also involve analysis, evaluation and communication managed by TIDI as a new institutional platform for global development, established at Trinity. Structured learning from the programme will lay the foundations for further expansion of collaborative research and advanced training to additional disciplines and especially to involve more partners, Irish and African. Resources are being applied to fostering these partnerships, and to energizing and facilitating a further shift of research and education activity towards addressing Irish Aid’s priorities and broader global development issues.
Download more information about the Trinity programme of Doctoral Training for Development in Africa (PDF, 32.0 KB).
Funded under the Programme of Strategic Cooperation between Irish Aid and Higher Education and Research Institutes (2007-2011).
More information on the Programme of Strategic Cooperation is available from: http://www.hea.ie/en/node/120
Conference: Strengthening Institutions for Development and Poverty Reduction
4th July 2008
This year’s global development conference debated the role of market, political, social and legal institutions in underpinning economic growth and poverty reduction. The conference sought to address a number of inter-related questions. What types of institution really do matter? Does the current vogue for institutional reform pay enough attention to national and local conditions and conventions? What lessons should be drawn by policy makers and development practitioners hoping to support institutional change in developing countries? What are the implications for aid policy and the coherence of other national policies with the development agenda?
The conference was opened with a keynote by Stephen Haber of Stanford University on the role of political institutions in economic development. Other speakers included Patrick Honohan, Elena Panaritis, Akere Muna, William Binchy, Lise Rakner, Michael Woolcock, Gwénaëlle Corre and Alan Matthews. A concluding panel session chaired by Ronan Murphy hosted Mike Williams and Su-ming Khoo, among other speakers.
The conference was presented by the Institute for International Integration Studies (IIIS) in association with the Trinity International Development Initiative (TIDI) and supported by the Advisory Board for Irish Aid.
Further information and all speaker presentations are available for download from: http://www.tcd.ie/iiis/pages/events/institutions_development.php
MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation fieldtrip to Kenya
April 2008
The MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation fieldtrip to Kenya took place in late April 2008. Dr. Ian Donohue and Prof. David Taylor organised and ran the trip. This year - the course's first - there are 14 full-time students on the course (12 EU and 2 non-EU). All students participated in the fieldtrip to Kenya, which ran over two weeks.
The trip webpage hosts comments from some of the students on the fieldtrip and their experiences, such as: "For me the best aspect of the trip was how much it confirmed that I had definitely made the right move by doing this Master’s, I am now 100% sure that a career in conservation is what I want to do, especially in areas such as Kenya, where the problems associated with conservation are so prevalent and in urgent need of attention...The overall experience was life changing on my behalf..."
Some photographs and information from the trip are available at: http://www.tcd.ie/naturalscience/MSc_Overseas_Fieldtrip/Kenya08.php
EquitAble Africa EU FP7 disability project
Inaugural Lectures of Professor Patrick Honohan and Professor Frank Barry
3rd April 2008 The IIIS, the School of Business and the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy were pleased to present the Inaugural Lectures of Professor Patrick Honohan and Professor Frank Barry. Professor Barry is the Chair of International Business and Development and Professor Honohan is the Chair of International Financial Economics and Development. The lectures took place on Thursday 3rd of April 2008 in the Robert Emmet Theatre, Trinity College Dublin. The event was chaired by Tom Arnold (CEO of Concern Worldwide) and introductions were made by John Hegarty (Provost of Trinity College). Professor Honohan spoke on “Money Matters for Poor Countries” and the title of Professor Barry’s lecture was “Realising the Future: What Lessons for Africa from Irish development?”.
Further information and videostreaming of both lectures are available from: http://www.tcd.ie/iiis/pages/research/otheractivitiesID.php
Collaborative Research on East Africa Territory Integration within Globalisation (CREATING)
March 2008
The project ‘Co-operative research on East African territorial integration within globalisation’ (CREATING) has received funding from the EU 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development under its Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) programme of measures to support international cooperation. It is the only project based in Africa that is being funded under the SSH Programme. The collaborative project aims at creating, developing and strengthening a social sciences and humanities research network bringing together scholars and institutions from the European research area with colleagues and partner institutions from a number of eastern African countries. Professor David Taylor is a PI on the project, which also involves Padraig Carmody and several other TCD staff. The network concentrates its activities on issues of relevance for development within the context of improved social and regional cohesion, with a particular focus on montane and lacustrine regions which lie across political boundaries.
CREATING currently involves nine major partners in Europe and eastern Africa and aims to put in place a firm basis for future enhancement of an integrated European and eastern Africa research capacity, and to help define relevant areas for future collaborative research. A call for applications was made in March 2008 for training and research opportunities for early stage postgraduate research students.
More information can be found on the CREATING website at: http://www.creating7.net/
Kigezi, South West Uganda
EquitAble: Enabling universal and equitable access to healthcare for vulnerable people in resource poor settings in Africa
February 2008
Pending negotiations a Trinity College led consortium is to carry out a four year interdisciplinary research project funded by the European Commission Research Framework Programme 7. The consortium is led by Professor Mac MacLachlan (Centre for Global Health & School of Psychology), with Trinity Co-Investigators, Dr. Hasheem Mannan (National Institute for Intellectual Disability & School of Social Work & Social Policy) and Eilish Mc Auliffe, (Centre for Global Health & School of Medicine).
The consortium partners are: Afhad University for Women (Sudan); University of Malawi Centre for Social Research (Malawi); Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa); Secretariat of the African Decade for Persons with Disabilities (South Africa); The Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (SINTEF) (Norway); University of Stellenbosch Department of Psychology and the Centre for Rehabilitation Studies (South Africa); University of Namibia Multidisciplinary Research and Consultancy Centre (Namibia).
This research programme recognizes that health services cannot hope to be equitable unless they are equally accessible to all. EquitAble will use policy analysis along with qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods to contribute to a rigorous evidence-base that aims to bridge the know-how gap for national, regional, and international health policies and practice.
More information on EquitAble is available at: http://www.medicine.tcd.ie/global_health/research/projects/equitable.php