Research
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Trinity has a great reputation throughout the world for the depth of its scholarship spanning many generations and disciplines. Trinity's academic staff continue this tradition with even greater force in the present generation. Research activities are diverse and spread across all disciplines.
Research Strategy
The Strategic Plan 2009-14 lays out Trinity's research strategy for the next five years. There are two dimensions to this. Firstly, research is performed through Faculties, Schools and Research Centres. This maintains a broad disciplinary base of research activity and brings the scholar-teacher directly into Trinity's research strategy. It acknowledges the fact that the vast majority of the College's research output comes through the scholar-teacher working to an individual research agenda. The high standing of the College's scholarship in, for example, the Arts and Humanities, and its place in the international rankings, derives from the originality of scholar-teachers supported through Centres, Schools and Faculty structures. Research Centres are involved in research and research-led teaching, particularly at the graduate level.
Priority Research Themes
Secondly, the research strategy comprises five priority research themes. These are:
- European and international integration
- Culture and creative arts
- Materials and intelligent systems
- Biosciences and translational research
- Transport, energy, and the environment
From these priority research themes eight major research programmes are currently derived:
- Globalization
- Digital arts and humanities
- Telecommunications
- Nanoscience
- Neuroscience
- Ageing and independent living
- Immunology
- Molecular medicine/Cancer
Each of these major research programmes is a collaboration between Principal Investigators from several Schools; each research programme is associated with a significant and focused investment, and is earmarked for sustainability as part of the College Strategic Plan. The vehicle for investment includes the Trinity Research Institutes, the highest level of research structure in the university, each of which operates on a cross-faculty basis and is expected to deliver international impact for research investments.These are:
- Trinity Long Room Hub
- CRANN - Nanoscience Institute
- Institute for International Integration Studies
- Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute
Sustainable Society
A further aim of Trinity's research strategy is to address a global challenge. 'Sustainable Society' is a convergent theme for Trinity College. In the College Strategic Plan, it is proposed to find innovative ways to explore this theme by offering opportunities to scholars and researchers to define it and become engaged with it across all disciplines.