Catch up with Faculty staff in the media this week. Through their writing, speaking, research and expert comment on the issues of the day, they improve our knowledge and understanding of the world.
Listings are in staff alphabetical order. Any School groupings appear at the end of the listings. Please click on the relevant link(s) in each section to access the media item.
Michael Becker, School of Law, is quoted in this article in which legal experts say that the impartiality of International Court of Justice (ICJ) vice president may come under question after she said God was 'counting on' her to stand with Israel. Middle East Eye 25 August 2025: After recent comments, should Julia Sebutinde still serve on Israel cases at the ICJ?
Dr Graham J. Dwyer, Trinity Business School, and Professor Karen Wiltshire, School of Engineering and School of Natural Sciences, write in an article that ‘Ireland’s position on the edge of the Atlantic - the very reason for its mild climate - makes it especially vulnerable’ and that ‘Ireland cannot hold back the seas or calm the storms, but it can decide how to respond - through stronger science, smarter policy and, above all, collective responsibility.’ The Conversation 22 August 2025: Why Ireland’s mild temperatures won’t protect it from the climate crisis.
Dr Claire Howlin, School of Psychology, is featured in this article and highlights that there is a reason lullabies work so well. Belfast Telegraph 27 August 2025: Meet the uncle who makes rave music to help babies relax… and it actually works. (Subscriber content)
Professor Ronan Lyons, School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, author of the recent Daft.ie Rental Report, features in a number of media items providing expert comment.
- RTÉ 25 August 2025: Rents 6.9% higher than this time last year - report. 'The upward march of rents continues, as availability shows little sign of improving.'
- Breakingnews.ie 25 August 2025: Nearly half as many homes available to rent now compared to 2015-2019. 'Further, Ireland’s lengthy planning process means that it will be a number of years before any increase in supply is meaningful enough to start addressing the large deficit of rental housing in the country.'
Dr Stephen Murphy, Trinity Business School, together with his co-authors in their research study has written an article on how 'over five years, we sought out and got to know people on the cusp of becoming conspiracy theorists. And the results of our new study show that a sense of community activism is attracting people to these ideas.' The Conversation 21 August 2025: Why people embrace conspiracy theories: it’s about community, not gullibility.
The research article is published in the Sociology journal entitled 'Resonant awakenings: The Social Lives of Conspiracy Theorists' and is available on the publication website here.
Sophie van der Valk, School of Law, discusses prisoners' experiences of rights protections in Irish prisons. Irish Legal News 21 August 2025: Protecting prisoners’ rights in Ireland - a dialogue between researchers and the Irish Prison Service.
School of Histories and Humanities. An article in the Irish Times features Liam O'Ceallaigh, an early school-leaver who is now pursuing a full time undergraduate degree in history. He turns 72 this year, during his second year at Trinity. Irish Times 28 August 2025: Meet Trinity College's lifelong learner in his 70s: ‘I've made lots of new friends, young and old.’ (Subscriber content)
School of Law. Second-year Trinity College Dublin law student Omotolani Sogbetun has won the 2025 Matheson Cara Scholarship. Law Society of Ireland Gazette 25 August 2025: TCD law student wins 2025 Cara Scholarship.