Trinity celebrated success at the Analytics & AI Awards 2026, with its Sea-Scan: Dark Vessel Identification Using AI-Enhanced Sensing Over Telecommunication project taking home the Innovation Award.

The Sea-Scan initiative is led by Professor Marco Ruffini of the School of Computer Science and Statistics and Dr John Kennedy of the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. The project is developing advanced real-time vessel detection technology designed to strengthen maritime monitoring and security capabilities.

Sea-Scan explores the use of existing subsea fibre-optic telecommunications cables to create a large-scale sensing network. Using a technique known as Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), researchers send pulses of light through fibre-optic cables and analyse minute changes in the returning signal. These fluctuations can reveal vibrations in the water and seabed, effectively transforming telecommunications infrastructure into a continuous underwater sensing system.

The project combines this sensing capability with artificial intelligence and machine learning models trained to recognise the acoustic signatures of vessels of varying sizes, engine types and operating characteristics. The goal is to develop a fully autonomous 24/7 maritime monitoring and early warning system capable of identifying suspicious or “dark” vessels operating in Irish and European waters.

Sea-Scan is expected to deliver significant national, economic and environmental benefits. By enabling continuous ocean monitoring, the technology could strengthen the situational awareness of the Defence Forces and support the protection of critical maritime infrastructure. The system also enhances the resilience of Ireland’s digital infrastructure by improving the early detection of unusual offshore activity, providing reassurance to authorities, infrastructure operators and international investors.

Economically, the project offers a cost-effective approach by repurposing existing subsea cable infrastructure rather than requiring the deployment of new offshore hardware. Environmentally, continuous sensing capabilities could help reduce cable damage risks while also supporting broader marine environmental monitoring initiatives.

The Centre for Digital Security and Societal Resilience, the School of Law at Trinity College Dublin, and the ADAPT Centre recently hosted a roundtable on cyber security regulations affecting Managed Service providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) within the supply chain.

Co-organised by Maria Grazia Porcedda and Pauline Meyer (School of Law, Trinity College Dublin)  with Olivia Waters (ADAPT, Trinity College Dublin), the event brought together professionals from across the cybersecurity supply-chain ecosystem to discuss the evolving regulatory landscape. Discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities arising from NIS2, the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), the Digital Omnibus initiative, and the broader Cybersecurity package, alongside potential approaches for effective implementation.

Organisers thanked participants for their valuable expertise and contributions to a constructive debate. Appreciation was also extended to the Business School for hosting the event and to the Swiss National Science Foundation for supporting the initiative through the research project “Regulation of ICT Service Providers in a cybersecurity Perspective under European and Swiss law.”

Dr Abeba Birhane, Director of Trinity’s AI Accountability Lab and a member of the Trinity Centre for Digital Security and Societal Resilience, has been recently elected to the AI Act Advisory Forum, a legally mandated body established under the EU AI Act by the European Commission’s AI Office. The Forum brings together leading stakeholders from academia, civil society, and industry to provide technical expertise, advise the AI Board and the European Commission, and support the implementation of the AI Act.

Membership of the Forum was determined through a highly competitive selection process that attracted applications from experts around the world. Dr Birhane is one of only three members from Ireland, with Trinity College Dublin the sole Irish university represented on the Forum.

On this achievement, Dr Birhane said: 

“I am pleased to embark on the Forum’s important work in supporting the effective and timely implementation of EU legislation and policies,” 

An internationally recognised expert in AI accountability, Dr Birhane’s research focuses on the auditing of AI models and training datasets. She was named to the TIME100 Most Influential People in AI list in 2023 and has previously served on both the United Nations Secretary-General’s AI Advisory Body and Ireland’s AI Advisory Council.

Her appointment reflects both her leadership in the field of responsible AI and Trinity’s growing contribution to shaping international AI governance and policy.

Learn more about the AIAL lab here.

The Data Protection Commission (DPC) recently hosted a research symposium at its Dublin offices in partnership with ADAPT and the Centre for Digital Security and Societal Resilience,  bringing together leading academics and researchers to discuss issues at the forefront of digital regulation and data protection.

The event featured research spanning a range of topics relevant to the DPC’s work, including children’s data protection and online safety, AI regulation, age assurance, and the interaction between evolving EU digital regulations. Speakers represented a diverse range of disciplines, including computer science, law, cognitive science, ethics and social science.

The symposium provided DPC staff with valuable insights into Trinity’s research activities and public engagement initiatives. The event also featured a presentation from the Centre's Director Professor Hitesh Tewari and Deputy Director Professor Maria Grazia Porcedda, highlighting the centre’s work and its contribution to addressing key societal and technological challenges.

The DPC thanked the guest speakers for their expertise and the engaging discussions, and reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with the ADAPT Research Centre.

Young people from across Ireland gathered at University College Dublin on Monday, 29 June, for the inaugural Cyber Citizens: Cyber Sense Youth Panel, a national consultation on life online, digital resilience and cyber literacy.

The event gave13–17-year-olds an opportunity to share their experiences, concerns, priorities and ideas about digital culture, online security and cyber citizenship.

The consultation forms part of Cyber Citizens: A National Initiative for Digital Resilience and Cyber Literacy, a two-year programme led by the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education (cyberwise.ie) in partnership with the ADAPT Centre,Trinity College Dublin, Webwise, Oide Technology in Education and Pitt Cyber, supported by Research Ireland Discover Programme funding. 

Dr Rachel Farrell, Director of the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education, said: “Young people experience the opportunities and challenges of digital life every day. Their perspectives must be central to the resources, supports and public conversations that affect them.

Participants’ insights will help shape Cyber Sense, which develops learning and support for schools, families and young people, and Cyber Smart, which is led by Olivia Waters, Head of Impact and Growth Strategy at the ADAPT Centre and Professor David Hickton founder of Pitt Cyber and informs public leaders and decision-makers about the issues affecting secure, inclusive and resilient digital communities.

The programme will open with Jane McGarrigle, National Coordinator of Webwise, followed by contributions from Dr Farrell, Principal Investigator of Cyber Citizens and Aisling Maloney, UN Youth Delegate of Ireland and  member of the European Commission President's Youth Advisory Board. Marelle Rice, Research Project Manager of Cyber Citizens, will facilitate two shared inquiry sessions. The  inquiries will explore online culture, misinformation, scams, harm, responsibility, digital influence and the environmental impact of technology.

The panel, comprising representatives from Webwise Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), Comhairle na nÓg, Foróige, and Dublin North West Partnership, will also consider intergenerational differences and how trustworthy cyber citizenship information can be made accessible to young people, families and older adults.

The event will conclude with reflections from Janice Richardson, Director/Senior Advisor at Insight, a hub of international experts in digital education, expert to the Council of Europe, member of major social media safety advisory councils. This is especially timely as Ireland stands on the cusp of holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it offers an important opportunity to ensure that young people's experiences and digital resilience are part of the conversation.

Special guests include Rachel Madden, Assistant Director in our Children and Vulnerable Adults team and representatives from organisations across the Cyber Citizens Steering Committee including the National Cyber Security Centre (Darragh Mc Sweeney and Alicja.Bobek) Foróige (Sarah Haslam and Jessica Murphy), the JCSP Demonstration Library Project (Kathleen Moran), UCD School of Education (Dr Conor Galvin and Declan Qualter), UCD Clinton Institute for American Studies (Eugenio Lilli), ETB Ireland (Dominic Mc Evoy and Niall Mulpeter), Laois Offaly ETB (Caroline Spollen) and UCD School of Computer Science (Anca Jurcut).

Keep up to date with the Cyber Citizens project @ cybercitizens.ie