The Bridge is the annual alumni magazine of Maynooth University

A final chapter 

As his presidency comes to an end in 2021, Prof Philip Nolan considers his 10 years in office and his role in leading NPHET’s critical Covid modelling work 

Academics - let alone university presidents - rarely become household names. But 2020 is a rare year and one that’s seen doctors and scientists take centre stage in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Step forward Professor Philip Nolan, President of Maynooth University, and, as the chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team’s (NPHET) Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, a key figure in the national fight against the virus. Despite leading many changes at Maynooth and across the wider university sector over the past decade, Nolan may not have expected such a tumultuous end to his tenure as President, which draws to a close in 2021.

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A rapid response to the Covid-19 crisis

Maynooth University staff and students stepped up with vital research and initiatives when the pandemic struck.

Find out about the Maynooth University drone technology that helps identify public health risks, the app that is being developed to predict the disease path, and the ongoing study to determine if a Covid vaccine will be effective in patients with obesity.

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Trading places

Story Exchange comes to life in new Mountjoy-Maynooth partnership

A ground-breaking Story Exchange Project saw 10 students from the Maynooth Access Programme (MAP) and 10 inmates from Mountjoy Prison’s Progression Unit come together and learn that while they might inhabit different worlds, in reality they weren’t all that different. The project, which began last spring with Gaisce - The President’s Award scheme, was the first formal activity in the newly formed Mountjoy-Maynooth University (MJMU) Partnership, which aims to promote new pathways to university for prisoners, former prisoners and people with convictions. The project saw participants aged between 19 and 25 come together using global organisation Narrative 4’s Story Exchange tool as a way to build empathy and understanding. The Story Exchange works by randomly partnering people from the group and getting them to tell each other a story from their lives. When everyone comes together again as a group, they re-tell their partner’s story in the first person.

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Meet the silence breaker

MU honours Laura Madden, the Irishwoman who spoke publicly about Harvey Weinstein

Monaghan woman Laura Madden was awarded the President’s Medal 2020 by MU for her courage in speaking publicly about the sexual predation of Harvey Weinstein. Madden had travelled from her home in Wales to Maynooth University to address an International Women’s Day event just five days before Weinstein was sentenced to a landmark 23-years in prison. Surrounded by her family and friends, she was awarded the President’s Medal 2020 for her courage in telling her personal story. In conversation with RTÉ and BBC broadcaster Audrey Carville, Madden described a 22-year-old woman, setting out on an exciting career in the film industry; the devastation of Weinstein’s assault; and her crucial decision to break her silence more than two decades later. “Something I have learnt since going public with my story is that you cannot fix a problem you cannot see. By shining a light on the collective experiences of women, a global reckoning has begun,” she said.

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The Big Life Fixer

The Big Life Fixer Trevor Vaugh arrived on our TV screens bringing a little human-centred design to real-life situations

Little surprise that the lecturer in Design Innovation at MU has become RTÉ’s go-to inventor in its programming schedule, also appearing in Home School Hub, and on The Business on RTÉ Radio 1, detailing the history of PPE. The Big Life Fix made for compelling viewing, offering up a mix of designers, engineers, cutting-edge technology, and plenty of personality. But it also provided insight into the range of obstacles facing people with disabilities – among them seven-year-old James Smyth, who lost both legs due to a rare spinal condition, Caudal Regression Syndrome. Trevor, who heads up the Maynooth University Innovation Lab (Mi:lab), was tasked with finding a creative, effective and tailormade solution to James’ mobility needs.

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Paying It forward

Dr Katriona O’Sullivan beat the odds as a homeless teenage mother. Now she’s trying to change them

With generous philanthropic support and expertise from Microsoft, the tech giant and MU lecturer have partnered on a series of outreach-focused STEM innovations – with real-life impacts on the line.

Dream Space is the name of the €5 million immersive STEM education hub Microsoft Ireland opened at its Leopardstown campus in 2018. Maynooth University is one of the leading research partners in the project, with Dr Katriona O’Sullivan at the helm. Space to dream, however, is not something Katriona herself had much of as a child. “There’s poverty and there’s underneath poverty. That’s where my family was,” she said. Katriona had a baby at 16 and found herself homeless, living in a hostel in Birmingham. Eventually she followed her Irish parents back to Summerhill in Dublin, where she worked the overnight shift as a cleaner in Connolly Station.

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Professional skills courses at Maynooth University

Ready to upskill or pursue a new career path? New skills-based courses on offer starting early 2021

Are you currently without work, thinking of returning to learning, or interested in acquiring new skills relevant to your current role? Maynooth University is now offering a suite of accredited skills-based courses for these uncertain times. MU is pleased to participate in the Government’s €47.5m ‘July Stimulus’ programme for higher education skills-related courses. During this academic year, we are offering a suite of short, flexible yet focused courses.

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