Following the minister’s announcement of the major capital investment, Dr. Mulcahy commented, “This investment announced today for Institute of Technology Carlow by Minister Bruton and Minister Mitchell O’Connor is very significant for our region and country and is underpinned by an experienced and ambitious faculty who have established strong national and international networks, and a track record of new innovative offerings across areas as diverse as Biopharma, Medtech, Environmental, Agri-Food and Health Sciences.”.

The advanced science and technology building is expected to provide facilities to accommodate the ongoing expansion of higher education opportunities, research and innovation across the science and health disciplines. It will power scientific innovation, assist in attracting and developing intellectual talent and inward investment and drive economic development in the region and state. The ultra-modern facility will be located on the Kilkenny Road adjacent to the Institute’s Dargan Centre for Research and Innovation.

This latest significant investment will complement the current roll-out of a €150 million physical master plan for Institute of Technology Carlow that has already delivered: The Dargan Centre for Research and Innovation in 2014; the Centre for Aerospace Engineering in 2015; the Haughton Building for Teaching and Learning in 2016; the commencement of a 30-acre South Sports Campus development comprising six GAA, rugby and soccer pitches alongside a full-size running track; the acquisition of an additional 42 acres for future growth in Carlow and Wexford; and the expansion of the Institute’s Learning Resource Centre.  Further capital projects are in discussion and planning with key stakeholders in the southeast and mid-east.

President of Institute of Technology Carlow, Dr Patricia Mulcahy, said “At this transformational time in our history, we are working determinedly towards Technological University designation.  Our vision prioritises a strategic focus on meeting the technological needs of the economy and society.  Consistent with this, full-time learners pursuing STEM programmes continues to increase across a broad range of Science, Health, Engineering and Technology disciplines.  We thank the Ministers for this investment in our Institute and look forward to working with the HEA, the NDFA and the Department of Education and Skills to bring the facility on-campus as soon as possible.”

Chairman of the Governing Body of Institute of Technology Carlow, Mr John Moore, said, “These are exciting and challenging times for higher education and indeed the country.  We are starting to experience strong economic growth and the infrastructural and resourcing challenges that accompany such growth.  The Institute of Technology Carlow has demonstrated its innovation, flexibility and resilience in meeting the challenges of the past decade, consistently being placed in the top tier of performance by the HEA under the national performance review system for higher education institutions.  This investment will further support the Institute in responding rapidly and effectively to evolving economic and social imperatives.  I thank Minister Bruton and Minister Mitchell O’Connor for their continued support on this and related matters that collectively accelerate the transition to a Technological University of the South East of international standing.  I also take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of the members of the Governing Body, leadership team, faculty and staff in delivering another remarkable development for the Institute and its stakeholders.”

Since its founding in 1970, Institute of Technology Carlow has generated more than 50,000 graduates and currently ranks as the fourth-largest of Ireland’s 14 Institutes with 7,500 enrolments. There has been a 40% increase in total enrolments since 2011 and a 45% increase in graduates over the same time period. It consistently features highly in the CAO first preferences for Institutes of Technology, which sees an annual average of 12,000 students apply for up to 70 higher certificate and degree courses via the CAO.

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For reference: Alma Feeley, Institute of Technology Carlow Communications Office
M: 087 8204934        
e: alma.feeley@itcarlo

Introduced by the president of the Institute, Dr. Patricia Mulcahy, Peter McVerry spoke to a packed theatre of students and staff about his work with the homeless and the value of volunteering. “The satisfaction of seeing a homeless person when we give them a key to one of our apartments makes the work worthwhile”, he commented.

He was presented with a donation from the Students Union by its president, Lorna Fitzpatrick, a donation from the TUI by Claus Derenda, and a donation from the Institute by Dr. Mulcahy.

In her address to the students, Dr Mulcahy described the importance of volunteering in the college. “We highly value those who give their time to volunteer in the college. Institute of Technology Carlow is extremely proud of the level of volunteering that takes place throughout the year. It is important on both a local and national level”, she commented.

24 local, national and international voluntary organisations were represented at the Volunteer Fair. Organisations such as the Irish Wheelchair Association and Gaisce were welcomed to the college to showcase the work they undertake and provide information surrounding their organisations. In his opening address, Peter McVerry said, ‘There is a volunteer role for everyone in the audience’ and, throughout the day, students and faculty members alike had the opportunity to visit individual stands and sign up as volunteers. 

During her address, Dr. Mulcahy spoke about the Institute’s High Performance Entry Scheme which makes active citizenship part of the college’s application process. It is the only programme of its kind in Ireland which specifically rewards aspiring third-level students for exceptional citizenship. Dr. Mulcahy also highlighted the President’s Volunteer Award, which was established in association with UNUM and Carlow Volunteer Centre to awards students for their efforts in volunteering. This year, more than 40 students was receive the President’s Volunteer Ward.

Pictured - Peter McVerry (second from right) was presented with three separate donations at yesterday’s Volunteer Fair. From left: TUI representative Claus Derenda, SU President Lorna Fitzpatrick and Institute President Dr. Patricia Mulcahy.

Led by Dr. Darren Kavanagh, an engineering lecturer at Institute of Technology Carlow, Eureka is a Science Foundation Ireland-awarded project under the discover programme. It will   actively promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) though a varied festival programme that includes learning workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations, interactive seminars, debates and even a fireworks display!

Eureka is the result of a strategic collaboration between the Institute of Technology Carlow, Carlow Museum and the County Library in Carlow. Through innovative outreach to young and old in STEM subjects and topics, it is hoped that Eureka will become a flagship STEM calendar event for the region. The festival, which has been kindly supported by Science Foundation Ireland, runs during National Science Week.

Kicking off on Monday 13th November, Eureka offers a varied programme of events for primary, secondary and third-level students as well as teachers, academics and members of the public. They include: K’Nex physics prototyping for primary school students; a blueprint challenge for TY students; engineering and robotics workshops; a ‘back of the napkin’ concept challenge; a public debate; a STEM table quiz; coding workshops for teachers; technology and engineering seminars for the public; student poster exhibitions; a movie screening with an applied maths theme; a STEM bake-off and a fireworks display. The last day of the festival will feature Dargan 150, a conference on the work and theories of the Carlow engineer William Dargan.

Speaking about the significance of Eureka, Dr. Darren Kavanagh commented, “Eureka will play a very important role in the advancement of a strong and vibrant STEM culture and ecosystem for the region. We are very grateful to Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) for its financial support and encouragement, which has been instrumental in getting this initiative off the ground”.

Speaking at the festival launch, Dermot Mulligan, Carlow Museum Curator and Eureka project partner commented, “Carlow has produced a number of very important scientists over the centuries and, to further develop and foster future generations of scientists and engineers, it is important to stimulate creative thinking. Eureka is an initiative that promotes science, technology, engineering and maths in a fun and interactive way and will hopefully inspire a new STEM generation”.

For further information www.eurekafestival.ie For Twitter, use #eurekacarlow #believeinscience

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For reference: Alma Feeley, Communications Dept, Institute of Technology Carlow
e: alma.feeley@itcarlow.ie   
t: 059 9175098          
m: 087 8204934

Speaking following the appointment, Ibec South East Regional Director John Farrell said: “I want to congratulate Dr Mulcahy on her appointment and wish her every success. We look forward to working with her on the challenges facing the region and continuing our close relationship with businesses in the South East during this time of renewed emphasis on balanced regional development.

Dr Mulcahy is also chairperson of the South East Regional Skills Forum.  Speaking of the importance of the Forum, Mr Farrell said: "The South East Regional Skills Forum provides an important opportunity for employers and the education and training providers in the region to work together in addressing the skills needs in the South East.”

Ibec last Friday met with political representatives in the region to discuss key investment and planning priorities for the South East, the challenges of Brexit along with measures needed in the upcoming budget to instil confidence and support the region’s future growth.

Of the meetings with regional political representatives, Mr Farrell said, “Business will play a critical role in the future economic growth of the region. It is imperative that business takes the opportunity to liaise with policymakers in setting priorities to support business and drive development of the region. Meeting with political representatives in the South East gives the business community a platform to do that and help bring the region to a new phase of growth and prosperity.

“Priority must be given to the creation of a Technological University (TU) in the South East. Ibec is a strong supporter of the concept of a TU.  The establishment of a TU is very closely aligned with the economic needs of the South East. It would help attract inward investment and retain regional talent. The economic and social pay-back for the region would be significant.

“The TU legislation needs to be enacted as a priority. Both Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow are fully committed to the TU process and to working together to ensure its successful delivery for the region. We sincerely hope the legislation can progress without further delay.

“Ibec welcome the recent Government decision to reverse its debt reduction strategy of 45% of GDP, to allow for more capital investment. But the Government can, and must, do even more to implement long-term planning and place a sharper focus on increased infrastructure and education investment with the Exchequer funds now available. Better use must also be made of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and other non-Exchequer finance, such as from the European Investment Bank. The path towards this should begin with Budget 2018.

“Ibec South East is calling on Government to give the investment needs of the region the high priority they deserve in order to secure the future economic performance of the South East. Efficient delivery will be key and must be led by a comprehensive National Planning Framework. With the right infrastructure, skills supply and support in place, the South East region can play a significant role in addressing economic and societal imbalances.”

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Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur is a national competitive process which has a €2 million investment fund to support young entrepreneurs, aged between 18 and 35. Speaking about the programme, Holohan said “Two thirds of all new jobs are created by start-ups, so if we are to help create an environment to create jobs we must support more entrepreneurs to start new businesses. That is why Carlow County Council have placed a heavy emphasis on economic development and business support over the past number of years"

The competition is run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), including LEO Carlow with the support of the Department of Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland.

There are three categories: Best Business Idea; Best Start-Up Business and Best Established Business.

Up to 450 young entrepreneurs will be invited by the LEOs to attend free regional 'Entrepreneur Bootcamps' later in the year to help them develop their business ideas.

With an IBYE investment fund of €50,000, LEO Carlow will award up to six investments to three category winners and three runners-up.
The local winners in the Best Start-Up and Best Established Business categories will receive investments of up to €15,000 each and the runners-up will each receive up to €5,000.

The Best Business Idea winner will receive an investment of up to €7,000 and the runner-up will receive up to €3,000.

These winners at county level will progress to regional finals early next year and the national IBYE finals will be held in March 2018.

"The substantial investments available under IBYE are a very important part of the programme and will help more young entrepreneurs here locally to grow their businesses and create more jobs. Other business supports, such as management training, networking and one-to-one mentoring are also at the heart of IBYE," said Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise with Carlow County Council’s – Local Enterprise Office

"Last year, 450 young entrepreneurs all over the country benefited from these business supports and 180 of them won investment funding to help start and grow their own businesses, so the rewards are there for participants, as well as for the winners," said Mr. Comerford

Speaking about the awards Declan Doyle – Head of Development for IT Carlow said “IT Carlow is delighted to be once again working with LEO Carlow to promote and drive the enterprise agenda in County Carlow. IBYE is just one way we can work in partnership to develop a dynamic enterprise base using the strengths of IT Carlow and the enterprise resources available from the Local Enterprise Office Carlow”

Member of the judging panel for 2017 Yvonne Jones – President of County Carlow Chamber said “IBYE really provides a platform for young entrepreneurs to develop their idea or business to the next level”, O’Toole continued to say “we are delighted as Carlow Chamber to use the collective connections of Chamber members to enhance this programme”.

Cllr William Paton, Cathaoirleach with Carlow County Council said ““Now more than ever before, Local Authorities are connecting with young and aspiring entrepreneurs, through our LEOs. We are very keen to ensure that anyone with a good idea for a business is given the necessary encouragement and support every step of the way.

There is a wealth of innovative thinking among our bright and increasingly confident young population. It is very important that we harness this resource to encourage enterprise locally. This will in turn create much needed sustainable employment and economic wealth throughout the country.”
At the launch were last year’s winners Dylan Scully from MatchDay, Gary Flannery from Adrenaline HPL and Kate Gaynor from Advanced Coatings who were joined by the representatives from IT Carlow, Carlow Chamber and the Local Enterprise Office. The County Final will be held on 5th December 2017.
To enter, local entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 should visit www.ibye.ie  to submit their applications online. The closing date for entries is Friday, 29th September 2017. There are no entry fees.

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John Romero, the developer of some the best known and most ground breaking computer games of the last four decades (including Commander Keen, Doom and Quake amongst others) spoke about his life in the industry and made some interesting predictions about the future of gaming over the next decade.

During conference downtime, John Romero showed his prowess at Doom, the game he developed at id Software that defined the first person shooter (fps) genre of computer game, by playing against fellow attendees and students of IT Carlow's computer games development course.

Brenda Romero, a Fulbright Scholar, Professor at University of Limerick and one of the most renowned game designers in the world, spoke about the state of the industry today and specifically the important and sometimes understated role played by women in the industry.

The Romeros expressed their confidence in the quality of computer graduates produced in Ireland by moving from America to Ireland and setting up a games studio here.

Another keynote speaker was Demid Teshin, CEO of the Fun Bakers Game Studio, who spoke of the commercial realities of developing cutting edge Augmented Reality Games.

At the end of the conference Dr. Joseph Kehoe of IT Carlow handed the baton to Dr David King of Abertay University in Dundee for next year’s conference. Dr. Kehoe commented,  “The fact that the conference attracted such world class speakers and attendees bodes well, both for the future of the conference and also for the computing department at IT Carlow”

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As Institute of Technology Carlow prepares to welcome the first intake of students on the country’s only honours degree course in brewing and distilling, the programme has received a huge endorsement by becoming one of only four in the world to achieve recognition by the prestigious Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD).

And Walsh Whiskey Distillery, which boasts one of Ireland’s largest distilleries and a visitor centre in Royal Oak Carlow, has announced it is to award a €1,000 bursary prize to the brewing & distilling student who achieves the highest grades at the end of his or her first year. The bursary, according to Bernard Walsh of Walsh Whiskey Distillery, recognises Institute of Technology Carlow as “a centre for teaching, learning, research and innovation in brewing and distilling”.

The IBD is the world’s leading professional body for the brewing and distilling industry and promotes education and professional development in the science and technology of brewing, distilling, and related industries.  It spent the best part of a year assessing the degree course at Institute of Technology Carlow before announcing its endorsement. The Carlow-based programme now becomes one of only four worldwide to have achieved this recognition by the IBD. Graduates of the degree will be eligible to sit the Masters level professional qualifications of the IBD.

Bernard Walsh, Founder and Managing Director of Walsh whiskey said, “We are delighted to be a collaborative partner with the brewing and distilling degree course at Institute of Technology Carlow. The development is hugely welcomed by the industry which is crying out for qualified staff. To this end, the Institute is becoming a recognised centre for teaching, learning, research and innovation in brewing and distilling”.

Dr. David Ryan, programme director for the new degree course at Institute of Technology Carlow welcomed the news of both the Walsh Whiskey Distillery bursary and the IBD recognition. He commented, “The new degree programme is an incredibly exciting and timely development for Ireland’s growing brewing and distilling sector.  Our graduates will support the industry in the region, nationally and globally. The Walsh Whiskey Distillery bursary will inspire first year students to get off to the best start in their degree, while also making an impression with one of the leaders of Ireland’s whiskey renaissance”.

Launched last October, the Bachelor of Science (honours) degree programme in Brewing & Distilling, followed two years of research and development by Institute of Technology Carlow that included consultation with industry, representative organisations, national bodies and government. The programme has received huge support from the industry who have consistently reported difficulties in recruiting suitable qualified staff. 

According to the Food Wise 2025 national plan, Ireland’s brewing and distilling industry will contribute towards the creation of an additional 23,000 food and drink based sectoral jobs by 2025, an 85% increase in food and drink exports to €19billion and a 65% increase in primary production value to €10billion. Whiskey exports are up 60% since 2009 with 60 million litres exported per annum. 28 distilleries are now operating or being developed on the island of Ireland and the number of microbreweries are expected to grow to 100 by 2025. Direct employment in distilling will grow 30% by 2025. A surge of interest in craft beer and micro distilleries, emerging markets in Asia and the explosion of the craft alcohol market in the United States are fuelling the sector.

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For further information, contact Alma Feeley, Communications Dept., Institute of Technology Carlow e: alma.feeley@itcarlow.ie t: 0559 9175098/087 8204934

About Institute of Technology Carlow:
Since its founding in 1970, Institute of Technology Carlow has generated more than 50,000 graduates. It currently ranks as the 4th largest of Ireland’s 14 Institutes with more than 7,500 enrolments and employs 800. In addition to its BSc. in Brewing & Distilling, the Institute’s Faculty of Science offers degree courses in Biosciences, Analytical Science, Biopharmaceuticals and Environmental Science.

About Walsh Whiskey Distillery:
Walsh Whiskey Distillery is a leading producer of super-premium, triple-distilled, handcrafted Irish whiskeys. It was established in 1999 by husband and wife, Bernard and Rosemary Walsh. Located on the 18th century Royal Oak estate in Ireland’s Ancient East region, the company has built a portfolio of international award winning drinks brands comprising 10 Irish whiskey expressions, under The Irishman and Writerá¹£’ Tears brands, that are sold in 40 countries worldwide. The distillery at Royal Oak, which is manually operated,is one of the largest whiskey distilleries in Ireland. The two production lines, using both pot stills and column stills, give Walsh Whiskey Distillery the capacity to produce all three styles of Irish whiskey (pot still, malt and grain) amounting to 8 million bottles of whiskey annually. Walsh Whiskey Distillery at Royal Oak gives public tours of the distillery all year round. See www.walshwhiskey.com
 

An Institute of Technology Carlow graduate has launched a range of school and sports bags designed with her partner to help improve the lives of the children of Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam.

Anne Marie Greene (28yrs) and her partner Ian Kelly (26 yrs), who are both from Bray, have launched DUC, a range of colourful junior bags, schoolbags and sports kit bags with the aim of creating opportunities for vulnerable Vietnamese children. Working in partnership with the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, DUC - a shortened version of the Vietnamese word for education, giáo duc - is a one-for-one business model that pays for vaccinations, school kits and local swimming lessons. Drowning is one of leading causes of mortality among children in Vietnam with 32 children dying from drowning every day in the country.

Anne Marie’s and Ian’s involvement with the children of Vietnam began in 2012 when Ian was on a six-month work placement with a furniture designer in Ho Chi Minh City. An honours degree graduate in early Childhood Education & Care from Institute of Technology Carlow, Anne-Marie joined him for four months and volunteered with the Christina Noble Foundation in Vietnam. Her childcare skills were put to good use as she worked with kids from two months to six years of age, visiting the social and medical centre, accompanying children to hospital appointments and witnessing first-hand the incredible work carried out by dedicated care workers.

Since 2012, Anne Marie and Ian returned to Vietnam every year for one month, using donation money to buy shoes, toys and school kits directly for the local children. Last August they decided to develop a one-for-one business model that would help improve the lives of young children, in partnership with the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation.

Ian designed the DUC range, whose materials are sourced and made in local Vietnamese factories that provide safe and clean working conditions and where employees work social hours and earn a standard wage. The range comes in a variety of bright colours and designs.

The first delivery was shipped to Ireland last month and a second shipment is due in August. The DUC range is currently stocked in Arnotts and Uniform Warehouse in Bray, Maynooth and Montrose. The DUC Jr bags are stocked in Arnott’s and Mira Mira in Sandymount. Online purchases are available via www.duc.ie

“Every child deserves equal opportunities from the moment they are born. DUC’s goal is to provide children with the resources to support good health, education and the chance to have a bright future”, said Anne-Marie Greene

“DUC is not about a bag, it’s about a mission. I believe that if more companies adopted this particular business model, collectively we can make a huge global difference”, commented Ian Kelly.

Thrive is an agritech venture and innovation platform founded by Irish man John Hartnett’s SVG Partners in 2014. Thrive’s open innovation Seed Accelerator programme was created to help innovative tech companies disrupt, scale and lead in the global agritech market.

The win is yet another coup for MicroGen Biotech, which was established three years ago as an Irish High-Potential Start-Up (HPSU) spin-out from the EnviroCORE research group at IT Carlow. Headed by Dr. Xuemei Germaine, MicroGen Biotech applies constructed, functional microbiome technology to increase crop yield and health, while protecting food safety by remediating pollutants and improving soil fertility. The start-up has developed a fast and efficient technology that allows identification of functional microbes in four months – a process that can typically take years.

Speaking at the Forbes event, Germaine said: “We have demonstrated that, globally, our technology can bring down toxic pollutant levels found in food by up to 50%.”

The Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations last month released an article entitled Soil pollution is under scrutiny in which it stated “soil pollutant, such as cadmium, arsenic is up taken by crops and accumulating in our body to cause health problem, such as cancer; currently there is no solutions, and we need to work together to solve this problem”.

Commenting on the issue, Dr. Germaine said, “We’ve been approached by many US and global growers, governmental agency and industrial leaders to help them to solve this problem and they have told us that they haven’t heard any companies in this area and now is the right time to address the problem”.

The sustainability award is one of several milestones for the company this year. As well as being chosen to join the THRIVE AgTech accelerator program based at the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology in Salinas, Dr. Germaine was also a speaker on the panel “Growing diversity in agtech” at the 2017 Forces AgTech Summit. 

In 2015, MicroGen Biotech raised its seed funding from Irish and Chinese private investors and the Irish government agency, Enterprise Ireland. The company secured €1million worth of support from the Chinese government last month and recently signed several strategic alliances with leading Chinese state-owned companies such as CECEP, Shenli Oilfield, and Minegreen Ecological Restoration. 

Dr. Xuemei Germaine is a native Chinese, born and raised in China. She had a PhD degree in biotechnology from Institute of Technology Carlow and worked in life science sector for over 20 years both in China and Ireland. Dr. Germaine has extensive knowledge of Chinese market penetration of startups with disruptive technologies.  

Nematodes are microscopic wormlike invertebrate organisms, with high environmental significance.  The field of environmental nematology studies nematodes as indicators of environmental change.  The theme of this Symposium is particularly welcome in a regional, national and global context, in a world facing many environmental challenges.  The topic of the Symposium is particularly pertinent and timely.  The emerging field of environmental nematology has considerable applied significance as our awareness grows of the potential consequences of global warming, pollutants and environmental contaminants, and the need to decompose and recycle human, urban, and industrial wastes.

This event is relevant not only to nematologists but also to scientists interested in environmental biomonitoring, soil and benthic biodiversity and ecology, land use effects on soil ecosystems, ecotoxicology, agro-ecology and environmental risk assessment. The meeting will also highlight how knowledge and experience in the field of environmental nematology can be applied in industry and in policy informing and making.

The symposium will provide a platform for the world specialists in the field to meet, present their work and exchange ideas, with IT Carlow scientists amongst them. It will also provide the privilege to the delegates to listen keynote addresses by three of the world leading experts in the field: Prof Diana Wall (Colorado State University) on sustaining soils, Dr Michaela Schratzberger (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture, UK) on challenges of the marine environment, and Prof Stephen Sturzenbaum (King’s College London, UK) on the exciting topic of nematode toxicogenomics. 

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For more information contact Thomae Kakouli-Duarte e: thomae.kakouli@itcarlow.ie