The Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC)
Annual Conference 2016
For over 50 years the Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC) has provided a focus for interdisciplinary research between economists, geographers, political scientists, psychologists and sociologists at NUI, Galway. In its work the Centre has paid particular attention to the study of development issues in the West of Ireland. On Thursday 20th October 2016 the SRRC held its annual conference on the topic of ‘Galway: Today and Tomorrow’. This conference, which took place in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) building, provided a platform for a continuing programme of social science research to be strongly focused on the city and its hinterland. The three main themes addressed at the conference were: ‘The Emerging City’, ‘The Living City’ and ‘People of the City’. Among the specific topics discussed by an expert panel of speakers drawn from within and outside the university were: ‘growing Galway’s startup economy’, ‘Galway & the creative economy’, ‘food and the local economy’, ‘why Galway needs an urban park’, ‘transport and liveability’, ‘heritage planning for city and town life’, ‘design, art and the city’, ‘access and opportunities: young people’s educational experiences’, ‘refugees: the lived experience’, ‘neighbourhoods and the findings from the 3-Cities Project’. The conference was open to the general public as the means of (re)connecting researchers from the SSRC with the wider community. The full programme of talks is available to view below:
The 2016 Conference Programme
The 2016 Conference Speakers and Chairs
- Dr. John Breslin is a Senior Lecturer in Electronic Engineering at the NUI,Galway and Co-Principal Investigator at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics. John is co-founder of boards.ie, adverts.ie, StreamGlider, Startup Galway and the Galway City Innovation District. He has written 150 peer-reviewed academic publications and co-authored the books The Social Semantic Web and Social Semantic Web Mining
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Dr. Patrick Collins is a lecturer of economic geography at NUI, Galway. He has published in areas of regional development, the Information Society, and the impact of telecommunications provision. Currently, Patrick is supported by a number of European Agencies to investigate the economic contribution of Creative and Cultural industries to Galway, the West of Ireland and peripheral European regions more generally. Patrick has also worked on Galway’s successful bid for European Capital of Culture designation
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Séamus Sheridan is the founder of Sheridan’s Cheesemongers. He has spent 25 years working with issues relating to food and agriculture. He is Governor of Slowfood international, a member of the Board of Safefood, and a Green Party agriculture spokesperson
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Dr. Natasha Evers is College lecturer in Marketing at the JE Cairnes School of Business & Economics, NUI Galway. Her expertise lies in International marketing and entrepreneurship. She is co-author of Technology Entrepreneurship – Bringing Innovation to the Marketplace, (Palgrave MacMillan, 2014)
- Dr. Mike Hynes is a Lecturer in Environmental Sociology in the School of Political Science & Sociology at NUIG. His current research focus is on issues related to transport and urban liveability. His conference presentation today is a co-created project with undergraduate students looking at transport and liveability in the context of Galway. The rationale for and design of the project, and some very initial outputs, will be outlined in their presentation for this conference
This presentation is available to download by clicking here - Derrick Hambleton is chairman of An Taisce – Galway Association which works to preserve and protect Galway’s natural and built heritage. He is Galway City Community Network’s long-serving representative on both the City Council’s Transport & Planning SPCs and is a member of Galway City Community Network’s secretariat
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Colm Murray is the Architecture Officer of the Heritage Council, with qualifications in architecture, planning and building conservation. His current work areas include the heritage-led urban regeneration, the development of traditional building skills training provision, and the role of values in conservation decision-making’
This presentation is available to download by clicking here - Leon Butler works in the media industry as a visual narrative designer, filmmaker, and educator. He has worked with clients such as the Galway International Arts Festival, Starbucks, and Druid. His research explores adaptive interactions and experiences using available data in the public sphere and generative typography. The Design and Craft Council of Ireland listed Leon as one of their ‘Future Makers’ for 2016 and he was recently appointed as a design innovation research fellow on the Techinnovate program at NUI Galway for 2016-17
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Rosemary Webb is an architect and urban designer. She is currently the Senior Architect in the Strategic Economic Development Department in Limerick City and County Council
- Dr. Kathy Reilly is a lecturer in social and cultural geography with research expertise that straddles a number of arenas within critical geographic inquiry. These include: geographies of children, young people and families; geographies of education and social justice; and participative field-based research practice
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Dr. Jenny Dagg is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Maynooth University, Ireland. She is part of the FP7 RESCuE Project which is engaged in a qualitative analysis of family resilience practices across Europe in the context of the economic crisis. She obtained her PhD from the National University of Ireland, Galway with a thesis on the asylum process
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Dr. Kieran Walsh is Director of Project Lifecourse at the Institute for Lifecourse and Society, and Acting Director of the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, in NUI Galway. Kieran's research interest and expertise focus on: social exclusion; place and life-course transitions and trajectories; influence of structural forces and institutional life course; and informal and formal infrastructures of care
This presentation is available by request directly to the author - Dr. Judith O'Connell is currently Assistant Head of First Year in Political Science and Sociology (NUI, Galway) and Lectures in Modern Irish society and Nationalism. Her PhD investigates Nationalism as a Social Construct
- Prof. Kevin M. Leyden is a Professor of Political Science and Sociology. His work focuses on understanding how public policy and land-use planning affect health, social capital and well-being
Media Coverage
| Media | Title | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Newpaper Article | Social Science conference to focus on Galway’s future | click here |
| Newpaper Article | Lack of integration one of biggest issues for Doughiska community | click here |
| Newpaper Article | Creating space is key for new entrepreneurs, conference told | click here |
| Newpaper Article | Growing frustration over Terryland Forest Park plan | click here |
| Newpaper Article | Call for city carpark to be converted to indoor market | click here |
A Selection of Conference Photos
