DkIT Students Shortlisted for Inaugural Póstaeir san Oireachtas 2025
Five DkIT students have been shortlisted for Póstaeir san Oireachtas (PsO) 2025, a prestigious national event that brings excellence in undergraduate research into the arena of Irish policymaking. This initiative promotes research with real-world impact across all disciplines and provides students with professional development through training and publication in SURE-J, Ireland’s undergraduate research journal. Led by Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and supported by Erasmus+ as part of the “Posters in Brussels” project, PsO strengthens the link between research, education, and policy, offering students a unique platform to influence change.
The students, who were nominated by their supervisors for demonstrating exceptional academic quality, creativity, and research insight, were:
- Conor Barnett (Supervisor: Keren Goodman, Dept of Built Environment) A Critical Analysis of the Cause of Project Delays on Major Infrastructure Projects in Ireland.
- Carol-Ann Scott (Supervisor: Simone McCabe, Department of Agriculture, Food & Animal Health) An assessment of offal production and utilisation in Irish beef processing: Exploring implications and perspectives from processors and producers.
- Cora Hogan (Supervisor: Kenneth Sloane, Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music) A Gendered Exploration of The Portrayal of Summiting Everest in Film (1922-2024).
- Micheal Keenan (Supervisor: Colletta Dalikeni, Dept of Humanities) An Exploration of Professionals’ Perspectives on the Accessibility of Domestic Violence Services for Male Victims of Partner Abuse in Ireland.
- Paul Kiernan (Supervisor: Donal McMorland, Dept of Civil Engineering) Urban Cycle Infrastructure: An Analysis of Connectivity.
Two of the DkIT nominees, Conor Barnett and Micheal Keenan, have been selected by the national committee to advance to the final event in the Oireachtas later in the year and will represent DkIT at national level, showcasing their work at Leinster House. This is a tremendous honour and a testament to their hard work and dedication.
Even for those not selected to progress further, being shortlisted for Póstaeir san Oireachtas is a significant achievement, reflecting the high standard of research and academic excellence fostered across all schools at DkIT. All shortlisted students have been formally acknowledged and thanked for their exceptional contributions. Their supervisors also deserve special recognition, as their mentorship played a crucial role in guiding and supporting the students' success.
Dr Gerry Gallagher, Head of Learning and Teaching andDkIT contact for Póstaeir san Oireachtas, said,
“We would like to congratulate all our students who were nominated for demonstrating excellence in their undergraduate research projects. The high standard of the students’ projects reflects their commitment and dedication and that of their supervisors. We are delighted to be able to recognise this excellence through the Póstaeir san Oireachtas initiative”.
Dr Sinead Loughran, a member of the National Team for Póstaeir san Oireachtas, said,
“We’ve been hugely impressed by the level of engagement from across the Higher Education sector with 14 Institutions participating. The nominations reflect a rich diversity of disciplines and demonstrate the depth of undergraduate research talent being nurtured across the country. It’s inspiring to see students and their supervisors so invested in connecting research with real-world impact and policy relevance”.
DkIT President, Dr Diarmuid O’Callaghan, commented,
“Congratulations to all of DkIT’s student nominees and their supervisors. The recognition of their work at institute and national level is a testament to excellent quality of work being done by undergraduate researchers at DkIT in a diverse range of topic areas that have application both regionally and nationally”.
