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TU Dublin Celebrates Landmark Year of Research, Innovation, and Global Impact in 2025

Published: Fri Dec 12 2025 - 13:39

R and I End of Year Header 2025

TU Dublin has had a landmark year of achievement across its research, innovation, and enterprise ecosystem, with 2025 delivering significant scientific breakthroughs, global recognition, strengthened research culture, and a major increase in funding. The University secured over €37 million in research and innovation funding, accelerating discovery, expanding international collaborations, and delivering real impact for society, industry, and communities across Ireland.

Engagement & Impact

TU Dublin strengthened its reputation as Ireland’s leading engaged research university, delivering cultural, community, and international impact through collaborative projects, public events, and outreach initiatives.

  • The Engaged Research Network piloted a new mentoring programme and delivered the Greenhouse for Engaged Research in Education, supporting projects co-designed with community partners.
  • TU Dublin celebrated researcher achievements through international recognition days and public engagement campaigns.
  • Roundtables with The Wheel and Men’s Health Forum led to a successful Research Ireland Pathways award, delivered in partnership with the Radiation & Environmental Science Centre (RESC).
  • International delegations strengthened global partnerships:
    • Hochschule Darmstadt - CoARA, open science, joint research
    • Henan University - PhD co-supervision and innovation collaboration
    • DARMA (Denmark) - research management and administration partnership
  • TU Dublin launched the “What is Engaged Research?” podcast, opening research conversations to the public.
  • The University delivered a full calendar of public events including hackathons, workshops, seminars, and book launches.
  • The 3rd Annual TU Dublin Research & Innovation Awards celebrated excellence across nine categories.
  • The first Research Impact Case Study Competition published nine new case studies showcasing societal, cultural, and economic benefits.
  • TU Dublin research was featured internationally at Magna Charta Observatory events in Dhaka and London.

 

Ethics & Integrity

The University deepened its commitment to responsible and transparent research through enhanced ethical processes, digital tools, and training for researchers at all career stages.

  • Over 240 ethics self-assessments and 118 committee reviews completed (AY 24/25).
  • Local faculty ethics committees expanded across the University.
  • New digital tools launched:
    • Consent Form Generator
    • Ethics Amendments Portal
  • Quarterly updates to the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of GenAI in Research.
  • Enhanced ethics training and support for postgraduate and early-career researchers.

 

Innovation

2025 marked a standout year for TU Dublin innovation, translating scientific breakthroughs in health, engineering, digital technologies, and sustainability into commercial and societal impact.

  • TU Dublin secured its first Enterprise Ireland Proof-of-Concept Award through CREST’s VISTA corrosion-protection technology.
  • Strong performance in the Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey, with significant increases in IP activity, licensing, and consultancy.
  • TU Dublin spin-out SM:ART expanded deployment of its infrastructure monitoring platform across Northern Ireland.
  • More than 100 enterprise RD&I collaborations were delivered through the CREST, MiCRA, and MET Technology Gateways.
  • Enterprise partners benefited from TU Dublin expertise in sustainable materials, coatings, advanced manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and environmental technologies.
  • Research breakthroughs in health, engineering, digital technologies, and sustainability directly fuelled innovation opportunities.

 

Postgraduate Research

TU Dublin’s postgraduate researchers contributed to major discoveries, earned international recognition, and advanced their global research engagement.

  • Awards included:
    • Digital Green Tech Award (Germany)
    • Best Poster – Photonics Ireland (PRC researcher Yiming Shen)
    • Audience Prize – Ma Thèse en 180 secondes
  • International placement at Hochschule Darmstadt.
  • Planning commenced for the European Spring School (Nice, 2026).
  • Postgraduates published widely across journals, conferences, and edited book collections.

 

Other Research Achievements

Across disciplines, TU Dublin researchers delivered high-impact outputs, global collaborations, and public engagement, reinforcing the University’s research excellence.

  • Collaborative work with Trinity College Dublin and Purdue University advanced next-generation electronics cooling research.
  • Researchers delivered high-impact outputs across oncology, spectroscopy, optics, engineering, education, wellbeing, and digital technologies.
  • Significant success in MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.
  • TU Dublin hosted the International Albert Camus Society Conference.
  • Dr Frank Prendergast contributed expert analysis to the global Winter Solstice Sunrise livestream from Newgrange.
  • The Meet the Scientist schools programme reached 2,300+ students nationwide.
  • TU Dublin secured €1.3M EPA Research funding for environmental modelling and monitoring.

 

Research Support Services

Research Support Services strengthened infrastructure, funding success, compliance, and professional development, enabling researchers to achieve maximum impact.

  • Supported 621 funding applications in 2025 (+40% YoY).
  • Delivered advanced support in RDM, project management, and budget advisory services.
  • Facilitated PI development workshops across faculties.
  • Played a central role in establishing the Irish Research Management Professionals Association (IRMpA).
  • Strengthened international partnerships through delegations to Darmstadt, Henan University, and DARMA.

Common Services Unit (CSU)

  • Completed the full transition to PURE for research output and award management.
  • Launched researchprofiles.tudublin.ie, enhancing the visibility of TU Dublin expertise.
  • Delivered new digital training and research-support resources University-wide.

 

Research Hubs

TU Dublin’s Research Hubs foster interdisciplinary innovation, coordinating collaborative programmes that generate societal, cultural, and economic impact.

Digital Futures Research Hub

  • Held national leadership of the ARC Hub for ICT, hosted by TU Dublin.
  • Advanced Age-Friendly AI research.
  • Supported the Women in HPC Ireland network.
  • Oversaw national computing outreach through CSInc.

HEMS Research Hub

  • Contributed to the DTIF LIFT drone innovation project.
  • Supported the expansion of the SM:ART spin-out.
  • Secured major XPS and composites research infrastructure.
  • Strengthened sustainability-driven partnerships across materials, environmental science, and health.

Phys2Life Research Hub

  • Hub lead recognised as Research Ally under the Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland Researcher of the Year (IRC legacy) Awards.
  • Hosted 'Meet the Centres' event, showcasing TU Dublin research.
  • Collaborated with community organisations to advance cancer research and environmental sustainability.
  • Explored innovative research in space science.
  • Focused on early detection initiatives in cancer research.
  • Led projects in nature and climate innovation.
  • RESC and Nanolab Research Centres achieved MyGreen Lab certification.
  • Hosted international research collaboration with Prof. Katarzyna M. Marzec (AGH University of Krakow).
  • Showcased collaborative European research through ERASMUS projects.
  • Supported early career researchers with guidance events on navigating research careers.
  • Expanded expertise through seminars on nanoparticle research with Prof. Dr. Christina Graf.

 

Research Centres

TU Dublin’s Research Centres drive disciplinary excellence, producing breakthrough discoveries, advancing innovation, and delivering tangible societal benefits.

Centre for Industrial and Engineering Optics (IEO)

  • Secured €450k in HEA and Enterprise Ireland funding for a new Advanced Prototyping Suite, including Ireland’s first 3D printer for optical components.
  • Published 29 peer-reviewed papers on holographic technologies across sensing, medical, and lighting applications.
  • Scientific Director Prof Izabela Naydenova received the TU Dublin Excellence in Research Supervision Award.
  • Delivered an international Holography Workshop for Early Stage Researchers at SPIE Optics and Optoelectronics (Prague).

Centre for Sustainable Digital Technologies (CSDT)

  • Accessed Azure AI Foundry (11,000+ AI models).
  • Recruited five postdocs and a commercial lead.
  • Secured €1M+ in new AI funding.
  • Published across IEEE, Springer, and ECAI.

CSInc

  • Secured €1M HEA and €900k DES funding.
  • Received Best Paper awards and produced significant international publications.
  • Delivered national teacher training and computing outreach initiatives.

Nanolab Research Centre

  • Produced high-impact research with final-year project students, published in the first volume of the newly launched Journal of Academic Research & Innovation (JARI) on 8th May 2025, featuring contributions from Dr Shiv Shankar, Dr Bilal Javed, Dr Esen Efeoglu Maher, Dr Shubhrima Ghosh, and Dr Furong Tian.
  • Dr Ahmed Barhoum, Dr Shiv Shankar, and Dr Bilal Javed were recognised among the world’s top 2% scientists, reflecting international research excellence.
  • Engaged with media and public audiences through an interview on Phoenix FM 92.5 on 1st August 2025, featuring Dr Furong Tian and Dr Azza Silotry Naik.
  • Strengthened industry and policymaker engagement with a high-profile meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin on the final day of the National Ploughing Championships on 17th September 2025, attended by Dr Bilal Javed, Dr Azza Silotry Naik, Dr Shiv Shankar, and Prof. Christine O’Connor.

Photonics Research Centre (PRC)

  • Awarded €650k for cancer diagnostics research (led by Professor Yuliya Semenova).
  • Produced 6 journal papers, 9 conference papers, and 3 invited talks.
  • Launched a Joint Virtual Research Centre with Cardiff Metropolitan University.
  • Celebrated multiple postgraduate research awards.

Radiation & Environmental Science Centre (RESC)

  • Delivered major publications in oncology, spectroscopy, and toxicology.
  • Achieved success in MSCA Fellowships.
  • Hosted the ICES Working Group, strengthening global collaboration.

Research Centre for Psychology Education and Emotional Intelligence (PEEI)

  • Achieved postgraduate completions and international teaching exchanges.
  • Published research on wellbeing, emotional intelligence and education.

TCD–TU Dublin Joint Centre for the Sociology of Humans and Machines (SOHAM)

  • Launched in April 2025 at TU Dublin, advancing sociological research on human–AI and human–machine relationships.
  • Led by Prof. Taha Yasseri, TCD–TU Dublin Workday Chair of Technology and Society, with strong industry engagement highlighted by Workday.
  • Delivered high-impact peer-reviewed research on AI cooperation, gender bias, content moderation, conspiracy theories, and human–AI interaction, with publications in iScience, Patterns, Computers in Human Behavior Reports, and Edward Elgar.
  • Expanded rapidly to a multidisciplinary team of seven research fellows, five PhD students, and a dedicated community engagement and lab officer, strengthening capacity for research and public engagement.

TU Dublin Centre for Irish Studies 

Designated in April 2025; website launched October 2025. Despite being a new centre, significant progress has been made:

  • Graduated five PhD candidates.
  • Published three journal issues: European Journal of Food, Drink, and Society, Journal of Franco-Irish Studies, Stirring Words.
  • Two book series (Reimagining Ireland and Studies in Franco-Irish Relations) published 12 new titles under the Centre’s PI as General Editor.
  • Hosted international conference in Caen, France (May 2025) attended by His Excellency Niall Burgess, Irish Ambassador to France; funded by Irish Embassy in France, French Embassy in Ireland, and GIS-EIRE.
  • Delivered inaugural Imbolc Training Online Seminar.
  • Members received TU Dublin R&I Awards and national/international recognition for publications, including Irish Food Studies: A Companion.
  • Media presence in print, radio, and TV; published and edited journal articles.
  • Recruitment of new PhD students underway.
  • Members provided workshops and served as external PhD examiners nationally and internationally.
  • Received strong submissions for the 2026 Dublin Gastronomy Symposium (Crisis / Hope theme).
  • Four board members have books forthcoming in 2026.

 

Research Groups

TU Dublin’s research groups continued to drive excellence across engineering, computing, creative arts, education, social sciences and health sciences, supporting publications, innovation, collaborations, and public engagement.

 

Enterprise Ireland Technology Gateways

TU Dublin’s Technology Gateways connect academic expertise with industry, accelerating innovation, commercialisation, and real-world solutions.

MiCRA Technology Gateway

  • Appointed a new Gateway Manager.
  • Expanded its PI network.
  • Completed 12 industry collaborations.

CREST Technology Gateway

  • Played leadership roles in the €3.8M DTIF LIFT drone-technology project.
  • Secured €2.41M Capital Equipment funding.
  • Delivered 80+ industry projects.
  • Advanced innovations through SPOTBlade, CLEERBlade, and VISTA PoC.
  • Supported sectors including aerospace, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing.

 

European & National Programmes

The University leads European and national research programmes, fostering collaborations, securing funding, and translating research into meaningful impact at home and abroad.

ARC Hub for ICT (Hosted by TU Dublin)

  • Established full operational and governance structures.
  • Delivered national roadshows engaging 300+ researchers.
  • Supported 22 ICT commercialisation projects across 10 universities.
  • Received 125 applications to its latest call.
  • Generated 100,000+ LinkedIn impressions and was featured in The Irish Times.

ARISE Programme

  • Engaged 80+ enterprises across the Eastern and Midlands Region.
  • Launched the Enterprise Engagement Programme.
  • Delivered the first ARISE Showcase, highlighting sector innovation.
  • Expanded communications and cross-sector engagement.

Horizon Europe

  • Supported MSCA Fellows across PRC, RESC and Engineering.
  • Contributed to SellSTEM.
  • Advanced the WIDERA early-career researcher ecosystem via the Research Engagement & Impact Office.

Global Collaboration

  • Partnerships expanded across Germany, China, Romania, Denmark, Czech Republic, and Saudi Arabia.
  • Research featured at major international events.

With record funding, expanded partnerships, outstanding postgraduate success, and national leadership in both ARISE and the ARC Hub for ICT, TU Dublin is well-positioned to amplify its impact across research, innovation, enterprise, and society. As 2026 begins, TU Dublin Research and Innovation will continue to play a leading role in shaping Ireland’s scientific, social, cultural, and economic future.