# data[].attributes.body
Project Title: Enhancement of a MULE GUI file generation.
Mentor: Dr. Aidan Mooney
Bio:  I am a third-year student studying Data Science. Machine learning, Cryptography and Information theory are my main fields of interest. This year, I am doing research with the computer science department to create a helper software for MULE. I am hoping to automate the process of code analysis one day.

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Project Title: Sexual Violence and the Irish State, 1935-50

Project Mentor: Dr. David Doyle

Bio: My name is  Amy Sloane and I am a mature student, in second year of a Bachelor of Laws degree. Over the next two years, I hope to build up a research profile with a view to applying to an IRC scholarship for postgraduate study, so I am delighted to have been afforded the opportunity of a research project like this as I think it will greatly boost my research track record.

I have a strong interest in both constitutional law and international law, and thoroughly enjoy research and writing.  I think I have quite a knack for research as I'm good at phrasing research questions and identifying and isolating the information that I need. I do also get quite a bit of satisfaction out of finding the answers I am looking for.

Ultimately, my hopes for this project are to further improve my research skills and to learn from - and be of use to - my project mentor.

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Project Title: Irish History Online
Mentor(s):  Prof. Jacqueline Hill
Bio: My name is David Swan and I am a second year student currently studying for a double major in History and Philosophy. I have always had a passion for studying history and believe that lessons from the past can often be applied to modern day problems in order to better understand and solve them. I am looking forward to taking part in the Irish History Online project as I agree with the core aim of the project and hope to gain valuable experience whilst working on it in order to further pursue my career in this field of work.

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Project Title: The Special Criminal Court
Mentor(s): Alice Harrisson
Bio: My name is Clare Donnelly and I am a third year law student. I have a keen interest in legal research and writing, with particular interest in international and criminal law and the mechanisms and procedures involved in both. I am greatly looking forward to this summer when I get to begin my project on the Special Criminal Court as it is not a subject that I have gotten to really delve into yet despite my interests.

My main hopes for this SPUR project is to brush up on my research and writing skills. As well as that I hope to build my knowledge on an area of law that is relatively unfamiliar to me!

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Project title:  Going Digital: making your data work for you and your research
Mentor(s):   Prof Thomas O'Connor
Bio: My name is Emma Louise Kelly, I am a second year mature student, studying Bachelor of Arts Business Management and Psychology. I am interested in gaining experience in research and in particular gaining data processing skills.
I hope to gain skills in this area for my future career and I am looking forward to experiencing the field of research.

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Project Title:  Immune cell sensitivity to granzymes
Mentor: Dr. Mark Robinson
Bio: My name is Lar Price and I am a third-year general science student studying Biology and Chemistry. I am incredibly enthusiastic about the field of immunology and its applications in preventing and treating disease.  My mentor Dr. Robinson and his lab group do amazing research and I am thrilled to be able to work with them on this project.

The immune system is an incredibly complex and diverse system. This system has managed to keep us safe for thousands of years. Yet there is still so much we don’t know about this vitally important system. Immunology seeks to explore this system and answer the question of how it has kept us safe over centuries.

I hope to gain practical skills from my spur project including working with cell cultures and learning about the different techniques and equipment that will be used during the project. I am excited to gain experience in a research lab and I hope that this will serve as a stepping stone toward a research career.

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Project Title: Using large-scale genome sequencing data to assess rare variants for their association with autism.
Mentor: Dr Lorna Lopez
Bio: Hello, I'm Hannah Walsh and I am a third year Biological and Biomedical Science student. I am very passionate about Science, specifically Biology. I love Immunology and Proteomics, along with Data Analysis and Genetics. I also have a passion for English, Music and Drama, which led me to Maynooth Drama society where I regularly partake in shows and workshops. I am also on Student senate and an active member of the SU in Maynooth.

I am very excited approaching this project and have a keen interest in Biomedical research. I plan on pursing a career in research post degree, and am ecstatic that I have the opportunity to partake in this project surrounding both Data analysis and Genomics. Bioinformatics is a key factor in many scientific experiments and to gain experience in such will greatly aid in my future research endeavors. My main hope for this project is to leave a better, more experienced scientist then when I started and hopefully reach a positive verdict on the software we are testing. Members of my family that are on the spectrum, and to have the opportunity to contribute scientific research in this area is a dream. I have a particular interest in exploring the genetic variants involved in ASD presented in this project, gaining more knowledge in the applications of Bioinformatics and using complex computer systems. I am greatly looking forward to working along side Dr Lopez and her amazing team. The one thing I have always adored about science is its ability to answer questions, and more often then not give us 10 more to answer in the process! I look forward to answering these questions with this team, and finding the next set to answer together.

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Project Title: Music Signal Processing with FPGAs
Mentors: Victor Lazzarini & Joe Timoney
Bio: Hi, my name is Shauna Recto, and I am a 3rd year Electronic Engineering student. I've always had an interest in electronics, programming, and music, which led me to go for this project. I felt like this had ticked a lot of boxes for me, as it combined a lot of my interests into one research project.

Even though the project came from the Music and Computer Science department, there was significant overlap with what we study in EE, especially in the areas of FPGAs, programming, and DSP, which will benefit me greatly. I hope that my time in the 6 weeks will give me insight into what work happens in research, and the skills for the research projects I will do in the future.

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Project Title: Geography of Voter Turnout at 2020 General Election
Mentor(s): Dr. William Durkan, Dr. Adrian Kavanagh
Bio: My name is Ana Ní Linneáin, I am a second year student studying geography and business management. I have a great interest in studying geopolitics and am very interested in gaining insight into the type of research methods used for this type of project. I hope to gain skills in research and analysis as well as an insight into what a career in research would be like.

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Project Title: Sexual Violence and the Irish State, 1935-1950
Mentor: Dr. David Doyle
Bio: My name is Danielle Murphy and I am a mature student in my 2nd year of the LLB Law program. Since before I started my law degree, I knew I wanted to work in the area of Sexual Offences. This project gives me the opportunity to do just that as well as develop my skills in research.

I have actively tried to enhance my research skills throughout the course of my degree, and through this program I get to put those skills that I have learned to the test.

I am excited to participate in this program not only because it is my preferred topic choice but it also gives me the experience and insight into an alternative career in research as opposed to the traditional routes of Solicitor or Barrister. I am intrigued by both the topic and the task itself.

I hope that out of this program, I get to hone in on my skills and perspective of the topic, so that I may develop possible ideas for my own research in this area in the future, through the guidance of my mentor, Dr. Doyle.

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My Course: I’m a second-year mature student studying the BA Psychology.
Programme: Nature Connectedness (with Tadhg Macintyre).
My Interests/Hopes: I’m very happy that I’ve secured a position in the psychology department and I’m looking forward to working alongside Tadhg and learning more about research in psychology. I’m interested in mental health and wellbeing, so studying nature connectedness and its benefits will be really interesting. I’m hoping the programme helps for going into final year when I’ve to carry out my own research.

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Project Title:  Nature Connectedness in the Maynooth Green Campus (MGC) :The GoGreenRoutes approach
Mentor: Dr Tadhg MacIntyre
Bio: My name is D'Andra Andrews, I am a second year student studying psychology through science. I have a great interest in learning about the various fields of psychology and how they come together to further our understanding of human behaviour. I hope that from this project to develop and refine the qualitative research skills that will be not only be needed for my final year project but will also be sought after by employers, as well as have the opputuinty to get some insight into what a career in research may enatil.

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Title: Assessing the efficiency of synthetic compounds at reducing horizontal gene transfer.
Mentor: Dr. Fiona Walsh
Bio: Hi, I'm Katie and I am a third year Biological and Biomedical Sciences student. I have a keen interest in biology and biomedical research, with a particular enthusiasm for the study of microbiology. I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to participate in the SPUR program which will give me an insight into the daily work of a researcher.  Equally, the program will allow me scope to improve my lab techniques, which I feel will be extremely beneficial to my studies. This year being back in the labs in-person has really highlighted to me the importance of gaining hands-on experience in the lab to help achieve a thorough understanding of the techniques and mechanisms at work. This project title especially intrigued me as it aims to deal with an extremely urgent and pertinent issue.  Learning how to design and perform experiments that are aimed at exploring the effect of synthetic compounds on the rate of horizontal gene transfer among Escherichia coli would be both a unique and fascinating opportunity to be involved in the latest research intending to find new solutions to the ever-growing problem of antimicrobial resistance.  I look forward to working with Dr. Fiona Walsh on this fascinating project!

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Project Title: Career & Work Experiences of the Irish Diaspora: A Netnographic Study
Mentor: Dr Marian Crowley-Henry

Hi! My name is Conor Cronin and I am a 2nd Year BBS Business and Management student from Co. Wicklow. I am extremely fascinated by this research project as it will be examining areas I am really interested in such as discrimination, diversity, and privilege. I am really interested in exploring the field of migration and by undertaking this SPUR project it will give me the perfect opportunity to do just that! I am intrigued by the ground-breaking research that the School of Business carries out and I am extremely excited to take part in this wonderful opportunity.

I am really interested in pursuing a career in academic research and I feel like this project is the perfect opportunity for me to experience what university research is like. I hope to gain new valuable skills and improve exiting ones while working alongside my project mentor. These skills will only prove vital to me when I enter the workplace after graduating. I cannot express how excited I am to take part in this six week journey!

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Project Title: Assessing the efficiency of synthetic compounds at reducing horizontal gene transfer amongst Escherichia coli.
Mentor: Dr. Fiona Walsh
Bio: My name is Conor Lynch and I am a third year biomedical science student. I have a keen interest in molecular biology and microbiology so I am delighted to have been offered this chance to assist in Dr. Walsh’s research. Being a biomedical student I am particularly interested in areas of research with applications to matters of public health, which is what drew my interest towards this particular project. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most significant issues facing public health and finding solutions to disrupting bacterial biofilms offers a good opportunity to begin to tackle this problem. I hope that through my participation in this research project I will gain an in depth knowledge of the nature of biofilms and the methods of disrupting them, and I hope that this insight will give me a better idea of what areas I would like to study further or work towards a career in.

Another aspect of this project that I am excited for is the opportunity to gain hands on experience in designing and performing experiments in a real-world research setting as well as how to interpret, collate and share data as part of a research team. I hope that my participation in this project will give me good experience for future research, whether that be as part of my education or in a future career. I look forward to expanding my knowledge and experience with this project this summer!

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Project title: Electrosynthesis of nano/micro-gold nanostars for sensitive determination of oxidative stress biomarkers

Mentor: Dr. Eithne Dempsey

Bio: Hello, my name is Alex Lapiy and I am a third year general science student studying chemistry and biology. I have a great interest in analytical chemistry with electrochemistry being one of my favourites. I am excited to work alongside Dr. Dempsey in this project and be able to apply my electrochemical knowledge in the lab.

Analytical chemistry is like a puzzle where you use different experimental methods to find various information about certain molecules and compounds and put them together to get a bigger picture. I am looking forward to gaining knowledge about nanostars and I am ecstatic about acquiring various electroanalytical techniques to form and examine metallic nanostructures which could contribute to new biodiagnostic tools.

Being in the lab always brings me joy and so I have an interest in the world of research. This project will be able to give me the perfect insight into what research entails including the design, performance and the aftermath of the experiment which may be a path I will want to take.

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Project: Optimisation of standing wave filtering in submillimetre wave VNA measurements.
Mentor: Dr. Marcin Lukasz Gradziel

Bio:
My name is Gary Donegan. I am third year general science student currently studying Experimental and Mathematical Physics. I have a great interest in many areas of physics. I am very excited to have secured this spur project which I hope to use to develop new skills and improve my already existing skills which I could hopefully use to lead into a research career of my own. I also hope to deepen my understanding and appreciation for some the research being carried out in the Experimental physics department here in Maynooth. I am really looking forward to seeing the manner in which research is carried out. My project mentor Marcin Is a very enthusiastic lecturer and I look forward to working with him.

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Project Title: Irish Historic Towns Atlas
Mentor(s): Dr. Jonathon Wright
Bio: My name is Kevin Comiskey. I am a 2nd Year Law and History student. I have a great interest in history, especially in Irish history and am looking forward to researching Irish historical towns. I am hoping to get an insight in the practical research of being a historian to help me with my degree and see if it is a career I would be interested in.

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Project Title: Immune cell sensitivity to granzymes
Mentor: Dr Mark Robinson
Bio: My name is Mikayla Molloy and I am a third year Biomedical and Biological Sciences student. While my course involves studying a wide range of biological disciples, I am particularly interested in immunology and enjoy learning about how our immune system protects us against potential pathogens, but also how it can contribute to disease. My experience of studying immunology so far has allowed me to understand that there is still a large amount unknown within this field, and so I am really excited to work with Dr Robinson and his lab group on a project that could provide some of the unknown information that is required to better understand the immune system and how it functions.

After the completion of my degree I would like to pursue a career in research and so I am very grateful that I have been offered the opportunity to participate in the SPUR programme, as I believe it will provide me with an insight into this type of career. Additionally, over the course of this project I hope to improve my practical skills and learn techniques that are commonly used in the laboratory.

I look forward to working with Dr Robinson on this project and hope to develop new skills that will be of benefit in the final year of my degree and also in my future career.

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Project Title:  What do quarks do when squeezed and heated?
Mentor: Dr. Jonivar Skullerud

Hello, I am Gerhard Kalusche and I am currently in the second year of a three-year Bsc Theoretical Physics and Mathematics Degree.

I am interested in this SPUR project as I  want to gain experience in theoretical physics research and to get a glimpse of what it is like, as theoretical physics research is one of the main options for a future career path for me.  I also wish to gain more experience at coding in the field of theoretical physics, as I have a great interest in it and wish to build on my past experiences.  Doing this project will give me an advantage when doing future projects, research and possibly postgraduate studies, granting me experience and knowledge in both coding and working in theoretical physics research.

The opportunity to witness how a large scale research project works such as the FASTSUM collaboration will be a great benefit to me, as will interacting with some of its members. I have a strong interest in particle and subatomic physics, and this project will give me an opportunity to experience researching it and see if it is something I wish to study further and focus on in the future.

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Project Title: Going Digital: making your data work for you and your research
Mentor: Prof. Thomas O'Connor
Bio: My name is Alexander-Hunter Butler and I am a second year student pursuing a double major degree in History and Politics. My main reason for chosing this research project is due to the fact that having the skills to process data is needed for the advancing world in which we live. As a history student, it is evident to see that the digital world is playing a more influential role in research which I hope to learn more about throughout the duration of this project.
I believe that, as an aspiring historian, I will gain valuable knowledge and skills that will benefit me greatly in my future career.

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Project Title: : An Introduction to Early Irish Literature: Learner Centred Perspectives
Mentor(s): Dr. Elizabeth Boyle
Bio: My name is Abbegael Fulton, I am a second-year full-time international student from Canada studying history and Celtic studies. I am interested in studying early Irish law and literature and particularly enjoy reading the primary documents from early medieval Ireland. I am looking forward to working closely with my mentor, learning more about early medieval Irish literature, and gaining better research skills.

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Project Title: The Recruitment Market for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Positions and Knowledge
Mentor(s): Dr. Anne O'Brien, Dr. John Cullen
Bio: My name is Hoi Yan Au. I am a second-year full-time international student from Hong Kong studying Media Studies. I am good at communicating with others and being involved in social media.

I am interested in social equality, diversity and inclusion as I had done projects relating to these topics in my secondary school. Thus, how the EDI policies affect the Irish workplace appeals to me. I hope to gain more practical experience and knowledge about practices of online research, recruitment and work in the EDI field through the SPUR programme. I am looking forward to working with my mentors this summer!

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Project Title: Neoliberalism, State-Corporate Power, and Pharma Crime

Project Mentor: Dr. Rhiannon Bandiera

Bio: Hi my name is Andrew Newman, and I am a mature student currently in second year studying Anthropology and Criminology. This project intersects a number of areas of particular interest to me; the impact of medical discourse, the ever-expanding medicalisation of areas of life, state influence and control, capitalism, and white-collar crime.

Hopes: This project represents an invaluable opportunity for me to experience the world of academic research. I am hoping to gain insight into how research is conceptualised, forged, and presented, as well as the various skills used in this pursuit. I am extremely grateful and excited to be given this opportunity

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Project Title: Using large scale genome sequencing data to assess rare variants for their association with autism
Mentor:  Dr Lorna Lopez
Bio: My name is Enya Nordon, and I am a third year student studying biomedical science. My course involves the study of both biology and biomedical science and I am interested in the study of genetics. I have a huge interest in biomedical research and am delighted to get the opportunity to work on this project. I hope to pursue a career in research, and I believe taking part in this SPUR project will allow me to gain a true insight into this type of career. I hope to both develop my existing research skills and broaden my knowledge and skillset. I find the research conducted by Dr Lopez’s research group to be fascinating and I am delighted to work on this project with them.

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Project Title:  A learner centred research project
Mentor(s): Prof Mary Gilmartin
Bio: My name is Jason Roche, I am a second year student, studying Bachelor of Arts Business Management and Geography. I am interested in gaining further knowledge in the subject of Geography. I also look forward to further developing my teamwork skills and gaining further research skills.

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Project: Calibration of an Optical Table for Delayed-Choice Quantum Eraser Experiments
Mentor: Dr. Colm Bracken
Bio: Hi, my name is Francesca Cali and I am a third year general science student studying Experimental Physics and Mathematics. I’m really interested in quantum physics and mechanics, so I am looking forward to taking part in this research project with Dr. Bracken.

One of the reasons I enjoy Experimental Physics is how the theories we learn about in our lectures can be demonstrated through our labs. Especially with quantum mechanics, it’s really interesting to see phenomena related to it being observed in real life. In this project we will be setting up and calibrating optical equipment that will be used to carry out experiments on entangled photon pairs. I’m looking forward to being involved with setting up the optical equipment needed for this project. I’m also excited to see the outcome of these experiments and see if they enhance my current understanding of quantum mechanics.

I became interested in this SPUR project as I believe it will give me an idea of what the current research projects being carried out in this branch of physics are like. I really enjoy the lab work in my course and plan to go into research after I finish my degree. I hope this project gives me experience with working in a research lab and helps me to further develop my laboratory skills.

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Project Title: Quantum Chemical Study of a Ni-catalysed zipper annulation
Mentor: Dr. Tobias Krämer
Bio: Hello!! My name is Ali Crawford and I am a third year general science student, studying Chemistry and Biology.

I became interested in the Maynooth University SPUR programme because I believed it would provide me with the opportunity to work with and amongst students, professors and mentors who have years of experience in my chosen field of study; Science - Chemistry and Biology. I applied for a chemistry based SPUR project due to my particular interests in Chemical Synthesis and Inorganic Chemistry.

My project; Quantum Chemical Study of a Ni-catalysed zipper annulation, will work to investigate the effects of a Nickel catalyst on an cycloaddition reaction (the formation of new cyclic structures). I look forward to working on a large scale project from start to finish with Dr. Krämer and his team, and hope to both learn from and enjoy the process that comes with it!!

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Name: Matthew McCartney

Programme: MH201
Project Title: Molecular Computing with DNA
Mentor:  Dr. Damien Woods
Bio: Having studied multiple scientific areas in Maynooth, I have decided to specialise in the areas of Computer Science and Biology. The area of Molecular Computing is a fascinating one and is sure to hold value in the future of the scientific world. I am thrilled to be offered a space on this exciting project.

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Name: Hope Boyle
Project Title:  Enhancement of a MULE GUI file generation
Mentor:  Dr. Aidan Mooney
Year: 2nd Year
Programme: MH101
Bio: I am a second year student who is doing an Arts degree in Computer Science and Anthropology. I love being creative and learning new skills. This SPUR project will allow me to do that while also improving my coding skills. I look forward to working as part of a team. I am delighted that I have been chosen to take part in this project.

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Project Title: TrashBot Robots for Picking Up Trash

Mentor: Gerry Lacey

Bio: I am a second year electronic engineering student who has a keen interest in software development and embedded systems. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work on a project trying to make a impact on the future of robotics while helping the environment.

Gerry's previous experience in the field of AI and engineering is fascinating to me and I am honoured to be a part of his team for this project.

I hope to gain experience in both hardware and software, but more specifically in the computer vision and machine learning areas.

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Project Title: Monte Carlo Models of Galaxy Clustering

Mentor: Prof. Peter Coles

Bio:  My name is Pawel Janas and I am an ambitious third year Astrophysics student.

Understanding the universe around us is a life-long passion of mine and that is why I'm really looking forward to working on a collaborative astrophysics/ cosmology orientated project. A particular interest of mine are simulations and how they can give us hidden insights into complex physical systems through more 'visual' approaches. Working in an international research setting will give me a taste of what it will be like doing a PhD in the future!

Simulations and model building has become modern practice in astrophysics/ cosmology and it is a deeply exciting aspect of science that resonates with me. Making successful models and simulations give vital information for what is expected in reality and from observations. This project is specifically relevant to the European Space Agency's upcoming Euclid mission, which will map the geometry of the universe and give us a better understanding of topics such as dark matter and dark energy.

My project will work to establish a modelling tool for use in the development of the EUCLID observing strategy for the upcoming mission due for launch in 2023. I can't wait to get started!

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project title: the effect of outside of the class activities in the acquisition of Spanish.
mentor: Ana De Prada Perez
bio: My name is Kyle Murphy.
I am a first year student studying International finance and economics. I chose to study Spanish as well, since it was always my favourite subject in secondary school.  I'm really looking forward to getting started on this project and gaining new skills.

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Hamilton Institute - Molecular Computing with DNA

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Hamilton Institute - Molecular Computing with DNA

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I am Graham Keane and I am a third year Computer Science and Applied Mathematics student. This is my third SPUR project and I am delighted to participate once more! I am excited to be a part of this exciting work with Dr Woods and the Hamilton Institute which is focused on producing self-assembling molecular computers.

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Project Title: The Urban Archaeology Survey
Mentor(s): Dr. Michael Potterton
Bio: My name is Matthew Doggett, I am a first year mature student of history and philosophy and I am fascinated with learning from our past. I have a passion for learning and discovering and I hope to grow as an academic through this opportunity. I enjoy working as a team, sharing ideas and tackling challenges head on to grow as a person and student.

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Project: M-Engage – A learning analytics tool for Moodle engagement analysis.

Mentor(s): Peter Mooney & Edana Richardson.

Bio: My name is Edvardas Lastauskas. I am currently in my second year of study for my Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering. I am hoping to study for a PhD after I graduate, and this project is a perfect start for me to learn what post graduate research is like. It will give me the necessary experience in software design which will allow me to pursue my career quicker.

I will apply all my knowledge that I have attained from my two years of studying computer science and software engineering in order to create an application that is both efficient and easy to use. With the help of my mentors, I believe we will accomplish just that.

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Project Title:  Ethics for Mathematics Students
Mentor: Dr David Malone
Year: 1st Year
Programme of Study: BSc Data Science
Bio: Hi! My name is Daniel, and I'm in my 1st year of studying Data Science at Maynooth University. The subject area I would be most interested in researching and working within in the future is the application of mathematics and statistics in solving problems related to the environment, specifically climate studies, the atmosphere (meteorology), and other related topics.

My SPUR project will allow me to delve into an area that is directly linked to these topics, as ethics within subjects that apply mathematics to their core and fundamental assumptions, experiments, as well as theories is key to ensuring any decisions based on these outcomes and findings, yield a positive effect overall no matter an individual's knowledge. It will allow me to look deeper at the processes that take place within this area and see if aspects of good practice in mathematical ethics should be included within the modules of students studying these subjects.

I hope to gain a better understanding of research skills by using them in a hands-on manner, learn more about the academic subject I'm interested in, and also gain invaluable experience I can use in my later years of study. Overall, I'm looking forward to being a part of the SPUR project and working with my mentor, Dr. Malone on this project.

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Project Title:  Trashbot - robots for picking up trash

Mentor: Dr Gerry Lacey

Bio: Hello, My name is Janela Trexy Aquino. I am a 2nd year Robotics and Intelligent Devices student. I am doing the SPUR project, Trashbot. I am very interested in this particular project as I see this opportunity as a stepping stone to my academic development in Robotics. I was mainly attracted to the mechanics elements that comes with this project as in my course for the time being, mainly focuses in building our coding skills. However, looking into it more, I can use this SPUR opportunity to improve my skills in different areas.

I look forward towards my improvements in the duration of this SPUR Trashbot project.

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Project title: The Froebel Podcast

Mentor: Laoise Ní Chléirigh

Bio: Hi, my name is Erica and I am in my third year of studying primary school teaching in the Froebel Department. My love for education and school started as a young girl who was surrounded by a positive school environment. As I progress through the BEd in Froebel, my love for teaching has grown and I now possess a passion for life long learning. I love to expand my skills and knowledge and I look forward to working on this project to create an exciting and successful Froebel podcast.

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Project Title: Financing a Response to Climate Change, A Mapping Exercise of Global Green Bond Issuances
Mentors: Dr Edana Richardson and Dr Manos Kypraios

Bio: Hello, My name is Síofra Walsh. I am a third Year Law and International Development student. I am currently on Erasmus in France, studying at Université de Lille.  I am also Secretary General of ELSA Ireland (European Law Student Association).

I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to this novel and ground-breaking piece of research, that will allow us to map the evolving green bond market. And to develop my own algorithm to help with data collection and collation. I have a keen interest in law, business and technology, specifically data collection and analysis, and the legal and financial aspects of a responsible finance market, dealing with controversial issues such as climate change.

As a third year law student, I am eager to develop my career. Working in the field of literature and academic research gives me vital experience for my future. I will gain the necessary skills of researching in an interdisciplinary field and institutions. I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity and excited to start.

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Project Title: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the Irish Recruitment Market

Mentors: Dr. Anne O’Brien & Dr. John Cullen

Bio:
Hi! My name is Angel, and I am a second-year Theology and English student. I decided to participate in MU SPUR because I want to contribute to a project which explores issues that I care deeply about — and I saw that the project on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the Irish Recruitment Market is a perfect fit! Through the SPUR internship, I hope to gain some insights into academic research, exercise my skills, develop new skills, and gain more clarity on which career path to pursue after college.

I am delighted to be selected for this project and am excited to work with my mentors, Dr. Anne O’Brien and Dr. John Cullen!

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Project title: TRIPS during a pandemic
Project mentor: Dr Gerda Dewit
Bio: I’m a third year student of the BA degree International Finance and Economics. I’ve just finished my Erasmus year abroad studying in Spain and I’m excited to learn new skills in research! Main areas of interest for me are econometrics, investment and many different areas of economics. I’m extremely excited to start 😊

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Project Title: Widening Participation at Maynooth University
Project Mentor(s): Mr Simon Ahern and Dr Camilla Fitzsimons

Bio: My name is Anna Katarzyna Szwedziak, and I am a first year mature student of Bachelor of Arts Degree. Currently, I am studying Business Management, Accounting, Economics and Critical Digital Skills.

I have a very strong interest in the organisational behavior topic, especially in leadership, diversity, and inclusion.

I have applied for SPUR because previously I did not have the opportunity to access and complete a third level education as I see its strong importance.

I believe that broadening the involvement of people from diverse backgrounds in the educational process would add significant value for both, students, and academic staff and would help to enhance and differentiate learning processes.

Being involved in SPUR, I hope to gain knowledge in a field of research but also to learn practical data management and visualisation methods. I feel this is a great opportunity to enhance a range of soft skills too through meaningful work with project mentors.

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Project Title: What do quarks do when squeezed and heated?

Mentor: Dr. Jonivar Skullerud

Bio: Hi, my name is Andy Lee Mitchell and I am a second year Electronic Engineering student. I'm excited to be taking part in this SPUR Project, and I am particularly looking forward to learning about quantum mechanics and new mathematics, along with experience in scientific computing. I hope that the project will provide me with valuable experience in research, as well as opportunities to develop tools that will help me in my future career.

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Project Title: Nature Connectedness in the Maynooth Green Campus (MGC)
Mentor: Dr. Tadhg MacIntyre
Bio: My name is Jack Hilliard, and I am a second-year student studying a BA in Psychology. My course involves the study of Health as well as Research and Experimental Psychology and I am interested in the study of nature connectedness. I am fascinated by nature and how this can be entwined with psychological research to improve people’s health along the environment. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work on this project. I have enjoyed the research elements of my course and I would love to expand on my skills further through this project to gain an insight into working in this area in the future. I come from a farming background, so I am excited at the idea of broadening my knowledge in the implementation of greenspace amenities, biodiversity as well as helping to foster a symbiotic, appreciative relationship between nature and people.