CIT

Confirmed Speakers

• Valerie Cummins
  Dr. Valerie Cummins is Director of the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster (IMERC). This involves working on behalf of University College Cork, the Cork Institute of Technology and the Irish Naval Service to develop a cluster of world standing that secures Ireland’s position as an early leader in ocean energy. Her academic track record is in the area of coastal zone management, sustainability science, and adaptation to global change. More recently, she is pursuing research into maritime innovation, clusters and public sector transformation. She has coordinated numerous European Interreg and nationally funded research projects, and was awarded two significant national awards under the prestigious Beaufort and Griffiths programmes in 2008. She is a member of the international Scientific Steering Committee of LOICZ (Land Ocean Interaction programme) the International Geographic Union’s Commission on Marine Geography, and co-founder of the International Coastal Atlas Network. At the national level she was appointed to the climate Science committee of the Royal Irish Academy and the Smart Ocean Consultation Committee. She was formerly appointed as the Chair of the Consultation committee to the Sea fisheries Protection Authority. She has published in peer review journals on marine coastal governance, as well as co-author a book on coastal informatics. In 2010 she received the UCC President’s award for leadership for her role in the development of marine science in UCC. In 2012 IMERC has won an award at the Taoiseach’s Public Service Excellence Awards. Dr. Cummins has been selected as an Eisenhower Fellow 2012, where she spent two month in the US on a leadership programme that initiated to signing the Memorandum of Understanding on research collaboration with the US North- west National Marine Renewable Energy Research Center (NNMREC).
• Will Sliney
  Will Sliney is a Comic Book Artist and Writer His work on STAR WARS THE CLONE WARS broke records around Europe, selling over 250,000 issues in Germany alone. Will began his American work on a 28 issue run on FARSCAPE for Boom Studios before illustrating MACGYVER and PIGS for Image comics. His first Creator Owned work, CELTIC WARRIOR, THE LEGEND OF CÚ CHULAINN, which he both wrote and provided the artwork will debut next March in Europe through O'Brien Press. He has also worked for Marvel, IDW and Disney.
• Gearóid Ó Súilleabháin
  Gearóid Ó Súilleabháin is a lecturer and researcher based in the DEIS Department of Education Development (www.deis.ie) in the Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland. As a researcher he has, over the last 15 years, worked on and co-ordinated a wide range of EU-funded and commercial projects in the broad field of technology-enhanced learning, often working with leading higher education and corporate organisations across Europe. Gearóid, in addition, lectures on a number of related topics such as e-learning, learning theory, educational research, creativity, and user experience while also providing staff training in the use and development of online learning solutions. Gearóid has, over the years, published and presented widely on an array of topics in the space where technology meets learning and is especially interested in the use of social media and games for learning. He recently submitted his PhD thesis on the topic of learning transfer.
• Bill Liao
  Diplomat, investor, entrepreneur, business mentor, speaker, philanthropist and author, Bill Liao co-founded the business social network service XING and is a venture partner at SOS Ventures, a global venture capital firm and investment management firm. Bill is a special diplomatic envoy for St Kitts and Nevis for sustainable development and the environment. He is also the founder of WeForest.org, an international not-for-profit organization combating global warming in the most natural way possible by sustainably and holistically reforesting previously degraded land - the organisation is approaching planting it's millionth tree. Bill is also the Co-Founder of the Coder Dojo movement to assist young people to learn how to program. Bill is dedicated to the vision that business and enterprise, both commercial and social, conducted fairly and with respect for the environment, can and will create a better environment for work, life and the world that we all share. This vision is captured in his book: Stone Soup; a Secret Recipe for Making Something from Nothing. Additionally, Bill is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars speaking on social media and networking, entrepreneurship, how to make something from nothing, global warming and sustainability and development. Events he has spoken at include TED at Long Beach California, The Globe Forum in Stockholm Sweden, The London School of Economics and many others.
• John Barrett
  Dr. John Barrett is Head of Academic Studies at the Nimbus Centre for Embedded Systems Research at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Group Director of the Centre’s Smart Systems Integration Research Group. His research is focused on packaging, miniaturisation and embedding of smart systems in materials, objects and structures with particular emphasis on challenging and harsh application environments and the Internet of Things. He has been a lecturer and researcher in CIT since 1999 and was previously Assistant Director of the Irish National Microelectronics Research Centre, now Tyndall National Institute. He has been active in Irish and European R&D projects in the areas of packaging and systems integration for almost 30 years and has over 100 publications in topics related to his field.
• Doireann O'Connor
  Doireann O’Connor is a lecturer in Early Childhood Care and Education at The Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ireland. She teaches courses on Learning through Play in the Early Years, The Development of Creativity through Education, School Aged Childcare and Leadership in Early Childhood Care and Education. She has produced an Anthology of Traditional Irish Games, Songs and Rhymes as well as book chapters and journal articles on Reggio Emilia, School Readiness, School Age Childcare, Education Policy in Ireland, Social Entrepreneurship, Play, Creativity, Freedom, Connectivity and Childhood Consumerism among others. Doireann is also a founding member of PLÉ (Inaugural Chairperson) – The Network of Early Childhood Care and Education Degree Courses in Ireland, ICERN (Director) – International Childhood Educational Research Network, InPractice (Coordinator) – Irish Network for Play Research and Collaborating Together In Childhood Education, ACE (Board) – Accelerating Campus Entrepreneurship and The National Platform for Engagement in Higher Education (Board). Prior to entering academia in 2006, Doireann spent 10 years working within the field of Early Childhood Care and Education, holding a number of key positions within Policy and Practice.
• Joanne O'Riordan
  Joanne O’ Riordan was born on the 24th April 1996 with a rare physical condition know as Total Amelia. This means she has no limbs and even though there is no medical reason as to why this has happened Joanne and indeed her family her never allowed it to hold Joanne back. All of Joanne’s life she has overcome many barriers. In 2011 she single handily got the Irish Government to reverse a cut they were making to people with disabilities. Since then she has spoken to some of the world's leading women in technology at the United Nations in New York and explained how technology has advanced her life. She is currently making a documentary on her life entitled “ No Limbs No Limits”. You can follow Joanne via Twitter and Facebook at “No Limbs No Limits”.
• James Whelton
  James Whelton is a Cork city native, described as a developer, hacker and social media connoisseur. He is most well-known for co-founding CoderDojo (a not-for-profit network of computer clubs or dojos aimed at teaching kids to code ) in 2011 with Bill Liao and has helped spread the movement from Ireland to the USA and Asia, whilst also interacting with major corporations along the way such as Twitter, Facebook and Google. He is also the CEO of Disruptive Developments. In his spare time he enjoys skateboarding, sailing and contributing to the Open Source community.
• Siobhán O'Sullivan
  Dr Siobhán O’ Sullivan is the Curriculum Development Manager of the Ed4Life Structured PhD training in Life Sciences, at Cork Institute of Technology. Siobhán earned a BSc honours degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Microbiology/Biochemistry at University College Cork. She also holds a Higher Diploma and first class honours MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from University College Cork. Siobhán worked for several years as a postdoctoral researcher in research (including a fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health in Washington DC) and has published widely on science education, especially on the potential of information technology in the classroom , in continuing professional development and in distance learning. Her research interest for the last number of years has been on the effective use of Web 2.0 tools in Teaching & Learning, the potential use of eportfolios in documenting learning, reflective practice and in the engagement of students in learning. Siobhán was shortlisted for the Jennifer Burke award (an award by the Irish Learning & Technology Association) in 2010 for her advancement and interest in this area. She has presented her work in education at several Irish and international education conferences and her commitment and avid interest is well known. She lectured in Biochemistry and Biomedical Science in CIT for 5 years and also managed Distance Learning activities within CIT’s Department of Biological Sciences. She has also worked with the institute's Teaching & Learning Unit where she has provided workshops to staff on use of technology in teaching.
• Bill Kavanagh
  Capt. Bill Kavanagh is a Master Mariner and has spent 20 years at sea trading worldwide, including 8 years as Captain. He is a Lecturer in Nautical Science with the National Maritime College of Ireland of CIT and holds a BA (Hons) degree in Training and Education and a Master's degree in Adult Learning and Development. He is currently president of the Irish Institute of Master Mariners.