The 33rd Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium (Environ 2023), organised by the Atlantic Technological University (Letterkenny) and the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland (ESAI) and will be hosted on 3rd to 5th April 2023.
Download Environ 2023 Poster here
Environ is the longest running and most prominent forum for environmental researchers in Ireland with an average of 275 delegates attending the event annually. It provides a high-visibility platform for young and experienced researchers to present their findings to an audience drawn from academia, government bodies and agencies, as well as industry. Building on last year’s successful event, this year, ESAI and ATU have joined forces with the Letterkenny Campus to deliver an exciting and engaging conference experience.
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) is one of the largest multi-campus universities on the island of Ireland, serving a diverse group of learners, staff, communities, and organisations from our region and further afield. ATU offers almost 600 academic programmes from pre-degree to doctoral level to a student population of 20,000+ students supported by over 2,200 staff. The University has several campuses stretching the West and North West of Ireland and supports the needs of local enterprises, especially SMEs, across the region through collaborative research and enabling technology transfer to support economic and social prosperity. Donegal will provide a beautiful backdrop to this year’s Environ conference with its rugged coastline, beautiful beaches, and historic sites.
The theme of Environ 2023 is “Evidence and Plans Towards Transitions to a Sustainable Future”, resonating the fact that the science of climate change and a global energy crisis is more widely accepted and agreed upon than ever and that timely active engagement is now required to provide us with a clear opportunity to deliver strong outcomes by investing in transition leaders and climate solutions that can help transform our world using sustainable solutions.
The Environ 2023 colloquium aims to bring together, experts, scientists, and early-stage researchers to exchange ideas, to present recent research and to discuss relevant topics on all aspects of Environmental Science. A diverse scientific program is scheduled, consisting of plenary lectures, keynote lectures, parallel sessions, as well as poster sessions for young scientists.
Respected and renowned scientific experts will open the colloquium program each morning with talks in our Plenary Session.
Over 120 poster and oral presentations will be delivered on Tuesday and Wednesday at parallel sessions. Abstracts are invited under the following session themes: Marine & Coastal, From Policy to Practice, Sustainability in Education, Water Quality & Environmental Monitoring, Climate in the Balance, Smart Cities, Towns and Villages, Water and Wastewater Treatment, Carbon Capture – Wetland Management, Environmental Challenges, Water For the Future, Circular Economy, Sustainable Land Use, Agriculture & Food, Sustainable Energy, Biodiversity, Ecosystems & Ecotoxicology, Societal Engagement – Working Together, Smart Technology & The Environment, Sustainable Transport.
We will begin in the afternoon with a choice of guided field trip to nearby Glenveagh National Park with an opportunity to meet Glenveagh’s Conservation Rangers, and hear from a representative from the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE Project or alternatively delegates can opt for a series of on campus workshops. ‘Training Needs Analysis and Career Development’ followed by ‘Getting ready to be a sustainability professional’. Find out more about workshops @ Environ here.
The networking breaks at Environ 2023 are always a valuable opportunity. This year's live in-person event is no exception, with the promise of tasty food and engagement with participants of the Public Discussion and Environ 2023 delegates. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet people from the agricultural and environmental research communities and discuss shared interests at the up-and-coming ATU Donegal.
This is a public event where four short keynotes will be followed by an open discussion and Q&A session focused on “The implications and solutions of future climate actions on agriculture”. Join the discussion with Dr Edna Curley Mountbellew Agricultural College, Dr James Moran Agro-Ecologist ATU Galway, MEP Colm Markey, Paul O’Brien, Chair of the IFA Environmental and Rural Affairs Committee and Dr Douglas McMillan, Green Restoration Ireland. The panel will discuss the current and future implications of climate change policy on Irish agriculture. Implications include reducing greenhouse gas emissions through measures such as cuts in livestock numbers and the need for alterations of farming practices to be more resilient against environmental policy. Possible areas of public interest in the agriculture sector could include measures to prevent the overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and a decrease in the use of pesticides. Proposed actions may include: increased use of leguminous crops to fix nitrogen, micro-scale digestion involving the production of biogas on a small scale within farms or small communities, supports for the use of non-chemical nutrients such as bio-based fertilisers and development of the organic farming sector. See here for further details.
Dr Rick Officer, Vice President for Research and Innovation of the brand new Atlantic Technological University, will officially open Environ 2023, together with Vice President of Research, Equality & External Affairs at ATU Donegal, John Andy Bonar and ESAI Chairperson Dr Liam Mc Carton.
We are delighted that keynote speaker Prof Rick Relyea will present the first Plenary Session on Tuesday the 4th of April entitled “Understanding, predicting, and mitigating human impacts for a sustainable future”. Rick is a Senior Endowed Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in NY (USA) and is director of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute and the Jefferson Project.
These are technologically advanced initiatives using sensor networks, AI/Machine Learning, and computer models to understand and predict human impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Rick has published more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and 13 textbooks in the fields of Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science.
An influential blend of solution focused talks will be given by some of Ireland's most accomplished scientists. We are delighted that Dr Ken Whelan will deliver a keynote presentation. Ken has worked for several research organisations in Ireland including the role of Executive Director in the Irish Marine Institute. He has extensive international experience and a substantial publication record and has also produced, presented, and scripted many films and videos, magazine articles and is a regular contributor to the Mooney Goes Wild wildlife programme. Ken is highly revered and considered a national treasure in environmental science.
Keynote speakers will also include DCU's Professor Margaret McCaul, of the National Centre for Sensor Research. Professor Margaret McCaul's research in environmental monitoring broke through to real world application detecting the over-enrichment of marine water.
Another contribution from DCU will include Professor of Sensor Science and Materials Chemistry, Dermot Diamond. Professor Dermot Diamond has authored many books and over 300 peer-reviewed papers in international journals and is also the recipient of many accolades including the inaugural silver medal for Sensor Research by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Dermot’s area of expertise is the application of next generation sensor technologies in environmental and biotech applications. including internet connectivity autonomous, ‘in-field’, analytical instruments for monitoring environmental pollutants.
A drinks reception and live piano music will open an atmosphere of entertainment, fun and relaxed communication between all conference delegates at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Letterkenny.
Why not make a night of it and attend our conference dinner at the four-star Radisson Blu Hotel, renowned for extending a warm welcome to all their guests. The promise of first-class service and attention to detail, blended with the expertise of a professional and friendly team, presents a truly unique experience for organisers and delegates. This is guaranteed to be an exciting night out, full of ‘Craic agus Ceol’ (fun and music!). Enjoy the Donegal experience, which is guaranteed to deliver a conference party to remember.
The second plenary session “Valorisation of waste biomass” will be jointly delivered on Wednesday the 5th of April by world renowned scientists in the area of sustainability. Prof Vivek Ranade will deliver a talk entitled “Valorising Waste Biomass via Hydrodynamic Cavitation and Anaerobic Digestion” and Prof Peter Robertson will deliver a talk entitled “Photocatalysis for Valorisation of Biomass and Digestate Wastes”
Prof Vivek Ranade is a Bernal Chair of Process Engineering at Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland. His research focus is on developing insights, innovations & intensified solutions for sustainable energy. Vivek is an Associate Editor of ‘Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research’ and Deputy Editor of ‘ACS Engineering Au’. Vivek has published more than 200 papers and 9 books, 20 patents and has Co-founded two technology companies.
Peter Robertson is Professor of Energy and Environmental Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast. An expert in energy and environmental engineering, his research focuses primarily on photocatalytic technologies for treatment of waste and potable water and solar energy conversion and its applications for solving key energy and societal challenges. Peter is a member of the editorial board of Journal of Physics Energy, Photochem, ICE Energy and an Invited Editor of The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry.
Students should be aware that the ESAI run a student competition for oral and poster presentations, including best overall poster and oral presentations and in a number of individual categories, click here to find out more about the competition. This year over €3,000 of prizes will be presented at the close of conference prize-giving ceremony.
The registration fees for Environ 2023 are:
• Full Delegate €210
• Student/Reduced/Seniors €120
• Student Group Discount Rate (Groups of 10) €95
• Field Trip Glenveagh National Park €20
• Conference Dinner Radisson Blu Hotel Letterkenny €50
Paid up members at the time of the conference receive an ESAI members discount on delegate fees (€50 full members and €25 discount for student members).
We look forward to welcoming you all to Environ 2023
Dr Denis McCrudden & Dr Christopher McEleney
Environ 2023 Co-Convenors, Atlantic Technological University Donegal
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