SmartBay Ireland announces new Master's in Research Scholarship with GMIT

4 September 2020 - SmartBay Ireland, in collaboration with the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), is delighted to announce the call for applications for a new Master's in Research Scholarship Programme. The research project, commencing in November 2020, aims to develop a suite of post primary educational resources in the field of marine renewable energy.

The scholarship is a result of a partnership between SmartBay Ireland, GMIT, the Marine Institute, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and Údarás na Gaeltachta. The scholarship is designed to fund and support a candidate in the Connemara Gaeltacht Region and to drive awareness around ocean literacy, marine renewable energy, and sustainability through education in local schools. The successful candidate will receive full funding support to the value of €44,500 over the duration of the 24-month project.

This project will focus on the preparation and delivery of resources at post primary level, in both English and Irish, which will incorporate various aspects of the marine and renewable energy knowledge base. The research will include an analysis of current post primary syllabi and specifications in order to identify aspects of the curriculum which could be enriched through collaboration with the national ocean energy programme.

John Breslin, SmartBay Ireland General Manager, said: "SmartBay Ireland is very proud and excited to launch the first ever SmartBay Research Scholarship, in collaboration with GMIT, with the support of all the funding partners. Our aim with SmartBay is to make a positive and lasting impact on the local community from an environmental, social and economic perspective. This scholarship is an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate, not only to advance in their career, but to be at the forefront of developing educational resources and make a positive and lasting impact on the post primary curriculum. We are very excited for this projects potential to build awareness and understanding on the role of offshore wind, wave and tidal energy resources in helping Ireland transition to a low carbon economy."

Open until the 16th of September, this call is seeking a candidate with experience as a post primary educator, preferably in the field of science, with demonstrable proficiency and fluency in the Irish language. A home address in the Connemara Gaeltacht Region is desirable. Above all, a candidate with evident enthusiasm and passion for education, citizen science initiatives and community development projects, with excellent communication skills, is required to get the most out of this opportunity.

Róisín Nash, Lecturer at GMIT and SmartBay Research Scholarship Supervisor, said: "This is a very exciting opportunity which would suit an enthusiastic candidate with a passion for education, the marine and sustainability. At a time when research and management of essential marine resources are key features of a sustainable future, this is a unique project with lots of opportunities for the candidate to be creative and influential in incorporating marine and renewable energy into the classroom."

To Apply for the SmartBay Ireland Research Scholarship:
Full details on the postgraduate research scholarship and application procedure are available on the Research Vacancies section on the GMIT website. All applications must be submitted to the GMIT Research Office. The application deadline date is Wednesday the 16th of September at 12 noon.

The SmartBay Ireland Postgraduate Research Scholarship is funded by the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, the Marine Institute, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

ENDS

For further information, contact:
Josephine Kelly, Community Liaison Officer, SmartBay Ireland
josephine.kelly@smartbay.ie

Project Partners:

SmartBay Ireland
SmartBay Ireland supports the management, operation and promotion of Ireland's National Marine Test and Demonstration facility for the trial and validation of sensors and renewable energy devices. The company supports the coordination of the Marine Ireland Industry Network (MIIN), the delivery of a range of European funded projects, coordinates events and workshops and provides local liaison support.

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT)
GMIT delivers undergraduate and postgraduate courses at its five campuses in the west of Ireland; Dublin Road and Monivea Road in Galway city, Castlebar in Co. Mayo, Letterfrack and Mountbellew in Co. Galway, supported by its research centres and Innovation Hubs. Dr Orla Flynn is head of the organisation, leading a regionally dispersed community of 700 staff and 7,000 students.
The institute offers over 100 CAO courses in Agriculture, Business, Computing & Science, Design & Creative Arts, Engineering, Furniture Design & Technology, Hotel & Tourism, Nursing & Social Care, and Outdoor Education, in addition to Springboard upskilling courses and postgraduate courses, many of which are delivered online. GMIT's undergraduate courses have a strong practical element with an accredited workplace component.
GMIT and its partners IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT (Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA)) will later this year make a formal submission to the HEA seeking Technological University designation, servicing the West and North-West region.

The Marine Institute
The Marine Institute is the State agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland. The Marine Institute carry out environmental, fisheries, and aquaculture surveys and monitoring programmes to meet Ireland's national and international legal requirements. The Institute also provides scientific and technical advice to Government to help inform policy and to support the sustainable development of Ireland's marine resource. The Marine Institute aims to safeguard Ireland's unique marine heritage through research and environmental monitoring. Its research, strategic funding programmes, and national marine research platforms support the development of Ireland's maritime economy.
The SmartBay Ireland/GMIT Postgraduate Research Scholarship is carried out with the support of the Marine Institute under the Marine Research Programme funded by the Irish Government.

Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
SEAI is Ireland's national energy authority investing in, and delivering, appropriate, effective and sustainable solutions to help Ireland's transition to a clean energy future. We work with Government, homeowners, businesses, and communities to achieve this, through expertise, funding, educational programmes, policy advice, research and the development of new technologies.

Údarás na Gaeltachta
Údarás na Gaeltachta is the regional authority responsible for the economic, social and cultural development of the Gaeltacht. Celebrating 40 years since its establishment in 1980, the overall objective of Údarás na Gaeltachta is to ensure that Irish remains the main communal language of the Gaeltacht and is passed on to future generations. Údarás na Gaeltachta endeavours to achieve that objective by funding and fostering a wide range of enterprise development and job creation initiatives and by supporting strategic language, cultural and community-based activities.