Graduate Research School - PhD Programmes

Dublin Institute of Technology

DIT at A Glance

• OneofthelargesthighereducationinstitutionsinIrelandwithover10%ofstudent

population

• Inthetop3%ofworlduniversityrankings(TimesHigherEducationandQSRankings)

• VotedInstituteoftheYear(TheSundayTimes,2011)

• AutonomousInstitutionwithstatutoryawardingpowersforcareerfocussedand

professionaldegreesfromBachelortoDoctorateLevel

• FourColleges

x ArtsandTourism

x Business

x EngineeringandBuiltEnvironment

x SciencesandHealth

• Use-inspired,globallyrelevantresearchaccountingfor20%ofthelicensesandoptions

inIreland

• FourResearchThemes

x EnvironmentandHealth

x InformationandMediaTechnologies

x NewMaterialsandTechnologies

x Society,CultureandEnterprise

StructuredPhDprogrammesare specifiedprogrammesofeducationand training thatare research-based

andincludeactivitiesthatsupporttheacquisitionofarangeofrelevantspecialistandtransferrableskills.

AtDITwehavefourthematicStructuredPhDprogrammes:

• NewMaterials&Technologies

• Information&MediaTechnologies

• Environment&Health

• Society,Culture&Enterprise

As a graduate student on one of these programmes youwill complete your specialised research project

in interdisciplinary research environments and simultaneously develop a range of discipline specific and

transferrable skills and competencies utilizable by industry and the professions. All graduate students

completetransferrableskillsmodulesduringthe4yearprogrammeincludingCommunicationSkills,Ethics&

SocialUnderstanding,Personaleffectiveness,Team-working&leadership,Entrepreneurship&Innovationand

Professional&CareerManagement.Allgraduatestudentsalsocompletedisciplinespecificmoduleswhichare

tailoredtotheirindividualresearchprojects.

How to ApplyAllinterestedapplicantsareinvitedtocompleteanExpressionofInterestavailableat

www.dit.ie/graduateresearchschool.

Introduction to PhD Programmes

New Materials and Technologies

Information and Media Technologies

Environment and Health

Society, Culture and Enterprise

New Materials and Technologies

GraduateStudentsonDIT’sStructuredPhDProgramme,NewMaterialsandTechnologies,address research

questions across the boundaries of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Engineering with a strong focus on

technologies. Our students collaborate within DIT and with Ireland’s National PhD platforms such as the

NationalBiophotonics&ImaginingPlatformandtheIntegratedNanoSciencePlatformforIreland.DITresearch

inthisareaencompasses:

• RadiationBiology

• EnvironmentalToxicology

• Holography&Interferometry

• Nanomaterials

• Nonotoxicology

• SmartCoatings

• Therapeutics&DrugDelivery

• Biospectroscopy

Information and Media Technologies

Graduate Students onDIT’s Structured PhD Programme, InformationandMedia Technologies specialise in

informationandcommunicationstechnologyacross

• Computing

• GamingTechnology

• DigitalMedia

• ElectricalEngineering

• WirelessCommunication

• ElectronicEngineering

• Telecommunications

• Software&EntertainmentApplications

OurstudentscollaboratenationallyandinternationallyandalsoparticipateinIreland’sNationalPhDplatforms

suchastheTelecommunicationGraduateInitiative.TechnologiesdevelopedbyDITresearchersandgraduate

studentsare licensedthroughHothouse,ouraward-winningtechnologytransferofficeandincludeChiPs,a

mobileapplicationfor learnersofChineseandTunepal,ShazamandSpotifywhichhavebeenlistedbythe

SundayTimesinthetop20culturalappsfortheiPhone.

Environment and Health

Graduate Students on DIT’s Structured PhD Programme, Environment and Health develop evidence-based

interventionsaddressingenvironmentalhealthproblemswithastrongfocusonrealsolutionstoglobalchallenges.

Thespecificareasofresearchfocusinclude:

• Lifestyle&Policy

• WaterQuality

• AirQuality

• Radiation&Noise

• Bio-monitoring

• Energy

• FoodQuality&Safety

The research programme is augmented by cross-cutting activities including Policy and Technology

Development.OurstudentscollaboratewithinDITandwithIreland’sHealthServiceExecutiveandDublinCity

Council,theUniversityofUlsterandtheInstituteofPublicHealthinIrelandandalsoparticipateinIreland’s

National PhD platforms such as the Agri-Food Graduate Development Programme and the Graduate

EducationProgrammeforEnergy.

Society, Culture and Enterprise

Graduate Students on DIT’s Structured PhD Programme, Society, Culture and Enterprise, pursue research

projectsacrosstheareasofbusiness,socialandpublicpolicyandcreativeartsandmedia.DITresearchinthis

areaencompasses

• Creative&PerformingArts

• SocialCare

• EducationPolicy

• Justice&HumanRights

• Enterprise&Entrepreneurship

• ConsumerStudies

• BusinessandSociety

Our students collaborate nationally and internationally and also participate in Ireland’s National PhD

platformssuchastheGraduateSchoolforCreativeArts&Media(GradCAM).GradCamisIreland’sleading

centrefordoctoral researchacrossdesign,visualandperformingarts,mediapracticeandhistoricaland

theoreticaldiscourses.

Why DIT

DublinInstituteofTechnologyisamoderntechnologicaluniversityprovidingprofessionaleducationtodoctoral

level. Itblendstheacademicexcellenceofatraditionaluniversitywithcareer-focussed learning,discovery

andtheapplicationofknowledge.DITactivelyencouragesandsupportsthedevelopmentofnewbusiness

venturesandcontinuingprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesandourstructuredPhDprogrammedelivers

professionaltransferableskillsaswellasresearchtrainingwithinadisciplinaryframework.

Asagraduatestudentyouwillhaveaccesstoleadingexperts,stateoftheartequipmentandfacilitiesand

willbeencouragedtopublishandpresentyourresearchfindingsatinternationalfora.Youwillbepartofthe

researchcommunityandamemberofourGraduateResearchSchoolwhereyouwillinteractwithotherstaff

andstudentstomakeyourtimeinDITatrulymemorableone.

Innovation@DIT – where Science meets IndustryResearch at DIT addresses key issues of national and global strategic importance. Across the Institute our

researchers and graduate students are working hard to develop innovative solutions to next generation

problemsandtranslatingtheirresearchintothedevelopmentofnewproducts,processesandpolicies.

DIThas recordedsomemajor successesover the lastdecade, includingasignificant rise in thenumberand

levelofcompetitiveawardsnationallyandinternationally,strongachievements incitationrecognitionforthe

excellenceofourresearchandincommercialisationactivitywhichismorethancomparabletotheworld’sbest.

InternshipsWestronglyencouragePhDstudentmobilitybetweenDITandenterprisebutalsobetweenDITandotherHigher

EducationInstitutionsthroughinternshipsandwork-placements.Theseinternshipsaddvaluetothefinalthesisand

can involveparticipation inadoctoralcourseoracademic researchata recognizednationalor international

universityorscientificinstitutionorenterprise.

Education in Ireland

Ireland’sworldwide reputation forhighqualityeducation isbuilton thesolid foundationofcommitment to

excellence.Irelandisabeautifulisland,combiningcontemporarymoderncitieswithanunspoiltcountryside,

cityscapessteepedinhistoryandarichnaturalhabitat.Renownedforfriendliness,oursafeEnglish-speaking

countryoffersthewarmestofwelcomestostudentsfromallovertheworld.

A friendly, safe country -Anditisnotjustussayingit!IrelandwasvotedbyLonelyPlanetastheworld’sfriendliest

countryin2008and2010andwasranked12thinthe2009GlobalPeaceIndex.Ourhospitablenaturecoupled

with an unrivalled senseof fun ensures living in Ireland is an unforgettable experience. The island’s varied

environmentisidealformanyoutdoorpursuitssuchasclimbing,watersportsandallkindsofballandteam

sports.It’seasytoexploreEuropefromanIrishbasewithlow-cost,frequentflightsmakingtripsaffordable.

English-speaking country -IrelandisanEnglish-speakingcountrywithclosecultural,economicandeducational

linkstotherestoftheEnglish-speakingworld,especiallytheUK—ournextdoorneighbour—andtheUSA.With

36%ofthepopulationundertheageof25,IrelandisoneofthemostexcitingplacesintheEnglish-speaking

worldtobeastudent.

Internationally recognised qualifications and extensive choice - Irish higher education institutions and

qualificationsare recognisedworld-wide forexcellence,deliveringworld-class innovative learning inmany

disciplines.Studentscanchoosefromanextensiverangeofcoursestomeettheirneedsinhighlyrespected

businessschools,centresofscientificandtechnologyexcellenceaswellasrenownedlanguage,humanities

andartsfaculties.

Supportive learning environment - Dedicated international offices work closely with academic,

administrativeandspecialist staff to fully support students throughout their time in Ireland. Through these

supportstructures,studentsreceivedirectaccesstoinformation,facilities,servicesandstaff.

Innovative and creative culture - Ireland is a land rich in cultural heritagewith a history ofworld-leading

innovation. From the flamboyance of Oscar Wilde to mould-breaking James Joyce, from the pioneering

quantumphysicsofJohnBelltoNobelLaureateErnestWalton,Ireland’suniqueinnovativeandcreativeculture

isanintegralpartoftheIrishexperience.

Distinguished graduates - Ireland’sgraduatesare innovators intheirfields, leaders intheircommunitiesand

ambassadors forexcellenceallaround theworld.Qualificationsearnedandconnectionsmade in Ireland

deliverapassporttosuccess.

Leading global companies in Ireland - Companies who require a skilled, educated and highly capable

workforcetodrivetheirsuccesschoosetolocateinIreland.IrelandhaswelcomedGoogle,Facebook,Pfizer,

Apple,Inteltonamejustafew—allofwhomchoseIrelandastheirEuropeanbase.

DIT Research Centres

Antenna & High Frequency Research CentreThe Antenna & High Frequency Research Centre

specialises in the analysis, design and measurement

of antennas and associated devices for wireless

communicationsandmedicalapplications.Withdecades

ofappliedresearchexperienceithasbuiltaninternational

reputationforinnovativefuturisticconceptsandsolutions

tocontemporaryindustrialchallenges.

w:www.ahfr.dit.ie

Applied Intelligence Research CentreTheAppliedIntelligenceResearchCentreresearchesthe

applicationofcomputationalintelligencetechnologies

torealworldproblems.Thecorecompetenciesofthe

AIRCincludemachinelearning,languagetechnologies,

intelligentagentsanddataanalytics.

w:www.comp.dit.ie/aigroup

Business Society & Sustainability Research CentreTheCentreiscommittedtocriticalandcreativeanalysisand

reflectionontheimpactsofbusinessonthewidersociety

andtheimpactofthewidersocietyonbusiness.Centralto

theseimpactsisthethemeofsustainabilityunderstoodnot

onlyinitsecologicalsensebutalsointhesenseoftheability

of business to maintain ethical and political legitimacy

throughcreatingvalueinthelong-term.

w:www.dit.ie/bss

Centre for Elastomer ResearchThe Centre for Elastomer Research has the unique

capability of producing reliable viscoelastic data

for characterising themulti-axial physical properties

of elastomers. Current research interests are:

Hyperelastic and Viscoelastic Material Behaviour

including Elastomer Fatigue, Stress Softening and

StressRelaxation;BiomedicalApplications;Advanced

Foams;SwellingPhenomenon.

w: www.dit.ie/cer

Consumption & Leisure Studies GroupAsmanyDIT researchers are engaging in consumer-

relatedresearch,evolvingmedia-basedtechnologies

andsportandrecreation-basedresearch,werecognise

a number of shared interests around the shaping of

contemporary consumer Ireland. The Consumption

andLeisureStudiesgroupbringstogetheracademics

researching in the areas of consumption, consumer

society,mediastudies,andsportandleisurestudies.

w:www.dit.ie/cls

Communications Network Research Institute

The centre specialises in developing innovative

technologiestosupportthedeliveryofreal-timeservice

suchasVoIPandvideostreamingonwirelessnetworks,

specifically IEEE 802.11orWi-Fi networks. Researchers

are investigating resourceaware routing techniques,

measurementsofthecharacteristicsof802.11wireless

links, interference mitigation, multi-radio hardware

platforms, rate selection, output power optimization,

andfragmentationthresholdtuning.

w:www.cnri.dit.ie

Centre for Research in Engineering Surface

Technology

The Centre for Research in Engineering Surface

Technology is the only dedicated surface coatings

laboratory in Ireland. The major research activities

of the group are in the areas of nanotechnology,

ceramics for functional applications semiconductors,

photocatalysis,self-cleaningprobesandanti-bacterial

functionalcoatings.

w:www.crestdit.com

Centre for Social & Educational Research

TheCentre for Social and Educational Research is a

dynamicandinnovativeresearchcentrewhichseeks

to improve the quality of life of children, family and

society. Itaims to impacton socialandeducational

policiesandpracticesthroughtheprovisionofaccurate

researchdata.Thecentrehasawell-establishedtrack

recordof research in fiveclassified research themes:

Juvenile Crime and Youth Justice; Media Literacies;

Early Childhood Education; Higher Education Policy;

SocialCare.

w:www.cser.ie

Centre for Transcultural Research & Media Practice

The Centre for Transcultural Research and Media

Practice offers a distinctive, interdisciplinary

postgraduateand research environment, dedicated

to scholarly and public understandings of migration

and globalization, media and civil society activism,

post-conflict/border zones and transcultural identity

formations in Ireland and beyond. The Centre

promotestheuseofethnographicanddocumentary

modesofpracticeinsocialresearch,utilisingnewand

establishedmediatechnologies.

w:www.ctmp.ie

Dublin Energy Lab

The Dublin Energy Lab is a leading energy related

researchanddevelopmentlaboratorywhichconducts

researchacrossa rangeofdisciplineswith keyefforts

organised into themes of electrical power; energy

policy; solar energy; zero emissions buildings; energy

demandanalysisandforecasting;lifecycleassessment.

w:www.dit.ie/dublinenergylab/

The Digital Media Centre

The DigitalMediaCentre is amultidisciplinary group

which focuseson researchandcommercialprojects

in the field of Information and Communication

Technologies for the following areas: culture &

heritage; language learning; multimedia interaction;

spatially aware computing; digital heritage and

machinelearning.

w:www.dmc.dit.ie/

Electrical Power Research Centre

TheElectricalPowerResearchCentreprovidesaworld

classenergyinterfacefacilitytosustainandadvance

leadingresearchinpowerqualityconditioningandin

integrationofwindandsolarenergytothenetwork.

w:http://eleceng.dit.ie/eprg

Food & Health Research Centre

Research in the Food and Health Research Centre

is interdisciplinary and applied and is both industry

and policy relevant. The cross-disciplinary team of

researchersfocusesonsixthematicareasoffunctional

foodsandnutraceuticals,post-harvestandnon-thermal

technologies,foodproductdevelopmentandculinary

innovation, food safety and diagnostic tools, small

moleculebiotechnology,humanhealthandnutrition.

w:www.dit.ie/fhrc/

Graduate School of Creative Arts & Media

GradCAMisacollaborativeinitiativeofnationaland

all-islandsignificancewhichbuildsontheexpertiseof

Dublin Institute of Technology, the National College

ofArt&Design,UniversityofUlster,andInstituteofArt,

Design and Technology, Dún Laoghaire. GradCam

deliversPhDtrainingandresearchinabroadspectrum

of creative practice including design practice,

practiceacrossthearts,creativemediacontentand

service development, and the technical, critical,

theoretical and historical underpinnings of these

disciplines/practices.

w:www.gradcam.ie/

Industrial Engineering Optics Centre

The Industrial Engineering Optics Centre specialises

in holographic and interferometric techniques and

has developed novel technologieswith applications

in product authentication, sensing, vibration

measurementandopticaldevicefabrication.

w:www.ieo.dit.ie

Inorganic Pharma & Biomimetic Research Centre

ResearchersattheInorganicPharmaandBiomimetic

Research Centre synthetise and characterise

novel materials for applications as diverse as

pharmaceuticals,drugdelivery,molecularrecognition,

biomimeticchemistryandsupramolecularchemistry.

w: www.dit.ie/ipbrc/

Nanolab

TheNanolabresearchcentrehasunparalleledexpertise

in stateof theartnanomaterialcharacterisationand

the analysis of the interaction of Nanomaterials with

biological systems. Its researchers explore standards

andmethodsforthecharacterisationofnanomaterials

includingthetoxicityandbiocompatibilityofavariety

of nanomaterials such as carbonaceous, polymeric,

metallicandcompositenanomaterialsystems.

w: www.dit.ie/nanolab/

Photonics Research Centre

The Photonics Research Centre undertakes research

in a number of areas of photonics with a particular

emphasisonopticalsensing.Itsprimaryresearchareas

are:FiberOpticSensorsanditsApplications;FiberOptic

SystemsforSensingApplications;SmartFiberStructures;

Liquidcrystalfiltersforsensingapplications;Modelling

ofOpticalWaveguides;PhotonicIntegratedCircuits.

w:www.aoc.dit.ie/

Radiation & Environmental Science Centre

The centre specialises in radiation biology and

environmental toxicology. Non-targeted (non-

DNA) effects such as bystander effects, genomic

instabilityandadaptiveresponsesarethemainfocus.

Translational research and the use of vibrational

spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for cancer and

for the identificationofbiochemicalmarkersarealso

investigated.

w:www.dit.ie/resc/

GraduateResearchSchool

DublinInstituteofTechnology

143-149RathminesRoad

Dublin6

Ireland

Tel.+35314023374

F.+35314023393

W.www.dit.ie/graduateresearchschool