SURE 2023 Conference

This is the website for the SURE 2023 conference that took place on Friday, 13th October 2023 in Technological University Dublin (Grangegorman Campus).

The SURE 2023 Conference was the sixth in the series of Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Conferences. Students from throughout Ireland who completed their Final Year Project in a science discipline in 2022-23 presented their undergraduate research work at this conference as either an oral or poster presentation.

The conference theme was “How to do an awesome Final Year Project“. This reflected the two objectives of the conference:

To enable students who completed excellent final year projects to present their work in an authentic research conference.
To enable students who are due to complete a final year project in the future to get advice from recent graduates, experienced supervisors and entrepreneurs who have developed their final year research into commercial opportunities.

Download the SURE 2023 Conference Flyer.

Attending SURE 2023

Over 300 people attended SURE 2023 (Why you should attend SURE 2023), the vast majority of whom were undergraduate students. Attendees were primarily students on programmes in the following areas: Analytical Science; Biology; Biopharmaceutical Science; Chemistry; Computing; Environmental Science; Food Science; Health Science and Nutrition; Land Sciences; Mathematics; Nursing; Pharmaceutical Science; Physics; Materials Science; Sport Science; and Sustainability.

Attendance at SURE 2023 was intended to assist these students in completing an awesome final year project!

At the conference, attendees heard from dozens of presenters about their experience of completing their final year project. In the morning keynote presentation, attendees heard from Daniel Izquierdo Hijazi, an entrepreneur who successfully commercialised his undergraduate research. In the afternoon fireside discussion, attendees got advice from three experienced final year project coordinators, Prof. Orla Howe, Dr Rena Barry-Ryan and Dr John Butler on the topic of “how to do an awesome final year project”.

The conference commences at 9:30am and ran until 4:30pm on Friday, 13 October 2023 in the East Quad Concert Hall in the Grangegorman Campus of Technological University Dublin. Lunch was provided for all attendees in the Pizzas and Posters session.

Conference Schedule and Links to Presentations

9:30am: Welcome, Dr Ciarán O’Leary, SURE 2023 Conference Co-Chairperson

Attendees were welcomed to the conference by Dr Ciarán O’Leary, the Co-Chairperson of SURE 2023.

9:40am: Opening by Dr Brendan Jennings, Vice President for Research and Innovation, TU Dublin

The opening address was delivered by Dr Brendan Jennings, the Vice President for Research and Innovation in Technological University Dublin.

9:50am: Keynote Speaker – Mr Daniel Izquierdo Hijazi, CEO and co-founder of Micron Agritech

The keynote address for the conference was delivered by Mr Daniel Izquierdo Hijazi, CEO and co-founder of Micron Agritech. Micron Agritech (micronagritech.com) is a company that emerged from the academic research undertaken by its founders.

10:20am: Oral Presentations Session 1

The following four oral presentations were delivered at this time:

Abigail Bacon (Technological University Dublin), Elizabeth O’Sullivan, “The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Women’s Breastfeeding Experience Within the Irish Healthcare System”

Jing Ling Wong (Dundalk Institute of Technology), Jade Pollock, “Investigating the Expression of c-MYC and BIRC5 (Survivin) in Malignant Rhabdoid Tumours”

Shane Crotty (Munster Technological University), Alison O’Shea, Jing Hua Ye, “PrepPro: Web-based Hospitality Management Application”

Geraldine Martyn (Atlantic Technological University), Francesco Noci, “Exploring the potential use of turnip root vegetable surplus as a food ingredient in crackers: physical, colour and texture characteristics and sensory attributes”

Each speaker took some time from their presentation to provide advice to the audience on “how to do an awesome final year project”.

11:00am: Break

A twenty-minute break took place at this time.

11:20am: Poster Spotlight Session 1

The following thirteen poster authors spoke about their work at this time:

Yi Ming Tan (Munster Technological University), Paul Davern, “Algorithmic Techniques for Minimizing Congestion in VLSI Global Routing”

Brianna Rice (Technological University of the Shannon), Patricia Heavey, “Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity and General Abdominal Obesity and Association with Menopause-Related Symptoms in Postmenopausal Women”

Philip Brennan (South East Technological University), Cara Daly, “Micropropagation of Solanum tuberosum varieties using low-cost alternative inputs”

Mohamed Abdelaal (Atlantic Technological University), Eva Campion, “Optimisation of Electroporation based transfection system in CHO-DP12 suspension cells”

Jorge Jimenez Garcia (Technological University Dublin), Rajesh Jaiswal, “Recommender models for items in the game ‘Destiny 2′”

Ciara Fitzpatrick (Technological University of the Shannon), James J. Roche, “Total Organic Carbon Analysis of Residual Contaminants in Bioreactor Equipment: A Cleaning Verification Study using Surface Swabbing”

Sophie Mulligan (Technological University Dublin), Suzanne Doyle, Ellen Lynch, “An Investigation into Dietary Fibre Intake, Mood and Bowel Function in Irish Adults”

Emma Kearney (South East Technological University), Helen Fox, Marcos Mariano, “Extraction and application of nanocellulose as an excipient in nasal spray drug formulations”

Bienvenido Nolasco (Technological University Dublin), John Cassidy, “Kinetic study of the Copper ascorbic acid system”

Leo O’Connor (Technological University Dublin), Ciara Walsh, Uma Tiwari, “An Investigation into Hand Hygiene Practices Amongst Food Handlers Working in Ireland”

Kamil Stepniak (Atlantic Technological University), John Keary, “Characterisation of Faecal Matter of Small Land Animals by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy”

Megan Curran (Atlantic Technological University), Francesco Noci, “The nutritional knowledge, protein knowledge and protein intake of middle-aged and older adults in Connacht”

Ellen Lynch (Technological University Dublin), Sophie Mulligan, Suzanne Doyle, “An Investigation into Dietary Fibre Intake, Bowel Function, and Mood in Irish Adults”

Each speaker took some time from their presentation to provide advice to the audience on “how to do an awesome final year project”.

11:45am: Oral Presentations Session 2

The following four oral presentations were delivered at this time:

Aideen Cooley (Technological University of the Shannon), Mairead Cantwell, “Trends in Gaelic Games participation in youth and early adulthood, and factors that influence drop-out and adherence from coaches’ perspectives”

Tadgh Dulohery (Technological University Dublin), Oscar MacAnaney, Laura Murray-Kolb, “The Association between Hydration Status and Heart Rate Variability in Elite Collegiate Wrestlers”

Amie McDonald (South East Technological University), Nabla Kennedy, “Analysis of the Microbial Composition of Homemade and Commercial Kefir Milk”

Leanne Kealy (Atlantic Technological University), Luke O’Brien, “Iron and Calcium Intakes of Female Gaelic Football Players: A Cross Sectional Study”

Each speaker took some time from their presentation to provide advice to the audience on “how to do an awesome final year project”.

12:25pm: Poster Spotlight Session 2

The following thirteen poster authors spoke in brief about their work at this time:

Aisling Mullally (Atlantic Technological University), Paula Conroy, Cristiane da Mata, “Relationship between Diet and Oral Health in Irish Nursing Homes: An examination into staff and patient perceptions”

Jordan Carty and Liam Clarke (Atlantic Technological University), Catherine McHugh, Laura Keaver, “Self-perceived nutrition competency and nutrition knowledge in medical students in Sligo University Hospital”

Tommy Huang (Atlantic Technological University), Annemarie Larkin, “The challenge of multiple drug resistance in the successful treatment of cancer”

Laura Kestell (Technological University Dublin), Foteini Pavli, John Kearney, “Assessment of the Carbon Dioxide Emissions Associated with Food Miles on Fruits and Vegetables Found in the Maltese Market”

Enya Gallagher (Technological University Dublin), Aileen Kennedy, Thaïs De Ruyter, “The interrelation between dietary habits and appetite hormone levels in children”

Leon Smith (Technological University Dublin), John Power, “Can the casings of maggots or fly larvae reveal if a drug was present in the tissues the larvae fed on? A proof-of-concept study”

Ruth Ninan (Technological University Dublin), Lauren Lenihan, Aoife Fogarty, Patrycja Szlufik, Teresa Hurley, Daniel McCartney, “A 6-Week DASH Diet Intervention to Reduce Blood Pressure among University Staff”

Rachel Lynch (South East Technological University), Aubrey Storey, “The Influence of Blood Flow Restriction on the Time to Reach Oxygen Uptake Kinetics Between Males and Females”

Susannah McDonagh (Atlantic Technological University), Paula Conroy, “A Study Assessing Omega 3 Intake in Vegans/Vegetarians for Cognitive Health”

Denise Davey (Atlantic Technological University), Paul Hamilton, “Assessment of the Water Quality of Ash Lane Stream, Co. Sligo using the Q Biotic Index and its relevance to Forensic Science”

Caitriona McGearty and Daniela Maslovska (Technological University Dublin), Louise Kearney, Tao Zhang, “The Impact of Different Sustainable Extraction Approaches on the Phytochemical Profiles and Antimicrobial Activities of the Extracts of Cinnamomum cassia and Illicium verum“

Emma Clarke (Technological University Dublin), Eileen O’Brien, Aidan O’Donoghue, “An investigation into the Nutritional Intakes of women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum in relation to Gestational Age and PUQE Score”

Kathlyn Feeney (Atlantic Technological University), Paul Hamilton, “The Effect of Anthropogenic Activities on the Pollination of Wildflowers”

Each speaker took time from their presentation to provide advice to the audience on “how to do an awesome final year project”.

12:50pm: Pizzas and Posters

Lunch was provided for all attendees, and attendees were invited to visit the poster exhibition.

2:10pm: Oral Presentations Session 3

The following five oral presentations were delivered at this time.

Hazel Browne (Technological University of the Shannon), Noreen Morris, “Use of the biocatalyst Laccase in the oxidation of secondary alcohols”

Kate Flanagan (Technological University Dublin), John Kearney, Bart Sinteur, Patricia Bulsing, “Food Sustainability: Developing a tool to measure resistance to sustainable food choices”

Tsz Ching Chan (South East Technological University), Sinéad Morris, “An examination of pre-treatment technologies to enhance the bioethanol production of rye”

Metodej Dvoracek (Technological University Dublin), Mikhail Filatov, “Synthesis of a Functionalised Bimane Dye”

Eamon Slevin (Technological University Dublin), Nina Lyons, “Exploring Trim Castle, An Augmented Reality Experience”

Each speaker took some time from their presentation to provide advice to the audience on “how to do an awesome final year project”.

3:00pm: Poster Spotlight Session 3

The following fourteen poster authors will spoke brief about their work at this time:

Ruvimbo Chiweshe (Atlantic Technological University), Elizabeth Carroll, “Diabetic Foot Ulcers : Prevalence, Current Tissue Debridement Therapies, Their Existing Challenges and Future Perspectives”

Luke Gallagher (Atlantic Technological University), Eva Campion, “Optimisation of CHO-DP12 transfection using Lipofectamine 2000, TransIT LT1 and electroporation”

Julia Lach (Atlantic Technological University), Shane O’Reilly, “Antioxidant Bioactivity of Seaweed Lipid Extracts”

Óran Meighan (Technological University of the Shannon), Lynn Allen, “Irish clinicians’ knowledge and confidence in diagnosing, risk factors and prognosis of Patellofemoral pain”

Sinéad Nic Sheoin (Technological University Dublin), John Kearney, “The relationship between parents and their preschool child’s eating behaviours and BMI: A secondary analysis of the national preschool nutrition survey”

Kate Langley (Technological University Dublin), John Kearney, Souheila Abbeddou, “Evaluation of Dietary Practices in an Increasingly Urbanised Rwanda – Results From Repeated Cross-sectional Surveys”

Lucy Murphy (Technological University Dublin), Aileen Kennedy, Liz O’Sullivan, Lorraine Tham, “A Qualitative Analysis on the Impact of Changes due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Infant Feeding Supports: The Experience of Healthcare Professionals Working in Ireland”

Devon Keogh (Technological University Dublin), Dervil Cody, George Amarandei, Clare Devery, Lorna Sweetman, “Calculation of radiation doses to patients in diagnostic radiology using PCXMC software”

Michelle Sherry (Dundalk Institute of Technology), Valerie McCarthy, Anu Tooher, Niamh Tester, “An investigation of the nitrate inflows into a humic lake using high-frequency monitoring data”

Thasmin Shahjahan (Technological University Dublin), Furong Tian, Bilal Javed, “Characterisation and Optimisation of Gold and Silver Nanoparticle Anti-Zearalenone Antibody Conjugates for Use in Lateral Flow Immunochromatography Strips”

Rebecca Tyldesley (Technological University Dublin), Elizabeth O’Sullivan, “The prevalence of breastfeeding, breastmilk expression and breastmilk sharing among a convenience sample of mothers in Ireland”

Micah Nicole Imperial (Technological University Dublin), Declan McCormack, Joseph Mohan, Sinead Currivan-Macdonald, “Investigation of UV processing & post-cure conditions on the mechanical properties of 3D DLP printed polymer resins”

Sarah Rowlands (Atlantic Technological University), Philip White, “Drugs of Abuse in Galway Nightlife”

Iain Darroch (Technological University Dublin), Michael Murray, Suzanne Martin, Sabade Gul, Steven Bryant, Milana Trifkovic, Izabela Naydenova, “Effect of graphene quantum dots on the optical properties of photopolymer layers”

Each speaker took some time from their presentation to provide advice to the audience on “how to do an awesome final year project”.

3:25pm: Voting for Best Oral Presentation

All audience members were asked to vote for the Audience Award for Best Scientific Communication at SURE 2023.

3:30pm: Fireside Discussion – Supervisors’ advice on doing an awesome Final Year Project

A discussion moderated by Dr Sean Kennedy took place at which three experienced supervisors, Prof. Orla Howe, Dr Rena Barry-Ryan and Dr John Butler provided students in the audience with advice on how to complete an awesome final year project.

4:00pm: Awards

The award recipients were announced and presented with their awards.

4:20pm: Closing Address, Dr Therese Montgomery, SURE Network Chairperson

The closing address was delivered by Dr Therese Montgomery, the chairperson of the SURE Network.

4:30pm: Close

The conference finished at this time.

Presenter Guidelines

Guidelines for presenters are provided here (password protected).

Awards

The following were the award winners at SURE 2023:

SURE Network Award for Best Oral Presentation at SURE 2023

Eamon Slevin (Technological University Dublin) for his presentation titled “Exploring Trim Castle, An Augmented Reality Experience” based on his project that was supervised by Nina Lyons.

Audience Award for Best Scientific Communication at SURE 2023

Metodej Dvoracek (Technological University Dublin) for his presentation titled “Synthesis of a Functionalised Bimane Dye” based on his project supervised by Mikhail Filatov.

SURE Network Award for Best Poster at SURE 2023

Ruth Ninan (Technological University Dublin) for her presentation titled “A 6-Week DASH Diet Intervention to Reduce Blood Pressure among University Staff” based on her project that was supervised by Daniel McCartney, and her abstract that was co-authored by Lauren Lenihan, Aoife Fogarty, Patrycja Szlufik and Teresa Hurley.

SURE Network Award for Best Poster Spotlight Presentation at SURE 2023

Emma Kearney (South East Technological University) for her project titled “Extraction and application of nanocellulose as an excipient in nasal spray drug formulations” based on her project that was supervised by Helen Fox and Marcos Mariano.

Organising Committee

Melvin Bendera, Technological University Dublin
John Butler, Technological University Dublin
Nwabuogo Enwerem, Technological University Dublin
Róisín Faherty, Technological University Dublin
Laurence Fitzhenry, South East Technological University (Chair of Programme Committee)
Sean Kennedy, Technological University Dublin
Karen Nolan, Technological University Dublin
Anne Marie O’Brien, Technological University of the Shannon (Trainer for Oral Presenters)
Ciarán O’Leary, Technological University Dublin (Co-Chair of Conference Organising Committee)
Eileen O’Leary, Munster Technological University (Trainer for Oral Presenters)
Denis O’Shea, Technological University Dublin
Finn Purcell Milton, Technological University Dublin
Mariana Rocha, Technological University Dublin
Stephen Sheridan, Technological University Dublin
Carla Surlis, Technological University Dublin
James Walshe, Technological University Dublin (Co-Chair of Conference Organising Committee)