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Undergraduate researchers across Ireland to exhibit projects directly to politicians and policy makers in Oireachtas for first time, led by ATU and funded under EU Erasmus+
Póstaeir san Oireachtas (Posters in Parliament, Ireland) is a new national initiative led by Atlantic Technological University (ATU), which will see undergraduate researchers from across Ireland present their work directly to politicians and policymakers in an exhibition in Ireland’s main parliamentary buildings, The Oireachtas, Dublin, on 12 November 2025.
This landmark event titled “PsO 2025” will unite 30 students from 14 Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) around the island of Ireland under the theme “Research for Change.” The initiative aims to strengthen the connection between academic research and public policy, highlighting how undergraduate inquiry can inform evidence-based decision-making and societal progress.
PsO 2025 has been championed by Minister James Lawless, TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, PsO 2025 (committee) and sponsored by Deputy Erin McGreehan, Cathaoirleach of the Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The PsO training programme has been facilitated by retired Minister Denis Naughten, PsOs parliamentary & government engagement advisor.
PsO is part of Posters in Brussels (PiB), an Erasmus+, Higher Ed, Cooperation Partnership programme funded project dedicated to the enhancement of undergraduate research, communication and civic engagement across Europe.
ATU is one of five universities across Europe working on this project. Each EU university partner is hosting a national Posters in Parliament event in Winter 2025, prior to co-hosting a combined multinational Posters in Parliament event in the European parliament in November 2026.
The Irish Posters in Parliament event (PsO 2025) has been developed by ATU lecturers Dr Therese Montgomery, Dr Brigid Hooban, Dr Cormac Quigley and Dr Eva Campion in collaboration with members of the Irish Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Network from TU Dublin, SETU, TUS and Dundalk IT. The award-winning SURE Network, established in 2016, is a national partnership that champions undergraduate student research as a key component of higher education, encouraging curiosity, innovation, critical thinking and problem solving.
ATU Lecturer Dr Therese Montgomery, National PsO and Posters in Brussels Project Lead and Chair of The Irish SURE Network, says:
This initiative gives undergraduate researchers a voice in the national conversation, showcasing the quality, creativity, and impact of student research taking place across Ireland. PsO builds political awareness and promotes civic engagement within the student body, providing our students with the skills to build a better future.
Within ATU, 22 students were nominated to take part in PsO 2025 by academic staff and researchers and all nominees were celebrated at a recent ATU PsO Library showcase on 20 October in collaboration with Dr Johanna Archbold, Head Librarian in the ATU Sligo campus. A prize on the day for Best Research Communication Poster was sponsored by the ATU Research Office and awarded to Mei Peng Lim for her poster on “Using Play Experiences to Support Language Development in Early Years”, supervised by Dr Rita Melia, ATU Galway. All ATU nominated posters will be hosted in the ATU Institutional Repository to make them available to the public.
Of the 22 nominated, student Aoife Gillane (Galway), Holly Briere-Edney (Sligo) and Conor Cleary (Donegal) were selected by the national PsO committee to present at PsO 2025 in the Oireachtas on 12 November.
About the three ATU student research projects
Aoife Gillane from Kilbeacanty, Co Galway, who graduated this year with a first-class honours’ degree in Public Health Nutrition from ATU Galway, has explored how Irish healthcare professionals and students perceive and apply nutrition care in clinical practice. Her research highlights key barriers to integrating nutrition into healthcare, including limited training, unclear referral pathways, and professional boundaries. The study calls for stronger nutrition education within healthcare curricula and clearer collaboration with dietetic services. Aoife is now continuing her studies with an MSc in Dietetics at the University of Limerick. Aoife’s project was supervised by Dr Sarah O’ Donovan and Dr Lisa Ryan from the School of Science and Computing, ATU Galway
Holly Briere-Edney from Dromahair, Co Leitrim, completed her Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree on the Sligo campus. Her project, titled “Assessing Demand and Simulating Feasibility for Commuter Rail in Lagging Regional Areas. Case Study: Sligo”, involved stakeholder engagement and surveys of over 500 residents. The results emphasise the demand for a new early morning train service connecting Longford and Sligo on an existing track line. Holly’s project highlights the current lack of sufficient rail transport in the northwest of Ireland and the resultant climate impact as people are forced into their cars for long commutes. This research is currently under review by local councillors and Irish Rail with a view to opening a new train line to meet this demand in the future. Holly’s project was supervised by Dr Brian McCann, ATU Sligo.
Conor Cleary from Buncrana, Co Donegal, completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering at ATU Donegal. Conor will be presenting research entitled “The Future of Metabolic Health: A Needle-Free Alternative for Blood Sugar Monitoring” in the Oireachtas on 12 November. Conor’s research was supervised by ATU lecturer Martin Bradley, ATU Donegal. Early this year Conor took home the top award at ATU’s annual Student Entrepreneur Awards.
All 30 PsO participants have had their research published in a special addition of SURE-J, Ireland’s only expertly reviewed undergraduate research journal. You can also read more about each of these amazing projects on the PsO webpage https://sure-network.ie/pso-participants/
Dr Brigid Hooban, ATU Galway and member of the PsO Committee Ireland, says:
The success of these students, celebrated through initiatives such as the ATU Student Entrepreneur Awards and PsO 2025, reflects ATU’s continued commitment to empowering students to turn ideas into action, and to engage in research that shapes a better future.
Photo caption: Members of the National PsO Committee after meeting with officials from the Oireachtas public engagement team, October 2025, L to R: Dr Brigid Hooban, ATU, Dr Therese Montgomery, ATU, Dr Annemarie O’ Brien, TUS.
For further information please contact:
Regina Daly, ATU Communications Officer
Tel: +353 (0)91 742826/ Mob: +353 (0)879618355
regina.daly@atu.ie
