Dr James Cuffe - Principal Investigator

James is an anthropologist working generally in the field of techno-anthropology drawing upon philosophical traditions drawn through ethnographic fieldwork. His previous work includes ethnographic research in Shanghai on the effects of mediative technologies in social change published as a monograph with Routledge - China at a Threshold (2021). He is co-director of the Atlantic Anthropological Spring School held annually in Dingle, Ireland.   

Dr Sarah O'Connell - Innovation Manager

Sarah is a Chartered Engineer with over 20 years’ experience in energy in buildings, building to grid technologies, energy flexibility & demand response. She completed her PhD with the University of Galway on building to grid energy flexibility and holds a Research Masters in ground source heat pump technology from CIT/MTU. O’Connell has worked both as a consulting engineer, designing systems for buildings (specialising in energy efficiency and sustainability) and in research demonstration projects in real buildings and sites. During her 8 years at UTRC, the research centre of a $60bn US Multinational, she led test bed projects on whole building power & energy management scaling from single building to district while also delivering EU projects, including the H2020 Energy Local Storage Advanced System (ELSA). She also worked as a Statistician in the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and has experience of data management for construction and business data. She is currently the Research & Innovation Manager in the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science.

Dr Nasrin Khandoker - Post-Doctoral Researcher

Nasrin is a Post-doc researcher in the CyberSocial project. She received her PhD in Anthropology from Maynooth University and has worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Limerick and Galway University. She was an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University. Her research interests are gender and sexuality, Bangla folk song, migration, gender-based violence, emotion and affect, embodiment and post-colonial critiques. 

Dr Sam Rumé - Post-Doctoral Researcher

Sam is completing a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship in the CyberSocial Research Lab. He obtained his PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester. His research focuses on urban change in Cuenca, Ecuador, and specifically how new transport infrastructures shape competing city assemblages. Sam is currently working on a book on this research.

Advisory Board

The project is supported by academics and policy experts as well as practicioners that can provide expertise across a range of domains. The board is available on an ad hoc / as needed basis to engage with different aspects of the project relevant to their areas of expertise. We are currently populating the board so stay tuned to see developments here.

Prof. Luigina Ciolfi - Human Computer interaction

Dr. James Kapalo - Religious and Ethnic Minorities

Dr. Jolynna Sinanan - Digital Anthropology

Ms Claire Davis - Digital Officer, Cork City Council

Ms Colette Cronin - ICT Compliance Lead, Cork City Council.