Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
Applications for academic positions will open soon.
Further information on UCC Futures.
The Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics Cluster brings UCC’s world-class AI and data analytics experts together with a diverse set of experts from a variety of domains who are either users of, or are concerned with the impacts of, artificial intelligence and data analytics. This interdisciplinary research network will focus on projects of strategic societal relevance. The cluster also brings together the many major externally-funded initiatives in the areas of AI, data analytics, and their application, to maximise opportunities for even more interdisciplinary research on AI at UCC. The cluster will act as a platform to support other strategic clusters in UCC by providing AI and data analytics expertise.
Food, Microbiome and Health
Scientific innovation is the only way in which society can address the challenge of nourishing and maintaining health in a growing population while minimising environmental damage. University College Cork is internationally acclaimed for its research excellence in the areas of Microbiome Science, Food Science and Nutrition and Health. Among our PIs leading programmes in these fields, 13 are in the top 1% of Clarivate’s 2021 list of Highly Cited Researchers. The Food, Microbiome and Health Research Cluster of Excellence unites this diverse and multi-disciplinary team of researchers to develop a partnership of scale addressing food and health challenges throughout the life-course.
Scientific discovery of relevance to individual, societal and planetary health will drive innovation and economic development, impacting on key industries in the region, namely the food, technology and health/pharma sectors. Benefits extend from primary food production through formulation, processing and consumption across the supply chain and into the domain of human health, consumer behaviour and microbiome science, disease prevention and management.
An important feature of the Food, Microbiome and Health Cluster is that it will have significant cross-cluster interactions, particularly with the Sustainability Cluster, with shared objectives in the areas of Sustainable Food Production and Processing, Food Waste and Sustainable Healthy Diets.
Pharmaceuticals
UCC is located at the heart of a globally significant cluster of (bio)pharmaceutical sites. With 9 of the top 10 companies having Irish sites, this highly regulated industry is extremely important to the Irish economy, accounting for 67% of exports in 2020 (€106 billion). UCC’s provision of graduate and postgraduate skills across a wide range of disciplines has been a key factor supporting the development of the (bio)pharma industry. Drawing together multidisciplinary research expertise from Life Sciences, Chemistry, Pharmacy and Process and Chemical Engineering this cluster focuses on aspects of the lifecycle of pharmaceutical development from Lead Discovery to Formulation to Process Development to Process Control / Process Analytical Technologies. Key strategic partnerships with national initiatives including NIBRT and SSPC ensure coherence at a national level.
Quantum and Photonics
Applications for academic positions will open soon.
Further information on UCC Futures.
This field of research involves harnessing the fundamental quantum properties of light towards numerous applications. At the heart of this Cluster of Excellence will be the Tyndall National Institute and the UCC Department of Physics. The Cluster will also involve and impact broadly across the sciences and the humanities.
Sustainability
Solutions to major sustainability challenges requires participation of academics from across many disciplines addressing the technological, social, governance, behavioural, and policy aspects of “wicked” sustainability challenges. The Sustainability Cluster brings together over 400 academics and researchers from 25 different schools and disciplines to use collaborative and interdisciplinary research approaches to support a transition to a zero carbon and sustainable society. The Cluster builds on the significant achievements of the Environmental Research Institute and its associated centres by delivering impactful outcomes for practice and policy in the areas of Climate Action, Circular Economy and Healthy Environment.
