Professor Owen McIntyre awarded research funding under the Irish Research Council's New Foundations Programme

14 Feb 2023

The funding has been made available through the 2022 Irish Research Council (IRC) New Foundations awards. Today’s announcement represents funding in eight projects which will deliver impactful research in areas of excellence which align to the UCC Futures framework.

rofessor Owen McIntyre has been awarded research funding under the Irish Research Council’s New Foundations programme towards travel and publications costs associated with a research project on Doubling global hydropower capacity by 2050 – what about the transboundary dimension? He is leading this project along with colleagues at the University of Bologna, the University of Geneva and Northumbria University. 

Initially, the project will give rise to a special issue in the journal Frontiers in Climate, which is due for publication during 2023.  A preparatory workshop among the contributors to the special issue will take place in Bologna in March 2023.  

In the longer term, the project is intended to provide the basis for a research consortium to explore diverse legal dimensions of the developments and operation of sustainable hydropower.  

Professor Owen McIntyre is one of eight recipients from UCC.  

Congratulating the eight award recipients from University College Cork on their awards, Prof. John F. Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation said: “Congratulations to the researchers involved in receiving New Foundations awards in these key areas which will address critical societal challenges. These evidence-based awards align with the strategic goals of the University through the implementation of engaged and open research that will deliver enhanced outcomes for citizens and society.”

Nationally, the IRC funds 43 projects to enhance research partnerships with civic society organisations, a further 20 projects are funded by government departments and agencies addressing global development and global citizenship education, north-south reconciliation, our shared island, the National Volunteering Strategy for Ireland and child protection and welfare policy. Four awards on climate change and biodiversity are funded by the Sunflower Charitable Foundation.

Commenting today on the funding announcement, Director of the Irish Research Council, Dr Louise Callinan said: “We are delighted to renew and extend our ongoing partnerships with government departments and agencies who are funding 20 New Foundations projects, in addition to the 43 collaborative projects funded by the IRC with civic society partners, and the 4 funded by a charitable foundation. While New Foundations awards are relatively modest in value, they play a vital role in supporting and nurturing our research talent, providing an important step on the funding ladder to further awards nationally and internationally.”

Further information about the New Foundations scheme is available here

Further information about UCC Futures is available here