2005 Press Releases
Seabed mapping is a driving factor for collaborative research between Ireland and Newfoundland
Researchers in the UCC's Coastal and Marine Resources Centre (CMRC) have benefited from a national investment of ?32million in the Irish National Seabed Survey over the last five years by developing innovative techniques for seabed data interpretation and visualisation.
"The extent of the area mapped equates to a coverage of over ten times Ireland's land area," said Valerie Cummins, CMRC manager. "The challenge now is to make the transition from research, to the development of commercial applications for the data, relevant to sectors such as fisheries, hydrocarbon, shipping and tourism".
This interest is shared by the president of Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), Dr. Axel Meisen, who is in Cork this week to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with University College Cork (UCC). While seabed imaging provided the impetus to forge a link between UCC and MUN, the MOU is not exclusive to that subject area. President Wrixon, who welcomes the link, expects that the visit to result in the identification of further areas for cooperation, including the disciplines of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and engineering.
President Meisen is accompanied by Professor James Wright, director of major research projects and Professor Ray Gosine, dean of the faculty of engineering and applied science.
"In addition to welcoming the collaboration between our two universities, I am also pleased to announce the establishment of the Coracle Irish-Newfoundland Fellowships and Rountables," said President Meisen. The Coracle initiative will enable eminent practitioners and academics from Ireland to work with their counterparts in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Information on the Coracle initiative is attached separately.
It is also anticipated that strategies for student exchange programmes in coastal management and for new R&D projects concerned with ocean technologies will be developed in the course of three days of meetings between MUN delegates and UCC academics.
Ireland and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador share a common heritage with a mutual maritime legacy based on the fishing industry. The sustainable development of fisheries and other maritime resources, such as oil and gas, is of concern to communities in both jurisdictions.
"In order to achieve this, we are faced with the challenge of extending our scientific knowledge of the marine processes and technologies for the purpose of economic development," said Barbara Girard of the BioSeas Partnership, who is among the delegation visiting UCC from St. John's.
In order to respond to this challenge, researchers at UCC and MUN have developed core competencies in marine science and technology. This common interest led to the development of informal, important links between the two universities in recent years.
The Memorandum of Understanding aims to formalise these links as the presidents of the two universities recognise the benefits to be gained from the sharing of information and knowledge, both within the academic community and to society as a whole.
The Coracle Irish-Newfoundland Fellowships and Roundtables
Legend has it that the sixth century monk St. Brendan the Navigator sailed in a coracle from Ireland to Iceland, Greenland and perhaps as far as the island of Newfoundland, a voyage replicated in 1976 by the English adventurer Tim Severin. Belying its frail appearance, the coracle turns out to be surprisingly seaworthy; in the same way, the peoples of Ireland and Newfoundland have been remarkably successful in navigating the stormy waters of national identity and economic survival. The CORACLE FELLOWSHIPS AND ROUNDTABLES will create a flexible mechanism to promote exchanges between Ireland and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in all areas relevant to the Irish-Newfoundland relationship, to the mutual benefit of both parties.
The Roundtables, to be held from time to time in Newfoundland and in Ireland, will bring together a small number (no more than half a dozen from each jurisdiction) of invited academic scholars, senior civil servants and eminent practitioners for brief, high-level, focused discussions on topical issues of mutual interest. The Fellowships will enable somewhat longer periods of residence by individual recipients. Fellows will normally be academic scholars, senior civil servants or eminent practitioners, whether currently serving or recently retired. In all cases, Fellows will have demonstrated clear interest and expertise in one or more areas relevant to the Irish-Newfoundland relationship; these would include, but not limited to, regional economic or business development; the study of society, history or politics; literature and the arts; technology and innovation.
Fellows will be named for a period of one to three years, during which time they will spend a minimum of one month within a university or the civil service of the other jurisdiction, so as to engage in activities appropriate to the purpose for which the Fellowship is awarded. During the remainder of their appointment, they will remain in contact with the university or civil service and will continue to be termed Coracle Fellows. Without limiting the generality of the award, for example, the following might be envisaged:
- Participation in teaching in the form of guest lectures, seminars or short courses by eminent civil servants or other experts in appropriate disciplines (political science, history, sociology, economics, business, literature, arts, etc.);
- Dialogue with business and labour leaders and with other interested groups (e.g. members of the cultural communities), as well as public lectures dealing with subjects of common interest to Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador;
- Mobilization of research by government departments or agencies through a period of collaboration involving the embedding of an academic scholar within government;
- Exchanges designed to promote common interests in pure or applied research in areas of interest to Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador;
- Exchanges between government departments and agencies.
The cost of the Fellowships will be limited to reimbursement of appropriate transportation and subsistence expenses, plus a modest honorarium. Salaries of Fellows who are currently employed will continue to be paid by their employer during the period of the Fellowship. Cost of the Roundtables will be limited to transportation and subsistence for the brief period of discussions.
The Coracle Irish-Newfoundland Fellowships and Roundtables
Eligibility, Terms, Selection Criteria and Procedures
Eligibility for Fellowships
The following persons are eligible to apply for or to be nominated for a Coracle Fellowship:
- Members of the faculty of Memorial University of Newfoundland and of universities in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland, including retired faculty members continuing to hold appointments, e.g. as professor emeritus or Honorary Research Professor;
- Senior civil servants, currently serving or recently retired, from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Republic of Ireland and from Northern Ireland;
- Labour and business leaders from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Republic of Ireland and from Northern Ireland;
- Leaders in the cultural, artistic and heritage community from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Republic of Ireland and from Northern Ireland;
- Eminent practitioners in the professions, including but not restricted to medicine, nursing, engineering, from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Republic of Ireland and from Northern Ireland.
Terms of the Fellowships
Coracle Fellows will be named for a period not to exceed three years and normally to last at least one year. During the tenure of the Fellowship, Fellows will be expected to spend a minimum of one month and a maximum of three months each year in residence in a university or in the civil service; Fellows from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador will spend their resident in Ireland, while Irish Fellows will serve their resident either in Newfoundland and Labrador or at the Harlow Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland.
The number of Fellows named may vary from year to year, but a minimum of two Fellowships will normally be made available. The number of Fellows named may be less than the number of Fellowships offered.
The financial subsidy provided to Fellows will be limited to reimbursement of appropriate transportation and subsistence expenses. Salaries of Fellows who are currently employed will continue to be paid by their employer during the period of the Fellowship.
Without limiting the generality of the Fellowships, activities of Fellows may include some combination of the following:
- Participation in teaching in the form of guest lectures, seminars, case studies or short courses;
- Dialogue with experts, students and/or other interested groups (e.g., members of the cultural communities) as well as public lectures dealing with subjects of common interest to Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador;
- Participation in research in areas of interest to Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador;
- Exchanges designed to promote common interests in pure or applied research in areas of interest to Ireland and Newfoundland and Labrador;
All Fellows are responsible for arranging the details of their residency with an appropriate agency.
On completion of the Fellowship, participants will submit a report to Memorial University and the appropriate host institutions to summarize accomplishments achieved as a result of the Fellowship.
Criteria for selection
Coracle Fellows will in all cases have demonstrated clear interest and expertise in one or more areas relevant to the Irish-Newfoundland relationship; these areas include but are not limited to regional economic or business development; the study of society, history or politics; literature and the arts; science, technology and innovation.
Persons nominated for a Coracle Fellowship must provide written consent for the nomination. All applications or nominations for a Fellowship must comprise a curriculum vitae and a statement to the Selection Committee to include the following:
- an indication of previous interest and expertise in areas relevant to the Irish-Newfoundland partnership;
- a plan of activities to be undertaken during the term of the Fellowship, including details of the expected dates of periods of residence;
- a letter of support from the institution in which the period of residence is to be spent, confirming its willingness to accommodate the residency;
- a summary of the expected results of the Fellowship;
- a budget and schedule showing projected expenditures for travel and subsistence during the tenure of the Fellowship.
For 2005:
The announcement of the selection committee and call for nominations will commence as of January 20th, 2005. The deadline for submitting nominations and applications is March 21st, 2005. The announcement of a decision by the president is scheduled for May 2, 2005. The fellowship or roundtable will commence no later than January 1st, 2006.
For 2006 and thereafter:
No later than October 31st of each year, the President of Memorial University of Newfoundland will name a Selection Committee of no fewer than three and no more than five members, including a Chair; the Committee will normally include representation from the University and from the provincial civil service. No later than December 1st, the Committee will issue a call for nominations and applications, which should reach the Committee no later than January 31st. The Committee will consider all applications and nominations received and will transmit its recommendations no later than March 1st to the President of Memorial University of Newfoundland, whose decision will be final. Fellowships may be awarded to begin as early as April 1st of the same year or as late as January 1st of the following year.
All applications and nominations will be held in confidence by the Selection Committee. In considering applications and nominations for Coracle Fellowships, the Committee may, in confidence, seek the advice of qualified persons whose assessment of the proposed Fellowship it deems necessary to obtain.
Proposals for Roundtables
The President may from time to time encourage, receive or solicit proposals for Coracle Roundtables on topics of pressing mutual interest to the government of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and to those of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The President will seek the advice of the Selection Committee prior to determining whether a Roundtable proposal will be funded.
The number of participants in Roundtables may vary, but will not normally exceed 4 from Newfoundland and Labrador and 4 from Ireland. Roundtable participants traveling to the other jurisdiction will normally spend one week there so as to permit a high degree of interaction.
Financials
Financial support up to $10,000 and $15,000 may be provided per Fellowship and Roundtable. Eligible expenses include return air fare, local travel, per diem allowance ($50/day), accommodation and activities essential for the success of the Fellowship and Roundtable. Honoraria and other forms of remuneration are ineligible.
It is expected that up to three Fellowships and one Roundtable can be supported during the next three-year period.
« Back to 2005 Press Releases