This episode features Vikram Pakrashi in conversation with Lorraine Hanlon and David McKeown from UCD, who share their experience of working on EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first satellite. 

Burning Questions is a conversation podcast that shines a spotlight on expertise in the fields of the engineering, mechanics and computer science across the island of Ireland. Each episode is structured around an interview with a leader/leaders in their field who will share insights into projects and research that have a tangible impact on the world around us.

Lorraine Hanlon is Professor of Astronomy at UCD and Director of UCD’s Centre for Space Research. She did her undergraduate (BSc) and graduate (MSc and PhD) degrees in Experimental Physics and was a research fellow and an EU Human Capital and Mobility fellow at the European Space and Technology Research Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, ESA’s establishment for space mission development.  Lorraine is currently Chair of ESA’s Astronomy Working Group and is a member of the ESA Space Science Advisory Committee.  She also serves as science advisor to the Irish delegation to the ESA Science Programme Committee and is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the European Southern Observatory. She is a former trustee of the Royal Astronomical Society and Chair of the INTEGRAL Users’ Group. Her main research interests are in high-energy astrophysics, gamma-ray bursts, multi-messenger astronomy, robotic telescopes, and space instrumentation. She is the Endorsing Professor for EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s first satellite, a CubeSat developed by an interdisciplinary team of UCD students and staff under ESA’s ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme.

David McKeown is Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin. His research focuses on the modelling and control of large flexible aerospace structures and the testing and verification of attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) for Nanosatellites. He was the Engineering Manager for the EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s First Satellite which was recently launched. He is also the Principal Investigator on the European Space Agency funded DEAR project, building a robotic arm breadboard to test Lunar dust mitigation strategies. In collaboration with Lorraine, his team is building an ADCS testbed as part of the SFI funded NANO-SPACE project. He is a founding member of the UCD Centre for Space Research (C-Space) and the Lead academic for the Space Structure Dynamics and Control Theme.

Vikram Pakrashi is Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Director of Dynamical Systems and Risk Laboratory (DSRL) in UCD. Vikram is a Chartered Engineer and has served both industry and academia working on numerical and experimental applications of dynamics and risk/probabilistic analysis on traditional (roads, bridges) and bourgeoning (wind/wave energy devices and platforms) sectors of built infrastructure. is recent research activities involve structural health monitoring, analysis of dynamic systems, vibration control, experimental methods in dynamics, damage detection algorithms and the use of new technologies for such applications. Vikram has supervised and mentored several doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and has received multiple awards for his research and leadership activities. He currently works with a dynamic and motivated team in DSRL close to industrial needs.


Burning Questions Podcast: A conversation about… EIRSAT-1, Ireland’s First Satellite

Dr Máire Kennedy, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Early Modern History, Trinity College Dublin

Dr Máire Kennedy and Dr Jason McElligott introduce us to institutional and private libraries in early modern Ireland. This is the first event in a three-part series on early modern book collections presented by the Historical Studies Committee and the Library of the Royal Irish Academy.

In April / May 2024, The Royal Irish Academy Library and Historical Studies Committee were delighted to present a three-part lunchtime lecture series on the topic of Early Modern book collections. At each lecture, experts from the field of print culture and book collecting elaborated on the subjects of Early Modern libraries, private collections and caring for Early Modern collections in the 21st century.

Wednesday 24 April: Institutional and private libraries in Early Modern Ireland.
Chair: Dr Richard Kirwan, University of Limerick.

- 'Curious collections of scarce and valuable books': eighteenth-century Irish private libraries.
Dr Máire Kennedy, Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Early Modern History, Trinity College Dublin.
- 'Cold, draughty, and unwelcoming?': the institutional libraries of Early Modern Ireland.
Dr Jason McElligott, Director of Marsh’s Library.


Wednesday 08 May: Early Modern book collections in the 21st century.
Chair: Barbara McCormack, Academy Librarian, Royal Irish Academy.

- The Bolton Library: reconsidering an Early Modern book collection in the 21st century.
Olivia Lardner, Cataloguer of the Bolton Library, University of Limerick.
- Well read and well-travelled: the Franciscan book collection at UCD Special Collections.
Eugene Roche, Assistant Librarian, UCD Special Collections.
The St. Canice's Library: past, present and future.
- Alexandra Caccamo, Assistant Librarian with responsibility for Special Collections and Archives, Maynooth University Library.


Wednesday 15 May: Reading and collecting books in Early Modern Ireland and Europe.
Chair: Prof Sandy Wilkinson, University College Dublin.

- Factors affecting book collecting in Early Modern Ireland and Europe.
Dr Elizabethanne Boran, Librarian, Edward Worth Library.
- Reading books: here, there and then.
Prof Brendan Dooley, Professor of Renaissance Studies, University College Cork.

Curious collections of scarce and valuable books': eighteenth-century Irish private libraries.

This week, Prof Kieran McEvoy and Dr Cheryl Lawther discuss the politics of apologies within the Northern Ireland Peace Process. This is based of Kieran's recent paper 'Abject and True Remorse': Loyalism and the Politics of Regret in Northern Ireland' which is part of the Irish Studies in International Affairs journal, available at this link https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/article/922275


This is episode 34 of a podcast series that provides evidence-based research and analysis on the most significant questions of policy and public debate facing the island of Ireland, north and south.
Host Rory Montgomery, MRIA, talks to authors of articles on topics such as cross border health co-operation; the need to regulate social media in referendums, education, cultural affairs and constitutional questions and the imperative for good data and the need to carry out impartial research.
ARINS: Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South brings together experts to provide evidence-based research and analysis on the most significant questions of policy and public debate facing the island of Ireland, north and south. The project publishes, facilitates and disseminates research on the challenges and opportunities presented to the island in a post-Brexit context, with the intention of contributing to an informed public discourse. More information can be found at ⁠⁠⁠www.arinsproject.com⁠⁠⁠.
ARINS is a joint project of The Royal Irish Academy, an all-island body, and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs.

ARINS: The Politics of Apologies

Our great pal @dr-banana has delivered the perfect sexy-funky summertime cruise. Enjoy folks!

GHOSTCAST 023 - DR BANANA

The Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hEireann is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is the principal learned society in Ireland and has over 420 members who are elected in recognition of their academic achievements.

The Royal Irish Academy, the academy for the sciences and humanities for the whole of Ireland will vigorously promote excellence in scholarship, recognise achievements in learning, direct research programmes and undertake its own research projects, particularly in areas relating to Ireland and its heritage.

Curious collections of scarce and valuable books': eighteenth-century Irish private libraries.

The Royal Irish Academy

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