with
Dr Mihai Bilauca (Chief Information Officer, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) – chair
Dr Martin McCormack (CEO, College of Anaesthesiologists)
Louise McKeever (Government Chief Information Officer, Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation)
Tom O’Sullivan (CEO, Irish Computer Society)

The Research Symposium allows PhD students, academics, and professionals from across industries to present original research that combines theoretical rigour with practical relevance. With simultaneous abstract presentation and poster presentation sessions, presenters receive feedback from an expert panel.

Co-creation workshops allow discussion about cutting-edge and lead to tangible outcomes such as continuing working groups or an output. Workshops in this session included:

• Towards Trust in European Health Data
  with Nollag Conneely (Director, Complete GRC), Hugh Jones (Privacy Programme Lead), Mary Mangru (NNIT), Michael O’Dwyer (consultant & data expert) and chair Sam Santosh (Research Assistant, IVI)
• Process Mining Meets Generative AI: Toward Intelligent and Explainable Process Analysis
  with Christopher Bastin (Process Mining Expert, SCMC), Joep de Reuver (Process Mining Expert, Rabobank), Oksana Kostiuk (Senior Process Management Consultant, Volkswagen Group), Guilherme Luz (Process Mining Expert, SAP), Bronwyn Murrel & Dr Daniel Murrell (Co-Founders, FlowMyna) and chair Dr Azra Aryania (Postdoctoral Researcher, IVI)
• Can AI Run This Workshop Better Than We (Humans) Can?
  with Prof. Monica Dragoicea (Professor in Systems Engineering, Politehnica University of Bucharest), Declan Foster (CEO, Project Plan AI), Greg Heaslip (Founder, Westmar Consulting), Dr Caroline Kiarie (Assistant Professor in Media & Communication, Aga Khan University Nairobi), and co-chairs Lisa (AI agent) and Daragh O Brian (human and Managing Director, Castlebridge). Co-ordinator: Sana Kiran (PhD researcher, IVI) Technical lead: Leo Yesudas (Research Assistant, IVI)
• The Nature of Data for Sustainability and Health
  with Dr Arlene Egan (education & training leader), Dr Michael Hanley (Knowledge Transfer Manager, IVI), Dr Carla Mateus (Assistant Professor of Geography, Maynooth University), and co-chairs Dr Tadhg MacIntyre (Research Cluster Lead, IVI) and Prof. Rossano Schifanella (Associate Professor of Computer Science, University of Turin)

Workshops include:

• Advancing Age Friendly Futures: State-of-the-Art Technology, Challenges, and Innovations
  with Dr Donal Fitzpatrick (Senior Advisor on the European Disability Act, National Disability Authority), Dr Bruno Giesteira (Director of Design Department, University of Porto), Dr Rachel Kenny (Research & Evaluation Manager, ALONE), Patricia Lucha Farina Fariña (Project Co-Ordinator, Age Friendly AI), Annie O’Shea (Chair, Older People’s Council County Kildare) and chair Dr Emer Coveney (National Programme Manager, Age Friendly Ireland). Co-Ordinator: Dr Claudia Roessing (Postdoctoral Researcher, IVI)
• From Fields to Data Spaces: Unlocking Agricultural Data Sharing
  with Senadin Alesic (Strategic Advisor – Digital Transformation, Combitech Sverige/Linnaeus University), Natasha Browne (Climate Sustainability Technologist, Teagasc), Dr Rafiqul Haque (Research Fellow, Insight Research Centre), Helmut Vossman (Managing Director, agmadata) and co-chairs Fjolla Berisha, Leidiane da Silva and Erica Tegolo (PhD researchers, IVI)
• Beyond the Prompt: Reimagining the Human-AI Interaction Across Disciplines
  with Owen Derby (Principal User Experience Designer – AI Experience, Workday), Murali Krishna (Head of Product & Design, Estatemin) and co-chairs Dr Linzi Ryan (Assistant Professor of Design Innovation, Maynooth University) and Indu Havaldar (Design Lead, IVI)
• Risk in a Changing World: Digital Risk and Cybersecurity
  with Rory Hopkins (Head of Information Systems, Kildare County Council), Kammil Mahajan (CEO, AdviceBytes), Ken Sheehan (Director, Cambrai) and chair Dr Ruth Buckley (Chief Information Officer, Cork City Council)

This session begins with a panel reflecting on 20 years of IVI success, featuring IVI Director Prof Markus Helfert alongside Dr Peter Conlon (Director, MaynoothWorks), Prof Martin Curley, Martin Delaney (former Managing Director, IVI) and Joan Mulvihill (long-term IVI collaborator and partner).

Next, we look ahead to the new phase of IVI as Prof Helfert and Dr Michael Hanley launch IVI’s new AI-powered capability platform, ATLAS.

We welcome Frank Feighan TD, Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, to launch ATLAS officially.

Following welcomes from Summit MCs Karen Griffin and Dr Rehan Iftikhar, opening addresses from Prof. Markus Helfert and Maynooth University Vice-President for Research & Innovation, Prof. Rachel Msetfi

Addresses from four international leader in data, digital and tech

Margaret Laffan, Cloud Growth and Scale GTM Lead, Intel (USA)
Presentation available to view here

Glen Lally, Global Vice President, Enablement and GTM Transformation, Everpure (USA)

Ben Hallinan, Vice President for Digital Enablement – Commercial, Kerry Group (Ireland)

Marc Einstein, Research Director: AI, Telecommunications and Digital Transformation, Counterpoint Research (Japan)
Presentation available to view here

Europe is at a turning point in AI regulation. The EU AI Act set the global benchmark, but now comes the next phase: simplification. This debate brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and Irish AI innovators to discuss what this might look like.

with Prof. Rosemary Monahan (Professor of Computer Science, Maynooth University), Dr Maria Murphy (Associate Professor of Law, Maynooth University), Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan (Senior Policy Analyst, National Economic and Social Council), Stephen Redmond (Founder, Straitéis AI), Dr Marta Soprana (Technology and International Affairs Project Associate, LSE IDEAS) and chair Padraig O’Neill (Managing Director, UNUM Ireland)

Session 1: Technological Change

with Prof Brian Donnellan (Professor of Information Management Systems, Maynooth University), Ben Evans (Manager, UK Drones, PwC), Brian McGeough (Chief Information Officer, CreditSafe), Lorraine Smyth (Head of e-Enablement, HSE) and chair Dr Michael Hanley (Knowledge Transfer Manager, IVI)

Session 2: Organisational Change

with Geraldine Heavey (Executive Director of Enterprise Services, Electricity Supply Board), Dr Matt Kennedy (Global Head of Client Transformation, IDA Ireland), Alistair Russell (CEO, Laing Russell), Dr Christoph Strnadl (Chief Technology Officer, Gaia-X) and chair Prof Markus Helfert

Session 3: Societal Change

with Dr Helena Lim (Educational Excellence Lead, Queen Mary University of London), Prof Craig Mahoney (CEO, The Education Group London), Dr Carla Mateus (Assistant Professor in Geography, Maynooth University), Dr Ciara McCormack (Assistant Professor, Sports Science & Health, Maynooth University), Dr Matt Mullarkey (Professor of Information Systems and Management, University of South Florida), Prof Rossano Schifanella (Associate Professor of Computer Science, University of Turin) and chair Dr Tadhg MacIntyre (Research Cluster Lead, IVI)

Digi+: Transforming Data into Insight showcases eight postdoctoral projects spanning Legal, Ethical and responsible AI; Explainable AI and Transparent Data Governance; Sustainability and Drone Agriculture; and Historic Building Information Modelling and Human Motion Capture. Through short demonstrations, hands-on activities, and guided discussions, participants explore how complex data can be translated into insights and usable knowledge for policy, strategy, design, and practice.

with

Dr Israa Ali Amro (Technological University Dublin)
Dr Jorge Balmaceda Hoyos (University of Galway)
Dr Sara ben Lashihar (Maynooth University)
Dr Elif Calik (University of Galway)
Dr Peter Jean Paul (Maynooth University)
Dr Alberto Jovane (Trinity College Dublin)
Dr Bayan Khosravi (Technological University Dublin)
Dr Mehran Kianvand (Maynooth University)
Dr Sudesta Nahak (University College Dublin)

In times of increased geopolitical tension, it might appear that international collaboration is under threat. What does the future of collaboration across national and continental borders look like, in line with technological and political changes? What should ‘collaboration’ actually look like in relation to questions of intellectual property, regulation, innovation and security? Our panel of experts from across the world explore these questions and more.

with Andrea Biancini (28DIGITAL/ISSIP), Dr Tim Calahan (EHC Consulting), Dr Elaine McCarthy (Head of Research Policy, Data and Compliance, Maynooth University), Nigel Thuku (Data Scientist, Aga Khan University Nairobi), Dr Raymond Wu (Executive Vice Secretariat-General, CORE Academy) and chair Dr Gráinne Walshe (Assistant Director – Researcher Development, Research Ireland)

including launches of new books:
Prof Piero Formica, Uncertainty and Imperfection
Prof Piero Formica and CORE Academy, The Horizon of AI
Dr Zohreh Pourzolfaghar et al, Understanding Cybersecurity Management in the Construction Industry

and award presentations recognising outstanding contributions from IVI colleagues and strategic partners

Led by Sara Lynch, a researcher on IVI’s GoGreen Next project, this leisurely walk around the greenery of Maynooth University’s campus foregrounds a planetary health perspective is used to promote dialogue on the interactions between human health and planetary health in light of climate change challenges.

Held in the historic Pugin Hall, St Patrick’s College, this session allows for networking over breakfast followed by brief introductions to the work of some of IVI’s research experts: Dr Mansoor Ahmed, Dr Marco Alfano, Dr Claudia Roessing and Dr Wael Rashwan.

Plus, addresses from Virpi Lynch, Honorary Consul-General of Finland; Colm O’Hehir, International Contact Point (Ireland) for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, marking 30 years of MSCA; and Dr Mario Balzan, Director of Ecostack Innovations and PI, Green Talent.

Sponsored by UNUM Ireland and presented with the participation of Yaroslav Humeniuk, First Secretary on Economic Issues at the Embassy of Ukraine to Ireland, this year’s theme is “Digital Footprints: Challenges, Risks in Everyday Digital Activities.” Congratulations to winning teams fromMaynooth University, Aga Khan
University (Kenya),Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman (Ukraine), Deggendorf Institute of Technology (Germany) and Ball State University (USA).

A tour of some of the hidden gems of Maynooth’s campus, including the richly decorated chapel.

Following lunch, the Summit concludes with inspiring talks from internationally significant thinkers, offering a reflection and different perspective on the Summit’s key themes. As innovation continues, how can we ‘win the race’ within a landscape of international collaboration?

With Audrey Comiskey (Data Protection Officer, Gas Networks Ireland) & Daragh O Brian (Managing Director, Castlebridge), Dr Declan Deasy, Dr Fred Kitchens (Associate Professor of Information Systems & Operations Management, Ball State University) & Phill Miller (CEO, Skillwell) – plus writer, comedian and actor Kevin Gildea