PResident's RePORt 2009/2010 - University College Cork

Foreword
UCC at a Glance
Academic Developments
Teaching and Learning
Research
College Reports:
Arts, Celtic
Studies and Social
Sciences
Business and Law
Medicine and Health
Science, Engineering and
Food Science
Events
Student Experience
Sports and Recreation
Buildings and Estates
Cork University Press
Finance
Governing Body
IRIS Appendix
20
Mary Ryan, Professor of Romance Languages, UCC (1919-1938)
was the first female professor in Ireland
College of Arts, Celtic
Studies and Social Sciences
In the academic year 2009/2010, the College of Arts, Celtic
Studies and Social Sciences (CACSSS) continued to advance
its strategic plan, making progress in the areas of teaching and
research, with members securing research funding and awards
on both the national and international stage. Our researchled
teaching ensures that undergraduate and postgraduate
programmes in the CACSSS are at the cutting edge of each of
the disciplines. As a result of our productive research output and
serious scholarship, many of our students have been rewarded
with prestigious scholarships and awards.
Throughout the year, CACSSS engaged in a range of events
including conferences, symposia and workshops that serve to
highlight the diversity of interests of the staff of the college, a
selection of which are presented in our report.
Among the many events organised by the CACSSS in 2009/2010
was the celebration of the centenary of the appointment of Mary
Ryan, Professor of Romance Languages, UCC. Mary Ryan was
the first woman professor in both Ireland and Great Britain. The
college was honoured to have the former President of Ireland,
Dr Mary Robinson, deliver the opening address.
CACSSS is very proud of its external engagement in the cultural
and intellectual life of Cork city and the Munster region. Its
contributions are reflected in events such as the FUAIM season
of concerts and events, organised by the UCC School of Music.
The UCC Confucius Institute’s involvement in teaching Chinese
language and culture courses to students in 32 local primary and
secondary schools and the establishment of three Confucius
classrooms in schools in the Cork area is just one example
of CACSSS commitment to creating innovative teaching and
learning situations outside the traditional campus-based model.
Considerable progress was made in the restructuring within the
college with the appointment of Heads of Schools:
• School of Applied Psychology — Professor John Groeger
• School of Applied Social Studies — Professor Fred Powell
• School of Education — Professor Kathy Hall
• School of English — Professor James Knowles
• School of Geography and Archaeology: the Human
Environment — Professor Robert Devoy
• Scoil Léinn na Gaeilge — Professor Máire Herbert
• School of History — Professor Geoff Roberts
• School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures —
Dr Maeve Conrick
• School of Music and Theatre — Dr Mel Mercier
• School of Sociology and Philosophy — Professor Graham
Parkes
Professor David Cox retired as Head of College in August 2010
and Professor Caroline Fennell was appointed as the new Head
of College.
Awards and Grants
School of Applied Psychology
Professor John A Groeger
• Awarded €112,992 from the Road Safety Authority for Fitness
to Drive Following Neurological Disorder: Integrating off-road,
simulated and on-road driver assessment
• Awarded a subcontract of €37,848 with the University of Surrey
for Protocols for assessing cognition and driver performance in
relation to “A randomised, double-blind, active-and-placebocontrolled,
combined fixed sequence, parallel group study to
investigate the effect of E2007 on the QT interval duration in
healthy volunteers”
• Received an extension of United States Air Force (USAF)
funding of $25,963.