Postgraduate Research Conference 2025

The fourth annual SETU Postgraduate Research Conference takes place on Wednesday, 04, June in the Haughton Building on the Carlow campus. This year’s theme, ‘A Celebration of SETU’s Diverse and Ambitious Postgraduate Research Community’, reflects the depth and breadth of research being carried out by students across the University.

Organised by postgraduate researchers Barry OSullivan, Manasa Hegde, Emma Holden, and Trish Finegan, this student-led event offers researchers and supervisors a unique opportunity to connect across campuses and disciplines, share research in a welcoming environment, and create a connected community. Registration on the day commences at 08:15.

Dr Gina Noonan will deliver this year’s keynote address. Gina is currently Head of Centre for Academic Practice. During her time in IT Carlow and SETU as a lecturer, researcher, and Head of Teaching and Learning, she has always been passionate about supporting learners, especially postgraduate researchers. Her address is titled ‘Anchored by Values, Guided by Stars: Education in a World of Shifting Sands’, and it will undoubtedly be engaging, insightful, and memorable.

The conference programme features over 75 oral and poster presentations by postgraduate researchers from across three SETU campuses, showing a wide and diverse range of disciplines and research interests. The day will conclude with President Veronica Campbell presenting awards and formally closing the event. The Conference Handbook and Book of Abstracts can be downloaded below.

Sustainability has been central to the planning and delivery of this year’s event. As organisers, we have worked hard to embed sustainability into decision making wherever possible. Our goal is not only to reduce the conference’s environmental impact, but to also raise awareness and signal that sustainability should be at the core of all academic events. We recognise that our actions are modest in the face of the climate-related challenges that society faces. Nevertheless, we hope these small steps provide a foundation for future editions of the conference to build upon, leading to even more integrated and ambitious sustainability actions in years to come.

We ask all delegates to engage and participate in the sustainability efforts and considerations detailed below. By doing so, delegates can play their part in reducing the conference’s environmental impact.

• This year’s conference is a hybrid event. Notwithstanding the networking benefits of attending in person, we encourage researchers to present virtually, should they wish or require.
• We have arranged bus transportation to the Haughton Building for Waterford based researchers and supervisors. If you are travelling to the event from Waterford, we encourage you to avail of this option.
• We have committed to not providing new lanyards on the day. Delegates are asked to bring and use existing lanyards. There will be a very small number of second-use lanyards available at registration, and these will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Delegates are encouraged to bring reusable cups for hot drinks and water bottles. The venue has water refill stations.
• For delegates presenting a poster at the conference, you are welcome and encouraged to re-use posters printed for other conferences or symposia. 

We appreciate your efforts in helping us to create a more thoughtful and responsible conference. Please see the Conference Handbook for more information and do not hesitate to contact the Co-Chairs and Organising Committee should you have any sustainability related queries.

Finally, while registration for delegates has now closed, we encourage the wider SETU community to drop by on the day to celebrate the diverse and ambitious research being undertaken by SETU’s postgraduate researcher community