Trinity College Dublin proudly hosted the pre-launch of its highly anticipated Water Centre today, marking a significant step forward in advancing water research and education. The event took place in the main Tangent Room of the Business School, gathering a diverse group of academics, researchers and senior management from across the university. 

The event commenced at 11:00 AM, following an early networking session where attendees had the opportunity to connect over coffee. Guests were welcomed by Prof Sinéad Ryan, Dean of Research, who opened the session with a brief overview of Trinity's commitment to cutting-edge research in environmental and water-related sciences.

Prof Sylvia Draper, Dean of STEM, provided valuable insights into Trinity’s E3 Support, showcasing how the university is fostering interdisciplinary research and innovation and how the theme of water fits well into E3s vision and mission. 

Key Highlights of the Event:

Water Crisis Screening set the tone for the day, offering a powerful reminder of the urgent global water challenges we face.

Dr Muhammad Ali, Assistant Professor in Civil Structural & Environmental Engineering, delivered a compelling talk titled The Co-Created Journey So Far, where he outlined the progress made by the Water Centre since late December 2023. 


The event continued with a presentation of Water Research Projects, featuring current cross cutting research from Prof Iris Moeller, Prof Laurence Gill, and Dr John Gallagher, who shared their latest research findings and developments in areas such as water treatment, flood risk and coastal management and water and data in Rural Ireland. 

A panel discussion on Climate & Water followed, chaired by Prof Karen Wiltshire. The session, which included panellists Dr Mary Bourke, Prof Paul Coughlan, and Dr Pete Akers, sparked a lively debate on the intersection of climate change and water resource management, offering new perspectives with some call to actions for the water centre to include in its strategic development. 

The event concluded with a Lunch & Networking session, where attendees had the chance to engage with speakers and discuss collaboration opportunities, further cementing Trinity’s role as a leader in water and climate research.

Speaking on the success of the pre-launch, Prof Sinéad Ryan commented, "Today's event is a testament to the critical importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in tackling some of the most pressing water-related challenges of our time. The Trinity Water Centre is poised to play a vital role in shaping the future of sustainable water management."

We are immensely grateful to all the speakers and participants for their contributions and to those who attended this inspiring event. The full launch of the Water Centre will take place in the coming months, and we look forward to further advancing our mission to drive impactful research and innovative solutions for water.