ATU Transcend Academic Staff
Dr Carine Gachon
Email: carine.gachon@atu.ie
Dr. Carine Gachon, a Ph.D. holder in Biomedical Engineering since 2003, is Head of the Transcend Project. With an extensive 25-year tenure in education, Dr. Gachon holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, underlining her commitment to pedagogical advancement.
Over the past 18 years, she has been instrumental in shaping and delivering educational programs in manufacturing, automation, and robotics. Dr. Gachon stands out as an authority in the development and execution of innovative curricula, particularly in the realm of adult education and industry collaboration.
Her impact is evident in the marked increase in student enrolment within an Engineering faculty, attributed to her strategic enhancements in efficiency, curriculum development, and student retention. Furthermore, Dr. Gachon boasts a proven track record of successful collaboration with industry stakeholders, fostering synergies between academia and the professional arena.
Dr Gachon is passionate about education, demonstrated by a dedicated focus on outreach initiatives aimed at instilling interest in STEM education from an early age. As Head of the Transcend Project, Dr. Carine Gachon continues to steer initiatives that transcend conventional educational paradigms, contributing to the progressive evolution of engineering and technology education.
Dr Trevor Clohessy
Email:trevor.clohessy@atu.ie
Dr Trevor Clohessy is a highly accomplished academic, with extensive experience in teaching, research, and professional service. He holds a Ph.D. in Digital Transformation and Business Modeling from the University of Galway, as well as an M.A. in Teaching and Learning and a Higher Education Diploma in Lego Serious Play from INHRFACE in Denmark. Dr Clohessy's is proficient in data analysis software such as SQL, SPSS, and R, with experience in statistical modeling and data visualization. He is also an excellent communicator, demonstrated through the publication of research articles in top-tier journals, presentations at international conferences, and invited guest speaking sessions.
Dr Clohessy's teaching experience is extensive, having taught at Atlantic Technological University Galway, Charted Accountants Ireland, City Colleges Dublin, Blockdaemon, and the University of Galway. He is skilled in developing new undergraduate and postgraduate programs, designing course materials, and delivering engaging lectures. He has mentored hundreds of students on research projects, provided academic advising, and career guidance. In addition to his teaching and research work, Dr Clohessy has held numerous knowledge exchange and advisory positions.
He is the Chair of the Blockchain Ireland Education, Skills, and Innovation Working Group and a Scientific Committee Member of the British Blockchain Association. He founded the Blockchain Expert Insights Podcast and the Novoverse Undergraduate Research Journal
Stephen Foy
Email:stephen.foy@atu.ie
Stephen Foy completed his B.Sc. in computer science and software engineering in 2005 at NUI Maynooth, and then completed a 2 years research M.Eng in the area of Inertial sensors and stereo vision at TUD in 2007. Stephen has worked in industry for over 15 years as a research and development engineer in computer vision and navigation mapping sensors. Highlights include working with a civil engineering consultancy firm that specialized in road pavements mapping and evaluation. He continued his vision research engineering career with a large multinational organization gaining international experience with multiple top automotive OEMS and Tier 1 suppliers. Stephen was involved in the design, development and deployment of computer vision calibration algorithms, Visual SLAM and Deep Learning algorithms for Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS).
Stephen is currently pursuing a PhD at TUD in the field of Deep Learning and perception for autonomous mobile robotics. Stephen joined ATU Galway in 2020 and is currently a Lecturer in robotics and automation, he specializes in computer vision and embedded systems programming for various industrial robotic applications. Stephen is currently pursuing a PhD in Deep Learning and Perception with Computer Vision Systems at Technological University Dublin, with a particular focus on anomaly analysis in turfgrass environments.
Gabriel Farragher
Email:gabriel.Farragher@atu.ie
Since 2019, Gabriel Farragher has been an assistant lecturer at ATU Galway. Gabriel began his career as an electrician in 2005, working on residential and commercial installations until 2009, when he transitioned to industrial control systems. In 2010, he was exposed to highly automated production lines at a manufacturing firm in Tuam, County Galway, and developed a keen interest in factory automation. Gabriel spent eight years as a technician and engineer designing Allen Bradley control systems and SCADA. Gabriel is a certified electrician and earned his BEng in Mechatronics with honors in 2018. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Science in Digitalization at TUS. Gabriel is interested in electrical control systems, SCADA, industrial networking, lean production utilising industrial controllers, and intelligent conveyor system control.
Dr. Philip Long
Email: philip.long@atu.ie
Dr. Philip Long is a Lecturer in Robotics & Automation at Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU), Ireland. His research interests include human-robot collaboration, sensor-based control of robot manipulators, cable-driven parallel robots and flexible manufacturing. He has extensive experience in technology transfer projects in robotics, having worked in both industry and academia for over 15 years. Prior to joining ATU, at IMR, he was PI/Co-PI on a number of large-scale technology transfer and equipment projects in robotics totalling over €3M, including the Smart Eureka MAAS project, the Horizon 2020 projects CISC and ACROBA, and a DTIF award.
During his time as a research engineer at IRT Jules Verne, Nantes, France, he developed sensor-based control schemes for human robot collaboration in partnership with industrial partners notably Renault, Airbus and Alstom (GE). Furthermore, he has contributed to high TRL university led projects developing multi arms robotic system for muscle separation and a U.S Department of Energy led project developing control architectures to enable a humanoid robot (NASA’s Valkyrie robot) to execute nuclear decommissioning. He holds a Mechanical Engineering Degree for University of Galway, a European Masters degree from University Genova and Ecole Centrale de Nantes, and a PhD from Ecole Centrale de Nantes. He has publications in several top tier robotics journals and >50 international conferences, 4 international patents and is an associate editor for IEEE’s flagship robotics and automation conference ICRA- (International Conference for Robotics and Automation). Full list of Publications
Dr Jack Saad
Email: jack.saad@atu.ie
Meet Dr. Jack Saad, a Robotics professional with an impressive educational background and extensive industry experience. Holding a PhD in Robotics from Genova University in Italy, Jack has developed a wealth of technical expertise in the design and integration of robotics systems for companies. Beyond his industry work, Jack has also made significant contributions to engineering research projects during his tenure at various universities and labs. His primary research focus has been on Robotics, with a special emphasis on designing gripper modules for use with limp materials.
During his visit to the CSIRO lab in Australia, Jack also worked on developing 3D off-board laser docking for hot metal carriers. In addition to his technical expertise, Jack holds a professional diploma in Management of Technology from Nile University. While studying there, he developed a technology transfer model for applying robotics technology in developing countries. Jack's many accomplishments have been recognized with a nomination for the Fulbright fellowship JFDP at Texas A&M University. Throughout his career, Jack has gained excellent communication skills through working in an international environment for over twelve years.
Dr Aurora Dimache
Email: aurora.dimache@atu.ie
Dr Aurora Dimache is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway with over 10 years of experience in teaching and research. Her research interests lie in the area of quality management, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, as well as sustainability, circularity and life cycle assessment. As a lecturer, she developed a particular interest in project-based learning as a teaching method for student engagement. Aurora has managed a number of European projects (Horizon 2020, FP7, Leonardo da Vinci, LIFE) and worked with numerous SMEs. Prior to joining ATU and starting an academic career,
Aurora developed extensive expertise in quality management, project management, reliability, cost analysis and environmental impact assessment working with renowned organisations (Thermo King, Engie) and SMEs (Alewijnse Retec Romania, Tsunami). Aurora holds a Six Sigma Green Belt certification from the American Society for Quality (ASQ). She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University Politehnica Bucharest and a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the Academy of Business Studies Bucharest. Later, Aurora completed her Master’s and PhD in Engineering from ATU Galway (former GMIT) and a Master in Teaching and Learning from ATU Galway.
Dr Martin Taggart, B.Bus. (Hons), MSc, PhD, FCIOB, FCABE, C Build E, LCGI.
Email: martin.taggart@atu.ie
Martin has over 40 years’ experience working in the built environment sector in professional practice, contracting and academia. He lectures at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in the areas of Construction/Project Management, Innovation and Enterprise, and Action Orientated Research Methodologies. He has worked in a wide variety of roles including construction management, project management, facilities management, business management and academia in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. Martin joined the academic staff at ATU in 2007 (Formally Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology) and has focused on the on-going development of the Construction Management degree programmes as well as teaching on the M.Sc. in Environmental Systems, M.Sc. in Innovation and Design, M.Sc. in Leadership in Circular Economy, M.Sc. in Leadership in Building Information Modelling and undergraduate programmes for Building Economics and Quantity Surveying.
Martin is a Fellow and Chartered Construction Manager with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and a Chartered Building Engineer and Fellow of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE). He holds a master’s degree in Project Management from the University of Salford and an honours degree in Business from the GMIT Business School. Earlier in his career he graduated with professional qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Building, (Part I, II & III).
Martin was awarded a doctorate by the University of Huddersfield for is work on using Lean Supply Chain management approaches to reduce construction defects. He has published in the areas of Supply Chain Management, Lean Construction and Building Information Modelling and his work has been cited over 150 times in leading international publications and conferences.
Dr. Nireeksha Karode
Email: nireeksha.karode@atu.ie
Dr. Nireeksha Karode is a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Atlantic Technological University, Galway (ATU), Ireland. She obtained her PhD. in electroactive polymer processing for smart sensing applications from Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland (Irish Research Council Government of Ireland scholar awardee). She has over 9 years of applied research experience in academia and technical industrial roles in the field of soft sensors/actuators, the design and development of intraosseous drug delivery systems, polymer processing systems, and electroactive polymers/ composites.
Nireeksha obtained her industry-applied post-doctoral experience in the validation of coating technology for EMG needles. She has contributed to the design and development of an automatic esophagus model for industrial medical device validation. Nireeksha holds a primary degree and master's in Electronics and Communication Engineering with a specialization in the fabrication of organic thin-film transistors for wearable application from the University of Glasgow. She has secured Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund along with an innovation partner for Connected Enteral Feeding Healthcare System for Integrated & Co-ordinated Care to leverage innovation in sensors on mobility+ feeding systems. Her current research focuses on improving the thermal conductivity and fabrication process of thermablate balloons using automated systems.
Emer Cahill
Email: emer.cahill@atu.ie
Emer began her career as a Design Engineer with Northern Telecom, later Nortel Networks. During her time with Northern Telecom she completed an MBA. Further pursing her interest in design, her dissertation investigated the development of creativity in engineering students. Emer spent three years as a lecturer with Athlone IT before joining the staff of the Electronic Engineering Department in GMIT where she established and teaches an Enterprise & Innovation module to final year engineering students. She also has extensive experience guiding and mentoring Electronic Engineering students’ design projects. Emer believes that new MSc in Design & Innovation unlocks innovative potential in our students, bringing benefits to them as individuals & to their companies.