The Research Ireland New Foundations and Ulysses awards recognise interdisciplinary research excellence at IADT across the fields of design history, visual culture, and photographic history, while also strengthening collaboration with cultural institutions, national research institutes and international higher education partners. 

Two projects involving IADT researchers have received funding through the Research Ireland New Foundations programme, which supports collaborative research between academia and communities to generate knowledge that responds to real-world needs and societal challenges. A third project will enable an IADT researcher to collaborate with a French researcher over a two-year period. 

 IADT President, David Smith, commented: “These Research Ireland awards reflect the distinctive contribution that IADT researchers make through creative, interdisciplinary and socially engaged research. By working with national and international partners, our academic and research community are increasingly generating knowledge that demonstrates how cultural and creative industries research can address real societal challenges and also have a positive impact on the creative economy. I congratulate our colleagues on this success, which further strengthens IADT’s growing research profile as we pursue our strategic objective to become Ireland’s University for the Creative Industries.” 

Dr Nina Holmes of the Department of Design and Visual Arts at IADT is Co-Principal Investigator on the project Visualisng Vaccines, led by Professor Anne Moore of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training. This award will support interdisciplinary research that brings together vaccine scientists and design historians to examine how visual imagery used during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced public perceptions of vaccines and trust in health communications. The research will develop evidence-based strategies for more effective public health messaging in any future health crises. 

Dr Linda King, also of the Department of Design and Visual Arts at IADT, is the Principal Investigator on a project exploring the role of aviation in shaping modern Ireland. Aviation as Transformation examines how airlines such as Aer Lingus transformed political, cultural and economic life in Ireland and across Europe. The award will support research for a public exhibition and a series of public-facing events developed in partnership with the National Print Museum, to explore aviation’s impact on national identity, travel and tourism. 

Dr Justin Carville of IADT’s Department of Film and Media will collaborate with Dr Claire Dubois from the Université of Lille on The Lives and Afterlives of Franco-Irish – Photographs of the Irish Revolutionary Period. Their research will examine Franco-Irish photographic documentation of the Irish revolutionary period and its historical afterlives. The Ulysses programme supports international research mobility and collaboration, enabling researchers to develop partnerships through reciprocal research visits over a two-year period. This project will strengthen links between Irish and French scholars working in visual culture, history, and archival studies. 

Dr Tina Kinsella, Head of Research, IADT, added: “I am delighted to see IADT researchers recognised through these Research Ireland awards. The projects reflect the distinctive contribution that research in the creative industries and visual culture can make to addressing complex societal questions, from public health communication to cultural heritage, historical understanding and national identity. These collaborations also demonstrate the importance of partnerships between researchers, cultural and national institutions, and international partners and colleagues in generating new knowledge and public engagement.” 

The three awards highlight IADT’s commitment to collaborative and socially engaged research in the creative industries and the wider creative and cultural sectors, with each award underpinned by excellence in socially-engaged research that addresses complex, real-world challenges. 

IADT congratulates Dr Nina Holmes, Dr Linda King and Dr Justin Carville on their leadership in interdisciplinary research. 

Photography: Cassette Vision.