The Design, Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Annual Conference
CoLab ATU Donegal | 9.30-4.30
Join DICE Labs at ATU Faculty of Business for an engaging discussion on hybrid working. Learn how to enhance and maintain culture, collaboration, and innovation in a hybrid working environment. Gain insights from our expert academic team and inspiring guest speakers.
Note: Early registration is encouraged as spaces are limited.
thursday 6th march — #1
How to make innovation work in a hybrid environment
CoLab, ATU Donegal | 9:30am – 11:00am
Register to secure your place ⟶Joe Dunleavy, European CTO and Global SVP, Head of Dava.X AI group, at Endava is the Keynote speaker will discuss how hybrid working can empower innovation. Joe’s talk will be followed by a panel discussion, whereby members of the audience are invited to ask questions of the floor. Panellists include Stephen Carolan, Connected Hubs, Western Development Commission, Dr Valerie McTaggart, Academic Lecturer & Researcher, ATU Sligo, Shane Grant, Innovation and Facilities Director, PGIM Ireland.
Speakers
Stephen Carolan, is the National Hubs Network Manager at the Western Development Commission. He took up the role in 2019 and in the intervening period he has spearheaded the establishment of the Connected Hubs platform www.connectedhub.ie. This ambitious initiative seeks to create a network of over 400 coworking and enterprise hubs from all across Ireland. The project is sponsored and funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development, with the Western Development Commission providing the project management role. The project has grown from a pilot based in the west of Ireland to a nationwide initiative.
Stephen is leading a team responsible for the further development of this exciting project in the years ahead. Stephen has over 25 years’ experience as an IT Project Manager. He previously worked in senior IT roles in Mayo County Council, including serving as Broadband Officer supporting Ireland’s National Broadband Plan. He holds a Masters in Computer Science from University College Dublin.
Dr Valerie Mc Taggart is an Academic Lecturer & Researcher with Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Sligo Campus. Valerie holds a PhD from DCU and a Masters from John Moore’s University Liverpool. She is research active in the areas of Leading Digital Transformation, AI and Remote Working. She has published and presented her work both nationally and internationally.
Valerie also works with the European Commission as an evaluation expert and is a member of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) working group REAL - Regaining linkage? Digital technologies improving civic engagement, political organisations and democracy.
Before joining academia full time in 2018 , Valerie worked the financial services sector for over twenty years as a project manager.
I am an AI, Innovation, Software Delivery, Design, Product and Business lead experienced executive with 20+ years professional experience. I currently work in the role of European CTO and Global SVP, Head of our Dava.X AI group at Endava (NYSE: DAVA) reporting into our Global CTO, Matt Cloke.
Before the sale of Pramerica to TCS (Dec, 2020), I worked for Prudential Financial Inc. / Pramerica for 16 years based in both Letterkenny, Ireland for 13 years as well as in the US on a 3-year international rotation. I have held several leadership roles including Regional CTO, Global SVP, Global Innovation Head, Interim Global Product Acceleration Head, US based Interim CIO, Software Development Lead and Technical Project Manager. Before Pramerica I worked in an IT start-up company called Nooked in Sligo, Ireland and Microsoft at their European Development Center in Dublin, Ireland.
I hold an MA and Post Grad in UX & Applied Innovation, an MBS in Innovation & Leadership and a BSc in Computer Science. I am a certified Amazon Cloud Practitioner and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals professional.
I am passionate about fitness, technology, innovation, design, volunteering, food, travel, coaching, startup mentoring and sport.
Shane Grant, Innovation and Facilities Director, is a key member of the PGIM Ireland Leadership Team. He is responsible for overseeing facility operations at both the Letterkenny and Grand Buildings locations in London and sits as a council member on the Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce.
Shane spearheaded the design and project management of the current PGIM premises in Letterkenny. He also led the design and project management of the former Pramerica premises, now TCS.
Shane’s most recent project is the newly constructed PGIM Ireland Global Innovation Lab. Through partnership with the Atlantic Technological University Faculty of Business, the lab will foster an innovative culture and build a pipeline of talent and ideas across the world.
Shane's extensive experience includes 20+ years in consultant leadership roles with national and multinational corporations including Google, Facebook, and Forfas. Additionally Shane is Chairperson of Cairde LeCheile, a local charity which provides facilities for social, recreational, educational and employment for the benefit of people with disabilities and community groups.
Shane has a Master of Business in Innovation & Leadership and he is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at ATU Donegal, with a research focus on global flexible working arrangements.
thursday 6th march — #2
Creativity in a hybrid environment
CoLab, ATU Donegal | 11:00am – 12:30pm
Register to secure your place ⟶The keynote speaker for session 2 is Dr Lorna Ross, Head of Department of Design and Creative Media, ATU Donegal, former leader of innovation in VHI and the Mayo Clinic. Lorna will discuss Designing for Change. This will be followed by an interactive panel discussion. Panellists include Dr Muslim Syed, Lecturer in AI, technology and law at ATU, FINTRU and TCS.
Speakers
Dr. Muslim Jameel Syed is a Responsible AI Enthusiast, currently working as Lecturer at Atlantic Technological University, Galway, specializing in Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Law. A passionate advocate for ethical AI, Dr. Syed's work focuses on ensuring compliance with global regulatory standards, including GDPR and the EU AI Act, while addressing societal and legal challenges of AI and generative technologies.With extensive experience as a researcher, academic, and consultant, Dr. Syed has served as a U.S. court expert witness on IP matters involving digital twins, AI, and building monitoring technologies.
He also evaluated AI-driven startups for the Cyprus Ministry of Finance, fostering SME growth through tax incentives. He has contributed to global discourse through keynote speeches, high-impact publications, and collaborative research projects funded by the EU and Irish government. Dr. Syed currently supervises one postdoc and eight PhD students, advancing research in sustainable AI, cross-border compliance, and ethical AI-driven innovation for economic growth. Dr. Syed brings a nuanced perspective on the intersection of generative AI, governance, and societal impact, emphasizing practical strategies for responsible innovation and regulatory adherence.
Dr. Lorna Ross is an internationally recognised leader in the area of healthcare innovation. Her career spans 30+ years of professional experience leading strategic design activity across a range of industry sectors from healthcare to government services. Her work at The Mayo Clinic established the first and largest activity of design-led innovation in an academic medical institution and became recognised internationally as the benchmark in patient centric healthcare transformation.
Nationally, Lorna has sat on the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment’s Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and The Dept. Public Expenditure & Reform Design In Government; Design Our Public Services. She was a member of the expert committee charged with developing a report and recommendations from the Science Foundation Ireland; Creating Our Future, citizen engagement initiative in 2021.
In 2018, while at Accenture's Global Innovation Centre, The Dock, she founded the Human Insights Lab, in partnership with Trinity College School of Humanities, exploring the ethical and philosophical implications of disruptive, emerging technologies. As part of her role on the RTE/ Science Foundation Ireland documentary, Big Life Fix, Lorna became a nationally recognized spokesperson for Irish Design in innovation and an advocate for design acting at a human scale, on social issues.
As Innovation leadership for VHI Healthcare, Lorna led the strategies for Women’s Health, Digital Health and Care Ecosystem Integration. She sits on the Research & Innovation Board of Tallaght University Hospital and hold an adjunct faculty position with the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland.
In November 2024, she assumed the role of Head of Department, Design & Creative Media at ATU Donegal. Her focus at ATU will be to enriching the creative economy in the Northwest region, including cross border collaboration.
Cróna brings a multitude of experience to her lecturing role in the Department of Design & Creative Media at ATU. A graduate of Limerick School of Art & Design; Ulster University and Central Saint Martins, UAL London, she has worked in a variety of roles within the creative industries, including graphic designer, art director, project manager, curator, and community engagement specialist. Central to her work is a passion for people, placing the needs of the end user at the centre of all creative solutions.
Cróna taught on the BA (Hons) in Interior and Spatial Design at Chelsea School of Art & Design (UAL) and the MA in Narrative Environments, Central Saint Martins (UAL) before returning to her native Donegal to commence her roles at ATU and OD Design.
In 2020 Cróna began a PhD exploring the role of the studio space in creative tertiary education.
With over 20 years of experience in AI, data, and analytics, Deepanand Saha Roy has led analytics and insights functions at major financial services multinationals. He specialises in defining and executing data and analytics strategies, integrating AI, machine learning, business intelligence, and market research.
A recognized expert in client loyalty economics and the Net Promoter® methodology, he has delivered impactful insights across digital, customer engagement, market sizing, segmentation, pricing, risk, brand assessment, and ROI measurement. He has spearheaded large-scale initiatives to unify customer data and develop end-to-end monetization strategies within a wellness ecosystem.
He is an award-winning business leader who excels in AI/ML, NLP, data visualization, and multivariate analysis, with a strong focus on fostering data literacy and building high-performing teams.
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Kathryn Harkin has over 25 years of experience in technology roles and is currently the Head of AI at FinTrU Ltd. She leads efforts to maximize the use of AI technology in new product offerings and internal business processes. Kathryn focuses on developing an AI mindset across all processes and products, as well as upskilling both tech and non-tech workforce to use AI tools safely and responsibly.
Previously, she was the Senior Manager at Allstate Northern Ireland, where she established and led the AI Centre of Excellence.
Thursday 6th march — #3
The DICE Doctoral Research Symposium 2025
CoLab, ATU Donegal | 2:30pm – 4:30pm
Register to secure your place ⟶
Are you passionate about cutting-edge research and eager to connect with leading scholars and fellow researchers? The DICE Doctoral Research Symposium will bring together doctoral students researching within the social sciences to present and discuss their research goals, methods, and/or results in a constructive atmosphere. The DICE Doctoral Research Symposium is the perfect platform to showcase your work, exchange ideas, and gain invaluable feedback from experts in your field.
Would you like to present your research at the Doctoral Symposium? For details on how to register as a presenter please follow this link.
Why Attend?
• Present your research to an academic audience.
• Engage with a supportive community of scholars and a spirit of collaborative research.
• Participate in interactive workshops and panel discussions.
• Opportunity to network with peers and academics from the social sciences discipline.
Who Should Attend?
• Doctoral students from all research fields within the social sciences.
• Early-career researchers and academics.
• Industry professionals interested in research collaborations.
Submission Guidelines:
Presentation Guidelines:
Your presentation should be 10 slides or less in PowerPoint (or a similar presentation format). The full presentation should be no more than 10 minutes long, there will be 5 minutes for Q&A afterwards.
It is recommended to include the following slides:
1. Introduction - your name, presentation title, and program name (if relevant)
2. Set out the rationale for your research (what is the research gap your study is addressing)
3. Research questions (consider addressing the aims of your research)
4. Methods (consider mentioning participants involved and the research methods)
5. Findings/ Implications/ Anticipated Impact
6. Closing slide with any question(s) to which you would like attendees to respond.
Register Now:
Early registration is encouraged as spaces are limited. Please submit your presentation by Thursday 27th February to Dorothy.bird@atu.ie
For more information, contact us at Dorothy.bird@atu.ie
We look forward to seeing you at the DICE Doctoral ResearchSymposium 2025
