Eight new COALESCE projects demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary collaboration
Researchers are coming together to address key societal challenges in Ireland and further afield.
From maternal health and workplace equity, to ethical AI in healthcare and Ireland’s institutional past, eight new research projects supported under the Collaborative Alliances for Societal Challenges (COALESCE) programme are addressing some of the toughest societal challenges of our time through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Research Ireland is pleased to highlight these eight further COALESCE projects, totalling €1.75 million in investment. The projects, which commenced in March 2026, mark the final group supported under the 2025 COALESCE programme.
The COALESCE programme was developed to support excellent research addressing national, European and global challenges by fostering collaboration between researchers and partners across government and policy, enterprise and civil society. The scheme aims to strengthen the connection between robust research evidence and public policy, to create lasting links between the research system and policy makers.
All eight projects highlighted here are led by an Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) researcher, working in close collaboration with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) researcher, bringing novel interdisciplinary approaches to solving complex societal challenges.
The eight projects supported are outlined below:
A career life-course analysis of women science graduates: Investigating the dynamics of career longevity and embedded skills in the pharmaceutical industry – Dr Aisling Tuite and Dr David Phelan (South East Technological University)
This project is examining the career trajectories of women science graduates working in Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector, exploring factors that influence career longevity, progression and retention. Their research aims to inform educational and workplace policies, helping to ensure more women can thrive in science-based industries.
GATES: Global AI Governance, Trust and Ethics for Sustainable Health – Dr Huanhuan Xiong (University College Cork) and Prof. Mark Ledwidge (University College Dublin)
GATES is addressing the ethical, regulatory and governance challenges posed by the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The project will develop a practical framework to support healthcare organisations in implementing AI systems that are safe, trustworthy, and compliant with national and EU regulations on AI.
RIDERLAB: Delivery Experimental Laboratory for Health – Dr Jeremy Auerbach (University College Dublin) and Dr Frank Houghton (Technological University of the Shannon)
RIDERLAB is a participatory project co-designed with delivery riders to document the occupational and environmental hazards faced by this workforce. The project will combine the use of sensors, wearable technologies and a mapping system in order to generate evidence to improve worker protections and inform policy, supporting safer, more inclusive urban environments.
FAMILY: LGBTQI+ parent families’ experiences of accessing reproductive and maternity care in Ireland: Aligning Law and Reality – Dr Lydia Bracken and Dr Sylvia Murphy-Tighe (University of Limerick)
FAMILY is examining the experiences of LGBTQI+ parent families navigating fertility treatment and maternity care in Ireland. The project will identify challenges and best practices in this area by engaging with both parents and healthcare professionals, to support the development of inclusive guidance and training in reproductive healthcare settings.
ABACUS: Analysing the Bilingual Advantage in mathematical Cognition – exploiting the UnSeen – Dr Máire Ní Ríordáin and Prof. Geraldine Boylan (University College Cork)
ABACUS is investigating how bilingualism can support children’s mathematics skills and performance through combining insights from education, psychology and neuroscience. The project will study children in both English language schools and Gaelscoileanna, with the aim of creating better strategies and policies to support bilingual students and make education systems more inclusive.
RADIUS: Regional Analytics for Digital Inclusion and Urban Sustainability – Dr Marie Ryan (University College Cork) and Prof. Ashish Kumar Jha (Trinity College Dublin)
RADIUS will develop Ireland’s first integrated digital platform to help city councils across Ireland to connect economic well-being and digital inclusion data. The researchers will work with Cork and Dublin City Councils to develop a user-friendly dashboard for this complex data, making it easier for city councils to make informed decisions about policies and services that affect their communities.
Mapping Galway’s Institutional Past through Connection and Co-Creation with Survivors and those Affected – Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley and Dr Attracta Brennan (University of Galway)
This interdisciplinary project is adopting a trauma-informed approach to mapping and contextualising Galway’s institutional history. The researchers aim to build an online ‘Find and Connect Ireland’ archival resource to centre survivor voices, improve access to records, and contribute to national and international efforts in truth-seeking and inquiry regarding our institutional past.
MAMMI and the workplace: Enhancing female equity, parental resilience, and maternal health in the workplace – Dr Sinead Monaghan and Prof. Deirdre Daly (Trinity College Dublin)
This project builds on the MAMMI (Maternal health and Maternal Morbidity in Ireland) longitudinal study to explore how mothers and parents navigate workplace structures, career progression, and organisational cultures. Combining long-term health data, qualitative research and policy analysis, it aims to inform more equitable workplace practices and policies that better support maternal health and parental resilience.
Photo caption: Among the funded COALESCE projects is ‘Mapping Galway’s Institutional Past through Connection and Co-Creation with Survivors and those Affected’, led by Sarah-Anne Buckley of University of Galway. Photo shows the school band at St Joseph’s Industrial School, Salthill, Co. Galway (Pic courtesy of Tom Kenny).
