Enabling the Enablers is a half-day conference to explore developments for technical staff in higher education, both in Ireland and what we can learn from the UK and elsewhere. Featuring speakers from the All-Ireland Technical Staff Network from universities across the island of Ireland.

This is a free hybrid event, book your place here

Timetable

10.45 Registration and Welcome

Session one – All-Ireland Technical Staff Network

11:00 Opening Introduction by President Maggie Cusack

11:10 A Look at the All-Ireland Technical Staff Network

Exploring what technical staff want out of a network, what can we learn from other networks, and what opportunities we can explore. This session will include a panel of All-Ireland Technical Staff Network Steering Group members and will be followed by a Q&A session.

Session Two

12:00 Opening Introduction

12:10 The Technician Commitment and ITSS

This session will explore initiatives for technical staff including the Technician Commitment and the UK Institute of Technical Skills and Strategy. It will explore the changes in the higher education landscape in the UK when it comes to recognising the contribution of technical staff.

13:00 Lunch and Networking

Speakers:

Dermot Barry, MTU

Dermot Barry is a Technical Officer at Munster Technological University and is on the Steering Group of the All-Ireland Technical Staff Network. After graduating from Cork Regional Technical College in 1993 with a Computer Science Degree, he returned six years later to work at what was then known as the Cork Institute of Technology. Dermot completed an MSc in Computing in Education in 2007. He is actively engaged in representing technical staff during the transformative process of becoming a new university. Dermot sits on the Unite Education National Industrial Sector Committee and Technicians Forum subcommittee, and chairs the newly formed Unite Ireland Technician Commitment working group.

Heather Burgess, University of Ulster

Heather graduated from Ulster University in 2003 with a BA Hons in Fine and Applied Art, specialising in textiles.

She went onto gain a Masters in business studies in 2005 and a PgChep followed by Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2011 (now Advance HE).

Heather works as embroidery technician on the Textile Art, Design and Fashion course alongside being co-chair for the Technician Commitment here at Ulster.

She is also a practicing artist and makes product-based pieces alongside exhibition work, having exhibited in many local venues.  Her work is available through Craft NI which aims to develop and raise the profile of craft.

Heather also has a keen interest in research and collaborative work, having been part of a research team with Queens University and Hanio University of Public health in Vietnam “Documenting how the arts and storytelling can save lives: A breast cancer project in Vietnam”.

James Cotter, Maynooth University

James Cotter has worked in the Maynooth University Computer Science Department as a Technical Officer since graduating in 1990.  In 2002 James became the Chief Technical Officer in the Department and was a member of the Maynooth University Governing Authority from 2010 to 2019.  In Maynooth James helps organise networking and training events for technical staff.  James has a keen interest in the promotion of the role Technical Officer in the third level sector and helped setup the AITSN after attending the Technicians’ Roadshow in Belfast in 2022.

Edel Durack, University of Limerick

Edel Durack has worked in university laboratories since graduating from her degree in 2005 and now working as Chief Technical Officer in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Limerick since 2022. Edel completed her BSc in Food Science & Technology and her PhD in the area of food microbiology from the University of Limerick. After a number of research roles working in the areas of molecular and cellular biology, protein crystallisation and drug delivery Edel moved to Biological Science dept. in UL as a senior Technical Officer. She has also worked in the Chemical Science dept. and the Bernal Institute in UL. The return to the Biological Sciences dept saw Edel involved in delivery of lab sessions for undergraduate students as well as supporting the various research labs in the department. Edel has been involved in the All-Ireland Technical Staff Network since its inception in 2023. Edel’s interest in being involved in this network was sparked by a visit to Queens University Belfast in May 2022 to attend the Technicians Roadshow where the technicians commitment was outlined.

Barry Murray, MTU

Barry Murray has a degree in Science from UCD and a Masters in Sports & Exercise Nutrition from Loughborough University. Following completion of his degree he spent several years working in the pharmaceutical industry. Seeking a career change, he moved to Loughborough to complete a full time Masters after which he set up his own consultancy business and spent over a decade working as a Performance Nutritionist. In early 2020, he started working in what was formally known as Tralee Institute of Technology as Technician for the Health and Leisure Department based at the Kerry Sports Academy. He is a member of the Arts, Sports & Culture Committee of Governing Body at MTU and a member of the AITSN Steering Group.

Gillian Riddell, Queen’s University of Belfast

Gillian Riddell is currently the Technician Commitment Manager at Queen’s University Belfast. She graduated Dundee University in 1994 with a BSc (Hons) 2:1 in Environmental Biology & Ecology. On returning to Northern Ireland, Gillian took up a position as Trainee Environmental Consultant with Belfast-based MarEnCo, but soon returned to Higher Education taking a post in Queen’s University as a Research Technician in Animal Behaviour and Ecology. From 1999 until September 2022, Gillian was a permanent technician in Ecosystem Biology & Sustainability, in the School of Biological Sciences, responsible for managing research laboratories and organising and teaching on residential undergraduate field courses.  When Queen’s University became a signatory to the Technician Commitment in 2017 Gillian took on the role of Institutional Technical Lead, striving to embed the pillars of the Technician Commitment into the culture of the University.

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