Community Engaged Transition

UCD researchers are employing citizen science and engaged research approaches to harness collective intelligence and empower the public to advance innovation towards a healthy, just and sustainable society. Our experts are working with communities and partners across the globe to learn and demonstrate how we can meet today's needs without compromising those of future generations.

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Research Units and Programmes

Sustainable travel: Power to the people

Through citizen science projects such as iSCAPE, OPERANDUM and WeCount, Prof. Francesco Pilla is empowering communities with the technology and knowledge to act on traffic, air pollution, flood risk and sustainable energy consumption challenges. After a very successful pilot, his UCD Bike Library project encouraging families to make a permanent move to sustainable travel is being rolled out to schools across Dublin. As PI of the new Horizon Europe project REALLOCATE, he will now investigate how the redesign of streets and public spaces in 10 European cities can leverage a modal shift to sustainable transport.

Supporting food security through inclusive participation

Under the IRC-COALESCE initiative, SYNERGI: Mozambique is supporting food security and climate resilience in two rapidly growing cities. The project was devised as low income and vulnerable urban communities across Africa face concurrent challenges of maintaining food security whilst coping with the impacts of climate change. Working with local civil society organisations and Irish Aid, the UCD-led team are using sustainable design to co-create and pilot low-cost edible Urban Green Infrastructure innovations such as community gardens, vertical greening garden structures, urban beekeeping. This will help provide a sustainable food supply and enable cultural support of resilience through systems of inclusive participation.

Featured Researchers

Landmark study exploring the lived experiences of children

Commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Children’s School Lives Study (CSL) is Ireland’s first in-depth study of primary schools contributing to the development of national policy. Conducted by UCD School of Education, the study is informed by the voices of children, their families, their teachers and school leaders. Exploring the lived experiences of over 4000 children in 189 primary schools across Ireland from Spring 2019, this longitudinal research will serve to inform and enhance curriculum development and educational policy in the future.

June 2001

New Tools in Comparative Political Economy: The Database of Political Institutions

The World Bank Economic Review

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May 2015

Addressing potential challenges in co-creating learning and teaching: Overcoming resistance, navigating institutional norms and ensuring inclusivity in student–staff partnerships

Springer Netherlands

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Feb 2005

Snowball sampling: using social networks to research non‐heterosexual women

International Journal of Social Research Methodology

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May 2015

Addressing potential challenges in co-creating learning and teaching: Overcoming resistance, navigating institutional norms and ensuring inclusivity in student–staff partnerships

Springer Netherlands

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