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PostTitle: PhDStudentship(STEM)
PostStatus: 4-yearFull-timePhDStudentship
ResearchGroup/
Department/School:
FRAILMatics,DisciplineofMedicalGerontology,Schoolof
Medicine,TrinityCollegeDublin,theUniversityofDublin
Location:
- TrinityCollegeDublin,theUniversityofDublin,
CollegeGreen,Dublin2,Ireland
- Mercer’sInstituteforSuccessfulAgeing,StJames’s
Hospital,Dublin8,Ireland
Reportsto: PrincipalInvestigator(Prof.RomanRomero-Ortuno)
Terms&Conditions:Pro-ratastipendof€18,500peryear
Inaddition,PhDfeeswillbecoveredbytheprogramme
HoursofWork: 37hoursperweek
ClosingDate: Untilthepositionisfilled
Requiredstartdate:1September2020
Postsummary
AdoctoralstudentinSTEM(Science,Technology,Engineering,Mathematics)isrequiredto
conductandassistresearchatTrinityCollegeDublinonanewresearchprogrammecalled
FRAILMatics:Mathematicalresearchandbigdataanalyticstowardsthedevelopmentofthe
nextgenerationoftransdisciplinarydiagnosticsfortheassessmentofphysiological
vulnerabilityinolderadults:challenge-baseddisruptivetechnologyinitiative.Thisresearch
programmeisfundedbyScienceFoundationIreland(SFI)underthe2018Presidentof
IrelandFutureResearchLeadersProgramme,awardedtoPrincipalInvestigatorProf.Roman
Romero-Ortuno.Thegrantrunsfrom1December2019to30November2024(60Months).
Theresearchersonthisgrantwillbecontractedfor4years(expectedstartdate:1
September2020).
Page2of18
Prof.OrtunoisaClinicianScientistinGeriatricMedicinewithskillsandinternational
experienceinbigdataanalyticsandclinicalbioinformaticscollaborations.ThroughthisSFI
award,hewillrecruitandleadanewtransdisciplinarylaboftwoexperiencedpost-doctoral
researchers(oneinSTEMandoneinHealth)andtwoPhDstudents(oneinSTEMandone
Medical)withtheoverallobjectivetoadvancethescienceoffrailtyinolderadults.Thisnew
labwillbeembeddedwithinthestate-of-theartresearchfacilitiesofTheIrishLongitudinal
StudyonAgeing(TILDA)inTrinityCollegeDublin,andtheMercer’sInstituteforSuccessful
Ageing(MISA)inStJames’sHospital,Dublin;inbothlocations,anewHighPerformance
Computing(HPC)infrastructurewillbeavailabletotheteamwhichisalsofundedbythe
award.FRAILMaticshascollaboratorsattheSFI-fundedADAPTCentreandtheReillylabatthe
TrinityCentreforBiomedicalEngineering.
Thesuccessfulcandidatewillconducther/hisdoctoralresearchonFRAILMatics’novel
researchprogrammeonthedynamicmodellingoffrailtyinolderadults.She/hewillwork
undertheguidanceofthepostdoctoralSTEMandHEALTHresearchersandreporttothe
PrincipalInvestigator.
BackgroundtothePost
Populationageingisoneofthemajorchallengesconfrontingsocieties.Overthenextthirty
years,itisestimatedthattheproportionoftheIrishpopulationagedover65willdoublefrom
11%to22%.Whilethisrepresentsasuccessstory,italsopresentschallenges.Forexample,
growingnumbersofolderpeoplearenowundergoinginvasivemedicalprocedures.
Today,inIreland,1in6patientsaged65ormoremayexperienceacomplicationfroma
surgicalprocedure,andupto2ina100maydieasaresult.Thesesignificantsocietaland
economiccostscouldbeminimisedbyhavingaccuratemeasuresofphysiological
vulnerability.FRAILMaticswilladdressthisneedbyconductingaprogrammeofresearch
towardsanewgenerationoftransdisciplinarydiagnostics.
Inolderpopulations,thereissignificantheterogeneityinbiologicalage.Thisreferstothefact
thatpeopleaccumulatehealthproblemsatdifferentrates.Olderpeopleare(independently
oftheirchronologicalage)inafunctionalcontinuumbetweenbeingfullyindependentand
Page3of18
havingseveredependency.Frailtyisthepartofthatcontinuumthatgoesfromasubtlestate
oflowphysiologicalreserve(orvulnerability)duetomorethanonemedicalproblembeing
simultaneouslypresent,toamorevisiblestateofearlydisability.Thepre-frailstateisdifficult
torecognisebecausethepersoncanappeartobewell.However,closeobservationwillreveal
mildproblemsinday-to-daysituationsthatrequireahigherlevelofperformance.
Inasituationofacuteillnessortrauma(i.e.stressor),thosewhoarerobustwillonlyhavea
milddipintheirfunctionandwillquicklyrecovertotheirpre-stressbaseline.However,frail
peoplewillbemorelikelytodecompensateandhaveapermanentlossoffunctionthatmay
resultinincreasedcareneeds,orevenprematuredeath.
Currently,13%ofIrishpeopleareaged65ormore,andthisproportionissettoincrease.
Usingcurrentdefinitions,TILDAhasreportedthataround10%ofover65sarefrail,butmany
more(around40%)arepre-frail,withtherestbeingnon-frail.Whenpre-frailpatientsare
medicallyassessedforsurgery,theymaylookwellbutpresentsubtlesymptomsandsigns;
thosecanbeeasilymissedbecausetheyarenotdefinedincurrentperioperativeguidelines
andprotocols.However,theproblemsofthepre-frailmaybeeasiertooptimisewith
prehabilitationstrategiesthatincreasephysiologicalresilience.Currently,onlyafewspecialist
teamsoffertheseservices,despitegeriatricianswantingtoadvancethem.Therefore,we
needreliabletoolstoidentifyearlyvulnerabilitythatnon-expertscanuse.
Thecurrentstateoftheartinfrailtyidentificationreliesontoolssuchasthefrailty
phenotype(whichconsidersthepresenceofexhaustion,unexplainedweightloss,weakness,
slownessandlowphysicalactivity)orthefrailtyindex(whichisbasedonamodelof
accumulationofdeficits);bothhavebeenvalidatedaspredictorsofadverseoutcomesin
epidemiologicalandclinicalstudies.Yet,thereportedaccuracyofthesetoolsinrealclinical
settingsislow(toosensitive,notspecific),andhenceprofessionalmedicalsocietiescannot
recommendthemassubstitutesforacomprehensivegeriatricassessment.FRAILMatics
departsfromthehypothesisthattheaccuracyofthesetoolsislowbecauseeventhoughthey
capturedysregulationinmultiplephysiologicalsystems,theyhavenotbeenresearchedin
theirabilitytopredictphysiologicalchangestostressorsdynamically.
Page4of18
FRAILMatics’questistoresearchanddevelopmoreaccuratefrailtytoolsthatwithout
expertinputautomaticallyidentifysubtledysregulatedresponsestostressorsacross
physiologicalsystems.Forthisquest,FRAILMaticswillhaveaccesstopopulationandclinical
cohortsthatcontainavastamountofsuitablecross-sectionalandlongitudinaldata.The
populationcohortwillbethevastandrichdataresourcecontainedinTILDA.Lateron,signals
willbevalidatedinasmall(n=100)clinicalcohortrecruitedfromambulatorycareclinicsat
theMercer’sInstituteforSuccessfulAgeing(MISA)inStJames’sHospital,Dublin.
TILDAisoneofthemostcomprehensiveresearchplatformsinexistence,nationallyand
internationally.WithFRAILMatics,TILDA’svastdataresourcewillbeleveragedforthefirst
timethroughanSFIaward.TILDAisastudybasedonapopulation-representativesampleof
>8,000community-dwellingindividualsaged50orover.Eachparticipantundergoesan
interviewintheirhome,fillsinaself-completionquestionnaireandisinvitedtoundergoa
detailedhealthassessment.Fivewavesofdatacollectionarecompleteandthestudywill
collectitssixthwave(i.e.itsthirdhealthassessmentwave)in2020
(https://tilda.tcd.ie/about/where-are-we-now/).AkeystrengthofTILDAisitslongitudinal
design,anddetailedlongitudinalhealthdataspanning10yearswillbeavailableto
FRAILMatics’researchers.Thesuccessfulcandidateswilljoinavibrantinterdisciplinaryteam
ofTILDAresearchersincludingepidemiologists,biostatisticians,economists,socialscientists,
biomedicalengineersandclinicians.GiventhesizeandcomplexityoftheTILDAdatathereisa
teamofdatamanagers,analystsandstatisticianswhomFRAILMaticsresearcherswillwork
closelywith.
InTILDAhealthassessments,computer-basedneurocognitivetestsareusedtomeasure
responsetimesanderrorsintestsofsustainedattention(SART:sustainedattentionto
responsetask)andchoicereaction(CRT:choicereactiontime),whereparticipantsexperience
thestressoftimeunderspecifictestinstructionsinvolvingafinemotorresponse.TILDAalso
hasavastcross-sectionalandlongitudinaldatasetofautomaticallyrecordedgaitparameters
attheperson’spreferredspeed,undercognitivechallenges,andatmaximumspeed
(GAITRite®system).Intheclinicalcohortwewillalsocollectthree-dimensionalgaitanalysis
withtheCodamotion®system.Inbothcohorts,multiplecardiovascularparametersarenon-
invasivelyrecordedcontinuously(withtheFinometer®)duringanactivestandtest,which
challengestheabilityofourbodysystemstocompensateforarapidchangeinposition.We
Page5of18
simultaneouslyrecordbrainoxygenationparametersduringtheactivestandwiththe
PortaLite®NIRSsystem.
Realtimephysiologicalmeasurementgeneratesvastamountsofdata.FRAILMaticswillhave
accesstobigcross-sectionalandlongitudinaldatasetsofover1billiondatapoints,containing
detaileddynamicphysiologicaldataacrossthesystemsandalsoawiderangeofoutcome
datathatcanbeusedtotrainmodelsifdesired.FRAILMaticswilltacklethisbigdatachallenge
byembracingtwocomplementaryapproaches:
Ontheonehand,wewillusemachinelearningthatincorporatesmanuallyextracted
features.Forexample,fortheactivestandwehavepilotdatausinginformationentropy,
whichdirectlycorrelateswiththecomplexityofasignalandcanbemeasuredbeforeand
afterstress.Wecanusemultiscaleentropymethodstointegratecardiovascularsignals,and
signalsacrosssystems.
Ontheotherhand,wewillusedeeplearningmethodswheremodelswillnotbeconstrained
bygivenfeatures.Forexample,fortheactivestandwehavepilotdatausingBayesian
functionalclustering.Thesemodelsarecomputationallyexpensive,especiallyifwewantto
clusteralargenumberoffunctionalvariablesandvariablesacrosssystems.Thisiswhy
FRAILMaticsrequiresanewstart-upHPCinfrastructure.
TheoutputsofFRAILMaticswillbeintheformofnewmodelsofmultiplephysiological
dysregulationtostressors.FRAILMatics’ambitionistoproducesoftwarepackagesthatwhen
incorporatedintoabrieffrailtyassessmentbatterybasedonexistingtechnologiescandetect
andquantifypatternsofvulnerabilitytostressorsacrossthefrailtyspectrum,andtherefore
increasethedetectionofthosewhoareathigherriskofcomplicationswithhigherspecificity
thancurrentfrailtyidentificationmethods.FRAILMaticswilladvancethescienceoffrailtyand
alignwiththeResearchPriorityAreasintheareasofDiagnosticsandMedicalDevices,and
alsowiththeSláintecareActionplan,inthatsavingsfromreducingthecostofavoidable
complicationscouldbeinvestedinexpandingnewmodelsofcarebasedone-health
solutions.Over5years,FRAILMaticswillgenerateahighvolumeofscientificpublicationsand
inventiondisclosures.Attheendoftheprogramme,FRAILMatics’toolswillbeatanearly
Page6of18
stageoftechnologyreadiness,requiringnewcollaborationsinthefieldofmedicaldevice
trials.ThesummaryofFRAILMatics’researchprogrammeisintheinfographicbelow.
Page7of18
TofacilitateFRAILMatics’researchprogramme,SFIhasgrantedthePIaninfrastructure
budgetofcirca€250,000topurchaseanewHighPerformanceComputing(HPC)systembased
inTILDA.Procurementofthissystemisalreadyinprogressandaninitialsolutionwillbein
placebySeptember2020,withapossibilityforexpansiononcethesuccessfulSTEMpost-doc
candidateisappointed.ThisnewsystemwillbemadeupofaStorageComponent,aHPC
Cluster(mixedCPUandGPUcluster),andahighspeednetworkbetweenthestorage
componentandtheHPCclustertofacilitaterapidingressofdataandoutputofresults.The
centralequipmentwillbehousedinasecureandenvironmentallycontrolledCollegeData
Centrebackedbyanuninterruptablepowersupply,andmanagedbyResearchIT(formerly
theTrinityCentreforHighPerformanceComputing).Thesystemwillalsobecomposedbya
sufficientnumberofnewHighPerformanceDesktopsandperipherieslocatedinTILDAoffices
(inTrinityCollegeDublinandMISA)tofacilitatedevelopmentofworkflowsand
methodologies.ThesecomputingperipherieswillbemanagedbyTILDAITstaff.Anoverview
ofthisnewprivatestorageandHPCsystemissummarisedintheFigurebelow.
Page8of18
FundingInformation
ThisresearchprogrammeisfundedbyScienceFoundationIreland(SFI)underthe2018
PresidentofIrelandFutureResearchLeadersProgramme,awardedtoPrincipalInvestigator
Prof.RomanRomero-Ortuno.
FurtherInformation
InformalenquiriesaboutthispostshouldbemadetoProf.Ortunoatromeroor@tcd.ie.
StandardDutiesandResponsibilitiesofthePost
• RegisterforaPhDdegreeandconductdoctoralresearchunderthedirectionofthePrincipal
Investigator (Prof. Roman Romero-Ortuno) on FRAILMatics,which is the research grant
fromwhichher/hisstipendwillbepaid.PhDregistrationfeesinTrinityCollegeDublinwill
becoveredbytheprogramme.
• Assistwiththemanagementofthedatasetsandpreparedataformachine/deeplearning
analysesensuringitsreliabilityandusabilityinavarietyofcomputerprogrammes.
• Contributeher/hisSTEMexpertisetoperformquantitativedataanalysesandsupportthe
machine/deeplearningprocesses.
• CooperatewiththeTILDAmanagementteamandabidebyoperationalpoliciesatalltimes.
• Presentfindingstointerdisciplinaryaudiencesatseminarsandconferences.
• ContributetotheorganisationandrunningoftheplannedFRAILMatics’small-scalepatient
engagementandPatient-PublicInvolvement(PPI)events.
• Generateinternationallypeer-reviewedpublicationsinhigh-impactscientificjournals.
PersonSpecification
Qualifications
Essential
• Primary university degree in a relevant STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
Mathematics)discipline.
Page9of18
Desirable
• MScinarelevantSTEMdiscipline.
Knowledge&Experience(Essential&Desirable)
Essential
• Goodcommunication,writing,verbal,andorganisationalskills.
• Abilitytoworkindependentlyandeffectivelyasamemberofateam.
• Abilitytocommunicateclearlywithresearchersfromotherresearchdisciplines.
• Evidenceofscholasticachievements.
• Willingnesstolearnnewmethods.
Desirable
• Experienceinquantitativedataanalyses.
• Interestinhealth-relatedresearch.
FurtherInformationforApplicants
URLLinktoArea www.tcd.ie
URLLinktoTILDA www.tilda.ie
URLLinktoMISA www.misa.ie
TheIrishLongitudinalStudyonAgeing(TILDA),TrinityCollegeDublin
Prof.OrtunowillleadFRAILMaticsthroughtheutilisationofthebigdataresourceand
infrastructurecontainedinTILDA.TILDAwillprovidetheSFIteamwithstrong,centralised
supportforresearchoperationsactivitiesacrossthelifecycleoftheresearchproject,andwill
recruitandaccommodatethenewSTEMandbiomedicalstaffundertakingbigdatamining
anddevelopmentofmodellingtools.TILDAwillalsoaccommodateanewstorageandHigh
PerformanceComputing(HPC)infrastructuretofacilitatetheresearch.
TILDAisanationallyrepresentativeprospectivecohortstudyofthesocial,economicand
healthcircumstancesof8,175peopleagedover50inIreland,includingchildhood
socioeconomiccircumstancesandevents.TILDAaimstoimprovepopulationhealthby
Page10of18
providinginsightsintopotentiallynewmodifiableriskfactorsthatcanbeusedinscreening
testsforclinicalandpublichealthpractice.TILDAcollateslong-termcomprehensive
physiologicaldatathatisnotavailabletoothernationallyrepresentativesamplesand
measuresavastnumberofnovelobjectivehealthmeasuresacrossawiderangeof
physiologicalsystems,includingneurocardiovascularinstability(e.g.heartratevariability,
pulsewavevelocity,beat-to-beatorthostaticbloodpressureresponses),biomarkers,gaitand
balancesignals(accelerometryandgaitanalysis),andneurocognitivefunction.
TheMercer’sInstituteforSuccessfulAgeing(MISA),StJames’sHospital,Dublin
MISAatSt.James’sHospitalisastate-of-the-art-facilityforintegratedclinicalservicesanda
hubforworld-leadingclinicalservicesandresearchinageing.TheInstitutepromotes
coordinatedpatient-centredcare,coupledwithfar-reachingeducationalandtraining
programmes.RespondingtotheneedforinnovationinthedeliveryofservicesforIreland’s
ageingpopulation,theInstituteprovidesearlydiagnosticandrapidaccesscareclinics,along
withinpatientacuteassessment,rehabilitation,andcontinuingcareunits;deliversinnovative
researchanddevelopstechnologieswithindustrypartnerstoadvancehealthylife-years;and
servesasalocalresourcetothesurroundingcommunity,whileofferingIrelandanational
centreforSuccessfulAgeing.
InMISA,thestate-of-theartFallsandSyncopeUnit(FASU)providesrapid,expertassessment
andtreatmentforadultpatientswhosufferfromdizziness,faints,fallsandsyncope(lossof
consciousness).Usingstate-of-the-artneuro-cardiovasculartechnologies,theFASUteam
investigatesbalancedisorders,fluctuationsinbloodpressure,andchangesingaitand
blackouts,advancingaccuratediagnosesandappropriatetreatments.MISAandFASU
facilitieswillbeavailabletotheFRAILMaticsteamforthetranslationoftheTILDA-based
research.
FacilitiesoftheBiomedicalEngineeringlaboratoryatMISAwillalsobeavailabletotheteam.
Thelabprovidesaspaceforengineeringconceptsandskillstobeappliedtoclinicaland
researchproblemsinmedicine,withaparticularfocusonolderage.TheBiomedical
Engineeringlaboratoryhostshospitalpersonnelandvisitingpostdoctoral,postgraduateand
Page11of18
undergraduatestudentsworkingonclinicalprojectswithatechnologicalorengineering
sciencecomponent.Thelabhostsandmaintainsthe3-Dgaitplatform,whichwillbeavailable
totheteamfortheclinicalresearchphaseofFRAILMatics,inadditiontoequipmentto
supportelectronicprototyping,softwaredevelopment,dataanalytics,opticsdevelopment,
systemmodellingand3Dprinting.
DisciplineofMedicalGerontology
AgeingisoneoftheprincipalstrategicthemesinTrinityCollegeDublin.TheDisciplineof
MedicalGerontologysupportsclinicalanddidacticteachingandresearcharoundsuccessful
ageingandpreventativecareoftheolderperson.Theteachingcurriculumaimsto
demonstratetostudentsthatatailoredapproachtothemanagementandcareoftheolder
personisnecessarytomanagetheproblemsoflaterlife.Theemphasisonpreventionaswell
asdetectionandremediationoffunctionalloss,aimstohelpstudentsgainanunderstanding
oftheneedforastructuredapproachtodiseasesyndromesofteninherentintheageing
process.Thedisciplineiscommittedtoimprovingtheundergraduatetrainingofstudentsat
TrinityCollegeMedicalSchoolbyexposingthemtoaholisticapproachtodisease
managementandbyencouragingthemanagementanduseofmultidisciplinarytherapies,
groundedinscienceandofprovenefficacy.TheDisciplineofMedicalGerontologycontributes
totheundergraduatecoursesinMedicine,Dentistry,OccupationalTherapy,Physiotherapy
andRadiationTherapy.
Withalongandwellestablishedhistoryinageingresearch,theDisciplineofMedical
Gerontologyiscurrentlyinvolvedinadiverserangeofresearchprojects.Theseresearch
programmeswillenablehealthprofessionalsandacademicstoconsiderthefullrangeof
activitiesandaspectsthataffectandshapetheageingprocessaswellasdelivernewwaysto
advancetheconceptofsuccessfulageingandpromotepreventativehealthcare.
TheDiscipline'smultidisciplinaryandintegrativeapproachissupportedbyeducationand
trainingpolicieswhichfocusonthesocial,psychologicalandbiologicalaspectsofageing.The
programmespanabroadrangeofresearchareasincludingbasicsciences,translational
researchaswellashealthandsocialpolicyresearch.
Page12of18
TrinityCollegeDublin,theUniversityofDublin
TrinityisIreland’spremieruniversity,withaproudtraditionofexcellencestretchingbackto
itsfoundationin1592.TheoldestuniversityinIreland,andoneoftheoldestinEurope,today
Trinitysitsattheintersectionofthepastandthefuture,andisideallypositionedasamajor
universityintheEuropeanUnion.Our47-acrecampusislocatedintheheartofDublincity
centreandishometohistoricbuildingsdatingfromtheUniversity’sestablishment,aswellas
someofthemostcutting-edgeteachingandresearchfacilitiesinIreland.StudentsatTrinity
benefitfromauniqueeducationalexperienceacrossarangeofdisciplinesinourthree
faculties–Arts,Humanities,andSocialSciences;Engineering,MathematicsandScience;and
HealthSciences.Thepursuitofexcellencethroughresearchandscholarshipisattheheartof
aTrinityeducation,andourresearchershaveanoutstandingpublicationrecordandstrong
recordofgrantsuccess.
Trinityhasdeveloped18broad-basedmultidisciplinaryresearchthemesthatcutacross
disciplinesandfacilitateworld-leadingresearchandcollaborationwithintheUniversityand
withcolleaguesaroundtheworld.Theseinternationallyrecognisedthemesincludesuch
diverseareasasCancer,Immunology,Telecoms,IdentitiesinTransformation,Nanoscience,
Neuroscience,andMakingIreland.ResearchersfromacrosstheUniversityworktogetherin
innovativewaystodevelopnewandexcitingapproachestotheirresearchandexplorethe
frontiersofknowledgeinthe21stcentury.Increatingthesededicatedresearchthemes,
Trinity’sresearchersareabletobecomeamorepowerfulforceontheglobalstage,
successfullycompetingforlarge-scalegrantsandattractingtopstudentsandfacultytothe
University.TrinityishometoIreland’sfirstpurpose-builtNanoscienceresearchinstitute,
CRANN,whichopenedinJanuary2008.Thisstate-of-the-artfacilityhouses150scientists,
technicians,andgraduatestudentsinspecialisedlaboratories,fosteringcreativeinnovations
thathaveseenTrinity’sresearchersmakesignificantbreakthroughs.
TheTrinityLongRoomHubforArtsandHumanitiesResearchInstituteistheUniversity’s
flagshipinstituteforresearchintheArtsandHumanities,providingaworld-classenvironment
forcross-disciplinarycollaborativeprojects.TheLongRoomHubprovidesacentrallocation
throughwhichtheUniversity’sinternationallyrespectedArtsandHumanitiesresearchcan
Page13of18
becomemorevisible,demonstratingitsrelevanceforcontemporaryandfuturesocieties.
ResearchersfromacrosstheUniversityregularlyparticipateindebatesontopicalissues
facingtheworldtoday.AswellasoperatinganInternationalVisitingResearchFellowship
programme,theLongRoomHubalsohostsmajorEU-fundedDigitalHumanitiesprojects.
OneofthemostinstantlyrecognisedpartsofTrinity’scampusisthefamousOldLibrary,
hometothehistoricBookofKellsaswellasotherinternationallysignificantholdingsin
manuscripts,maps,andearlyprintedmaterial.Trinity’sLibraryisthelargestresearchlibrary
inIrelandandisaninvaluableresourcetoTrinity’sstudentsandresearchcommunity.Builtup
overthefourcenturiesoftheUniversity’sexistence,theLibrary’scollectionshavebenefitted
fromitsstatusasaLegalDepositlibraryforthepast200years,grantingTrinitytherightto
claimacopyofeverybookpublishedinIrelandandtheUK.Atpresent,theLibrary’sholdings
spanapproximately4.25millionbooks,22,000printedperiodicaltitles,andaccessto60,000
e-journalsand250,000e-books.
TrinityattractstopstudentsfromIrelandandabroadandpridesitselfontheconsistentlyhigh
standardofstudentadmittedtotheUniversityeveryyear.Thesestudentsaredrawnto
Trinityfortheexcellenceofourresearch-ledteachingandforthequalityandprestigea
degreefromthisUniversityconfers.Trinityhasalsopioneeredaccessibilitytoeducationin
Ireland,becomingthefirstuniversityinthecountrytoreserve15%ofitsundergraduate
placesforstudentsfromnon-traditionallearninggroups.Trinityisthetop-rankedEuropean
universityforstudententrepreneurshipandEurope’sonlyrepresentativeintheworld’stop-
50universities.
OuralumnihavegoneontoshapethehistoryofIrelandandofWesternEuropeinawide
rangeoffields.TheseincludesuchnotablefiguresasJonathanSwift,OscarWilde,William
RowanHamilton,EdmundBurke,WilliamStokes,DenisBurkitt,LouiseRichardson,Lenny
Abrahamson,andAnneEnright.ThreeofTrinity’sgraduateshavebeenawardedNobelprizes:
ErnestWaltonforPhysicsin1951;SamuelBeckettforLiteraturein1968;andWilliam
CampbellforPhysiology/Medicinein2015.TrinityalsocountsthefirstfemalePresidentof
IrelandamongitsalumniinMaryRobinson,aswellasothernotableformerPresidents
DouglasHydeandMaryMcAleese.AtTrinitywearejustifiablyproudofourtradition,andwe
strivetoupholdthisexcellenceaswefacethedemandsofthe21stcentury.
Page14of18
Page15of18
RankingFacts
TrinityisthetoprankeduniversityinIreland.UsingtheQSmethodology,theUniversityisranked104thintheworldandusingtheTimesHigherEducationWorldUniversityRankingsmethodologyTrinityis117thintheworld.
Overall
§ TrinityisIreland’sNo.1UniversityintheQSWorldUniversityRanking,THEWorldUniversityRankingandtheAcademicRankingofWorldUniversities(Shanghai).
§ Trinityisranked104thintheWorld,and36thinEurope,inthe2018/2019QSWorldUniversityRanking.
§ TrinityisrankedintheTop120forGraduateEmployabilityintheQS2018Rankings.
§ TrinityisintheTop50mostinnovativeuniversitiesinEuropeaccordingtoReuters.1
§ Between2010and2015,TrinitywasrankedthetopuniversityinEuropeforentrepreneurshipaccordingtoPitchbook’sindependentanalysis.2
1http://www.reuters.com/article/us-innovative-stories-europe-idUSKCN0Z00CT2http://pitchbook.com/news/reports/2015-2016-pitchbook-universities-report
Page16of18
Internationalisation
§ Trinityisranked52ndintheworldintheTHEWorldUniversityRankingforinternationaloutlook.
ResearchPerformance
§ Ofthe981institutionsincludedintheTHEWorldUniversityRankingsfor2017,Trinityisinthetop15%internationallyforresearchperformance.
§ Trinityisrankedinthetop15%internationallybyQSforcitations.
IntheQSWorldUniversitySubjectRankings:
§ Trinityisrankedinthetop50worldwideinfoursubjectareasaccordingtotheQSWorldUniversitySubjectRankings2018.TheUniversityisrankedinthetop100globallyfor20subjectsoverall.
§ Trinity’sTop50subjectsincludeNursing(25th),Classics(28th),English(28th)andPolitics(43rd).
§ Trinityisrankedinthetop100foreachofthefollowing16subjects:History,Languages,Philosophy,Theology,ComputerScience,Biology,Medicine,Pharmacy,Chemistry,Geography,MaterialsScience,Education,Law,SocialPolicy,SociologyandSport.
§ TheUniversityisrankedinthetop100forthreebroadsubjectareas:Arts&Humanities(57th),LifeSciences&Medicine(87th),andEngineering&Technology(89th).
Page17of18
ResearchThemes
Page18of18
ApplicationProcedure
Candidatesshouldsubmitacoverlettertogetherwithafullcurriculumvitaetoincludethe
namesandcontactdetailsof3referees(emailaddressesifpossible)to:
Name:RomanRomero-Ortuno
Title: FRAILMaticsPrincipalInvestigator
EmailAddress:[email protected]