My first engagement in serious research was a 1991 summer internship at the National Physical Laboratory, UK, where I developed hardware and software related to fundamental Electrical Standards determination. Since 1992, I have worked in observational astronomy and imaging research. I worked on high-resolution imaging and photometry of the cores of globular star clusters for my PhD in the Dept. of Physics, UCGNUIG, in the Astronomy amp; Applied Imaging Research Group led by Drs. Mike Redfern and Andy Shearer.This included research visits to Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK in 1996 and TRACS (Training and Research on Advanced Computer Systems) at Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre, UK in 1996-97. I also spent a significant portion of my PhD years helping with the groups optical pulsarsGRBs research programme.I was then awarded a personal Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship [Category 30] to develop the parallelisation of deconvolution algorithms for globular star cluster analysis, in particular for Hubble Space Telescope (HST) studies, at the University of Edinburgh, UK (1997 - 1999). On returning to Ireland, I was a postdoc in the Dept. of IT, NUIG, working with Dr. Shearer (again) and Dr. Aaron Golden on optical imaging studies of pulsars and supernova remnants (1999-2001). I was then awarded a second personal Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship [Category R] to develop applications of astronomical optical deconvolution techniques to medical imaging and space-based gamma-ray imaging (2001). A few months into this, in late 2001, I was presented with a choice: to accept either a 2-year Enterprise Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship award, or a 3-year contract lectureship in the Dept. of Physics, NUIG, targeted in particular at developing and presenting material to support the newly established BSc (Physics amp; Astronomy) degree, as well as other Physics modules and labs. I opted for the latter and became a member of the Astronomy research cluster with the department. The success of the Physics amp; Astronomy degree in securing a large, high calibre intake through this period led to two permanent Lecturer below the bar positions being offered to Physics, and I was fortunate to successfully compete for one of these, taking up the position in 2004. Promotion to Lecturer above the bar followed in 2008. I have supervised a number of excellent MSc and PhD students, under IRCSET, SFI RFP, NUI, and College of Science funding, as well as several students with summer internships - never forgetting that it all started for me with that summer internship in London in 91. Our research highlights include the development of the GUFI instrument (Galway Ultra Fast Imager), its installation at the VATT telescope in Arizona, and its use in the study of optical variabilty in cool dwarf stars; but few things can top co-authoring a Nature paper in 2015, on the discovery of auroral emission from brown dwarfs.I have taken on increasingly important leadership roles within the School, such as Director of the BSc Physics with Astrophysics, member of the School Executive, and Chair of the LTA Committee which oversees all undergraduate teaching, curriculum, assessment and accreditation matters. Leading the process for getting all our degrees accredited by the Institute of Physics was a teachingadmin highlight of 2015.

I specialize in astronomical imaging and software technologies: Data-reduction pipeline development, principally using PyRAF and IRAF Deconvolution methods, especially for HST images Image simulation using realistic instrumental and astrophysical inputs Crowded-field photometry and astrometry Multi-wavelength astrometry for counterpart detection Imaging Photon-counter characterization and usage, including MAMA and L3-CCD detectors Applications of high cadence imaging and spectroscopy to variability studies, and to post-exposure image sharpeninglucky imaging Exposure Time Calculator development for imaging instruments, with full T(lambda) propagation Design of custom filters for wide-field spectrophotometry. These methods are applied in the study of various objects, principally: Globular star cluster populations Variable stars, from cluster RR Lyrae types to nearby ultra-cool dwarfs Optical pulsars amp; associated supernova remnants. Measurement of regional night sky quality is a new research direction.I have secured Research Grant funding of over 813,000 since 1997, as an independent researcher and supervisor.

Previous Teaching Roles: Physics Examinations whitesheets czar (2006-15) Current Teaching Roles:Chair of the Physics LTA [Learning, Teaching amp; Assessment] Committee (2013-) Director of the BSc in Physics with Astrophysics (2009-) Coordinator of Second Year Physics (2015-) Director of Physics Second Year Labs (2013-) Director of Astronomy Fourth Year Labs (2009-) As Chair of the Physics LTA committee, and representative to the College of Science committee of the same name, I am concerned with the smooth delivery of our teaching programme, its accreditation to international standards, and its constant updating to reflect internal reorganization as well as to avail of new opportunities in improved efficiency, more effective pedagogical delivery, or enhanced reach.For example, I am currently working with colleagues in Chemistry to draw up a new Undenominated Science pathway, effectively a Joint Honours degree in Physics amp; Chemistry. Leading the process for getting all our degrees accredited by the Institute of Physics was a highlight of 2015. I am the NUIG representative in a new (2016) Institute of Physics UK amp; Ireland initiative,known asECUIP ( Expanding Conceptual Understanding in Physics ). This ambitious programme aims to explore and improve the reality of students real understanding of what they have been taught; to get under the skin of ineffective teaching and learning techniques which result in students reporting for example that I can describe it superficially, and I can use the equations to solve some problems about it, but I cant really explain what it is - or worse, that they believe they can explain it, but are unaware that they actually harbour misconceptions about it. In my own teaching, the dominant theme of my lecture modules and labs is experimentalobservational approaches to Physics in general and Astronomy in particular:I am Coordinator of 2nd Year Physics and Director of 2nd Year Physics Labs (the two roles are independent), where we aim to train all 2nd years in the rigours of conducting and reporting on pre-defined experiments. All Physics cohorts in 3rd year also take my PH336 Signal Analysis module. Practical astronomy techniques are addressed in PH223 Observational Astronomy and the mainly lab-based PH363 Astronomical Data Analysis, which form a 2nd+3rd Year pair, capped by the 3rd Year (Easter) annual field trip to Loiano Observatory in Italy. Further astronomy labs in 4th year build on this, with more extended and challenging observational amp; data analysis projects, using our campus Imbusch Observatory.