Teaching & Learning

Course Modules

It is INSPIREs intention to confirm Ireland’s position as a leading post graduate education location for nanoelectronics, photonics and bionanotechnology.

To do this we are committed to developing a consolidated comprehensive educationally environment for postgraduate students.

The first step for INSPIRE partners has been to co-ordinate investment in high-end classroom video-conferencing technology and software.  

Simultaneously partners are collaborating to prepare and present nanoscience courses which will be available nationally to partners.

Course Delivery: Jan '10 - Apr '10

 

Course
Host Institute Presenter Dates Location* Contact Details
Molecular Dynamics
University College Dublin
 
Dec 2, 9
Jan 6, 13
HEA MCU
Room #207# INSPIRE
 
Science & Engineering Writing
University of Limerick
Prof. Noel Buckley
Feb 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25
Mar 1, 4, 11, 12, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29
Apr 1, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 19, 22
HEA MCU 
Room #207# INSPIRE
emily.barrett(at)ul.ie
Nanoelectronics
Tyndall National Institute
Prof. Jean-Pierre Colinge
Dr. Georgios Fagas
Dr. Aidan Quinn
Feb 12, 19, 26
Mar 5, 12, 19, 26
Apr 9, 16, 23, 30
May 7                      
HEA MCU
Room #207# INSPIRE
georgios.fagas(at)tyndall.ie
Introduction to Density Functional Theory
Trinity College Dublin
Dr. Claude Ederer
Mar 8, 12, 26, 29
Apr 6
HEA MCU
Room #177#
edererc(at)tcd.ie
HEA MCU - The IP address 193.1.31.196
Further course detail available on the INSPIRE Google calendar - access available to INSPIRE site members

 

Early Achievements

 

Creation of INSPIRE Book of Modules – The Book of Modules collated the details of Post-Graduate Nanoscience courses available in Ireland. Courses which could be made available nationally to the students of INSPIRE partners. This was used a guide for a pilot phase of National Course Delivery.

National Course Delivery - During the period Oct. 2008 to Mar 2009, over 100 hours of new lecture material were presented by the INSPIRE partners via video conference, recorded and stored for future use.

Courses presented Oct '08 - Mar '09:

Course* Institute Duration
Numerical Methods Tyndall 12 h
Nanoelectronics Tyndall 20 h 
Nanoscience I UL 22 h
Dimensional Analysis in Nanosciences TCD 6 h
Statistical Mechanics QUB 18 h
Fundamentals of Continuum Mechanics UL 12 h
Programming Concepts ICHEC  
Density Functional Theory TCD 10 h
Molecular Orbital Theory TCD 10 h
Molecular Dynamics UCD 8 h
Writing Science & Engineering UL 12 h
 *Early Trials - Available only to students in INSPIRE partner institutes

Other Activity:

The consortium is currently in the process of defining a formal nanosciences programme to be incorporated into accredited degree programmes at each partner site.

  • The formal framework for module development and sharing, including discipline specific, transferable skills and generic modules is under construction.
  • Identification of international academic and industrial partners for academic exchanges and work placements has been undertaken, respectively.
  • A survey of industry requirements for their staff is underway to identify the curriculum and hands-on training needed for Irish 4th level education.

These developments form the basis of an INSPIRE graduate education programme that are to be collected and introduced into a sustainable programme within the PRTLI 5 strand 2 initiative.