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College of Social Sciences and Law - 10 Year College Anniversary Schedule of Events

UCD College of Social Sciences and Law is delighted to mark its 10th Anniversary with a series of events celebrating a decade of teaching, research, and public engagement. From lectures and student conferences to alumni and cultural gatherings, these events will highlight the diverse work and vibrant community that define our College.

All events are free for UCD staff and students to attend (pre-booking may be required for catering purposes). We look forward to celebrating this milestone together and welcoming colleagues, students, and friends of the College to join us in marking ten years of achievement and collaboration.

For further enquiries please contact: (opens in a new window)emma.donovan@ucd.ie or (opens in a new window)kevin.odowd@ucd.ie

Social Sciences Alumni Awardee Talk with Paul O’Brien: Human Rights Work in the Trump Era 

Date: 16th April 2026
Venue:  UCD campus
Time: 4pm–5pm

Join us for an inspiring talk with Paul O’Brien, UCD Social Sciences Alumni Award recipient and Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.

Paul has led human rights and advocacy work around the world, including with Oxfam, CARE, and Amnesty International. His career spans more than 50 countries, where he has worked to advance justice, equality, and human rights.

A graduate of Harvard Law School and author of Power Switch: How We Can Reverse Extreme Inequality, Paul will share insights from a lifetime of leadership in global advocacy.

Join us for this thought-provoking event as Paul reflects on lessons from a lifetime of leadership, activism, and global engagement. Open to all students, staff, and alumni.

(opens in a new window)Please Register Here.

Staff Cultural Lunch – Celebrating Our Global Community

Date: Wednesday, 20th of May 2025 

Time: 1pm- 2pm 
Venue: Newman Building

Staff Cultural Lunch – Celebrating 10 Years of Our Global Community

As part of the College of Social Sciences and Law 10th Anniversary celebrations, join colleagues for a Staff Cultural Lunch honouring the people and cultures that have shaped our College over the past decade.

This informal gathering will bring staff together to enjoy food, stories and traditions from around the world. It is a chance to celebrate the diversity, collaboration and community that have defined our College’s first ten years.

All staff are warmly invited to attend. 

College of Social Science and Law - Research and Engagement Day

The College Research, Impact and Innovation Committee (RIIC) hosted a very successful Research & Engagement Day on the 10th March in UCD Sutherland School of Law. 

The event celebrated the breadth and impact of research across the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law, strengthening our internal research culture while also engaging with external stakeholders from the public and private sectors.

The Showcase event  provided a platform for researchers to share their work, highlight collaborations, and explore how social sciences research can inform real-world policy and societal change.

For event summary, please click here.

Employer Breakfast: Celebrating and Strengthening Internship Partnerships

On 5 March 2026, the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law hosted an Employer Breakfast at the UCD University Club, bringing together organisations that support our student internship and placement programmes.

The event provided an opportunity to thank the partners who contribute to student development by offering valuable workplace experience. A keynote talk on young people’s mental health from Professor Barbara Dooley sparked thoughtful discussion among attendees.

The College is deeply grateful to the organisations who continue to support our students through internships and placements, helping to create meaningful opportunities for learning and professional development.

Podcast Launch: The Observer Effect

Now live.

Hosted by Associate Professor Shane Bergin (UCD School of Education), the series brings Shane into conversation with fellow researchers to talk about their work and what motivates it. Across each episode, the discussions explore the experiences, values and life influences that shape how researchers approach their research.

These are personal conversations, but taken together they offer a broader way of understanding research itself. By listening to individual stories, research comes into clearer focus as work shaped by people, context and care.

Throughout the series, Shane speaks with colleagues from the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law about why they do the work they do. This is not reflection for its own sake, but an invitation to look again at research, and at ourselves within it, and to consider how this understanding might shape the research cultures we want to build.

(opens in a new window)Explore the series and listen here.


Professor Wayne Holmes - Artificial Intelligence and Education: A Critical Studies Perspective

The UCD College of Social Sciences and Law marked its 10-year anniversary with the launch of its inaugural Annual Social Sciences Lecture, held on Wednesday, 19 November in the Moore Auditorium at the UCD O’Brien Centre for Science. The event welcomed Professor Wayne Holmes of University College London, who delivered a critical examination of artificial intelligence in education.

Opened by College Principal Professor Niamh Moore-Cherry, the lecture reflected on a decade of growth while looking ahead to the College’s future role in research and public engagement. Professor Holmes challenged prevailing narratives around AI, highlighting ethical, educational and environmental concerns, while a panel discussion with experts from across the College further explored AI’s societal implications, reinforcing the College’s commitment to informed public debate on pressing global issues.

Masculinities Students’ Conference I: Current Issues, Future Directions

The inaugural Masculinities Students’ Conference I: Current Issues, Future Directions took place on 11 December 2025 at the UCD Global Lounge, bringing together students, scholars and practitioners to explore contemporary questions around men and masculinities. Organised by the Observatory of Masculinities at University College Dublin, the student-led conference featured a keynote address from Professor Debbie Ging (Dublin City University) on the challenges of the manosphere, alongside opening remarks from Professor Colin Scott and Associate Professor Ernesto Vasquez del Aguila.

Through presentations, posters and roundtables, participants engaged with themes including care and ageing, youth masculinities, queer and marginalised experiences, health, wellbeing, violence and online extremism, providing a platform for emerging voices to shape future directions in the field.

Transition Year Programme

The UCD College of Social Sciences and Law successfully hosted its first Transition Year Programme from 12–16 January 2026, welcoming 45 TY students from schools across Ireland for an immersive week exploring the social sciences and law. Through talks, workshops and a collaborative project, students engaged with disciplines including law, psychology, geography, economics and sociology, developing critical thinking, teamwork and research skills.

The programme concluded with an end-of-week showcase featuring seven impressive group presentations, including live podcasts, videos and panel discussions, demonstrating thoughtful and creative responses to major societal challenges.

For news story see here 

UCD College of Social Sciences and Law

UCD College of Social Sciences and Law University College Dublin Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 7777