Communicating Research for Impact: ATU Research Commentary Series - Academic Year 2025/2026

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) is pleased to present the first compilation of the ATU Research Commentary Series. Developed under RISE@ATU and established as part of the research communications, dissemination and exploitation activities of the Research Coordinator function, in collaboration with the ATU Communications Office, the series aims to strengthen the visibility, accessibility and strategic communication of research across the University.

As research activity continues to grow across ATU’s four faculties and nine campuses, there is an increasing need for dissemination formats that complement traditional peer-reviewed publication. While academic journals remain central to scholarly communication and are essential for advancing knowledge, there is growing recognition that research findings should also be communicated, translated and mobilised beyond academia for the benefit of policy, practice and society. This expectation is increasingly reflected by research funders and institutions, including the European Research Executive Agency (REA), which place growing emphasis on research impact, knowledge mobilisation and evidence-informed decision-making. The ATU Research Commentary Series responds to this evolving landscape by providing researchers with a platform to communicate the significance, relevance and potential impact of their work in a clear, structured and engaging format, while maintaining academic integrity and researcher voice.

To further support visibility, accessibility and long-term discoverability, each commentary is assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) through Zenodo, the European Commission-supported open-access research repository. This creates a permanent and citable record that supports research dissemination, impact reporting and knowledge mobilisation activities. Contributors are also linked through their ATU PURE Profile, providing a direct pathway to their broader research portfolio, associated outputs, and ORCID ID.

This booklet brings together the first ten Research Commentaries produced as part of the ATU Research Commentary Series during the 2025/2026 academic year. Collectively, these contributions showcase the breadth, diversity and growing impact of research taking place across the University. The featured commentaries span topics including artificial intelligence, healthcare, nutrition, coastal sustainability, social innovation, rural development and community wellbeing, demonstrating how ATU researchers are generating new knowledge, addressing societal challenges and contributing to regional, national and international priorities.

The series provides an important dissemination layer within ATU’s research ecosystem, complementing traditional academic publication while supporting wider media, policy and public engagement activities. It provides researchers with an opportunity to contextualise their work, explain why it matters and demonstrate its relevance beyond specialist audiences. The commentaries also demonstrate strong alignment with the sectoral strengths and opportunities for the North-West Region identified within Ireland’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3), while contributing to several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While each article reflects the expertise and perspective of an individual researcher, together they tell a broader story about ATU’s evolving research culture and ambition. They highlight the University’s commitment to applied, engaged and impactful research, while illustrating the important role that effective research communication plays in ensuring that knowledge reaches and benefits those who can use it. We hope this collection provides an accessible introduction to some of the excellent research taking place across ATU and encourages further engagement with the people, projects and ideas helping to shape the University’s research future.

Dr Shane Conway, Editorial Coordinator, ATU Research Commentary Series