Water
Our community of researchers work across disciplines and sectors, engaging with stakeholders and communities, on a wide range of topics relating to water.
Overview
Water is one of the Earth Institute's seven thematic research areas. Academic members of the water theme are drawn from over twenty UCD schools and represent a wide range of disciplines and approaches.
The Institute works to support new connections and collaborations across disciplines and sectors and to enhance the impact and profile of research in this area.
Get in touch with our water theme leads to find out more about our work in this area.
Water research in UCD
Water researchers in UCD are tackling global, national and local challenges - how can we ensure safely managed water supplies and sanitation for all? How can we effectively conserve the world’s marine and freshwater resources? What role can water play in renewable energy generation? How can we understand and mitigate flooding and extreme weather events of increasing severity? How do we support the economic development of coastal communities while maintaining and protecting biodiversity?
Water research in UCD is carried out in a range of schools and colleges, centres, institutes and groups including:
- (opens in a new window)BEACON Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre
- UCD Area 52 Lab: Conservation, Ecological and Population Genetics
- (opens in a new window)UCD Dooge Centre for Water Resources Research
- UCD Fat, Oil and Grease Research Group
- UCD Marine Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution Research Group
- UCD Marine and Energy Social Sciences and Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group
Project spotlight: Blue Carbon
Coastal wetland ecosystems are critical to maintaining human well-being and global carbon cycling. Areas such as tidal saltmarshes, seagrass beds, and mangroves play an important role in removing large amounts of the greenhouse gas CO2 from the atmosphere, burying it in soils for centuries to millennia.
Funded by Science Foundation Ireland and led by Dr Grace Cott (UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science), the UCD BlueCarbon project (2020-2024) sought to improve our understanding of how these coastal wetlands can contribute to and enhance climate mitigation and adaptation.
Recent Earth Institute talks
Watch a selection of recent water-themed talks, seminars and coffee morning presentations on topics including marine spatial planning, the energy-food-water nexus, advances in river system science, and citizen science projects on Irish upland streams.
Member spotlight
Research with impact
At UCD, our research makes a difference. We aim to collaborate and co-design research with the communities most impacted by our work, improving the lives of people throughout the world and working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The case studies below highlight some of the positive impact that research by Earth Institute members has had on Ireland and the world.
Case study: Every drop counts
In recent years, Ireland has experienced water supply shortages, and they are forecast to become more frequent. To address this, research by Sarah Cotterill from the UCD School of Civil Engineering for An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum) explored how Ireland can conserve water, and the benefits of doing so.
Working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals
