Dr. Anahita Shariat (Postdoctoral Researcher) 2025 - current

PhD 2015 in Agricultural Engineering & Plant Breeding

Project: Palus Demos

Dr. Shariat comes to us from the /university of Galway Plant Systems Biology lab, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Ryan Institute. She has been actively involved in research, focusing on environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and innovative agricultural solutions. 

On the Palus Demos project, she will  be responsible for completing objectives for  the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) work package. She will develop robust methodologies that enable effective carbon accounting at a local scale and develop standardised monitoring and reporting methodologies, tested at each Demonstrator, that are scalable using either low-cost or existing platforms to support certification and further development of a voluntary carbon market 

Tom Gorman (PhD Candidate) 2019 - current

Hardiman Scholar

PhD: Development of Rapid Habitat Assessment Methods for Irish Annex I Habitats

As a former park ranger in the UK, I worked on restoring former mining sites and engaging communities with nature. This developed an interest in quick-form habitat condition assessments that could be used by both experts and citizen scientists. Since returning to Ireland, I have been developing and testing scorecards for machair, heathlands and peatlands. I work closely with recent EIPs on Results-Based Agri-environmental Payment schemes.

Elena Aitova (PhD Candidate) 2020 - current

Project: Care Peat

Elena is a PhD student working on NWE INTERREG-funded Care-Peat project. She has a MSc in Sustainable Development from Technological University Dublin and she worked as an ecologist for Environmental Protection Agency. 

In Care-Peat, Elena is measuring GHGs from peatlands in Irish midlands. She is doing field monitoring, data collection and analysis. Elena is also actively engaged in local and regional outreach and education incentives related to peatland use. 

Lisa Coleman (PhD Candidate) 2022-current

Project: Re-PEAT

Lisa is a PhD student working on peatland land use change and mapping as part of the RePEAT Project. She has a BA degree in English and Geography from Dublin City University and a MSc in Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing from Maynooth University. She previously worked as a GIS analyst on the Irish Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Environments Project (INCASE), a project piloting the application of natural capital accounting principles at a catchment scale in Ireland. 

Silvia Cascone (PhD Candidate) 2022-2026

Project: Nature Based Solutions

Silvia obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biology (2017) and a Master’s degree in Biodiversity and ecosystem management (2020) at Roma Tre University (Italy). In 2021 she collaborated in the DARESEMI project, studying plant invasion using remote sensing methods. 

Her research interests include coastal dune ecology with a focus on habitat monitoring, multi-temporal studies and landscape ecology. 

Niall O'Brolchain (Senior Researcher)

Project: Care Peat

Niall heads the ASPECT unit at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics at the University of Galway (formerly DERI) and has over 20 years experience in the ICT industry in software management, analysis, research, development and consultancy and over 10 years experience at the highest levels of Government. 

He is the EU INTERREG NWE Care Peat project policy work package leader and is involved with developing carbon friendly peatland rewetting policies in Ireland and across the EU.

Piaras Ó Giobúin (Project Ecologist / Research Assistant)

Projects: RePEAT and LIFE Multipeat

Piaras Ó Giobúin (B.Sc.) graduated in 2014 from NUI Galway with a major in Botany. He has since worked as ecologist in the public and private sector, both in Ireland and abroad.

In recent years much of his work has been centred around the flora and fauna of blanket bogs – working as a botanist with UKCEH in the Countryside Surveyor, and as an Advisory Officer with NPWS on the Curlew Conservation Programme.

Vincent Lebon (Exchange Student) 2022

Project: EU LIFE Multi-Peat

Vincent is a 4th year in GEn (Energetical and Environmental engineering) student at INSA Lyon and is working with us from April- August 2021 on his thesis: Ecological, Energetical and Carbon impact study of a wind turbine farm 

Alex Acquier (Research Assistant)

Project: Care Peat 

Alex first trained in engineering of energy systems in buildings, programming and web technologies where he holds two bachelors. Thereafter, he undertook a research master of engineering science in Insight DSI NUI Galway on sensors and their data as well as virtual sensing. He is now a research assistant for the European project Care-Peat where its task includes streamlining research data processing, research on data for peatlands and creation  of maps using GIS systems.

Dr. Patricia Breen (Post-doctoral Researcher)

Project: SEERAC 

Dr Breen was the post-doc researcher on the DAFM SEERAC project developing a quantitative ecological risk assessment framework for developments in coastal waters and adopt and demonstrate the use of systematic spatial planning conservation methodology as a decision support system for consent authorities. 

Dr. Breen currently works at the Marine Institute.

Christine Loughlin (Research Assistant)

Project: SEERAC

Christine worked to assist Dr. Breen and worked on MARXAN and Netica models to optimise placement of coastal conservation networks. 

Christine is now working at the Marine Institute (2021)

Eimear O'Connor (Research Assistant)

Project:  SEERAC 

Eimear was our GIS specialist and worked to assist Dr. Breen using MARXAN to optimise the placement of coastal conservation networks.