January 2012

NCLA project collaboration with AmaTech Ltd shortlisted for 'Irish Times' InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards

The shortlist for this year’s Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation awards features 18 entries from established innovators, start-ups, public sector organisations and third-level spin-outs.

Amatech has been nominated in the organisational system and process category for its new laser technology used in the production process of electronic payment cards. This project is a collaboration with the NCLA being conducted under the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership Programme.

See 'Irish Times' article.

October 2011

NCLA commences project with Teleflex Medical

The NCLA has commenced a collaborative research project with  Teleflex Medical (Athlone & Reading, USA) in relation to the development of novel techniques for enhancing the performance of catheter based medical devices. This project is supported under the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership programme. 

June 2011

NCLA Postgraduate student is winner of the EMRS Graduate Student Award

Natalie Haustrup, a PhD student, at the National Centre for Laser Applications (NCLA) was the winner of the Graduate Student Award for the paper submitted to the 2011 E-MRS Spring Meeting. Natalie presented her work on nanoparticle generation during laser ablation of thin metal films to the Symposium entitled Size-dependent Properties of Nano-Materials. An accompanying journal article was also submitted to the Journal of Nanoscience and Nanomaterials. Natalie’s PhD research is funded by an IRCSET embark fellowship and is supervised by Dr. Gerard O’Connor in the School of Physics.  

March 2011

Successful completion of collaborative project with Abbott Vascular

An NCLA project team has recently completed the successul demonstation of a working prototype for the in-process inspection of laser welded catheters joints at the Abbott Vascular manufacturing facility in Clonmel. Discussions are ongoing on potential licensing opportunities. Outputs from this project are also to be presented at the Laser in Manufacturing (LiM) 2011 conference in Munich. This project was supported under the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnership programme. 

February 2011

NCLA Postgraduate student is a winner of Poster competition at Nanoweek 2011

Natalie Haustrup, a PhD student, at the National Centre for Laser Applications (NCLA) was a winner of the student poster competition at the recent Nanoweek 2011 Conference, organised by Inspire and the Competence Centre in Nanotechnology. Natalie’s poster described laser generation of nanoparticles using the novel laser induced liquefaction process.  Natalie’s PhD research is funded by an IRCSET embark fellowship and is supervised by Dr. Gerard O’Connor in the School of Physics.  She was presented with her prize by Dr Denis Doyle, Director of Wafer Fab Engineering, Analog Devices Inc.  in Carton House, Co. Kildare.

November 2010
NCLA secondment at M-Solv UK

NCLA researchers have completed the first secondment at M-Solv UK in November 2010. This period focussed on project definition and review of M-Solv activities.

From left to right:

Dr. David Milne (Strategic Technologist, M-Solv UK), Cormac McDonnell (PhD student, NCLA), Dr. James Pedder (Strategic Technology, M-Solv UK), Dr. Adam Brunton (Strategic Technologist, M-Solv UK), Dr. Phil Rumsby (CEO, M-Solv UK), Alan Conneely (Centre Manager, NCLA)

For more details see the Laser-Connect project website.

February 2011

Schools Outreach as part of Nanoweek

As part of Nanoweek 2011 the NCLA-LightHOUSE research group in the School of Physics presented a live demonstration of nanotechnology in action at two local schools: St. Rapheal’s College, Loughrea and Coláiste na Coiribe, Galway. Demonstrations included high-speed imaging of the interactions of water with nanocoated surfaces and molecular models of Buckyballs & carbon nanotubes.