For any research student, a key skill is the ability to communicate results and more importantly the impact of their research to a wide audience. In the year that we in University College Cork celebrate the 200th anniversary of George Boole, it is our pleasure to introduce the fifth volume of the Boolean, which presents snapshots of Postgraduate Research at University College Cork. In The Boolean we aim to promote the calibre of digital thinking and diverse research projects at our University.

In order to have their articles included in The Boolean, authors have to describe their research using non-specialist language, so that the wider community can understand it. We congratulate the authors on their efforts and we particularly thank the students and staff of UCC, listed on the following page, who reviewed the articles. We hope that readers enjoy the articles and get a greater understanding of the breath of research being undertaken at UCC.

‘The Boolean’ Team — November 2015

Editor

Professor Liam Marnane, Dean of Graduate Studies

Editorial Assistant

Anne-Marie Scarry, Graduate Studies Office

Reviewers

Dr Teresa Barbosa, School of Pharmacy

Dr Joe Bogue, Department of Food Business and Development

Dr Jane Bourke, School of Economics

Dr Colman Casey, College of Medicine and Health

Dympna Daly, School of Education

Niamh Denihan, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health

Dr Samantha Dockray, School of Applied Psychology

Maria Donovan, School of Pharmacy

Dr Barbara Doyle, School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences

Prof Joseph Feller, Business Information Systems

Dr Eoin Fleming, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Christine Gaffney, School of Applied Social Studies

James Edward Gallagher, School of Pharmacy

Anushka Gangnaik, Department of Chemistry

Emilie Ghio, School of Law

Dr Brendan Griffin, School of Pharmacy

Ciara Harty, School of Medicine

Prof Mark Hutchinson, Department of Accounting, Finance and Information Systems

Dr Aislinn Joy, School of Medicine

Dr JJ Keating, School of Pharmacy

Dr Elizabeth Kiely, School of Applied Social Studies

Nina Konstantinidou, Department of Microbiology

Dr Patricia Leahy – Warren, School of Nursing and Midwifery

Laura Lee, School of Applied Psychology

Dr Eoin Lettice, School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences

Marie Luise Theuerkauf, Department of Early and Medieval Irish

Dr OrlaLynch, Department of Sociology

Susan Martin, School of Applied Social Studies

Aoife Mc Gillicuddy, School of Pharmacy

Carol McCarthy, School of Pharmacy

Dr Florence McCarthy, Department of Chemistry

Dr Pat Meere, School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences

Karen Moloney, School of English

Kellie Morrissey, School of Applied Psychology

Dr Kevin Murphy, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience

Dr Orla Murphy, School of English

Dr Deirdre Murray, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health

Dr Mervyn O’Driscoll, School of History

Prof Ken O’Halloran, Department of Physiology

Andrew O’Leary, Department of Physiology

Dr Conor O’Mahony, School of Law

Dr Maureen O'Connor, School of English

Karen O'Leary, School of Applied Psychology

Dr Jacqui O'Riordan, School of Applied Social Studies

Joseph O'Shea, School of Pharmacy

Dr Niall O'Sullivan, School of Economics

Kevin O'Sullivan, School of Law

Marc O'Sullivan, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health

Prof. Ronan O'Sullivan, Department of Surgery

Rosemary O'Sullivan, School of Law

Elliot Payne, School of Law

Laura Pomeroy, School of English

Dr Ruth Ramsay, School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences

Dr Brendan Richardson, Department of Management and Marketing

Dr Ken Rooney, School of English

Eileen Russell, School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences

Dr David Sammon, Business Information Systems

Steve Warren, School of Applied Psychology

The Boolean Team also wish to thank the following people for their invaluable assistance.

For comments or queries, please contact boolean@ucc.ie