Latest news with #TCD
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Trinity College records €50.2m surplus as investment re-evaluation boosts bottom line
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has recorded a surplus of €50.2 million, its largest since the Covid pandemic, driven by gain of €36.7 million on its balance sheet after a re-evaluation of its investment portfolio. Ireland's oldest university recorded a net operating surplus of €15.4 million, before accounting for its unrealised investment valuation change. 'The total surplus recorded this year, though positive, is largely a paper gain,' said Dr Linda Doyle, the provost. 'It relates to the once-off valuation of investment assets and such valuations can go down as well as up.' Trinity's chief financial officer, Louise Ryan said the university's finances are 'finely balanced' and that 'the absence of a long-term sustainable funding model for the higher education sector needs to be resolved'. READ MORE The university's consolidated income rose by €40.1 million to €543.3 million in the year to September 30th last, which was attributed to a 3.5 per cent increase in student numbers to 22,120, increased State funding, and donation and investment income. Research grants and contracts dropped slightly, from €125.9 million to €123.7 million. Academic fees received by the university topped €200 million for the first time, jumping from €198.7 million to €209.5 million. Broken down, 48 per cent of all academic fees came from non-EU students, despite that group accounting for only 21.2 per cent of the student population. Those students drove much of the increase in fee revenue. Visitor income increased to €33 million from €28 million, despite a high-profile five-day blockade of the Book of Kells by Trinity College Dublin Students' Union and TCD BDS [Boycott Divestment Sanctions]. Income from its rental student accommodation also increased by €1 million to €22 million last year. [ Retail sales increase as consumers enjoy real wage hike Opens in new window ] The 9 per cent increase in the university's total income was largely balanced by a 7 per cent increase in total operating expenses, to €610.7 million. The increase was largely accounted for by a nearly €25 million increase in staff costs. The university spent €61 million in capital investment on and off campus, its highest since 2020 when it spent €67 million, bringing its cumulative spend in that period to €258 million. Despite a strong financial year, Trinity warned that 'inflationary pressures and wider global events continue to bring challenges' in the current year.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Science
- Irish Independent
Genetic clues to the rise of the Mayan civilisation uncovered by TCD geneticist
That's according to new research by a Trinity College Dublin (TCD) geneticist reported today in the journal Current Biology. Scientists previously found that present day Maya people carry genes from both the traditional local Maya ancestors and Mexican highlanders. 'What makes our findings significant is that we identified this gene flow starting around the beginning of the Classic period,' said Shigeki Nakagome, Ussher Assistant Professor in Genomic Medicine, School of Medicine, TCD. The Classic period of Mayan civilisation - when it was at its peak - scholars say was from around 250 AD to 950 AD, after which it declined. 'Archaeological evidence has long suggested that a possible connection between the Classic Maya states and regions in highland Mexico,' said professor Shigeki. 'This suggests that interaction between these regions may have played a role in the rise of Classic Maya civilisation.' The civilisation flourished primarily in present-day southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. At its height, the Mayans built cities which were huge by the standard of the time, made up of monumental stone structures, and pyramid temples. They became renowned for a sophisticated writing system, advances in mathematics and astronomy, and skill in crafts like sculpture and pottery. 'Despite extensive archaeological research, many aspects of their ancestry and population history remain poorly understood,' said Prof Nakagome. The TCD researchers used ancient genomics to analyse DNA from seven people who lived in Copán in Honduras during the Classic Mayan period. Ancient genomics is the study of genomes (a genome being the entire DNA in a single cell) recovered from the bones or teeth of ancient people. This enabled them to investigate the genetic ancestry of these individuals. 'We focused on the petrous portion of the temporal bone, a dense part of the skull known for its exceptional DNA preservation.' This area of bone is known to yield higher quantities of ancient DNA compared to other parts of the human skeleton. However, Nakagome and his team found that studying these ancient DNA samples was far more difficult than investigating modern DNA. 'After death, DNA begins to degrade and fragment due to environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and microbial activity. 'As a result, ancient DNA is often highly fragmented, chemically modified and present in very low quantities, requiring specialised techniques and strict contamination controls to recover and analyse it accurately.' The results indicated that there was an influx of people from Highland Mexico into the Mayan lowland areas during the early to middle Classic period. 'This shows that the rise of the Classic Maya civilisation involved movement and interaction with people possibly from outside the Maya region.' The research also sheds some light on the fall of the Mayan people, beginning around 090 AD, which remains a famous and enduring scientific mystery. 'As the Mayan civilisation began to collapse near the of the classic period, we saw signs of a population decline.' 'This genetic evidence helps support the idea that major social and environmental changes had real demographic consequences.' The TCD researchers now plan to study more DNA from other ancient skeletal remains of people across a variety of locations in the Mayan world. This data will be compared to the archaeological and environmental historical record to gain further insights into the rise and fall of the Mayans.
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
Bay of Plenty traffic expert David Taui defends te reo Māori signs
Taui disagreed. 'Not every country uses English stop-go signs, but most people understand that red means stop and green means go,' Taui said. Taui has worked in traffic management since 1994. Taui said most people understood what green and red signs meant at roadworks. He had watched more cars speeding than not when a temporary speed limit was in place, he said. 'I'm going to tell you that 97.9% of all drivers who go through the roadworks site do not do 30km/h.' He simply wanted to save the lives of tangata whenua and all Kiwis driving. 'They [te reo signs] are more respected by Māori than the Stop sign,' he said. 'Because nobody likes to be stopped. Stop is a command, and human beings do not like to be commanded to do something.' Taui said he knew the rules and regulations around signage very well and that any signs could be used in risk management, as long as a plan was in place. 'Every sign is not approved until it gets approved, and that is when you write the traffic management plan.' He said that if more road signs were in te reo or closer to his designs, there would be fewer accidents because people would pay more attention to them. A spokesperson for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kōtahi said it valued te reo Māori as an official language of New Zealand and would continue to use it. 'Safety on the road is non-negotiable and the use of approved signs is critical to ensuring all road users and traffic crews remain safe around work sites,' the NZTA spokesperson said. The only official sign under the traffic control devices (TCD) rule is the Kura sign for schools. 'This was introduced in 2022 and remains on our roadsides and is legally required to be used, as specified in the TCD rule.' The TCD rule was a transport regulation, and the Minister of Transport was responsible for it, the spokesperson said. 'NZTA cannot change it on its initiative.' NZTA must follow the law as a road controlling authority and only used signs specified in the TCD rule. Only a small number of traffic signs in the rule conveyed a message just in te reo (eg, Marae, Kōhanga Reo, Tangi), according to the spokesperson. 'Most traffic signs are presented in English,' the spokesperson said. The new Government policy statement on land transport 2024 has been finalised, and bilingual and te reo Māori traffic signs are not identified as the Government's priority, the spokesperson said.
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Working Life: Radiation oncology is like virtual surgery, where you deliver targeted treatment
Professor Gerry Hanna, Marie Curie chair of clinical oncology at TCD, and vice clinical lead, Cancer Trials Ireland 'I'm originally from Newcastle, Co Down. I completed my training in hospitals in Belfast and Amsterdam, and took up a consultant post in Belfast. I was then appointed as director of radiation oncology at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia's largest cancer centre. All my family — my wife Suzie, a GP, and children Alice, Patrick and James — moved there in 2018. 'We loved Peter Mac and Australia, but missed friends and family in Ireland and came back in 2021. I love being home. It's a good opportunity to build on our cancer infrastructure and keep Ireland on the map. 'When I was a junior doctor, I was drawn to trying to turn things around for people with cancer. It's a very holistic specialty, often you are supporting patients for long periods or maybe curing them or extending their lives. I wanted to practice a form of medicine that was people-centred. 'Radiation oncology is like virtual surgery, where you deliver targeted treatment without opening people up. Prof. Gerry Hanna, Vice Clinical Lead at Cancer Trials Ireland: "The hard part of the job is when patients relapse, or when you can't offer a treatment to change the course of the disease in any meaningful way." Picture: Moya Nolan 'The hard part of the job is when patients relapse, or when you can't offer a treatment to change the course of the disease in any meaningful way. This can be very distressing. But overall oncology can be a very uplifting specialty to work in. 'I wear a number of hats. I'm a consultant in radiation oncology at the St Luke's radiation oncology network and the Trinity St James Cancer Institute. "I'm also vice clinical lead at Clinical Trials Ireland, an organisation that sponsors and manages Irish-led cancer trials, as well as working with international research groups and global pharma companies. 'Clinical trials are crucial for examining new treatments and for assessing their safety and efficacy. They offer patients an opportunity to try new treatments that may improve their outcomes, such as a person's survival from cancer or reducing the risk of cancer coming back. 'Most patients who take part in clinical trials do so because they know it will help patients in the future. 'Clinical trials are also really important for hospitals, as they bring higher levels of oversight, and this high quality of care creates an ethos of excellence among clinical teams.' As part of its 'Just Ask' campaign, Cancer Trials Ireland is encouraging people with cancer undergoing treatment to 'just ask' their doctors about the clinical trial options open to them. More details:
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Elon Musk has a reason to celebrate: Tesla's Model Y becomes Norway's best-seller car amid challenges
Tesla's Model Y has made a major breakthrough in Norway, becoming the country's top-selling car. The achievement is not only a victory for Tesla but also reflects Norway's increasing focus on the switch to electric vehicles (EVs). Below, we explore the story of this achievement, its significance for Tesla, and Norway's contribution to the EV revolution worldwide. The success of Elon Musk Tesla Model Y demonstrates Norway's dedication to sustainability and leadership in the transition towards electric cars on a global level. While it has encountered difficulties, Tesla remains confident in the future of its business, and the Model Y continues to blaze a trail in an increasingly transformed automotive sector. Elon Musk's Tesla Model Y becomes Norway's best-selling car The Tesla Model Y has registered over 70,000 in Norway as of April 2025, as per a recent report by TCD. The figure outnumbers some of Norway's most popular and enduring models, such as the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen Golf, and Toyota Yaris. Through this, the Model Y has effectively gained its position as Norway's best-selling car. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo This is a remarkable feat given stiff competition from established car brands that have been the market leaders in Norway for long. The success of the Model Y reflects its popularity and the increased use of electric cars in the area. Model Y's ongoing success in Norway offers hope for Tesla Model Y's success in Norway is not an isolated incident. Based on the TCD report, Tesla's electric SUV has topped the Norwegian automotive market for three years in a row. This repeated success is an outstanding milestone for Tesla, further establishing the Model Y as a Norwegian driver's favorite. Along with this, Tesla was in the news in 2023 by shattering records for the largest number of automobiles sold within one year in Norway. The firm overtook the Volkswagen Beetle's 54-year-old record, which is a testament to the increasing presence of Tesla in the country and its ongoing success. While Norway's success with the Model Y is a plus for Tesla, Tesla itself has struggled over the past few months. The TCD report indicates that Tesla's first-quarter performance was underwhelming, and its stock price and sales numbers worldwide have taken a hit. This slide in market performance has been blamed on several factors, including CEO Elon Musk's political activism and heightened competition in the EV segment. In spite of all these problems, the Model Y's sustained performance in Norway is a ray of hope for Tesla, reasserting the firm's dominance in the electric vehicle segment, particularly in crucial regions such as Scandinavia. Elon Musk remains confident in Tesla's future despite recent setbacks Despite challenges Tesla is facing, CEO Elon Musk has been optimistic about the future of the company. In an investor call in April 2025, Musk said, "We've been through a lot of, a lot of crises over the years and actually been through a lot of near-death experiences," and added, "This is not one of those times. We're not on the ragged edge of death, not even close. I remain extremely optimistic about the future of the company." Musk's optimism stems from his confidence that Tesla will ride through its present troubles and continue to prosper in the fast-changing electric car industry. Norway: Leading the charge in EV adoption Norway's embrace of electric vehicles goes beyond the success of the Model Y. The country has emerged as a global leader in EV adoption, with ambitious goals for the future. According to the TCD report, Norway aims to have all new car sales be electric vehicles by the end of 2025. This rapid shift is complemented by numerous campaigns that remind automobile purchasers to make a switch to electric cars. Norway provides generous rebates for the acquisition of EVs and has established an extensive network of public charging stations. These initiatives have played a fundamental role in Norway's achievement of one of the highest EV penetration rates in the globe. Also Read | How to block unwanted promotional calls in India using the TRAI DND app; here's everything you need to know AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
