Latest news with #interdisciplinary
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘I don't feel like money is real, so it's hard to get excited about managing it′
Jessica Bonenfant is an interdisciplinary director and choreographer, and holds a master of fine arts in choreography from the University of Michigan. In 2017, she cofounded Greywood Arts, a Co Cork-based multidisciplinary artists' residency and community creativity hub. Are you a saver or a spender? I'm fairly moderate. I do a little of each, but I wouldn't have buckets of money to spend or to save. What was the first job you received money for, and how much were you paid? I did a bit of babysitting in secondary school, but my first proper job was on Friday afternoons in a consignment shop. I think I was paid $7-$10 an hour for both jobs. I remember I loved being trusted with responsibilities like pricing the clothes that came in. Do you shop around for better value? I tend to look around a bit, but usually trust my gut when deciding where to purchase. Quality matters to me, so I don't always go with the cheapest. I like to work with pleasant people, and that goes a long way to selecting vendors. Also, supporting local businesses is really important to me. With a lot of grant applications, we regularly need to get three quotes, and that can be time-consuming. READ MORE What has been your most extravagant purchase, and how much did it cost? I love purchasing second-hand on Done Deal and Facebook Marketplace. I recently bought a large Knowle-style silk chenille sofa with down-filled cushions – worth about £10,000 new – for €380 on Done Deal. What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? Our house in Killeagh, Co Cork. It was derelict when we bought it in 2015. That purchase allowed us to open Greywood Arts, an artist residency, in the house in 2017. In 2023, we were able to renovate a derelict coach house on the property into artist studios, an art classroom and a flexible event space. It was an adventure and labour of love that's hard to put a price on. [ 'When I sold my business, I bought a very expensive watch for around €7,000′ Opens in new window ] Is there anything you regret spending money on? I'm a fairly careful spender so I don't have many regrets. Usually, it's buying shoes that don't fit properly! Do you haggle over prices? I'm terrible at bargaining! I'm afraid of undervaluing and offending the seller, so I like it when pricing is transparent. Do you invest in shares and/or cryptocurrency? I haven't actively sought to make investments. I find it a little intimidating. Do you have a retirement or pension plan? My mother passed away at age 65, and I inherited her retirement fund. She had a great relationship with her financial adviser, and it's a relief to have someone I trust still managing it. As an artist who has worked largely in a freelance capacity throughout my career, I'm really lucky to have a retirement plan. Not having to put aside as much for the future has allowed me to be more flexible in how I live now. What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? I bought a coffee in Cork County Hall canteen today. It was the first time in ages a coffee cost me less than €2. [ Niamh Kavanagh: 'Thanks to my mum, I learned how to pay my bills before I spent money on myself' Opens in new window ] Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? Holidays and travel are my best motivators to save. Living and working in the same place, with artists-in-residence on site nine months of the year means I treasure that time away. We haven't gone too far – Italy, Madeira, Morocco – but my husband and I hope to get to the Caribbean, Mexico or South America in the next couple of years. That will definitely take some planning and saving. Have you ever lost money? I know investments are a long game, and I'm fairly conservative, but when the markets dip it's an uneasy feeling. I'm terrified to check my account right now with Trump's tariffs creating chaos. I recently received an email from my financial adviser saying we are well diversified so not overexposed to any one area. I have 20 years before I retire, so I try not to get worked up in the meantime. Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win? I once played $20 on a slot machine in a casino and won $200. It was great fun, but I'm too risk-averse to gamble more than that. What is your best habit when it comes to money? And your worst? I worked as a book-keeper for non-profits in NYC for a few years, so I'm good at keeping business accounts. I wrote a lot of grant applications, and dealing with public funds has made me adept at estimating costs and adapting when we get less than we hoped for. Personal money habits are another story! I don't feel like money is real, especially when it is numbers on a page and not cash in hand, so it's hard for me to get excited about managing it. How much money do you have on you now? I hate loose change, so my phone has become my wallet. I tend to keep €20-€50 cash in my wallet just in case, but more and more, I leave the house with just my phone. I car share and rely on my friend to leave some coins behind whenever I need to pay a parking meter!
Observer
07-05-2025
- Science
- Observer
MTC to host series of conferences
MUSCAT: The Military Technological College (MTC) will be hosting a series of conferences as part of the International Conference on Engineering Advancements, Science and Technology (ICEAST) which aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, scientists, researchers and industry professionals in 2025, according to the management. Expert papers have been called for from across the world to these conferences whose official opening will be followed by specialised speeches by keynote speakers. Side by side, there will be workshops and conferences by the respective engineering departments of the college, besides paper presentations, workshops, exhibitions, plenary sessions, poster sessions and technical sessions. The ICEAST is aimed at providing a global platform for presenting cutting-edge research and technological innovations; and to encourage the exchange of ideas and solutions across diverse fields enabling the professionals as well as students who aim to make it big in their careers and to contribute to the society. The ICEAST will feature five specialised conferences, each focusing on a distinct area of research and innovation. Speaking to the Observer, Dr John Pillai, ICEAST Chair, said that these conferences would cover a wide array of topics, pertinent to a broader spectrum of key areas. 'We are focusing on a wide range of topics to be covered under the International Conference on Engineering Advancements, Science and Technology which will cover a diverse range of areas including environment and sustainability,' he said. According to him, these conferences cover Sustainable Engineering and Green Technologies, Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Smart Cities and Infrastructure, Robotics and Automation, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, Cybersecurity and Information Systems, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering; and Advanced Computational Methods. 'Experts in the subjects and researchers can submit their papers which will undergo a review process by an expert panel. Participants to these conferences will engage in plenary sessions, technical presentations, workshops, poster sessions, exhibitions and panel discussions which will help them brainstorm and explore newer areas of professional excellence. Added to it, this dynamic platform is expected to provide ample opportunities for academia, students and professionals to network, collaborate and share groundbreaking ideas.'
RTÉ News
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Something For The Something – Keeley Forsyth's cultural picks
Keeley Forsyth is a composer, singer and actor from Oldham in the north-west of England. Her debut album Debris (2020) was hailed by The Sunday Times as 'one of the most remarkable [albums] in years'. It was followed by the highly-acclaimed Limbs (2022) and the equally lauded The Hollows (2024). As an actor, recent screen appearances include roles in Jessica Hausner's dark satire Club Zero as well as Yorgos Lanthimos's multi-award-winning Poor Things. She has also starred in popular television programmes such as Happy Valley, Luther and Criminal Justice. This month, Keeley performs with collaborator Matthew Bourne in the National Concert Hall Studio on May 13th, as part of the NCH's Metronome Series. We asked Keely for her choice cultural picks... FILM I am looking forward to watching Monk In Pieces – a documentary about the performer and interdisciplinary artist Meredith Monk. MUSIC I recently collaborated with a vocal artist, an actor, and a musician. We were workshopping new ideas for a play directed by Samantha Shay. During that time, I learned a Ukrainian folk song - Plyve Kacha - sang to me by one of the actors there, Ditte Berkeley, who co-founded the Tzar Theatre Grotowski in Poland. We connected, and she generously taught me the song. Since then, I've found myself humming it often. It's stayed with me—not just the melody, but the feeling behind it. As I sing it to myself, I'm reminded of the pain and cruelty that war brings. BOOK The Son of Man by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo. I admire everything he writes. His work is both tender and vivid, and there's a quiet courage in the way he approaches each subject. His writing stays with me - thoughtful, evocative, and deeply human. THEATRE The last play I saw was The Seagull at The Barbican - I was blown away by the new adaptation by Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier. I am hoping to see my mate Maxine Peake at Nottingham Playhouse in September, in The Last Stand of Mrs. Mary Whitehouse by Caroline Bird. TV Not a TV person - but I have been enjoying The Studio, an American satirical comedy. GIG Colin Stetson at BDCST festival in Brussels – I got the chance to play with him during my set for the same festival, curated by him. He is one of the most powerful performers I have experienced. ART The Museo del Prado in Madrid houses the largest collection of Francisco Goya's art, so when I was there performing in Madrid, I made sure to go and see it. TECH I was recently told about the website What Three Words - a mapping of the world to accurately locate yourself or others - although I am usually partial to being a little lost. THE NEXT BIG THING... Not spending anything on cosmetics, ever - just castor oil as it does it all, mostly. As an actor, recent screen appearances include roles in Jessica Hausner's dark satire Club Zero as well as Yorgos Lanthimos's multi-award-winning Poor Things. She has also starred in popular television programmes such as Happy Valley, Luther and Criminal Justice.
