GMIT forging partnerships with leading blockchain companies and playing a central role in the creation of a national blockchain strategy

Monday, May 17, 2021 Press Office
Press Release

GMIT participating in series of digital events as part of Blockchain Ireland Week

GMIT is playing a pivotal role in the national development of a strategy for a new and innovative technology called blockchain which possesses the potential to digitally transform the manner with which public authorities, organizations, and citizens interact in a trustful manner.

GMIT has partnered with Block W, a female-led initiative providing a platform for communication, education, and the discussion of ideas relating to careers in blockchain, to fund a Blockchain research fellowship.  Other partners are HEA Springboard, Blockchain Ireland, Origin Chain Networks, and National College of Ireland (NCI).

The inaugural GMIT/BlockW Summer Research Scholarship will run from June to September 2021. Currently, knowledge with regards to blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) use cases, and projects are fragmented at a national and a European Union (EU) level. This summer research project will review exemplar regional and national blockchain/DLT rollout programmes and use cases across EU member states (including Finland, Norway, and UK). This report will be presented to policy makers to commence the consultation process on the possibility of working with government to create a conducive policy environment for sustainable growth. Finally, the report will be used to create an online and interactive publicly accessible open repository of blockchain/DLT projects which are taking place in Ireland and at an EU level.

GMIT has also been engaging with public and private organisations on collaborative blockchain and DLT industry projects to promote awareness of blockchain and DLT in Ireland, and upskilling opportunities. In 2019, GMIT School of Business launched the Springboard+ Certificate for Blockchain for Business course which aims to fill the growing demand for specialist roles examining new and innovative application of blockchain's capabilities.

In 2020, GMIT’s Dr Amaya Vega, Dr Trevor Clohessy and Professor Graham Heaslip were awarded RISE Scholarship funding for a project entitled “Analysis of product traceability in the fishery value chain: A case study from Ireland.” The project will investigate seafood traceability in Ireland in a holistic manner, by outlining the different perspectives and opinions of all fish supply chain stakeholders and by identifying the factors that determine the adoption of a blockchain enabled sustainable seafood standard traceability system.

To coincide with Blockchain Ireland Week,  GMIT is taking part in a series of digital events exploring the unique opportunities of blockchain and DLT. Dr Clohessy partnered with Origin Chain Networks to collaborate on an industry related project challenge as part of the GMIT Blockchain for Business Springboard+ course https://www.gmit.ie/business/certificate-blockchain-business-springboard . Students’ projects will be showcased in a video which will be released during Blockchain Ireland week which runs from 24 to 27 May https://www.blockchainireland.ie/blockchain-ireland-week/  [Origin Chain Networks are an Irish emerging tech firm active in the agri-food sector offering affordable mobile farming services for farm data collection on the fly.]

Recently Dr Clohessy in conjunction with Block W met with the Oireachtas Friends of Science committee (12 May) to discuss blockchain technology. The panelists information was well received, and members look forward to updating the Oireachtas on future developments.

On Monday, 17 May, Dr Trevor Clohessy and Dr Amaya Vega, GMIT, have been selected to present  a webinar at the prestigious Climate Expo 2021 research conference https://www.climateexp0.org/

On Friday 21 May, as part of the Atlantec Technology Festival https://atlantec.ie/speakers-2021/  Dr Clohessy and GMIT are again partnering with Origin Chain Networks https://www.originchainnetworks.com/ where together with fellow guest speaker Fiona Delaney they will host a panel discussion and presentation on “How Blockchain Powers Digital Transformation”.

On Monday 26 May, Dr Trevor Clohessy in conjunction with academic and industry panelists will discuss how people can transition into a career in Blockchain. The event is organised by Block W and takes place during Blockchain Ireland week. Please register on https://www.meetup.com/BlockW-Ireland/events/278126191/

On Wednesday 28 May, Dr Trevor Clohessy will present a webinar on “Blockchain for Business: A Primer”.  The session will be moderated by Fearghal McHugh, GMIT  School of Business: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/blockchain-for-business-a-primer-tickets-152036418019

Ireland is currently a member of the EU Blockchain partnership https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/european-countries-join-blockchain-partnership and is committed to showcasing how blockchain and DLT can be used in various industries and across public services.

About Dr Trevor Clohessy
Dr Clohessy is a lecturer and researcher in the GMIT Department of Enterprise and Technology, at GMIT School of Business since September 2018. His research interests include blockchain, business analytics, digital transformation, and cloud computing. He conducted one of the first blockchain Irish organisational readiness reports in 2018 entitled “Organisational factors that influence the Blockchain adoption in Ireland.”
In 2019, Trevor published his “Blockchain for Business“ book which describes the digital transformation capabilities of blockchain technologies. 

Trevor is also the secretary of the Blockchain Ireland Education, Skills, and Innovation working group.  

In 2018 he wrote this article for the Irish Times “Are Irish businesses ready for a blockchain world?  See: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/business/work/are-irish-businesses-ready-for-a-blockchain-world-1.3483176%3fmode=amp

Contact details:
Emails trevor.clohessy@gmit.ie

Research profile: https://trevorclohessy.wordpress.com/

Blockchain Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JsSSxckJEF2kMuqKhGHyg?si=QdYBQQ1lTWexeo7jWjzgBA&nd=1

 

ENDS

Issued by Regina Daly, GMIT Communications & Press Officer, GMIT, Dublin Road, Galway.
0879618355 (m) regina.daly@gmit.ie   www.gmit.ie/news
 

Galway-Mayo IT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT working together to become a TU for the West and North-West of Ireland www.cualliance.ie