A very successful Science and Computing Colloquium was held in the Institute of Technology, Letterkenny, from Wednesday 26 to Friday 28 May, 1999. This major annual conference is held in a different Institute each year .

The Colloquium was attended by approximately 140 academics and research students from all the Institutes of Technology in the country. The delegates were welcomed to Letterkenny by Mr. Paul Hannigan, Director of the Institute. The keynote address was given by Mr. Paddy McDonagh, Assistant General Secretary at the Department of Education & Science, who spoke of the importance of the Institutes of Technology in contributing to a regionally dispersed Science and Technology infrastructure, and their major role in the deepening of national Research and Development.

Mr. McDonagh outlined the plans of the Department of Education & Science, in cooperation with private industry, to make a huge investment in research during the next five years, emphasising the importance of this investment in enabling the country to maintain its economic growth and provide the high-tech, highly-paid jobs which the young educated work force requires.

He stressed the critical importance of research in providing a catalyst for the type of innovation which an economy such as ours must have in order to sustain and expand economic growth.

The main business of the Colloquium started on Thursday, with the presentation of papers by researchers from all of the Institutes of Technology. Papers were presented on many varied topics, and included descriptions of a survey of Zebra Mussels in Lough Key, the use of waste microbial biomass as a source of oxidoreductases, the use of streamed multimedia to enhance the virtual classroom, developments of novel methods for estimation of histamine in foods, and for creatinine in blood, etc.

The conference dinner was held in the Mount Errigal Hotel and was addressed by Dr Eileen Stewart, a former student of the Letterkenny Institute and now Researcher and Lecturer at Queen’s University, Belfast. Dr McDaid, Minister for Tourism, Sport & Recreation, attended the dinner. In his speech he acknowledged the importance of the Institute of Technology in the Letterkenny area, and confirmed that an additional 2.6 million pounds was being made available to complete Phase II of the College development.

The Conference closed at 1.00 p.m. on Friday with the distributions of prizes for the best research papers. The main sponsors of the event were AGB Scientific Limited.

Contact: Dr John Hines,
Head, School of Science,
Letterkenny Institute of Technology,
Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal;
Tel: 074-64129; Fax: 074-64107;
E-mail: john.hines@lyit.ie