Future Island-Island
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Ulster
Department Name: Sch of Art & Design
Abstract
Future Island-Island (FII) is a place-based project investigating how design can drive green transition through community collaboration, circular innovation, and local knowledge. Co-designing with the Rathlin Island community affords both a lens and a teacher of value to other locations. Rathlin, the only inhabited offshore island in Northern Ireland, was chosen for its distinctive context: it has its own policy and action plan, a Net Zero strategy, and government support for community-led sustainability.
Given its contained scale and peripheral geography, Northern Ireland provides an ideal test bed for system-level change, while advancing its institutional and regional sustainability commitments. The role of design within FII is to harness the potential of small nations to transform waste culture behaviour, and organisational practice with the aim of accelerating a journey of just community empowerment, applied design, and creative worldbuilding.
By deepening interdisciplinary research, this "enculturing transition design" approach works with community concerns such as local waste management, while also addressing regional challenges including coastal pollution and the impacts of tourism. Throughout this project, research and impact is enhanced by 18 co-investigator organisations and more than 30 in-kind partners from private, public and third sectors.
Phase 1 (2023-2025) focused on working with the Rathlin community to imagine and model what a green transition could look like in practice. Five interconnected Work Packages explored waste materials, digital innovation, education, and policy:
WP1: Product Waste Ecosystems
WP2: Green Digital Transition
WP3: Organic Waste Ecosystems
WP4: Designing Sustainable Futures Education
WP5: Green Policies
Through co-design, demonstrators, circular economy modelling, and policy engagement, Phase 1 delivered three overarching aims:
1. Co-design of an authentic, community-led green transition for Rathlin
2. Stimulation of a green digital ecosystem
3. Modelling of circular systems emerging from community collaboration
These were supported by six challenge-based objectives, twelve work package goals, and thirty-five deliverables; all contributing to a shared framework for sustainable change that remains active and evolving.
Phase 2 (2025-2028) builds on these foundations, consolidating the original work packages into three impact-driven pillars with thirty-four new deliverables:
DREAM: Developing Revolutionary Eco-friendly Alternatives with Materials.?
This pillar advances research on waste materials, exploring circular value across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland. Beach and ocean plastics, medical plastics, and wool form the basis for new 3D printing, textile, and composite applications. A Waste-Free Island Blueprint for Rathlin will inform scalable circular models across Ireland and the Argyll and Isles region of Scotland.
GREENLINK: Digital Connectivity Across Lighthouse Locations in Harder to Reach Places.
This pillar extends digital innovation to connect coastal, island, and remote communities. Through immersive digital experiences hosted in community and visitor hubs, GREENLINK raises awareness of green issues and supports eco-learning across the northern Celtic region. Gamified environments make otherwise hard-to-reach heritage and environmental content accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
THE EAST LIGHT: Regenerative Lighthouse and Knowledge Hub.?
Originating from a 2017 Rathlin community vision, The East Light is now being reimagined as a living, place-based demonstrator for a green knowledge hub and imagination space. Focused on green transitions and regenerative design, the site will test new approaches to community co-design, carbon reduction, circular materials, and sustainable enterprise planning, creating a scalable model for place-based innovation and learning.
Given its contained scale and peripheral geography, Northern Ireland provides an ideal test bed for system-level change, while advancing its institutional and regional sustainability commitments. The role of design within FII is to harness the potential of small nations to transform waste culture behaviour, and organisational practice with the aim of accelerating a journey of just community empowerment, applied design, and creative worldbuilding.
By deepening interdisciplinary research, this "enculturing transition design" approach works with community concerns such as local waste management, while also addressing regional challenges including coastal pollution and the impacts of tourism. Throughout this project, research and impact is enhanced by 18 co-investigator organisations and more than 30 in-kind partners from private, public and third sectors.
Phase 1 (2023-2025) focused on working with the Rathlin community to imagine and model what a green transition could look like in practice. Five interconnected Work Packages explored waste materials, digital innovation, education, and policy:
WP1: Product Waste Ecosystems
WP2: Green Digital Transition
WP3: Organic Waste Ecosystems
WP4: Designing Sustainable Futures Education
WP5: Green Policies
Through co-design, demonstrators, circular economy modelling, and policy engagement, Phase 1 delivered three overarching aims:
1. Co-design of an authentic, community-led green transition for Rathlin
2. Stimulation of a green digital ecosystem
3. Modelling of circular systems emerging from community collaboration
These were supported by six challenge-based objectives, twelve work package goals, and thirty-five deliverables; all contributing to a shared framework for sustainable change that remains active and evolving.
Phase 2 (2025-2028) builds on these foundations, consolidating the original work packages into three impact-driven pillars with thirty-four new deliverables:
DREAM: Developing Revolutionary Eco-friendly Alternatives with Materials.?
This pillar advances research on waste materials, exploring circular value across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland. Beach and ocean plastics, medical plastics, and wool form the basis for new 3D printing, textile, and composite applications. A Waste-Free Island Blueprint for Rathlin will inform scalable circular models across Ireland and the Argyll and Isles region of Scotland.
GREENLINK: Digital Connectivity Across Lighthouse Locations in Harder to Reach Places.
This pillar extends digital innovation to connect coastal, island, and remote communities. Through immersive digital experiences hosted in community and visitor hubs, GREENLINK raises awareness of green issues and supports eco-learning across the northern Celtic region. Gamified environments make otherwise hard-to-reach heritage and environmental content accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
THE EAST LIGHT: Regenerative Lighthouse and Knowledge Hub.?
Originating from a 2017 Rathlin community vision, The East Light is now being reimagined as a living, place-based demonstrator for a green knowledge hub and imagination space. Focused on green transitions and regenerative design, the site will test new approaches to community co-design, carbon reduction, circular materials, and sustainable enterprise planning, creating a scalable model for place-based innovation and learning.
Organisations
- University of Ulster (Lead Research Organisation)
- Queen's University Belfast (Collaboration)
- Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios (Collaboration)
- University of Strathclyde (Collaboration)
- Munster Technological University (Project Partner)
- Birney Architects (Project Partner)
- Axial3D (Project Partner)
- Queen's University Belfast (Project Partner)
- Policy Profession (Project Partner)
- Clear Angle Studios (Project Partner)
- Donegal Yarn Spinning Mill Limited (Project Partner)
- Feilden Clegg Bradley Studio (Project Partner)
- MMAS Architects (Project Partner)
- Inishowen Development Partnership (Project Partner)
- Fibreshed (Project Partner)
- Carson McDowell LLP (Project Partner)
- Bureau SLA (Project Partner)
| Description | The human networks of this Green Transition Ecosystem is one of its strengths. The grant initially included 70 named researchers comprising of 12 company co-investigators and 58 academics including Principle investigator, co-investigators, other staff and a management team. This has grown substantially across all work packages as we expand our reach through Design Fellowships. To date these include 6 Creative Fellowships from Rathlin's artistic community and 24 Regenerative Rathlin Fellowships from design and architecture industries. A third call is now live attracting 67 Design Fellowship applications from diverse sectors and organization types. These include 23 applications from Universities and 44 applications form individuals or teams from industry. From the University applications, 13 were from NI, 8 across the rest of the UK and 2 in USA. From industry 25 were from NI, 13 across the rest of the UK, 2 from Republic of Ireland and 1 each from Germany, Portugal, Sweeden and Brazil. Our Nature-based waste work package established the Wool Hub on Rathlin Island, attracting 20 members. This all female groups, includes farmers, local business woman, creative practitioners and other community members whose typically quitter voices now provide a unified chorus tackling waste in a tangible way, managing, processing and innovating with 1500kg of wool so far. Within the designing education futures work package, we have, called to action PG and UG students some of which winning the World Architecture Festival student awards 2024, delivered a summer school to Chinese students, secured 7 PhD's from other funding streams and had 67 school children graduate following their Architects of Change programme. Across the project, when we include the 18 other project partners in-kind contributions and new partnerships established with over 70 other organisations, the ecosystem exceeds 800 people. There have been 1,310 participants across 19 activities and we have hosted 867 visitors across 4 events. The exploratory and inquisitive nature of this design-led research, has enabled diverse engagement through cycles of divergent and convergent thinking, that opens freer space to interrogate complex issues resulting in truly transdisciplinary and multi-agency collaboration. To date the project has engage directly with at least 55 people from Rathlin Island (approximately 37% of the islands population.) Negative results or pathways closed off: The nature of design research embraces both successes and failures in its iterative pathway of sense making and resolve. In our Product Waste work package, we have had unsuccessful material science outcomes with failed 3D prints. These were somewhat expected working with sub-optimal materials initially as we iterate towards viable material recipes. In this instance we selected a material that was reliably identifiable during beach cleaning. Twine, a green waxy material could be repeatably identified by the public, however is made from polypropylene, which is not a stable 3D print material. Nevertheless, this recycled material was successfully produced a consistent extruded filament after being washed, shredded and melted. However, the 3D print was substandard, so the next phase is to incrementally add recycled PLA to seek a suitable recipe for a minimum viable product as well as other blends with waste polymers. We have recruited a PhD to this topic funded by DfE NI. |
| Exploitation Route | Other URLs include: Ulster's PURE profile for the project https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/projects/ahrc-funded-green-transition-ecosystem-future-island-island The project LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/102824424 This research may have interest in the following contexts: 1. In respect of the circular economy it explores valorising both synthetic and nature waste streams for instance production of new products from beach litter plastics or waste wool on farms, exploring design's role and contribution to co-designing with communities within a place-based context. 2. It provides digital design strategies to undertake research with communities in an authentic way, and developing new digital content, informed by culture, heritage and environmental issues, as assets with potential benefits to the economy, education and accessibility of tourism. 3. It provides an approach to policy making that is community centered, developing strategies that provide a democratised and co-designed approach to decision making and future gazing within a sustainability context. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Environment Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.futureisland-island.org |
| Description | (1) Details of emerging economic and societal impact arising from the award that you are reporting on (including how it has evolved): Our digital transformation work package has developed two VR apps and a other immersive tools, that provide more accessible and shared tourist visitor experiences. These have been supported by the RSPB, DAERA, National Trust, Causeway Coast & Glens Council and the Commissioners of Irish Lights granting permissions for 3D scanning and 360° video of the East and West lighthouses, other landmarks and supply of LiDAR data. Working alongside the Rathlin Island oral histories group and Rathlin Stickybeak all content generated is geographically, physically and contextually authentic and codesigned. (2) A summary of how the findings from your award are impacting the public, private or third/voluntary sectors, and elsewhere: At this 16 month review period, Future Island-Island has attracted £657,739 of in-kind funding which includes equipment, use of space and additional time resources from partners. Furthermore it has leveraged £9,349,482 of funding, which includes funded PhDs scholarships (NI Department for Economy and AHRC), internal funding through Impact Acceleration Accounts, external funding from industry partners (e.g. Housing Executive NI and NI Department for Communities) or secured new related research grants resulting from new collaborations within the teams formed within the Future Island-Island GTE (e.g. UKRI Network Plus award and the Environmental Protection Agency). Other sources include unlocked funding directly benefiting community that was secured in part as a result of the co-design activity with the Rathlin Development Community Association (RDCA). A specific example is the Department of Science Innovation & Technology (DSIT), Very Hard to Reach Programme and the UK & European space agencies (UKSA) who invited RDCA and subsequently Future Island-Island to discussions unlocking funding for the launch, and ongoing support of the ARTES project. This is a £2 Million communications and satellite industry tender and demonstrator for Rathlin, that sites the this GTE in its documentation as a unique innovation. It is crucial for the digital transformation work package. (3) Challenges overcome to achieve impact: We had a lower-than-expected response form a codesign ideation process in the Product Waste workpackage. In this instance, following seven community forums and observation sessions, we consolidated these conversations as a booklet with 21 project briefs and a series of initial concept sketches, that represented community suggestions or responded to issues with the intention of providing stimuli for ideation hitch-hiking. There were 68 books issued across the island, one to each household. While these were rich in their response using a sticky dot traffic light system to identify preferences, only five were returned. Nevertheless, increasingly over time these led to 15 deeper conversations. The initial issue related to a misunderstanding that ideation was proposal of solutions rather than a visual discussion document. Some fellowship proposals emerged from these documents, some shaped an approach to island identity and most substantially a new 'object of need' was identified - a rat proof bin, crucial to conservation efforts in the island and addressing several problem issues. (4) Significant impact within academia, for example the nucleation of a new research area: This work is stretching the contexts of design-led research and has led to a model of diverse applications where convergence between disciplines has taken place. Rathlin island is unique within Ireland and the UK, having it own government endorsed Island Policy. As such the team have been able to engage with 18 different stakeholders across tourism, local councils, environment agencies and government departments, such as ministerial forums on the island. The island use appreciative enquiry and the More Than Minutes visual minuting for community forums on key issues. Within our Design Policy work package, we conducted a deep analysis of their 10 year record, mapping progress against strategic aims and providing a summative evaluation and efficacy of the process. We introduced a novel design-led Democratic MiniPublic (DMP), attracting 21 volunteers with 10 randomly selected for the shortlist and the remaining on a waitlist. These 10 represent the islands voice, and are undertaking crucial decision making around the islands ferry service which is currently open for consultation with Government. Using visual design thinking methods, the community are being facilitated towards community consensus about their future, empowering them to lobby and inform Government in a structured, informed and consistent way. Both models have been shared at RDS2024, Boston. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | A natural fibre supply chain in Northern Ireland |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/a-natural-fibre-supply-chain-in-northern-ireland |
| Description | AHRC Northern Ireland Policy Lab: Belonging and Civic Identity |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://creativecommunities.uk/northern-ireland-policy-lab-pride-in-place/ |
| Description | DSIT & UKSA funded Rathlin Island Service Demonstrator |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/artes-call-for-innovative-hybrid-network-solutions/rathli... |
| Description | Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (AMIC) - Engineering and Manufacturing Services |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Department | Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Our research team championed the conceptualization and development of the Beach Clean 2.0 methodology. It expanded the enviro-leisure activism model to integrate circular approach into beach cleans. This methodology uses color-coding sorting system to categorize wastes. The categories are braided rope, plastic rigids, twine and everything else. We also facilitated and organized various beach cleans on Rathlin, across various beaches in Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland. In addition, we collaborated with industry partner AMIC to organize a summer school that brought student groups into this initiative. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Advanced manufacturing and innovation center (AMIC) provided the technical expertise, capability and operational support to the Beach clean 2.0 initiative. They handled the sorting, cleaning and re-processing of the beach clean waste materials into a continuous strands of 3DP filaments. They actively participated in the summer school by demonstrating the processing methods to the student groups, prototyping object manufacturing, and shared their industry insights and experience. |
| Impact | An output from this collaboration include: Prototype of continuous 3DP filament strand derived from cleaned and re-processed beach-clean waste materials. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Does Design Care...? [3elfast] |
| Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
| Department | Department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Professor Magee was a collaborative organiser for DDC...? [3elfast] and is a co-editor with Professor Rodgers and colleagues. Eleven of the Belfast School of Art PhDs and staff, interested in Design for Health participated in this workshop, many of which preparing articles for forthcoming publications. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Does Design Care? is one of the initiatives of the Design Research for Change programme delivered under the AHRC Funded Design Priority Area Leadership Fellow, Professor Paul Rodgers (AH/P013619/1 and AH/P013619/2). This programme, which includes the ongoing Does Design Care? series of events aims to "achieve real and long-lasting transformation and impact, to enact alternative, positive, and help achieve real developments within the culture of design research that will equip it for the challenges of the future". Does Design Care? is an international workshop series of design thinking, making, and acting that runs irregularly every couple of years. Does Design Care? workshops provide a positive space for all to explore different ways to conceptualise, provoke, contest and disrupt care, and serve as a venue for synthesising future visions of care. We do not limit interpretations, boundaries, and sectors when we use the word 'care'. Each Does Design Care? workshop is highly interactive with participants producing a range of outputs including journal and book publications, working papers, and other creative outputs. |
| Impact | Rodgers, P., Bremner, C., Innella, G., & Magee, J. (Eds.) (2024). 100 years of Care: Design-based explorations of a 100 years of care journeys. Ulster University. Bremner, C., Rodgers, P.A., Innella, G., Magee, J. (eds.) The Design of Care Book (70,000 to 100,000 words) under the Design Research for Change book series, Routledge / Taylor & Francis' New York, NY USA. Under publisher agreement on 28th May 2024 for delivery on 1st July 2025. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Feilden Clegg Bradley - Architectural Design & Consultation Services |
| Organisation | Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Our research team played a crucial role in conceptualizing and facilitating both the Rathlin Residential and Regenerative Rathlin Competition. For the Rathlin Residential, created an immersive, place-based learning experience that fostered creativity, collaboration, and ecological awareness. We ensured that participants engaged with Rathlin Island's unique environment and community, encouraging the development of sustainable design solutions that would have lasting impact beyond the island. For the Regenerative Rathlin Competition, our team helped design the competition framework, focusing on resilience and sustainability on the island. This involved bringing together interdisciplinary participants to explore and develop impactful strategies for environmental, social, and economic challenges. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Feilden Clegg Bradley (FCB) supported these initiatives with their expert architectural and design input. For the Rathlin Residential, FCB contributed director time and expertise, attending the 2-day workshop and providing valuable design consultation. They also led the online consultations with the WP3 ecosystem subgroups, facilitating collaboration and ensuring that the design solutions were both practical and visionary. For the Regenerative Rathlin Competition, FCB's director and skilled staff contributed their time and expertise in shaping the design competition and workshop, offering insights into sustainable design practices. Their involvement significantly enriched the process, helping participants refine their ideas and strategies for long-term sustainability on Rathlin Island. |
| Impact | Regenerative Rathlin Competition: An interdisciplinary design thinking workshops engaging participants in sustainable design solutions for Rathlin Island's environmental, social, and economic resilience. Rathlin Residential: A hands-on, immersive design experience that promoted collaboration and ecological awareness among designers. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | A first glimpse at tech approaches for Rathlin - see what designers and engineers are cooking up |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | How can technology be part of a sustainable future for Rathlin? The Future Island-Island project is looking at how cutting-edge design concepts can help Rathlin, and potentially communities all over Northern Ireland, live sustainably and tackle the climate crisis. This exhibition is the first chance to take a look at what the designers and engineers are cooking up. Spoiler alert - there will be a 3D printer having a go at reproducing a familiar-looking Rathlin brooch |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | A tiny island fights the scourge of plastic on the beach |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | A short summary of 455 words sharing the approaches to 'A Northern Ireland experiment in recycling'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/11/25/a-tiny-island-fights-the-scourge-of-plastic-on-the-beac... |
| Description | Beach Clean 2.0: Designing a circular beach clean methodology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Future Island-Island team piloted a new approach to beach cleaning - Beach Clean 2.0. Through harvesting plastics waste by material type we explore circular plastics, sending the materials to our labs at Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast for processing into 3d print filament and mouldable materials. There were 96 participants across 7 locations in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/beach-clean-20-designing-a-circular-beach-clean-methodology |
| Description | Beach Clean Success |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article in the Inishowen News |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.inishowennews.com/NewsBrief.htm |
| Description | Colours of Rathlin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A Natural Dyeing Workshop was delivered to 10 residents from Rathlin Island, marking a colorful day of creativity and sustainability. Participants had the unique opportunity to explore the art of natural dyeing using organic food waste and foraged plants, capturing the essence of Rathlin Island's vibrant landscape. Attendees delved into hands-on experiences, experimenting with dyeing locally grown wool yarns and textiles. The workshop highlighted the benefits of natural dyes and sustainable practices, aligning with the Future Island-Island project's goals. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/colours-of-rathlin |
| Description | Creative Problem Solving Using Virtual Production Techniques |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This talk, for the Digital Scholarship Hub at Queen's University, outlines the problem solving methods adopted, using Virtual Production techniques and pipelines, in the AHRC funded Future Island - Island Project & the EPSRC funded VP pipelines for Theatre affordance projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/creative-problem-solving-using-virtual-production-techniques |
| Description | Design Fellowships Call- Digital Campaign |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Design Fellowship call was promoted across social media and the Future Island-Island website from 18 November to 19 December 2024 to generate awareness for the call and engagement for applications to register interest. The campaign aimed to reach professional individuals and private and public sector audiences, foster interest in the opportunity and provide key information on the fellowship timeline and process. The promotion generated 7,748 impressions across social media platforms, reaching 3.399 accounts and leading to 2,310 interactions, including 47 shares and 42 link clicks from profile page links to register interest. Additionally, 36 link clicks requested the call information document and three direct messages from individuals requested more details on the application process. The website fellowship page reached 388 views, with 104 clicks into the expression of interest form and 123 downloads of the call information document. These demonstrate successful efforts to engage the target audience and a high volume of interest and submissions, as a result. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.futureisland-island.org/design-fellowships |
| Description | Extended Producer Responsibility Workshop (EPR) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Alison Gault was invited to attend and contribute to the development of a policy document on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Textiles workshop on the 18th of November in Dublin hosted by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). This was around wool and related to the circularity of the FII project The workshop was facilitated by the UK Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/extended-producer-responsibility-workshop-epr |
| Description | Field Operations: Rathlin Residential, towards a regenerative design ecosystem on Rathlin WP3 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Rathlin Residential is a week long participatory design workshop with young designers on the island of Rathlin. 20 Young Professionals were chosen by competition to take part in an immersive design sprint on the island, engaging in a fun way way with stakeholders and the general public |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.instagram.com/futureislandisland/p/DA-2gDRsPa5/?api=postMessage |
| Description | Finding new products for overlooked wool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A mention in an online article in The Irish Farmer's Journal. This was part of a wider piece on PhD researcher and Sustainable Rope Ltd founder Kate Drury and her work creating natural fibre products and fabrics and wool tracability. It is mentioned that Drury is part of the Future Island-Island project and collaborating in the transformation of Rathlin wool into useful products, such as yarn and rope, for the community. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.farmersjournal.ie/finding-new-products-for-overlooked-wool-841347 |
| Description | Future Island Island One Year Milestone Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This two day event celebrated the one year mark of the Future Island-Island grant. From the 96 participants across 25 organisations, there were co-investigators, researchers and a broad range of company partners, The AHRC, Design Hopes GTE and The Design Museum in attendance. There were online presentations from The Future Observatory, The Public Map Platform GTE and Transforming Homes GTE. Day one involved presentations from WP! Product Waste, Public Map Platform GTE, WP4 Sustainable Futures Education, Transforming Homes GTE, Future Observatory/Design Museum, the AHRC and a closing circles session. Day 2 had presentations for m WP3 Organic waste, WP2 Digital Transformation, WP5 Policy, featuring the Democratic MiniPublic proposal and workshop, Design HOPES GTE and a stakeholder mapping exercise. As a result, relationships were strengthened and several partners made action to increase engagement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Future Island-Island Bluesky (Social Media Channel) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Future Island-Island has created a new channel on Bluesky Social to add to the project's digital ecosystem. The platform is known for its decentralised approach, attracting sustainability-focused and forward-thinking professionals within media, research, and creative industries. This creates an ideal space for sharing our project innovations and insights and creating a dialogue within these progressive and engaged communities. The channel currently has 48 followers, with content interactions including 26 likes and 23 shares, resulting in an engagement rate of 102%. This reflects early but meaningful engagement. In the future, we hope to facilitate more knowledge exchange, increase project reach, and build connections with interdisciplinary professionals on the platform. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://bsky.app/profile/futureislandisland.bsky.social |
| Description | Future Island-Island Facebook (Social Media Channel) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Future Island-Island Facebook page serves as a secondary social media channel primarily for engaging the Rathlin Island community. It has also gained interaction with local organisations, project partners, schools engaged during youth activities, and general audiences. The platform is used to share updates and invite participation, particularly for place-based events and activities such as the NI Science Festival, The Rathlin Sound Festival, workshops and community engagement days. It has proven valuable for sharing information and promoting local involvement on the island. The channel has gained 77 followers, with content generating 16,988 impressions, reaching 10,278 accounts, and collecting 640 interactions, including reactions, comments, shares, and saves. Video content has contributed significantly, accumulating 2,661 plays and a collective watch time of 394 mins. An engagement rate of 5.79% demonstrates a steady interaction from audiences with outcomes including increased event engagement, and steady building of local connections. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557915958446 |
| Description | Future Island-Island Instagram (Social Media Channel) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Future Island-Island Instagram channel has become a key space for visual storytelling, reaching audiences both within and beyond professional and academic networks and establishing connections with artists, designers, environmental advocates, and general audiences. By sharing interactive content spanning creative research outputs, events, activities, live updates, and behind-the-scenes highlights, we have started to build a space where our research feels more tangible to external audiences, making the project more accessible, authentic, and sharable within these networks. This is evident from strong audience engagement, with 1,837 content interactions including 1,591 likes, 33 comments, 48 saves, and 76 shares. This demonstrates that target audiences are actively engaging with, saving, and sharing our ideas. Our activity has also resulted in the amplification of project visibility and reach. We have gained 374 followers, with our content collecting 47,505 views and reaching 13,605 accounts. Short-form video content has been particularly effective, amassing 6,988 plays and 690 minutes of collective watch time. The Future Island-Island profile has also received 1,835 visits. A significant engagement rate of 24.23% and 36.4% follower reach further indicates that our channel is building an invested community, increasing awareness of our project work, and creating connections between academic, creative, and environmental communities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://www.instagram.com/futureislandisland/ |
| Description | Future Island-Island LinkedIn (Social Media Channel) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Future Island-Island LinkedIn channel serves as a key platform for increasing visibility and awareness of the project among professional communities. The platform has extended our audience beyond academic and research circles to include policymakers, industry partners, private and public sector organisations, and design networks. As a result, we have gained 764 followers from March 2024 to January 2025. By sharing project milestones, research insights, events, activities, and interdisciplinary collaborations, our content has generated strong engagement, achieving 48,090 impressions*, reaching 25,657 LinkedIn members, and driving 1,964 page views from 956 unique page visitors. Additional content interactions include 12,101 clicks**, 1,881 reactions, 43 comments, and 49 reposts, demonstrating active interest and participation from a growing network. Notably, the page has achieved an average engagement rate (ER) of 29.5% during this period, far exceeding the norm, where an ER rate of 6% is typically considered high. This indicates that nearly one-third of those who see our content interact with it, showcasing the effectiveness of the channel in fostering awareness and driving meaningful interaction and collaboration with key stakeholders in Northern Ireland's green transition. *Total number of exposures to the content. **Unique clicks on the content, page name or logo by a unique LinkedIn member (excluding reactions, comments and reposts). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://linkedin.com/company/future-island-island |
| Description | Future Island-Island Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Future Island-Island website serves as a key platform utilised to inform and enhance understanding of the project while fostering public engagement amongst target audiences. Since its launch in July 2024, it has experienced 874.19% growth in total users and a 39.2% Compound Monthly Growth Rate (CMGR), reflecting steady engagement and increasing project awareness. The platform has attracted approximately 1,400 active users and accumulated 4,700 page views across the site, indicating sustained interest in various aspects of the project. Furthermore, the WAU/MAU* rate of 28.4% shows that nearly one-third of monthly users return weekly, reflecting strong long-term engagement and retention. Traffic insights highlight a strong reach, with 1.3k sessions from organic search, 1.2k sessions from direct traffic, 317 sessions from referrals, and 105 sessions from organic social. This demonstrates strong search engine visibility, loyalty from returning visitors, external site engagement, and effective social media outreach, converting followers into website traffic. The website has achieved global reach with audiences including the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the USA, and Finland, and major urban areas such as London, Belfast, Dublin, and Amsterdam representing key engagement hubs. Other engagement metrics include 1,300 scroll events (indicating deep content exploration) and 501 clicks (suggesting high visitor interaction with site features). Some key impacts have included 123 file downloads highlighting a demand for detailed information and 23 contact form submissions, demonstrating an active interest in collaboration and involvement opportunities. *WAU/MAU: Weekly Active Users to Monthly Active Users ratio. How often users engage with the website weekly compared to monthly. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://www.futureisland-island.org/ |
| Description | NI Science Festival 2024, "Alternative uses of 3D printing" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | How can technology be part of a sustainable future for Rathlin? The Future Island-Island project is looking at how cutting-edge design concepts can help Rathlin, and potentially communities all over Northern Ireland, live sustainably and tackle the climate crisis. This exhibition is the first chance to take a look at what the designers and engineers are cooking up.As part of this 3D printed samples showing alternative use of 3D printing were shown. This was to show the use of 3D printing for silicone moulds. A composite mould and composite part were also shown for materials usage. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/ni-science-festival-2024-2 |
| Description | NI Science Festival 2024- Digitally crafting the Brockley Axe |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Henry Melki gave a presentation that covered the process of scanning the Brockley Axe, optimising the scan and its morph targets (aka shape keys or blend shapes) for a VR experience that was developed by Yellow Design. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/digitally-crafting-the-brockley-axe |
| Description | NI Science Festival 2024- Does (Portion) Size Matter? Waist, Waste & Wallets. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This talk provided an insight into how science is changing the way we eat, focused on Dr. Pourshahidi's ongoing research being conducted within the Nutrition Research Group at Ulster - the Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE). Dr. Pourshahidi briefly introduced how some of her agri-food research tackles the nutrient density of foods and has shown how we can enhance this to help bridge the gap between healthy eating and making sustainable food choices (e.g. vitamin D biofortification of pork). Another concept introduced was how her ongoing research on food portion sizes can be translated into practical tips for not only managing food intake, but also for saving money and minimising food waste, and thus why size really does matter for our waist, waste and wallets. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/ulster-future-island-island-ni-science-festival |
| Description | NI Science Festival 2024- Marine Litter Talk and Beach Clean |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Power delivered a Marine Litter Talk and Beach Clean on Rathlin Island as part of the NI Science Festival 2024. This event was organised with colleagues from the AHRC-funded Future Island-Island research project. The beach clean was attended by 28 people for a duration of 1 hour. There was 29.6kg of materials collected and later separated into different categories. These included braided rope (15.2%), twine (19.6%), mixed rigids (42.6%), strapping tape (2.4%), mixed fishing (13.5%), and residue (6.8%). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/marine-litter-talk-and-beach-clean |
| Description | NI Science Festival 2024: Stirring the ideas pot - Future Island-Island early concepts |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This talk provides an overview for conceptual design research ideas produced in response to an early community engagement process. It introduces a public exhibition of works that includes Product Design and Architectural responses. IT also marked the launch of an exhibition on Rathlin Island sharing progress with the community. There were 29 attendees in the audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/stirring-the-ideas-pot-future-island-island-early-concepts |
| Description | NI Science Festival 2024: What's next? An update on the ground-breaking Future Island-island project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Knowledge sharing about he project to general public on Rathlin Island, building community relations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/whats-next-an-update-on-the-ground-breaking-future-island-is... |
| Description | NISF 2024 - Material Maters |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Material Maters talk presented the "Restoration and Redesign: A Circular System Economy for a Coastal Community" Design exchange partnership, AHRC-funded research project to the Rathlin community. Outlining its success and how it has informed the e GTE Future Island-Island research project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/ni-science-festival-2024-material-maters |
| Description | NISF 2024: 3-minute Theses - a sprint through PhDs |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An 80,000 word PhD thesis would take nine hours to present: their time limit is 3 minutes! Come hear from Ulster University PhD researchers as they turn years of work into quick-fire summaries for the public. 3MT® was first developed by the University of Queensland, and is now a global initiative with around 80 UK universities taking part, and this is a really fun way to find out more about the research happening right on Rathlin's doorstep. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | NISF 2024: Architects of Change - workshop connecting children to nature through crafts |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Jump into nature with this fun children's workshop! With arts and crafts, team activities, and videos it's a great way for kids to explore what nature means to them and why it's so important to protect it. This workshop is led by Dr. Lorraine Holloway and Jenny Jackson-Smyth from the Ulster University's Architects of Change group which aims to put the power back in children's hands - talking to them about everything from climate change to recycling, and helping them to see how they can help save the nature around them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | NISF 2024: Design solutions for future Rathlin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Justin Magee from Ulster University and Professor Tom Jefferies from Queens University Belfast will show a brief snippet of work that is on show in the manor house. This ideation stage of research shares some early work from product designers and architects as they begin to tackle issues raised by the community of Rathlin. The exhibition shares sketches and visuals that are part of a live conversation of codesign with the community of Rathlin. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | NISF 2024: Felting, Weaving, and Knitting for Kids |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Have your kids ever felt like felting? Have they been keen to knit? Or wild to weave? Well, now they have the chance to learn from the best! In this fun workshop, fashion designer Alison Gault and textile designer Anna Duffy (both lecturers at Ulster University) will show kids how to create using some of the oldest crafts in the book. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | NISF 2024: Step into other worlds with Alternative Reality |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Step into different worlds with these augmented reality (AR) experiences from Yellow Design! By simply popping on an AR headset children will be able to experience how technology used by the Game of Thrones Studio Tour and Home of Titanic can bring the past, present, and future to life right in front of their eyes. These same technologies will be used by the Future-Island Island project right here on Rathlin, so this is an amazing chance to see what is possible first-hand. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | NISF 2024: Super scientists run through tech innovations - from making music from rubbish to clean food, energy and water on islands. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Round 2 of super science talks! Following on from the first set of four talks on Monday, these talks will continue the design, science and engineering tour of some of the background research associated with the Future Island-Island team. Want to know how your rubbish can make sweet, to turn wool and flax into materials? How biodegradable bags could make serious waves for farmers? How to make music from rubbish? Or maybe even how islands are securing clean food, energy and water? These talks have got you covered! |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | NISF 2024: Super scientists run through tech innovations - from making plastics from bird feathers to tech behind The Mandalorian |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | These four talks covering design, science and engineering will fly through futuristic technology used by the designers behind the Future-Island Island project. First up - exploring the same tech used for the making of The Mandalorian, which has revolutionised green screens to project moving images around actors. Then there's how a neolithic stone axe from Rathlin has been digitised - bringing an object that is thousands of years old into the 21st century - followed by a talk on how science is changing the way we eat. Finally, we'll hear how the researchers have been making plastics from bird feathers. A veritable buffet of science and innovation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ulster.ac.uk/events/research/ulster-future-island-island |
| Description | NISF 2025: Architects of Change. Design a Board Game to Fight Beach and Marine Plastic. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Spark creativity and empower young changemakers in a hands-on workshop, designing a board game while considering the impact of beach and marine plastic waste and its effect on the natural ecosystem. This workshop was led in two sessions by Dr. Susann Powers, Jenny Jackson-Smyth and Amanda Mironova-Stronge at the Ulster Museum. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nisciencefestival.com/events/architects-of-change |
| Description | NISF 2025: Building Community Resilience |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Building Community Resilience from Scientific and Artistic Research on Greenland Join Danish artist and researcher Lise Autogena as she explores community resilience from an island perspective, inspired by interdisciplinary research on Greenland. Lise Autogena is a Danish artist, researcher and Professor in Cross Disciplinary Art at Sheffield Hallam University. Her practice-led research has involved large scale performances, site-specific works, and multimedia installations, developed in collaboration with organisations and individuals across many diverse disciplinary and specialist fields. She is the founder and manager of Narsaq International Research Station (NIRS), an independent, non- profit research platform with a focus on cultural and scientific research in South Greenland. She was recently awarded the national Lifelong Honorary Award by the Statens Kunstfond, the Danish Art Foundation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://rathlin360.com/building-community-resilience-from-scientific-and-artistic-research-in-south-... |
| Description | NISF 2025: Building a Regenerative Design Ecosystem |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Building a Regenerative Design Ecosystem - lecture by Prof Greg Keeffe, Dr Rebecca Jane McConnell, Dr Sean Cullen, Dr Emma Campbell, Alison Gault (UU) and Anna Duffy (UU). Held at QUB on 13th Feb 2025. "You will learn about Regenerative Design and why it's so important to help us address our climate and ecological emergency. Discover exciting examples of regenerative design ideas developed in collaboration with Rathlin Island, and before you leave, you will have the opportunity to join the growing regenerative design movement in Northern Ireland." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/building-a-regenerative-design-ecosystem |
| Description | NISF 2025: Exploring the Inaccessible in VR |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This presentation showcases a demosntration of a phase 2 prototype educational Virtual Reality (VR) experience. This experience allows users to explore the seabed and marine life surrounding Rathlin Island. The primary objective of this project is to provide both the island community and tourists with access to previously inaccessible areas of the sea around Rathlin Island. Simultaneously, the experience educates users about the diverse geographic topology, wildlife, and the detrimental effects of plastic pollution on this rich ecosystem. This workshop was presented by Dr. Henry Melki, Alec Parkin, and Eoghain Meakin from Ulster University along with Robert McCracken and Grigore Vancea from Yellow Design. The workshop was run in two parts on Rathlin Island and at W5 in Belfast. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/exploring-the-inaccessible-in-vr-rathlins-seabed-and-sealife |
| Description | NISF 2025: Foyle Science Showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Justin Magee shared Future Island-Island's work on sustainability, design, and community collaboration at the Foyle Science Show. Exploring how we're creating a greener, more sustainable future at our exhibit. The Foyle Science Showcase is an engaging and interactive free experience for all ages, featuring robotics experts discussing cutting-edge research, a mobile planetarium for solar system exploration, diverse animal encounters, and workshops exploring nature, the human body, food, psychology, and technology for young science enthusiasts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nisciencefestival.com/schools-educators/foyle-science-showcase-event |
| Description | NISF 2025: Mind the Sound |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This Music and Social Space workshop was facilitated by Edwar Calderón from Queen's University Belfast along with visiting musicians from Colombia and took place at W5 in Belfast. Join us for a unique half-day workshop as part of the NI Science Festival 2025, where we'll explore the power of music, sound, and creativity to connect with our environment and each other. This interactive experience navigates through three key themes: personal body experience, connection with the environment, and building relationships through music. Part One: The Body Experience (45 mins) Reflect on how our surroundings shape our physical experience. Through body percussion, we'll explore the rhythm within ourselves, developing our own voices, and understanding the impact of words and sound in creating meaningful connections. Activities: Body Exploration through Percussion: Connecting with our personal rhythm. Developing Your Voice: Learn a short melody and reflect on how to use your voice effectively. Rhythm and Word: Build a short song together and see how music and lyrics can help build relationships. Part Two: Experience with the Environment (1 hr 45 mins) Next, we'll tap into the creativity of repurposing materials. Bring a plastic, aluminum, or metal object from home and watch as we turn everyday items into musical instruments. Activities include: Instrument Construction: Learn how to make drums, güasá, and a PVC marimba using recycled materials. Environmental Reflections: Reflect on how transforming ordinary objects can change our perception of space and creativity. Part Three: Experience through Relationships (1 hr) Now it's time to connect through sound and collaboration: Activities include: Group Sound Exploration: Explore the sounds of the instruments created, learning signals to direct rhythm. Incorporating Lyrics and Melody: Together, we'll adapt the song from the first session and incorporate it into a group performance. Final Ensemble & Jam Session: The session will conclude with a collective jam session, using the instruments to create an improvised performance, guided by the facilitators. Final Reflection: We'll wrap up with a reflection on how music, play, and collaboration foster a sense of community and connection. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nisciencefestival.com/events/mind-the-sound-music-and-social-space |
| Description | NISF 2025: Ocean Plastics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This workshop was presented by Dr. Susann Powers on Rathlin Island. Join us for an engaging event as part of the Northern Ireland Science Festival 2025, exploring innovative approaches to tackling ocean plastic waste. The indoor session will begin with a 20-minute talk introducing Beach Clean 2.0, a groundbreaking method for making beach cleaning circular. Learn from our scientists how collected ocean plastics are transformed into useful objects, turning a problem into a sustainable solution. You can then take part in the Ocean Plastic Co-Production Oracle, a 40-minute interactive activity where you'll collaborate to imagine and design creative solutions for a plastic-free future. Discover the potential of circular design and help envision a cleaner, healthier ocean. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nisciencefestival.com/events/ocean-plastics-from-problem-to-potential |
| Description | NISF 2025: Our Future, Our Island |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Music, Community and Environment Turn waste into creativity and sustainability through the power of music at this one-day workshop on Rathlin Island presented by Rathlin Creative Fellow Stewart Geddes and Edwar Calderón from Queen's University Belfast. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://rathlin360.com/visit/ni-science-festival-2025/our-future-our-island/ |
| Description | NISF 2025: Rathlin - An Island of Maritime Stories |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This oral history workshop was presented by Dr. Jessica Bates, Sarah Dargie, Dr. Wes Forsythe, Professor Maxim Fomin, Aodhan McNicholl, Gillian Colhoun from Ulster University. Discover the rich history of self-reliance on Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island through oral histories and stories shared by Rathlin islanders. This engaging session invites you to explore how memories and stories from the past can inspire sustainable, creative, and resilient futures. What to Expect? Presentation (40 mins) A talk featuring stories and oral histories from Rathlin Island and an overview of a co-design process that brought these narratives together in a beautifully crafted booklet. Discussion/ Q+A (10 mins) An opportunity to dig deeper into the project and its significance. Activities (40 mins) You will be invited to engage in activities thinking about how you connect with themes from the Rathlin stories, sharing your own stories of self-reliance and sustainable living, and how relating stories of our past can influence future sustainability, creativity and resilience. Join this unique event to connect with stories of resilience and reflect on how they can inspire a more sustainable tomorrow. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nisciencefestival.com/events/rathlin-an-island-of-maritime-stories-learning-from-oral-histor... |
| Description | NISF 2025: Silage Wrap & Rat-Proof Bins |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Silage Wrap & Rat-Proof Bins - Tackling Waste Challenges on Rathlin Island Join us for an engaging session delving into two critical challenges raised by the Rathlin Island community. From the widespread issue of unrecycled black silage wrap to the need for innovative rat-proof bin solutions, this event will explore the environmental and practical impacts of these waste dilemmas. The Future Island-Island project has been investigating the complexities of silage wrap recycling, the broader implications of farm-based plastic waste, and addressing how waste storage can mitigate pest problems. Through this discussion, we'll explore existing barriers and potential solutions, showcasing opportunities for more sustainable waste practices on Rathlin and beyond. Be part of the conversation shaping a greener, more resilient future for Northern Ireland's communities and agricultural sector! This workshop was presented on Rathlin Island by Jonny Weir from BigSmall Designs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://nisciencefestival.com/events/the-challenges-of-silage-wrap |
| Description | NISF 2025: Wonderful Wool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Wonderful Wool: The Story of Rathlin Wool, its Journey and Potential The journey of Rathlin wool was showcased as the Future Island-Island (FII) team shared their work in transforming what was once considered a category 3 waste product into a vibrant resource as part of the NI Science Festival 2025. Through the FII project, the team had collaborated with local farmers and the Rathlin community to collect, sort, grade, and process the island's wool into valuable fibres, fabrics, crafts, and products-unlocking its full potential. The wool, available in yarn, rope, and other products, was also showcased during the event. The event featured a talk and live demonstrations, highlighting the incredible versatility of Rathlin wool. After the talk there was a needle felting workshop with local residents, exploring and making with wool. This celebration of innovation and tradition brought together heritage and design, contributing to the shaping of a greener future. This talk and demonstration was given by Alison Gault, Anna Duffy and Cali Plahe on Rathlin Island. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/wonderful-wool-the-story-of-rathlin-wool-its-journey-and-pot... |
| Description | NISF 2025: Wonderful Wool: The Story of Rathlin Wool, its Journey and Potential |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The journey of Rathlin wool was showcased as the Future Island-Island (FII) team and their project partners Donegal Yarns and Ulster Wool shared their work in transforming what was once considered a category 3 waste product into a vibrant resource as part of the NI Science Festival 2025. Through the FII project, the team had collaborated with local farmers and the Rathlin community to collect, sort, grade, and process the island's wool into valuable fibres, fabrics, crafts, and products-unlocking its full potential. The wool, available in yarn, rope, and other products, was also showcased during the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/wonderful-wool-the-story-of-rathlin-wool-its-journey-and-pot... |
| Description | NISF2024: What's next? An update on the ground-breaking Future Island-island project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Magee presented a general overview updating the community of Rahtlin on the progress of the co-design activities of the Future Island-Island project. There were 33 people in attendance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/whats-next-an-update-on-the-ground-breaking-future-island-is... |
| Description | O'Dowd: Bright future ahead for Rathlin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Future Island-Island is mentioned in an online piece on the Department for Infrastructure Northern Ireland website. This was also featured in other press publications including Love Ballymena, Farming Life, and Government World. It highlights the Infrastructure minister John O'Dowd's visit to Rathlin Island where met with the RDCA to discuss plans for Rathlin Island and also with Future Island-Island representatives 'who discussed the socio-economic benefits they can bring to Rathlin through their work with Universities and PHD students'. This was a positive outcome, creating a connection with the Department for Infrastructure and a key player in driving Rathlin Island Policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/news/odowd-bright-future-ahead-rathlin |
| Description | Over 600 volunteers across Donegal lift 4 tonnes of rubbish in Big Beach Clean |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An estimated 3.8 tonnes of litter as removed by over 600 volunteers in County Donegal for the Big Beach Clean recently. Future Island-Island piloted the Beach Clean 2.0 pilot on one location. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.donegaldaily.com/2024/09/26/over-600-volunteers-across-donegal-lift-4-tonnes-of-rubbish-... |
| Description | Pathways to Rathlin Wool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This event was a part of the Island Insights Rathlin Community Engagement Days as part of the Future Island- Island project. A series of community engagement days on Rathlin from 18 - 20 April were held to collaborate and co-create with local residents. These sessions provided a platform for residents to map and re-imagine pathways to initiatives as resident champions and co-designers for Rathlin Island's green transition. There were 15 participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/pathways-to-rathlin-wool |
| Description | Postdoc Showcase 2024: Helping to Shape a Better World - "Ecosystem mapping on Rathlin Island" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presented by Dr. Ying Zheng, this work was part of "Work Package 3: Organic Waste Management" of FII, focusing on sustainable environmental strategies for the island. This study utilized remote sensing techniques and geospatial analysis to map and assess Rathlin Island's ecosystems, incorporating Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and land use classification". By analyzing satellite imagery from 1990 to 2021, this study examined long-term environmental changes on the island, providing insights into landscape transformations and their implications for organic waste management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/postdoc-showcase-2 |
| Description | Postdoc Showcase: The Future Blueprint: Visual Provocations |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | "In this talk, speaking about the Importance of Designers for the Super Wicked Problem of Climate Change, Dr. Rebecca Jane McConnell explored how designers can use provocational drawings as a tool to stimulate critical engagement with climate issues. This is one of the methods used during the residential on Rathlin island. These drawings are not just representations of possible futures-they are catalysts for reaction, whether that be outrage at an unsustainable trajectory or inspiration to imagine and pursue alternative solutions. By deliberately pushing boundaries, such visual provocations challenge assumptions, spark dialogue, and prompt action. I discussed how design can move beyond passive representation to actively shaping discourse, encouraging stakeholders-from policymakers to the public-to engage emotionally and intellectually with the climate crisis. Through speculative and critical design approaches, designers have the power to make climate change more tangible, urgent, and, ultimately, more actionable. "The Postdoc Society are delighted to announce the return of the Queen's Postdoc Showcase in celebration of Postdocs and Research Staff. The theme of this year's event is "Helping to Shape a Better World". Discover how research from postdocs and research staff across Queen's University is helping to shape a better world. This is an event organised 'by postdocs, for postdocs', and an opportunity for all research staff at Queen's to showcase their research, learn about others' research, and network with other postdocs. The programme will feature talks by invited speakers, an expert panel discussion, an update from the Postdoctoral Development Centre, a research poster/display exhibition, oral presentations by selected postdocs and the winners of the PDC Postdoc Awards will be announced. There will be prizes for the best talks and posters. The research talks will align with the University's research strategies that are conducted across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and will be pitched to a wide audience, to enable researchers across different disciplines to understand and enjoy them. This clearly demonstrates how researchers work together to help achieve the SDGs, and in turn help to shape a better world." QUB websiteSuper Wicked Provocation'. The importance of designers for the super wicked problem of climate change as part of the Future Island Island Work Package 3 Team." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/postdoc-showcase |
| Description | RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2024: Testing the Waters: Participatory Approaches for Resilience of Coastal Environments |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The workshop intended to 'test the waters' by exploring an engagement methodology that addresses the challenges of working with coastal communities. 14 invited participants acted as peers with an agency in bottom-up participatory methods using visual and creative contributions. The workshop was then followed by a chaired interactive discussion between collaborators and the audience to explore reflections, commonalities and divergences in themes and ideas around coastal resilience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/testing-the-waters-participatory-approaches-for-resilience... |
| Description | Rathlin Island Service Demonstrator Tender Mention |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Future Island-Island supported the Rathlin Development Community Association (RDCA) in securing funding through the ARTES Call for Innovative Hybrid Network Solutions, launched by the UK Space Agency and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Alongside key partners such as RDCA, RSPB, National Trust, and Commissioners of Irish Lights, Future Island-Island facilitated a community-driven approach to developing digital infrastructure, and was directly mentioned in the project brief as a key example of cultural, artistic, and academic activity on Rathlin Island. The £2 million public tender, 'the Rathlin Island Service Demonstrator', is the largest initiative within the £3.5 million ARTES call and aims to transform digital infrastructure and connectivity on the island. This would support local business, education, conservation, sustainable tourism, and creative industry development, aligning with the green transition and sustainable tourism goals of the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/artes-call-for-innovative-hybrid-network-solutions/rathli... |
| Description | Rathlin Sound Festival Online Piece (Rathlin 360) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An online piece on the Rathlin 360 website outlining the activities of Future Island-Island as part of the Rathlin Sound Festival. This facilitated awareness and visibility of the project and its progress amongst the Rathlin Island community and visitors. It also highlighted the collaboration between project partners, the Rathlin Development Community Association and RSPB's LIFE Raft project as part of engagement efforts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://rathlin360.com/rathlin-sound-maritime-festival-future-island-island/ |
| Description | Responsible research impact: Ethics for making a difference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The workshop focused on the ethical dimensions of engagement and impact in research, led by Eric Jensen, which included discussions on ethical frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and the challenges of establishing consistent standards across institutions. Jensen noted that many institutions lack formal procedures for addressing engagement ethics, complicating the process. Jensen advocated for a triage approach to identify high-risk activities and emphasized the importance of peer discussions to uncover ethical considerations in research impact work. During the session, Jensen introduced the 3-I framework-interest, influence, and impact-to identify relevant parties, particularly marginalized groups often overlooked in traditional stakeholder analyses. He encouraged collaborative engagement to foster trust and co-ownership of the impact process. Breakout rooms were set up for participants to discuss these concepts further, with Jensen and Joubert circulating to check on progress. The discussions highlighted the challenges faced by early-career researchers and the need for genuine decision-making power sharing to build long-term partnerships. The final discussions centered on the importance of ethical practices in research, with participants sharing insights on the implications of government contracts and the relevance of research to policy. Jensen emphasized the necessity of an evidence-based approach and the importance of evaluation and accountability in research impact work. Plans for future workshops included improving resource management and adapting participant feedback to enhance engagement strategies. The conversation concluded with reflections on past training activities and the potential for scenario-based approaches to improve training effectiveness. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/responsible-research-impact-ethics-for-making-a-difference |
| Description | Responsible research impact: Ethics for making a difference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Saul Golden participated in this workshop that focused on the ethical dimensions of engagement and impact in research, led by Eric Jensen, which included discussions on ethical frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and the challenges of establishing consistent standards across institutions. Jensen noted that many institutions lack formal procedures for addressing engagement ethics, complicating the process. Jensen advocated for a triage approach to identify high-risk activities and emphasized the importance of peer discussions to uncover ethical considerations in research impact work. During the session, Jensen introduced the 3-I framework-interest, influence, and impact-to identify relevant parties, particularly marginalized groups often overlooked in traditional stakeholder analyses. He encouraged collaborative engagement to foster trust and co-ownership of the impact process. Breakout rooms were set up for participants to discuss these concepts further, with Jensen and Joubert circulating to check on progress. The discussions highlighted the challenges faced by early-career researchers and the need for genuine decision-making power sharing to build long-term partnerships. The final discussions centered on the importance of ethical practices in research, with participants sharing insights on the implications of government contracts and the relevance of research to policy. Jensen emphasized the necessity of an evidence-based approach and the importance of evaluation and accountability in research impact work. Plans for future workshops included improving resource management and adapting participant feedback to enhance engagement strategies. The conversation concluded with reflections on past training activities and the potential for scenario-based approaches to improve training effectiveness. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/responsible-research-impact-ethics-for-making-a-difference |
| Description | Rethinking the E-waste Challenge: Engaging undergraduate students to develop reuse, repair and recycle initiatives |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Research context presenting findings from a study analysing undergraduate student perceptions of repair, reuse and lastly, recycling of white goods and e-cigarettes (vapes) with a view to moving upwards in the recycling hierarchy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/rethinking-weee-engaging-undergraduate-students-to-develop... |
| Description | Strengthening the Green Transition Ecosystem - Networking Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The Organic Waste Ecosystem Team hosted its first 1.5 day long workshop called 'Strengthening the Green Ecosystem Transition', at Ulster University, Belfast. The event is the first in a series which brought together a diverse group of professionals under one roof (approximately 55 participants), including creatives, ecologists, engineers, architects and artists. The event aimed to develop new transdisciplinary connections for 'Future Island Island', an AHRC-funded 'Green Ecosystem Transition' project. This is ahead of a residential planned on Rathlin Island in October 2024, where the group will explore opportunities to restore and redesign natural circularity for (and with) coastal communities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/strengthening-the-green-transition-ecosystem-networking-work... |
| Description | THRIC 2024: Regenerative Rathlin: Designing tourism futures for small island communities. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The overall aim of this research is to explore pathways for regenerative tourism development on Rathlin Island. Specific research objectives are to 1) appreciate and study islanders' voices in relation to Rathlin Island tourism development over time, incl. their aspirations and concerns; 2) to explore and design new, possible futures for a regenerative Rathlin; and 3) to understand and examine systemic and relational enablers and barriers to regenerative tourism development on the island. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/regenerative-rathlin-designing-tourism-futures-for-small-i... |
| Description | The E-waste Problem- Conversations Across Academia and Industry: Future Island-Island rethinking the E-waste challenge: Design's Dichotomy and Agency for Change. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Research context placed for the ongoing work of Work Package 1, in the Future Island-Island project addressing both WEEE and plastics waste, highlighting the circular potential for such materials through design. A critical debate between academic and industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/future-island-island-rethinking-the-e-waste-challenge-desi... |
| Description | The Rathlin Sound Festival- The Big Rathlin Beach Clean |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Susann Power, Justin Magee and Bronagh Millar discussed the pilot trial testing the new Future Island-Island Beach Clean 2.0 methodology and presented a marine litter talk. There was a beach clean following the presentations. The beach clean was attended by 22 people for a duration of 2 hours. There was 9.9kg of materials collected into four categories including braided rope (5.2%), twine (22.8%), plastic rigids (9.8%) and everything else (61.2%). Compliance was very good with 82.5% for twine, 85.&% for braided rope and 100% for rigid plastics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/the-big-rathlin-beach-clean |
| Description | ULSTER VERNACULARITIES: Interdisciplinary Perspectives Symposium -Visual Storytelling: A Multifaceted Technological Approach to Island Studies - A Case Study of Rathlin Island, UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Visual storytelling of the Island is crucial in understanding the unique socio-ecological dynamics of isolated environments. This paper aims to produce a visually engaging compilation of narratives from diverse perspectives, providing a comprehensive understanding of islands for urban planners, designers, environmental advocates, authorities, and other stakeholders. It explores various visual mapping languages used in island storytelling, delving into the multifaceted perspectives that shape these narratives. A language of multifaceted technology employed includes ArcGIS Story Maps, ArcGIS Field Maps, Historical Environment Map Viewer, Google Street View and Biological surveys. These methods were chosen to provide a comprehensive understanding of the islands' cultural and ecological landscapes, integrating various sources of information into a coherent and accessible format. Visual mapping languages of island storytelling is based on Rathlin Island, UK. The findings of this study demonstrate that island storytelling, based on holistic landscape character analysis approaches, which emphasize visual perception, cultural, and eco-system aspects of the island landscape, is essential for understanding the complexities of island environments. Therefore, by integrating multiple perspectives and considering the socio-cultural and eco-logical context, such approaches offer a nuanced understanding of island landscapes that can inform more sustainable and resilient planning and management strategies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/activities/ulster-vernacularities-interdisciplinary-perspectives-symposium |
| Description | Virtual Island Summit 2024: Valorising Waste: Co-Design with Rathlin Island: Circular Economy Track: Zero Waste Islands: A dream or a reality? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | There were 124 live online attendees across the globe and 379+ online views since 12th September (Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube). Is a waste-free island utopia or an achievable goal? This session tackles the challenges and opportunities of creating sustainable island communities. Explore innovative solutions, inspiring case studies, and the potential for islands to lead the way in circular economies. Join us to discuss the feasibility of zero waste on islands, the role of technology, and the importance of community engagement in achieving this ambitious target. In this event Magee presents on the experience and progress of the Future Island-Island Green Transition Ecosystem, one year into the programme, with a focus on waste management. This cites his own research and the work from co-investigators including Miller B., Power S., Weir J., McGilloway S., Gault A., Duffy A., McGlade M., Melki H., Meakin E. and Parkin A. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/valorising-waste-co-design-with-rathlin-island-circular-ec... |
| Description | WEEE Sustainability Exhibition: FII exhibition to raise awareness of sustainability and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The WEEE Sustainability Exhibition was held on 20th and 21st March in the main foyer of the Belfast Campus of Ulster University during the SOS SDG Teach In campaign month, with approx 300 University staff and students, members of the public and a group of visiting school pupils engaging with the activities. School of Engineering undergrads showcased their research and collected data for their projects themed on 'Reimagining White Goods WEEE' and 'Identifying Solutions to Vape WEEE'. The teardown of a washing machine attracted significant attention and generated great ideas on how white goods WEEE could be re-designed into items, including a vertical wind generator. The event was facilitated by staff from the School of Engineering and Belfast School of Art, with three members of staff from the City and Neighbourhood Services Department at Belfast City Council (BCC) sharing resources and advice. The Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) and the Ulster Society of Student Engineers (UUSE) also provided support and resources. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/weee-sustainability-exhibition-fii-exhibition-to-raise-aware... |
| Description | Wonderful Wool |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The "Wonderful Wool" event captivated 120 attendees with a deep dive into the potential of Irish-grown wool as a sustainable natural material. Held as part of August Craft Month, the event featured five talks, interactive demonstrations, an exhibition, and an insightful panel discussion moderated by Anna Duffy showcasing the diverse benefits of wool. This event featured presentations from keynote speakers representing the Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) and the Future Island-Island project. Chris Weiniger from Donegal Yarns, Jayne Harkness-Bones of Ulster Wool, Laura Perrem of Stolen Stitches, Lesley Prior of Tellenby Merino Stud, and Future Island-Island researcher Alison Gault from Belfast School of Art shared their expertise and innovative efforts to advance the standards and markets for Irish-grown wool. The event offered a vibrant networking lunch, allowing attendees to engage directly with the panelists and peers, discussing the myriad applications and benefits of wool. In addition, participants enjoyed a maker's demonstration and an exhibit celebrating the artistry and sustainability of wool. This event was a part of August Craft Month and our weaving/knitting demonstrators were funded by the DCCI. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/activities/wonderful-wool |