David is the Director for the MSc in Energy Science at Trinity College Dublin. This is a highly multidisciplinary course which brings together academics from the schools of Physics, Chemistry, Geology and Engineering. Students learn the the science behind current and future sustainable energy systems. To date we have graduated over 100 students with a 96% employment rate in the energy sector in Ireland and abroad.
David is a strong advocate of supporting both fundamental and applied research. Addressing real world technological and societal issues can stimulate research in directions that would not be obvious otherwise. At the same time improving fundamental understanding of physics and chemistry in nanoscale systems can lead to applications which may not yet exist. As such I think it is important to be active in both areas. Trinity is an ideal setting for this research as it is well aligned the TCD research themes of smart sustainable planet, International development, telecommunications and nanoscience.
David recently co-authored research on why rural Ireland holds the key to transport decarbonisation: Ireland’s transport system relies heavily on oil (about 95%), making it vulnerable to global shocks. Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a solution, but a major overlooked issue is whether the electricity grid—especially in rural areas—can handle the shift.