Three productive days at the 3rd Annual Meeting of ACTIVA in Ireland
Over the course of three rewarding days, the ACTIVA network came together in Ireland for its 3rd Annual Meeting, hosted by ACTIVA partner University College Dublin at the Grand Hotel Malahide, just north of Dublin. The meeting brought together researchers, partners, supervisors, and doctoral candidates around a shared mission: advancing healthier ageing through vision science and innovation.
The programme, running from the 8th to 10th of June, combined cutting-edge scientific discussions on topics such as the ageing eye, AI-driven ophthalmic imaging, advanced eye modelling, freeform optics, intraocular lens manufacturing, visual function, ocular anatomy, and the impact of ageing on vision. Participants also explored how research can translate into real-world impact through sessions focused on innovation strategy, spin-outs, and funding opportunities.
Invited speakers included Arthur Cummings (Wellington Eye Clinic, Dublin), Barry Walsh (Alcon, Ireland), Luis Diaz-Santana (LDSH Strategy, UK), Fengzhou Fang (UCD), Alexander Goncharow (NUI Galway, Ireland), Kate Coleman (SightTrack, Ireland), Sharon Shannon (UCD) and David Atchison (QUT, Australia). The UCD’s Innovation Academy also ran a workshop for the DCs on design thinking and creative problem solving.
Beyond scientific exchange, the meeting highlighted the importance of inclusion, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative problem-solving through dedicated sessions on EDI in Science, design thinking workshops, and presentations from ACTIVA’s nine Doctoral Candidates, who shared the latest progress of their research projects.
The event also provided valuable moments for connection and team building, including an excursion to Howth, a boat trip along Ireland’s beautiful coastline, and shared social activities that strengthened collaboration across the network.
As the meeting came to a close, we leave Ireland with new knowledge, stronger partnerships, fresh ideas, and renewed motivation to continue building a future where healthy vision plays a key role in supporting healthy ageing.
