The Boolean 2024 Vol. 7
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Item International law and the sustainable development goals(The Boolean, University College Cork, 19/03/2024) Guiry, Niamh; Williams, ZoëLaw and policy are essential tools to tackle ongoing and emerging environmental challenges and are critical to the fulfilment of sustainable development. Adopted by all 193 United Nations (UN) Member States, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, also known as the 2030 Agenda) act as the 21st-century framework for sustainable development. This doctoral project seeks to investigate the interactive dynamics between international law and the SDGs to discern the potential of this relationship to strengthen, reinforce, and facilitate the realisation of existing and emerging obligations in international law.Item WindValue, end-of-life decisions for wind farms(The Boolean, University College Cork, 19/03/2024) Mikindani, Dorcas; Williams, ZoëWind farms have an estimated lifespan of twenty to twenty five years, and as they age, their value decreases, potentially becoming a liability. This article discusses a research project that aims to develop a decision support tool for wind farm owners. The tool will help estimate financial outcomes and assess risk profiles for different options such as repowering, life extension, or decommissioning. Additionally, the project will explore challenges and opportunities related to co-investment between local communities and wind farm owners.Item Mixing materials for integrated photonic innovation(The Boolean, University College Cork, 19/03/2024) Moynihan, Owen; Williams, Zoë; Science Foundation IrelandPhotonics, an ever-growing field since the invention of lasers in the 1960s, has been applied in wide-ranging applications such as optical communications, sensing, imaging and more. Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) are the next step to take this technology and shrink it onto a semiconductor chip, leading to more compact, cheaper, and lower power consumption solutions. However, integrated photonics faces the challenge of lacking a single material platform that encompasses all the desired properties, unlike its more mature electronic integrated circuit counterpart which uses silicon with a standardised fabrication process known as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). To overcome this limitation, researchers are exploring hybrid and heterogeneous integration techniques. By combining the strengths of different photonic platforms, such as III-V materials for light emission, silicon for strong light guidance, silicon-nitride for visible light guiding, and lithium niobate for its modulating capabilities, integrated photonic technologies can harness the collective advantages and unlock new possibilities. “Light brings us the news from the universe.” - Sir William Bragg.Item Milking cows less often might benefit farmers (and possibly cheese)(The Boolean, University College Cork, 19/03/2024) Page, Richard; Williams, ZoëMost dairy farms milk cows twice-a-day, but interest in once-a-day milking systems is increasing. This article discusses the background and benefits that are leading some farms to consider a change to a reduced milking frequency. Also, until recently, only limited work had been done to explore how dairy products are impacted by milking frequency. Some recent investigations completed at UCC and Teagasc on cheese now provides some reassuring evidence. Going further still, this research also suggests that reducing milking frequency might offer some unique opportunities for cheese production in the future.Item Controlling electron spin to realise a greener future(The Boolean, University College Cork, 19/03/2024) Sewell, Kevin; Williams, ZoëThe Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is consuming an ever-increasing amount of electricity. Most electronic devices are composed of billions of transistors, which are made of materials called semiconductors. Semiconducting devices can be engineered to hold properties that suit the device’s function. One relatively unexplored property is electron spin, which, if it can be controlled, may be manipulated to increase the efficiency of semiconducting devices, particularly regarding data transfer and storage. I want to examine whether spin polarisation (the degree to which the spin of electrons aligns with a given direction) can be controlled. This is achieved by understanding the electron-scattering processes by which electrons change their spin polarisation in time. The ultimate potential impact of this research is leaner, greener telecommunications and computing. “The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.” — Albert Einstein