top of page
WHAT IS SMARTlab?
SMARTlab is an academic collective created to ignite change.
SMARTlab promotes user-driven, transdisciplinary research, leveraging Creative Technology Innovations for social change.
For three decades, SMARTlab has run an award-winning practice-based PhD programme and delivered high-impact research, development and innovation programmes and projects. SMARTlab aims to bring together the brightest minds across disciplines and to provide them with the tools they need to contribute to solving real-world problems and building sustainable solutions.
We provide world-class research and incubation space and offer a brain trust for academic staff, practice-based PhD students, Postdoctoral Researchers, transdisciplinary teams spanning the Arts, Engineering, Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences, Connected Public Health and Business Innovation domains, alongside private and public sector partners.
WHAT'S NEW @ SMARTlab
Search
SMARTlab PhD Seminar @ UCD June 29-3/4 July 2026
Welcome! All registered PhD candidates at UCD MUST attend all sessions. All others welcome to attend individual sessions. All Meeting Rooms are in the UCD O’Connor Centre for the Future of Learning, located by the main gate on the Stillorgan Road. Parking is free during the summer in the O’Reily Hall car park next door. The zoom link for the full week is below. PLEASE turn off your audio prior to entering the zoom. Lizbeth Goodman is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
3 days ago4 min read
Design2Freedom Promoting Person-Centered Design for Disability in Higher Education
2023-KA220-HED - Higher Education Cooperation Partnerships AGENDA 12.06.2026, Brussels, Belgium DATE 12 June 2026 09:30 – 14:00 VENUE INNOVATION 4 SOCIETY 72 TOISON D’OR - 1060 BRUSSELS 9h30: Reception of participants Coffee & settling in – Welcome to everyone Reception of participants Coffee & settling in – Welcome to everyone 10h00: Welcome address & overview of the day Introduction by Creative District – objectives, programme and speakers 10h10: Presentation of the Design2
Jun 121 min read
Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2026
To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2026, UCD SMARTlab, SMARTlab clg, Logitech, and project contributors have released the Open Accessibility Assessment Framework for Computer Peripherals and Consumer Electronics. This open-access framework provides practical tools to help assess and improve the accessibility of hardware products such as keyboards, mice, webcams, headsets, controllers, and other consumer electronic devices. The release includes a whitepaper, profession
May 201 min read
Honorary Doctorate for Prof Goodman from TJU, Philadelphia
Professor Lizbeth Goodman received the Honorary Doctorate of Science in recognition of her lifelong contributions to Inclusive Education and Creative Technology Innovation in Service of Society, at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, on 12th May 2026. This marks the fifth year of close collaboration between UCD, SMARTlab-IDRC and Jefferson across the domains of Architecture, Design, Engineering and the Health Professions!
May 201 min read
Ethics of Care Talk - Mary Nolan
SMARTlab PhD candidate Mary Nolan leads the field of Ethics of Care! In this talk, Mary Nolan explores how an ethics of care approach can help humanise engineering ethics education by moving beyond rule-based ethical decision-making towards more relational, contextual, and lived-experience-informed approaches. Drawing on inclusive design, real-world case studies, and her ongoing PhD research, the talk examines how engineering students can become more attuned to the social con
May 201 min read
Share your VOICE
Lizbeth Goodman, Huw Williams, Anita McKeown, Lynne Heller, Jacki Morie, Chris Hales, Tara O'Neil, and Moisen Mahjoobnia of SMARTlab, along with Camille Baker (Royal College of Art), Zeynep Birsel (WAAG Society) and all from the VOICE team cordially invite you to share your VOICES at our Brussels VOICE project policy event, as part of the New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels: 10th June! https://www.voice-community.eu/the-power-of-artist-led-interventions-for-a-sustainabl
May 171 min read
SMARTlab PhD candidates at Stage 3
A BIG Shout-out to PhD candidates John Burke and Helen Gavin- both for making it through to Stage 3 of the Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers Programme for their work on: John's early years educator support tool, Soogra and Helen's work on Empowering Social Media with AI, Social Jam Dr Joseph Young: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 360 Sound Art and Cultural Heritage, SMARTlab@UCD Joseph Young (born UK, 1960) lives and works between Britain and Ireland. A former actor and award-
May 173 min read
Assistive Technology Capacity Assessment
SMARTlab and IDRC researchers' work informs this latest report from the WHO and the Irish government: see the Assistive technology capacity assessment in Ireland Summary report
May 171 min read
Across the Atlantic: Building Global Partnerships in Brain Injury Research
Over the past year, a transatlantic partnership has been taking shape, linking Philadelphia and Dublin through a shared commitment to improving the lives of people living with severe acquired brain injury (sABI). At Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, the Brain Injury Neuropsychology Laboratory led by Amanda Rabinowitz, PhD , has partnered with Kirby Wycoff, PsyD, EdM, MPH, NCSP , of the Thomas Jefferson University College of Health Professions to build a resea
Mar 273 min read
International Women's Day 2026: Give to Gain
Lizbeth Goodman Lizbeth is Chair of Creative Technology Innovation and Full Professor of Inclusive Design for Education at UCD. She is the Founder/Director of SMARTlab and the Inclusive Design Research Centre of Ireland. "In my long life, I have had relatively few female role models but I remember all the nuggets of wisdom and moments of truth that were shared by those remarkable women – my amazing mother, my grandmother, and some wonderful teachers and professors. In retro
Mar 172 min read
Screen4Care, IHI Project Honoured
Professor Lizbeth Goodman, Huw Williams, Cassandra Collins, Rob Harvie, Dr Phil Ryan, and Dr Jeb Weisman's work on the Screen4Care (26 million euro IHI project) was selected for the EU's Innovation Radar and now has been promoted by the IHI as best practice in patient-facing digital healthcare! Read all about it here! Article: https://link.europa.eu/GYhXKX LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7422231140293537792 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/i
Mar 171 min read
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SMARTlab at University College Dublin & The Anne Sullivan Foundation for the Deafblind, through their joint INCLUDE Deafblind Project...
Sep 20, 20255 min read
bottom of page