IVI Summit 2026

10th-12th June 2026

20 Years of Impactful Research – What’s Next?

 

Day 1
Cutting Edge Co-Creation: Shaping Digital Futures

Wednesday 10th June

Cutting Edge Co-Creation: Shaping Digital Futures

08:30 Registration

09:00-09:40 Welcoming addresses from

Prof. Eeva Leinonen (President, Maynooth University)
Prof. Markus Helfert (Director, Innovation Value Institute)

President, Maynooth University

Professor Eeva Leinonen

Director of Innovation Value Institute & IVI Summit General Chair

Professor Markus Helfert

President, Maynooth University

Professor Eeva Leinonen

Professor Eeva Leinonen joined Maynooth University as President in October 2021, after five years of service as Vice Chancellor and President at Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.

Professor Leinonen was born and raised in Finland, where she completed her schooling. She and her two brothers were the first in their family to attend university. Her own experience has cemented her belief in the role of education as a social equaliser, with the power to transform for the better the lives of individuals, families and whole communities.

As part of her education in Finland Professor Leinonen spent a year as an exchange student in Michigan, USA, prior to entering university in England, where she studied linguistics and psychology. She obtained a BSc (Hons) in Linguistics and Psychology (First Class) from Aston University, UK; MPhil in Text Linguistics from Exeter University, UK: PhD in Clinical Linguistics from De Montfort University, UK; Docent (Higher Doctorate) from her hometown university, University of Oulu, Finland; and DSc (Honoris Causa) from Aston University, UK.

Professor Leinonen’s academic research focuses on pragmatic language processing deficits in children and young adults with autistic spectrum disorders. She collaborates with colleagues in Finland and Italy, including recent work on cross-cultural comparison of pragmatic development in typically developing children in these two cultural contexts. She also speaks and writes about higher education topics, including institutional leadership, curriculum and technology enhanced learning.

Professor Leinonen has extensive experience in higher education in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and internationally. Prior to joining Maynooth University, she spent over eight years in Australia, where she first held the position of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) at the University of Wollongong and then Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University.

Director of Innovation Value Institute & IVI Summit General Chair

Professor Markus Helfert

Markus Helfert is the Director of IVI and Director of Empower – the SFI funded Programme on Data Governance. He is also Professor of Digital Service Innovation and Director of the Business Informatics Group at Maynooth University. He is a Principle Investigator at Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre and at the Adapt Research Centre. His research is centred on Digital Service Innovation, Smart Cities and IoT based Smart Environments and includes research areas such as Service Innovation, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Smart Services, Building Information Management, FinTech, Data Value, Enterprise Architecture, Technology Adoption, Analytics, Business Process Managem ent. Prof. Helfert is an expert in Data Governance Standards and is involved in European Standardisation initiatives. Markus Helfert has authored more than 200+ academic articles, journal and book contributions and has presented his work at international conferences. Helfert has received national and international grants from agencies such as European Union (FP7; H2020), Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, was project coordinator on EU projects, and is the Project coordinator of the H2020 Projects: PERFORM on Digital Retail.

09:40-10:30 Roundtable: Navigating Digital Transformation at Scale – Perspectives from Government CIOs and Digital Leaders

Drawing on the experience and perspectives of international leaders in large-scale digital transformation, this panel will discuss how to ensure success in challenging, ambitious transformation projects.

Featuring
Martin McCormack (College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland)
Tiago Carneiro Peixoto (World Bank)
Further speakers to be confirmed
Chair: Dr. Mihai Balauca (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

CEO, College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland

Martin McCormack

Digital Government/GovTech Coordinator for the Western Balkans and the EU, World Bank

Tiago Carneiro Peixoto

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Chief Information Officer Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage - DHLGH, Ireland

Dr Mihai Bilauca

CEO, College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland

Martin McCormack

Martin McCormack is Chief Executive Officer of the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland and Chair of the National Learning Analytics Expert Advisory Group. He operates at the intersection of health system reform, digital strategy and corporate governance. Martin serves as a non-executive director on the HSE Board Strategy and Reform Committee and on the Audit and Risk Committee of the Royal Irish Academy, and has advised the Department of Health, the HSE, the Medical Council of Ireland, and the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science and Industry.

A former Chief Information Officer at Beaumont Hospital, he brings deep operational experience in implementing digital systems within complex clinical environments. His work now focuses on the execution of data and digital strategy at system level, particularly the governance, legitimacy and stakeholder alignment required to scale innovation in healthcare.

Martin collaborates internationally with government, academic, and healthcare partners to advance patient safety, workforce planning, and data-informed decision-making.

He is a Chartered Director, a Fellow of both the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland and the Irish Computer Society, and an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin. His doctoral research examines strategic renewal and execution in multistakeholder health systems.

 

Digital Government/GovTech Coordinator for the Western Balkans and the EU, World Bank

Tiago Carneiro Peixoto

Further details to be confirmed soon

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Chief Information Officer Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage - DHLGH, Ireland

Dr Mihai Bilauca

Dr. Bilauca is the most senior adviser to the Minister on ICT and Digital Transformation. Mihai is responsible for driving the government’s digitization agenda for DHLGH with in collaboration with local authorities and agencies under the DHLGH’s remit.

Mihai worked in various roles in ICT Management for UPC Romania and for Limerick City & County Council in various roles, heading the Digital Strategy, ICT, Change Management, Customer Services, Urban Innovation and EU Programmes departments.

In his spare time Mihai continues his academic research in smart cities, mathematical programming, optimization modelling methods and publishes in ACM and other leading computing science journals and conferences. Mihai received a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from University of Limerick, Ireland and a software engineering degree from “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, Romania.

10:30-11:00 Break and poster session

11:00-13:00 Simultaneous sessions – I

11:00-13:00 Process Mining Meets Generative AI: Towards Intelligent and Explainable Processes

Workshop

The workshop explores the integration of process mining and Generative AI to advance the analysis and understanding of business processes. Participants will gain insights into how Generative AI techniques, including Large Language Models (LLMs), can enhance process discovery, conformance checking, and process optimization. Combining theoretical foundations with practical demonstrations, the session highlights how AI-driven approaches enable more explainable, adaptive, and human-centric process analysis. Attendees will learn how this emerging synergy can support data-driven decision-making and open new avenues for innovation in process analytics.
The workshop is structured into four sessions:
•Session 1 (60 minutes): Short presentations introducing key approaches at the intersection of process mining and Generative AI, highlighting their potential to enhance process analysis.
•Session 2 (45 minutes): Roundtable discussions among panellists on opportunities, potential use cases, challenges, and the future of integrating AI into process mining.
•Session 3 (15 minutes): Summary of key discussion points and exploration of further opportunities in both industry and academia.

Featuring
Joep de Reuver (Rabobank)
Guilherme Luz (SAP)
Nour Medini (Celonis)

Chair and co-ordinator: Dr Azra Aryania (IVI)

Process Mining Expert, Rabobank

Joep de Reuver

Process Mining Expert, SAP

Guilherme Luz

Nour Medini
Process Mining Consultant, Celonis

Nour Medini

Workshop Lead, Process Mining Meets Generative AI / Co-Ordinator, International Student Innovation Challenge

Dr. Azra Aryania

Process Mining Expert, Rabobank

Joep de Reuver

Joep de Reuver is a process mining consultant with a strong background in process improvement within the health care sector. He has worked extensively with hospitals and health insurance companies to identify operational bottlenecks, optimize patient pathways, and train professionals in applying LEAN methodologies to drive sustainable performance improvements. At Rabobank, Joep plays a key role in translating complex business challenges into actionable insights using process mining, enabling teams across the organization to uncover inefficiencies and enhance their processes. He works within the Process Intelligence Centre of Enablement, which supports all process mining initiatives throughout the bank—from early ideation to full-scale implementation—ensuring data-driven transformation and long-term impact.

Process Mining Expert, SAP

Guilherme Luz

Guilherme Luz is a Process Mining Expert at SAP, where he works within the Corporate BPM team to leverage Signavio for optimizing SAP’s own internal processes. His path to process mining began during his previous role as a Procurement Specialist, where he discovered the transformative power of the technology, which he recognized as a game-changer for daily operations. This experience inspired him to transition into the field, leading him to contribute to the Celonis rollout at Nestlé before bringing his expertise to SAP.

Process Mining Consultant, Celonis

Nour Medini

Nour Medini is a Process Mining Consultant at Celonis, where she works across diverse business processes and applies AI-driven solutions to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Originally from Tunisia, she holds a degree in Software Engineering and a Master’s in Intelligent Systems from Paris. She also completed a final-year internship at Renault, where she worked on developing a system to support smoother driving experiences and detect anomalies. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing, and cooking.

Workshop Lead, Process Mining Meets Generative AI / Co-Ordinator, International Student Innovation Challenge

Dr. Azra Aryania

Azra Aryania is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Innovation Value Institute (IVI), Maynooth University. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering – Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Her doctoral research focused on enhancing social engagement behaviours in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder through the imitation of a social robot’s movements. Her current research at IVI focuses on ontology-driven process mining to automate compliance with Data Sharing Agreements in socio-technical systems. This work integrates ontology-based reasoning, conformance checking, and process mining to enable automated compliance assessment in data-driven environments. Previously, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institut de Robòtica i Informàtica Industrial (CSIC-UPC) in Barcelona, Spain, where she modelled user intentions in disclosing personal information to robots and investigated trust and transparency in human–robot interaction, addressing challenges related to data governance and privacy. Her research interests include Trustworthy AI, Process Mining, Human–AI/Robot Interaction, and Data Governance. She has published in leading journals and conferences such as Information Sciences, ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction, International Journal of Social Robotics, Journal of Grid Computing, and IEEE RO-MAN.

11:00-13:00 Can AI Run this Workshop Better than We (Humans) Can?

Workshop

Experience the future of facilitation in this groundbreaking experimental workshop where an AI system will moderate the entire session.
Expert panelists will engage in a discussion exploring how AI is being used in their fields, their perspectives on AI’s role and limitations, and where they draw the line between AI capabilities and human judgment. But rather than simply assisting with planning, an AI agent will lead the session, introducing panelists, asking questions, guiding the discussion, and synthesizing insights. Human involvement will be minimal, serving only as backup when necessary. In the final section of this session, a human facilitator will join to share insights into the work behind this experiment, gather participant feedback on the AI’s performance, and facilitate a discussion on what could be improved.
This session will explore whether AI is replacing or redefining human roles through lived experience, rather than theoretical debate. Join us for a unique glimpse into the future of AI facilitation roles.
Featuring
Dr Gültekin Cakir (Technological University Dublin)
Dr Caroline Kiarie (Aga Khan University)
 
Co-ordinator: Sana Kiran (IVI)

 

Lecturer and Researcher in Strategic Management - TU Dublin

Dr. Gültekin Cakir

Assistant Professor, Media and Communication, Aga Khan University Kenya

Dr Caroline Kiarie

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Workshop Lead, Can AI Run This Workshop Better Than We (Humans) Can?

Sana Kiran

Lecturer and Researcher in Strategic Management - TU Dublin

Dr. Gültekin Cakir

Dr Gültekin Cakir is a lecturer and academic programme coordinator at the Faculty of Business, Technological University Dublin, and a member of the Strategy & Leadership Group in the School of Management, People and Organisations. He holds a PhD in Business and Management from Maynooth University and a Master’s degree in General Management from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Dortmund, Germany. He teaches modules on undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels in Strategy and Digital Innovation & Emerging Technologies. Before joining TU Dublin, Gültekin was a Research Fellow at the Innovation Value Institute, Maynooth, where he worked with companies, start-ups, other institutes and collaborators on diverse research projects centred around digital innovation and organisational digital maturity. Gültekin is a member of the Digital Retail Research Cluster at IVI and was a recipient of the EU Horizon Europe Marie Curie Skłodowska scholarship award within “PERFORM”, a European training project focusing on the digital transformation of the retailing industry, where he was also chair of the ESR Committee.

Assistant Professor, Media and Communication, Aga Khan University Kenya

Dr Caroline Kiarie

Dr. Caroline Kiarie is an Assistant Professor at Aga Khan University’s Graduate School for Media and Communication with over two decades of experience in academia and industry. Her work spans corporate communication, public relations, human communication, and strategic use of AI in communication practice and research. Her research interests include AI in public relations, employee motivation, online collaborative learning, and digital conversations on platforms such as X.

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Further details will be confirmed soon

Workshop Lead, Can AI Run This Workshop Better Than We (Humans) Can?

Sana Kiran

Sana Kiran is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Innovation Value Institute, Maynooth University, Ireland. Her academic trajectory commenced with the acquisition of a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Pakistan, followed by a master’s in software engineering from China. Sana’s areas of research encompass data quality, open data, smart mobility, smart cities, and data governance.

Her current research project, generously funded by Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, represents a significant contribution to the field. Lero, globally recognised, holds the distinguished second position among software research centres worldwide for citations. Through her work, she aspires to contribute to the ongoing evolution of software excellence and play a pivotal role in shaping smarter, more connected cities.

11:00-13:00 Towards Trust in Health Data: Is the European Dream Achievable?

Workshop

How far are Ireland and Europe from a working system for the secondary use of patient health data?This workshop gives a platform to experts across the health data ecosystem – from those who have built and implemented such systems in EU member states, to industry voices on data-driven innovation, to advocates putting the patient perspective on security and transparency front and centre. Participants will leave with a clearer picture of where the key barriers lie, what solutions are already working across Europe, and an honest verdict on whether a unified, trustworthy health data system is truly within reach.

Featuring:
Nollag Conneely (Complete GRC)
Michael O’Dwyer (MOD)

Chair and co-ordinator: Sam Santosh (IVI)

Founder and CEO at CompleteGRC

Nollag Conneely

Consultant, MOD

Michael O’Dwyer

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Workshop Lead, The European Health Data Space

Sam Santosh

Founder and CEO at CompleteGRC

Nollag Conneely

Nollag is a strategic leader with experience in the private and public sectors in multiple industries and international organisations. Nollag has developed, delivered, and implemented Governance, Risk and Compliance programs with Healthcare, Insurance, Fintech, and Education organisations in the US, Europe and the Middle East. He is a retired Lt Col who has also lead Military risk and security programs in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. Nollag is a Lecturer and Course Coordinator for the Data Governance Syllabus at the European Security and Defence College, and a speaker at the United Nations General Assembly Health Symposium. He is a contributor to NATO’s PfP Cybersecurity and Hybrid Curricula. He holds a MSc in Cybersecurity Management, a MA in Ledership and Management and a MSc in HR, and is also Prince2 Project. Management qualified.

Consultant, MOD

Michael O’Dwyer

Details to follow soon

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Workshop Lead, The European Health Data Space

Sam Santosh

Sam (Samarth) Santosh is a technical business analyst specializing in Data Governance and Data-Driven digital transformation. He is a co-author on the Data Governance Roadmap for Ireland as well as a member of the Data Governance Roadmap taskforce at EMPOWER. Currently he is working on a number of industry projects with the Innovation Value Institute focusing on process mining as well as helping build the policy and infrastructure in the TEHDAS 2 project that focuses on the creation of a European Health Data Space.

11:00-13:00 The Nature of Data for Sustainability and Health

Workshop

Further details and speakers to be confirmed soon

Chair and co-ordinator: Dr Tadhg MacIntyre (IVI)

11:00-13:00 International Research Symposium – Part I

This session provides a platform for researchers of all career stages and from various sectors to present their work, as well as to facilitate interaction and discussion among researchers from different fields and institutions. Two tracks within the Symposium allow for poster presentation and presentation of research abstracts.

More information on the Symposium submission process and format is available here.

Poster presentation feedback panel

CIO of Cork City Council and Chairperson of the Irish Local Government ISAC

Dr. Ruth Buckley

Professor of Management Practice, DBA and Executive Education

Prof. Paul Ellwood

Corporate Data Analyst, Dublin City Council

Sanjay Singh

CIO of Cork City Council and Chairperson of the Irish Local Government ISAC

Dr. Ruth Buckley

Ruth Buckley is CIO of Cork city council and Chair of the LGI-ISAC (local government Ireland Information Sharing Analysis Group). She has a BSc in Computer Science from UCC, an MBA from Henley Management College and is currently progressing her PDEng with UL in the area of cyber situational awareness for ISACs.

Ruth has over 30 years working in the ICT sector in both the private and public service sectors and has program managed major digital transformation projects including the Cork city boundary extension, major ERP projects and the migration to on-line public services which is on-going. In 2015, she co-founded the iWish Stem company which actively encourages the uptake of STEM subjects to young transition year girls through collaborations with industry practitioners and third level institutions. Ruth has received several industry and academic awards including the 2017 Alumni award from UCC, the IT leaders award 2020 from it@cork and the 2023 award from Maynooth IVI (Innovation and Value Institute) for Digital Transformation for her work on ISACs in Ireland.

Professor of Management Practice, DBA and Executive Education

Prof. Paul Ellwood

Paul Ellwood is the Director of the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) at Maynooth University. His research interests encompass both management education and technology innovation management. His early education was in the natural sciences, with the first 20 years of his career spent in industry. This included director-level positions in operations and business development. 

Corporate Data Analyst, Dublin City Council

Sanjay Singh

Sanjay Singh is a Corporate Data Analyst with Dublin City Council, where he also serves as the Council’s Open Data Liaison Officer within the Data & Analytics Unit. His work supports Dublin City Council’s wider Digital Transformation agenda, particularly the goal of getting better with data by improving how information is governed, shared, and used across the organisation.

In his role, Sanjay works closely with service teams to publish high‑quality open datasets and to strengthen data standards, transparency, and reuse. He supports colleagues in making better use of data for evidence‑based decision‑making, while ensuring alignment with national and EU open data legislation and good data governance practices. His work contributes to making city data more accessible, reliable, and meaningful for both internal users and the wider public.

Sanjay collaborates regularly with researchers, universities, and civic‑tech partners, including ongoing engagement with Maynooth University, to explore practical applications of open data in areas such as public services, urban research, and local policy development. Through this work, he supports Dublin City Council’s ambition to build a stronger data culture and to use data as a strategic asset in delivering better outcomes for the city and its communities.

Abstract presentation feedback panel

The full lineup of experts will be announced soon.

11:00-13:00 Generative AI in the Public Sector – Part I

Masterclass

 

This Masterclass explores the transformative power of generative artificial intelligence in public administration, from smarter workflows and automated knowledge generation to innovative policy design, data‑driven decisions, and new risks. Participants will dive into real-world European use cases, including creative brainstorming, municipal applications such as the local packaging tax, and experiment hands-on with AI tools in a digital sandbox. We examine how generative AI disrupts traditional processes, the skills and governance models needed, and the challenges of transparency, legality, and ethics. Join us to discover how generative AI can drive meaningful, responsible innovation in the public sector and what it means for your own job.

Lead by Prof. Jörn von Lucke

Chair of Public Sector and Business Informatics, Open Government Institute

Prof. Dr. Jörn von Lucke

Chair of Public Sector and Business Informatics, Open Government Institute

Prof. Dr. Jörn von Lucke

Prof. Dr. Jörn von Lucke holds the Chair of Public Sector and Business Informatics at The Open Government Institute (TOGI) at Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen. His current research focuses on e-government, open government, open data, open social innovation, smart government (Internet of Things and Internet of Services in the public sector; Administration 4.0, Smart City), real-time government, and artificial intelligence in the public sector. At the same time, he represents the interests of the Gesellschaft für Informatik e. V. (German Informatics Society) within the framework of the German activities for the Open Government Partnership.

Prof. Dr. Jörn von Lucke studied business informatics at the University of Mannheim. He then completed his doctorate and habilitation at the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer. After receiving his doctorate, he worked at the Research Institute for Public Administration in Speyer and at the Federal Office of Administration in Cologne. From 2007 to 2016, Prof. von Lucke was a senior researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS) in Berlin. As founding director, he headed the Deutsche Telekom Institute for Connected Cities (TICC) at Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen from 2009 to 2013. As holder of the Chair of Public Sector and Business Informatics, he was also active in the T-City Friedrichshafen smart city project. Today, he is Director of The Open Government Institute (TOGI) at Zeppelin University. His current research focuses on e-government, open government, open data, open social innovation, smart government (Internet of Things and Internet of Services in the public sector; Administration 4.0), real-time government and artificial intelligence in the public sector. At the same time, he represents the interests of the Gesellschaft für Informatik e. V. (German Informatics Society) in the context of the German activities on the Open Government Partnership.

13:00-14:00 Lunch

 

14:00-16:00 Simultaneous sessions – II

14:00-16:00 Cyber to Cyborg: How to Preserve Critical Thinking to Keep the Human Element in Tech

Workshop

A workshop which intentionally challenges the tech-dominant thinking and makes us pause and think of the human and being human-centred. What are the implications of being tech-led? How might we ensure our users aren’t lost in the race to technological advancement?
Expert speakers will be confirmed soon.

Co-ordinatiors: Indu Havaldar and Dr Linzi Ryan (IVI)

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Workshop Lead, Keeping the Human Element in Tech

Indu Havaldar

Dr Linzi Ryan
Assistant Professor, Design Innovation

Dr Linzi Ryan

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Further details will be confirmed soon

Workshop Lead, Keeping the Human Element in Tech

Indu Havaldar

At IVI, Indudhara (Indu) works on the Innovation Vouchers programme through ReThink/ReDesign, where he uses Rapid Prototyping to assist SMEs in realising their ideas. Indu assists organisations with them with service design, commercial viability, UX design, and prototyping.

He has a Masters degree in Design Innovation from Maynooth University. Before moving to Ireland, Indu worked as an Application Development Analyst at Accenture and as a Senior UX Designer at HashedIn by Deloitte, working on several projects. 

Indu is also a calligraphy artist of 15 years’ experience, and part of the International Calligraphy Masters group.

Assistant Professor, Design Innovation

Dr Linzi Ryan

Dr. Linzi Ryan is an Assistant Professor and Postgraduate Program Director in the Department of Design Innovation, where she teaches design thinking at under- and postgrad level.  She was the recipient of Ireland’s first PhD in Product and Service Systems Development, has a First-Class Honours Masters Degree in Product Design and Innovation, and a First Class Honors Degree in Industrial Design.

She is an experienced product and service designer in both the public and private sector. For example, she was the Project Manager on the INTERRG Project ‘Extending independent living for older people’, which resulted in a permanent change to the delivery of Dementia services in the North West. As Project Manager on the INTERRG ‘Building Capacity for Service Design within Public Services’ Project, she worked with over 15 public bodies (including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Education and Skills, the Health Service Executive and the Revenue Commissioners).  On this project she trained over 170 staff in the public sector, resulting in direct changes to the delivery of services.  On a strategic level, she has worked on the SEE (Sharing Experience Europe – project funded by the EU’s European Design Innovation Initiative) working with 11 partners across Europe to highlight the benefits of design-led innovation; and was an expert advisor on the development of a key report to Government which highlighted the importance of design called Design Driven Innovation: Why it Matters for SMEs.  She continues to research and implement user-centered design, particularly in the area public sector and healthcare reform.

14:00-16:00 From Fields to Data Spaces: Unlocking Agricultural Data Sharing

Workshop

This workshop is split into four sections:

  • Presentations from key projects, providing examples on how farmers, co-ops, and agri-tech companies are using agri-data for decision-making.
  • Presentation”What is a Data Space?”, including a live demonstration of a data space platform.
  • Discussion: “Are data spaces suitable for agriculture?”. Followed by expert Q&A
  • Mini workshop: Participants will answers the questions, “What data would you share, and why? How would you like to control it?” Participants will have the chance to brainstorm, considering access, privacy, value, trust, and incentives.

Featuring
Natasha Browne (Teagasc)
Dr Rafiqul Haque (Insight Research Centre)
Helmut Vossman (agmadata)

Chair and co-ordination team: Fjolla Berisha, Leidiane da Silva, Erica Tegolo (IVI)

Climate Sustainability Technologist, Teagasc

Natasha Browne

Research Fellow, Insight Research Centre

Dr Rafiqul Haque

Managing Director, agmadata

Helmut Vossman

Workshop Co-Lead, EnTrust - From Fields to Data Spaces

Fjolla Berisha

Workshop Co-Lead, EnTrust - From Fields to Data Spaces

Leidiane da Silva

Workshop Co-Lead, EnTrust - From Fields to Data Spaces

Erica Tegolo

Climate Sustainability Technologist, Teagasc

Natasha Browne

Natasha is a Climate Sustainability Technologist at Teagasc, working on AgNav, a digital sustainability platform for Irish farmers. She collaborates closely with the other AgNav partners the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and Bord Bia, as well as Teagasc researchers and advisors, to support the platform’s development and impact. Natasha also represents AgNav in the CEADS (Common European Agricultural Data Space) project and is part of the AgNav Data Governance Group, contributing to best practice in data governance and data management. Previously, she managed several EU Horizon 2020 projects for Teagasc and completed a PhD on lameness and pain management in dairy cows.

Research Fellow, Insight Research Centre

Dr Rafiqul Haque

Dr. Rafiqul Haque is a research fellow at the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics at the University of Galway. He holds a PhD in Computer Science and Information Systems from the University of Limerick. He brings over 12 years of experience spanning academia and the IT industry, with expertise in data spaces, artificial intelligence, data management, and data governance. He currently co-leads the Data Space Centre Support Centre (DSSC), a European Union-funded project focused on the development and scaling of data spaces. His research explores data interoperability and value creation, with particular emphasis on how data spaces can be used to train and fine-tune generative AI models for developing high quality applications. His career includes four years in IT industry as a technical lead, designing AI-driven solutions for government, banks and telecommunication companies. He has held research roles at several European institutions including SAP Research, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, Telecom St-Étienne, Tilburg University, and University College Cork. Dr. Haque has published in conferences and journals, contributing to the advancement of AI, data spaces , and digital innovation.

Managing Director, agmadata

Helmut Vossman

Helmut Vossman is an IT specialist, partner and Managing Director of agmadata GmbH, responsible for in-house development and distribution of an ERP solution for industrial food production. He is the International Data Spaces Association Ambassador for the Farm & Food community. He also has a Masters degree in animal husbandry.

Workshop Co-Lead, EnTrust - From Fields to Data Spaces

Fjolla Berisha

Fjolla Berisha holds an MSc in Computer Engineering and is currently a PhD candidate in Computer Science at Maynooth University as part of the ENTRUST Doctoral Network. Her work centres on data sovereignty in agriculture: she designs and tests usage-control mechanisms that let farmers set and technically enforce policies regarding who can use their data, for what purpose, and for how long. By turning these policy-enforcement ideas into practical, easy-to-deploy software, she helps farming communities to be sovereigns of their information while still benefiting from digital technologies.

Workshop Co-Lead, EnTrust - From Fields to Data Spaces

Leidiane da Silva

Leidiane received her BSc degree in business administration from the Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Brazil, and her MSc degree in business analytics from Maynooth University in 2023. She is currently pursuing a PhD degree in business with IVI.

She is a part of the EnTrust PhD program and works in the education and research office at Airfield Estate. Her work and interests include data quality and trustworthiness assessment, machine learning techniques, agri-data and business analytics.

Workshop Co-Lead, EnTrust - From Fields to Data Spaces

Erica Tegolo

Erica Tegolo has a Bachelor in Administration and Organisation Science and Labor Consultancy from the University of Palermo. She has received an MBA degree from IAE, University of Bordeaux. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the School of Business, Maynooth University.

The PhD is part of the EnTrust Doctoral Network, Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, which aim is to train a cohort of 11 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to establish a new generation of Data Executives. She is representing DC09 and the objective is represented by the development of a Fair data exploitation principles and framework. The host organisation is Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Authority in Ireland. Erica is currently based at the department of Rural Economy and Development Program (REDP).

14:00-16:00 Risk in a Changing World: Digital Risk and Cybersecurity

This workshop will focus on strategic decision making around large-scale cyber security issues including how organisations will likely change to cater for the future opportunities and threats. When digital infrastructure is so central to every aspect of daily life and work, considerations of risk and cyber security are no longer specialist technical interests, but a strategic necessity. Considering risk is not to discuss commodities, but strategy.
Featuring
Rory Hopkins (Kildare County Council)
Kamil Mahajan (AdviceBytes)

Chair and co-ordinator: Dr Ruth Buckley (Cork City Council)

Head of Information Systems, Kildare County Council

Rory Hopkins

CEO, AdviceBytes

Kamil Mahajan

Expert speaker to be confirmed

CIO of Cork City Council and Chairperson of the Irish Local Government ISAC

Dr. Ruth Buckley

Head of Information Systems, Kildare County Council

Rory Hopkins

Rory Hopkins is the Head of Information Systems at Kildare County Council, where he leads the strategic delivery of ICT services with a strong focus on digital innovation and transformation. Based in Áras Chill Dara, he is responsible for technology governance, cybersecurity, and the adoption of modern digital tools that support efficient internal operations and high‑quality public services. He works closely with senior management and external partners to drive innovation, resilience, and continuous improvement across the organisation.

CEO, AdviceBytes

Kamil Mahajan

Kamil Mahajan is the CEO of Advice Bytes and founder of Sector8 AI, with over 15 years of global experience in cybersecurity, risk, and IT leadership roles at Meta, Quantcast, and Maynooth University. He advises organisations on AI security, compliance, and responsible innovation, drawing from both hands-on delivery and ongoing PhD research in AI security for SMEs at ATU Galway. A regular speaker at ISACA, Cyber Ireland, and public sector events, Kamil also delivers AI security masterclasses across Ireland’s innovation network. He holds an MSc in Digital Investigation & Forensic Computing, is CISM certified, and an ISO 27001 Lead Auditor and Implementer.

Expert speaker to be confirmed

CIO of Cork City Council and Chairperson of the Irish Local Government ISAC

Dr. Ruth Buckley

Ruth Buckley is CIO of Cork city council and Chair of the LGI-ISAC (local government Ireland Information Sharing Analysis Group). She has a BSc in Computer Science from UCC, an MBA from Henley Management College and is currently progressing her PDEng with UL in the area of cyber situational awareness for ISACs.

Ruth has over 30 years working in the ICT sector in both the private and public service sectors and has program managed major digital transformation projects including the Cork city boundary extension, major ERP projects and the migration to on-line public services which is on-going. In 2015, she co-founded the iWish Stem company which actively encourages the uptake of STEM subjects to young transition year girls through collaborations with industry practitioners and third level institutions. Ruth has received several industry and academic awards including the 2017 Alumni award from UCC, the IT leaders award 2020 from it@cork and the 2023 award from Maynooth IVI (Innovation and Value Institute) for Digital Transformation for her work on ISACs in Ireland.

14:00-16:00 Advancing Age Friendly Futures: Designing Inclusive Futures – Challenges and Innovations

Workshop

As populations age globally, creating environments, services, systems, and communities that enable people to age well has become a shared societal challenge. This workshop explores what it means to advance Age Friendly futures through inclusive design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and forward‑looking policy and practice.
The session brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, community stakeholders, and industry representatives to examine the challenges and opportunities associated with building inclusive, age responsive futures. Discussion will span a wide range of themes, including social participation, health and wellbeing, mobility, housing, work, digital inclusion, community design, and governance.
Through a combination of short presentations, panel discussion, and interactive engagement, participants will reflect on current barriers structural, social, economic, and cultural to Age Friendly development, while also highlighting innovative approaches and exemplary practices emerging across sectors and contexts. The workshop aims to foster dialogue, share insights, and encourage collaboration across disciplines and sectors, contributing to the development of more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies for people of all ages.
Featuring
Dr Bruno Giesteira (University of Porto)
 
Chair: Dr Emer Coveney (Age Friendly Ireland)
Co-ordinator: Dr Claudia Roessing (IVI)
Director, Design Department, University of Porto

Dr Bruno Giesteira

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Workshop Lead, Advancing Age Friendly Futures / Co-Ordinator, International Research Symposium

Dr Claudia Roessing

National Programme Manager, Age Friendly Ireland

Dr Emer Coveney

Director, Design Department, University of Porto

Dr Bruno Giesteira

Bruno Giesteira (PhD) is a professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, where he works in the Design Department. His research focuses on Human-Centred Design, Embodied Cognition, and Somaesthetics in computational contexts, particularly within health and wellbeing scopes.

He is Director of the Design Department and Director of the Doctoral Programme in Design at the University of Porto, where he coordinates advanced research and doctoral training in design. He also contributes to postgraduate programmes in Interaction Design, Games, and Design Technologies for Health.

His work explores how design knowledge can support the development of meaningful interactions with emerging technologies through Embodied Design approaches. He has extensive experience coordinating research teams in human–computer interaction and is a partner at 4humanz company – Human-Centred Design in Global Health – Digital Health; Wellbeing & Sustainability.

He is a researcher at ID+, within the Health + Design group. He participates in several international academic and professional networks, including the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (Europe Chapter) and the European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH).

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Expert speaker to be confirmed

Further details will be confirmed soon

Workshop Lead, Advancing Age Friendly Futures / Co-Ordinator, International Research Symposium

Dr Claudia Roessing

Claudia Roessing completed her PhD at Maynooth University, where she investigated the variations of data lifecycles based on data requirements in the Smart City scenario. She has years of experience in the software development industry with a background in Business Analysis and Consulting and Computer Science. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the VISION project, which is financed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and focuses on reducing the use of virgin materials in the Irish building sector.

National Programme Manager, Age Friendly Ireland

Dr Emer Coveney

Dr Emer Coveney is the National Programme Manager for Age Friendly Ireland, a local government shared service that works across all 31 local authorities to prepare society for population ageing under the World Health Organisation framework for developing Age Friendly Cities and Communities. Emer manages a network of 35 local programme managers who are working to develop inclusive services and accessible buildings and public spaces that support the inclusion and participation of older people. Emer manages AFI’s Research Unit which is operated in partnership with Maynooth University. Its aim is to generate new research relevant to demographic ageing and provide an evidence base to inform service planning and delivery.  She manages the consultation function for the shared service, engaging in co-design processes with Older People’s Councils to ensure that older people’s voices feed into national policy. Emer holds a PhD and Masters degree from Trinity College Dublin, and a Certificate in Healthy Ageing from the World Health Organisation, among other qualifications.  Her previous experience includes diverse roles in community development, social inclusion, research and public service administration.

14:00-16:00 International Research Symposium – Part II

This session provides a platform for researchers of all career stages and from various sectors to present their work, as well as to facilitate interaction and discussion among researchers from different fields and institutions. Two tracks within the Symposium allow for poster presentation and presentation of research abstracts.

More information on the Symposium submission process and format is available here.

 

14:00-16:00 Generative AI in the Public Sector – Part II

Masterclass

See above for a detailed description of this session. Participants should attend both the morning and afternoon sessions of this Masterclass.

 

14:00-16:00 Designing a Joint Course for an Impact-Orientated PhD Programme

This Auxiliary Event is presented in collaboration with the Ireland Chapter of the Association for Information Systems (IAIS).

Irish universities each offer distinct doctoral training environments, yet Information Systems (IS) PhD students across the country share a common need: rigorous, high-quality preparation for conducting impactful research that addresses real-world challenges. Bridging this gap requires a collective response – one that draws on the expertise and perspectives of the entire Irish IS community.
This round table discussion intends to bring together IS faculty and researchers from all Irish universities to explore the design of a joint course tailored specifically to IS doctoral students. The session will focus on defining the scope and learning outcomes of such a course, identifying mechanisms for cross-institutional delivery, and aligning the curriculum with the evolving demands of impact-oriented research in the discipline.
Participants will engage in structured discussions to shape the agenda, share insights from their own institutional contexts, and co-develop a practical framework that could be adopted collectively across Ireland. The goal is not simply to design a course, but to lay the groundwork for a sustained, community-driven initiative that elevates doctoral training in IS nationwide.
Whether you supervise PhD students, teach at doctoral level, or are passionate about the future of IS research in Ireland, your voice matters in shaping this initiative. We look forward to building something meaningful together.
 
IAIS thanks IVI for enabling this discussion at the IVI Summit 2026 at Maynooth University.

 

16:00-16:20 Address (title TBC) – Glen Lally

Glen Lally is a Silicon Valley technology executive who has spent his career at the center of the world’s most influential tech organizations, including Everpure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, SAP, Cisco and Ericsson. He specializes at the intersection of AI, digital transformation and high-velocity enablement, helping global companies scale new capabilities across their organization.

At AWS, Glen was instrumental in architecting the GTM enablement strategy for a global sales organization of 44,000 professionals. A pioneer in AI-augmented enablement, he focuses on integrating generative AI directly into the sales motion – allowing massive organizations to pivot and deploy strategic shifts at cloud-native speed.

A veteran of the Silicon Valley tech ecosystem, Glen bridges the gap between legacy enterprise structures and hyper-scale agility. He is currently focused on the next frontier of organizational growth: leveraging AI to automate GTM funnels and empower global sales forces to operate with unprecedented technical depth and efficiency.

16:20-17:00 Twenty Years of Impactful Research – Revealing the Next Stage of IVI

Celebrating the successes and achievements of the last two decades of impactful research at IVI, we will also reveal the next stage of IVI’s continued innovation…

17:15 onwards Wine and canapé reception

 

18:30 onwards Digital Futures Forum dinner at Barberstown Castle (by invitation only)