Ulster University on Brainstorm

How to resist the cultural turmoil of the Trump years

7 August 2019

Opinion: messages of resistance in troubled times tend to emanate from the culture industry so is this true of Trump's America?

How much is the Open worth to Northern Ireland?

21 July 2019

Analysis: some number-crunching about the economic value of this weekend's all-star golf tournament in Portrush

Could machines become self-aware?

4 July 2019

Analysis: humans make about 35,000 decisions every day so is it possible for AI to deal with a similar volume of high decision uncertainty?

The importance of mental health and wellbeing interventions in sport

24 June 2019

Opinion: Sport may be considered a simple hobby, but for devoted athletes, it is an integral aspect of who they are. When challenged to stop or reduce their level of engagement, their sense of identity and purpose can become threatened.

The role technology can play in the future of stroke recovery

12 June 2019

Opinion: Stroke is the largest cause of adult disability in Ireland, but the use of robotics, VR, brain stimulation, and apps have great potential in helping people make a better recovery from stroke.

The challenge of encouraging more teenage girls to be physically active

7 June 2019

Opinion: Adolescent girls are being left at the bottom of the class when it comes to being physically active, and we need to develop effective interventions to promote lifelong physical activity behaviours in this age group.

"Protestants keep toasters in the cupboard"

17 April 2019

Opinion: dealing with Northern Ireland's high rates of mental illness requires dealing with perceived differences between groups

Why concussion is a lose-lose injury for players

11 April 2019

Opinion: research has found that concussion can affect a player's balance, reaction time, multi-tasking and risk of further injury

How Northern Ireland's doctors and nurses coped with the Troubles

3 April 2019

Opinion: the experiences of medical staff working during the Troubles gives an insight into the effects of conflict on people and society.

Should we be worried about radiation from 5G networks?

13 March 2019

Opinion: there have been increased health concerns about mobile phone usage and new 5G networks, but are they justified?

Why all victims deserve support

5 March 2019

Opinion: it is time to challenge our own stereotypical beliefs and acknowledge that all victims deserve support regardless of gender or sexual orientation

Are food banks merely a sticking plaster for food poverty?

7 February 2019

Opinion: food banks are a symptom of austerity measures and government inaction which fail to tackle the real causes of food poverty.

How to change attitudes around concussion in sport

31 January 2019

Opinion: the rise of sports-related brain injuries raises issues about the widespread culture of playing while hurt

Brexit and the Northern Ireland Assembly - a case of what if?

23 January 2019

What if there had been an active Northern Ireland Assembly with a power-sharing Executive addressing Brexit issues?

What are the big economic trends on the way in the next decade?

18 January 2019

Here's how the US economy, Chinese growth, oil prices, globalism, unemployment and Brexit will affect our world.

How to prevent strokes

14 January 2019

Analysis: stroke is a largely preventable condition and we could all be working towards reducing our chances of having a stroke

Northern Ireland's eerie silence in the eye of Brexit hurricane

11 January 2019

The ongoing political stalemate at Stormont comes in the middle of the biggest constitutional storm to hit these islands in decades

What will Brexit mean for 30,000 cross-border workers?

6 December 2018

Analysis: expect the UK's departure from the EU to bring many consequences for the social security entitlements and rights of cross-border workers

Chaos, incompetence, decline: Brexit and the British government

19 November 2018

Brexit has highlighted an unprecedented level of self-imposed chaos and ineptitude from British cabinet ministers and civil servants.

The science of horror movies

5 November 2018

Halloween is a great time watch a scary movie, but why do we like being scared and what makes a great horror film?

The future of museums

24 October 2018

Technology can create digital and virtual animated museums which will help promote the sustainability of our cultural heritage

Why men in Northern Ireland are seeing a drop in life expectancy

24 October 2018

Is it the fault of austerity policies and a consequent impact on health and social care provision?

What happened to Northern Ireland's proposed Bill of Rights?

5 October 2018

20 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland is still waiting for the British government to enact a Bill of Rights.

How women saved the Catholic Church in Ireland

24 September 2018

During the Reformation, the Catholic Church in Ireland faced a crisis as profound as it does today and it was saved by Irish women

The future of cash

31 August 2018

Technology continues to drive huge changes in the worlds of cash and banking so what can we expect in the future?

Should schools manage or ban the use of smartphones?

20 August 2018

Many schools have already banned smartphones, but managing usage of the devices may help students, teachers and parents

Political paralysis: Italian lessons for Northern Ireland

25 June 2018

Could an essentially rudderless Italy be a picture of Northern Ireland's future in economic and political terms?

Why banning plastic straws will not solve the problem of waste

24 May 2018

When it comes to plastic and waste, should our contribution to the solution be equal to our part in creating the problem?

How to make an accurate personality judgement

18 May 2018

New research shows that context plays a critical role when we assess another person's personality

What does the concept of honour mean today?

17 May 2018

Recent controversies show that seemingly old-fashioned ideas around honour and gender have persisted into the present

Make America scream again

6 May 2018

How the horror genre has responded to the events of the Trump years

Taking one for the team: why playing hurt is a bad move

6 March 2018

We need to take a serious look at how playing hurt is deeply ingrained in the cultural DNA of competitive sport at all levels

How can we prevent and control fire disasters?

25 January 2018

Recent fire disasters demonstrate the need to transfer knowledge gained through research into everyday fire safety practices

All you ever wanted to know about arthritis

18 January 2018

How arthritis plays a stealthy long game with people's lives and what science is doing to out-manoeuvre it.

Is 'The Border' more of an Irish problem than an English one?

15 January 2018

The Irish Government's hardline attitude to the border during Brexit highlights a neglect for what this means for Northern Ireland.

Walk this way and step away from the lift

9 January 2018

Walking instead of using the lift, escalator or moving walkway can increase your recommended daily dose of physical activity and improve your health

Working on the Blockchain gang

8 November 2017

Blockchain has quickly become an important technology, but there's confusion as to what it is and its limitations. Here's an overview of blockchain and some thoughts on its likely future

Behind the moustaches: the other side of Movember

8 November 2017

November sees the return of the annual Movember fundraising campaign, which sees men across the world sprout moustaches to raise awareness and money for men’s health issues.

How training for stage and screen can combat bullying and abuse

8 November 2017

Blockchain has quickly become an important technology, but there's confusion as to what it is and its limitations. Here's an overview of blockchain and some thoughts on its likely future.

How to help female entrepreneurs

8 October 2016

We can help enable women entrepreneurs by identifying and taking simple steps to meet their needs, particularly around peer support

The powerful role of the mother in Irish culture

27 August 2016

The figure of the Irish mother on the stage is at the centre of cultural and social debates about the roles and experiences of Irish women.

The economics of a heatwave

5 July 2016

We may be enjoying the sunshine, but the economic effects of this fine spell are mixed

Will a robot take your job?

1 January 1970

What's next in the world of wearable healthcare?

1 January 1970

Why It's A Wonderful Life still resonates today

1 January 1970

The gender play gap: why aren't more women playing sport?

1 January 1970