On 22 March 2024, the 2024 Annual All-Ireland Student Psychology Congress, an annual gathering of undergraduate and graduate students from psychology programmes nationwide, took place at Dublin City University. Run by students, for students, the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) Student Affairs Group launches the two-day academic conference annually, with a different institution hosting the event each year.
The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend this year’s Student Congress at Dublin City University as an exhibitor. From engaging presentations to lively conversations, the PSI team was truly impressed by the DCU PsychSoc, who successfully ran the event, and all the students from across Ireland who came to share their research, ideas, and enthusiasm.
Every year, a Postgraduate and Undergraduate Overall Oral Presentation Winner are chosen at the Student Congress. The recipients have their abstracts published as a supplement in The Irish Psychologist magazine and win a presentation slot at the national PSI Annual Conference. The winners also receive a complimentary delegate pass to the Conference and accommodation as part of the prize, and the winners’ abstracts are once again published as part of the Conference proceedings.
This year, Elva Arulchelvan (Trinity College Dublin) won the Postgraduate Award with the presentation, “Enhancing episodic memory encoding via a coeruleus-cortical attention network: A non-invasive peripheral nerve stimulation approach”. Maksymillian Skiba (Dublin City University) won the Undergraduate Award with the presentation, “Adagio or Allegro? An investigation into the impact of musical compositions on attentional engagement.”
Highly Commended Oral Presentations were awarded to Sorcha Walsh (Dublin City University) and Sarah Ryan Purcell (Mary Immaculate College). Overall Poster Presentation was awarded to Sadhbh Carpenter (Trinity College Dublin) and Highly Commended Poster Presentation was awarded to Matthew Walker (Trinity College Dublin).
Award winners with PSI President Odhrán Mc Carthy (centre) at the Student Congress
The significance of student participation in psychology, demonstrated by events like the Student Congress, cannot be overstated. Students represent the future of the psychological profession, and their perspectives and contributions are essential for driving innovation and progress. Through their active involvement, students not only enrich their own educational experiences but also contribute to the advancement of psychological research and practice
By empowering the next generation of psychologists and providing them with opportunities to learn, grow, and connect, these incredible students play a crucial role in shaping the future of the profession. We are so looking forward to the award winners presenting their work at the 2024 PSI Annual Conference in Athlone from 13 to 15 November 2024. Register for the PSI Annual Conference here.