COMP30840

This module requires NO prior computer competency beyond that of ordinary familiarity and use of everyday computer tools and apps such as Powerpoint, Word and some social media sites.

Basic objective: Let's solve some real, global sustainability problems incorporating I.T, social media and the collective skill-set of UCD's undergraduates, through start-up projects using the campus as a proto-type development environment. Students can propose their projects or be assigned one.

Each project is undertaken typically by a group of 3-4 students. Students from non-Computer Science backgrounds, Arts, Business Studies, Law, Engineering etc are particularly encouraged to participate in order to diversify the skill-base of each group.

Students will use an agile strategy throughout their project development with weekly documented meetings producing goals and action points. Together with discussion groups, presentations and the interactive creativity style of the module will also enhance the Soft Skills: Leadership, Group Communications, Creativity, Problem solving, Adaptability, Networking and Presentation. These are skills applicable and invaluable to any degree discipline, and rated by most business organisations and academic institutes with equal importance to the quality of a graduate's degree.

An example of some of the projects from 2018-19 can be found at www.ucd4sustainability.com. The website, and the UCD Sustainability Action Day 2019 is itself an example of one of the projects. Some of last year's projects have gained media publicity in Ireland and abroad.

This year some of the projects will have an international sustainability aspect to them through the assistance and collaboration of various corporations and organisations.

Projects will have poster displays at the 2020 UCD Sustainability Action Week.

Awards in various categories will be given to projects and individuals from the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges.

Teams of 3/4 persons identify, or are assigned an environmentally-related challenge or problem, in which they conduct a project to investigate, research and propose a solution using any combination of I.T and/or internet methods e.g. Java programming, Linkedin, Digital marketing etc. All projects will consider their proposed solution from an environmental, social, technical and business perspective so that its sustainability credentials can be assessed and understood.

An example project might be to investigate the feasibility of using solar panels and batteries in UCD as a means of charging lap-tops used on campus. The project would not require an actual prototype to be built, but the feasibility of such an approach would be investigated from a technical and business perspective. Another example, is a campus project to highlight the issue of use of plastics on campus and encourage recycling through a social media campaign and an incentive/rewards system involving mobile devices. One of the previous projects by a group of Art students, designed an award winning Blog site for Sustainable Fashion.


Since the time frame of the module would not facilitate a working prototype in many cases, in these scenarios it would suffice to present the foundations or architecture of the technical solution and business model structure based on market investigations.