About Us – Nimbus Research Centre

About the Centre

The Nimbus Research Centre is at the forefront of cyber-physical systems (CPS) and Internet of Things (IoT) research, innovation and learning. We develop technologies that address the real needs of industry, people and society.

Our Vision

Nimbus Research Centre wants to enhance and support better communities through excellence in research, industry and education. We are driven by a shared purpose in being leaders in our field and continuing to be the best at supplying innovation through research. We are dedicated to providing economic value to industry and sustainable solutions to societal problems.

Our Mission

Our Mission at Nimbus Research Centre is to remain at the forefront of innovation by harnessing the internet of things (IoT) in order to create and maintain an ecosystem of information and technology that will enrich society and transform industry.

NIMBUS follows an integrated model of research, teaching and knowledge transfer. As NIMBUS research is inherently multidisciplinary, the cluster has research groups in the areas of Smart Systems Integration, Adaptive Wireless Systems and Augmented Materials with a total of 45 researchers. The cluster has internal research links with the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Department of Computing and strong external collaborative research links with Tyndall National Institute, UCC, the Environmental Research Institute, TCD and UCD whose research complements the cluster’s activities. This gives a unique capability for whole-systems NES research which is critical in bridging the gap between fundamental research and real NES applications. Recognising the imperative that the cluster’s research should lead to economic benefits for Ireland , the Nimbus Research Centre is an integral part of the cluster with responsibility for applications development and for knowledge and technology transfer to the many industry sectors that can benefit from NES technology. Linking of research to teaching and learning is also a core objective for the cluster which is academically embedded in the CIT Department of Electronic Engineering and the cluster is fully involved with planning and delivery of undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses as well as supervision of Masters and Doctoral degree students.

Our Core Values

What Drives Us

What we are about

Nimbus Research Centre is proudly part of the Engineering Department of Cork Institute of Technology. Throughout the year we collaborate on a number of events aimed at promoting STEM within academics and society. Over the past few years Nimbus has been part of iWish, Engineers Ireland week, CIT Advance, Balance for Better etc. For more information follow our social media accounts.

I Wish

CIT Advance: Women in Technology

In February 2019, the Nimbus Research Centre hosted the CIT Advance ‘Women in Technology’ event, designed to encourage and empower young women in their technology career path. 40 of CIT’s female tech students attended this two-day seminar where they were provided with expert mentorship by experienced tech professionals. In addition to top class speakers, the event included a series of workshops on CV preparation, interview techniques, tips for entering the career market, and advice on how to successfully build a brand.

According to Dr Ramona Marfievici, from the Nimbus Research Centre, “The response from CIT and the wider tech community in Cork has been phenomenal. Events like this are crucial in highlighting the unseen obstacles that women face daily in a male dominated tech world”.

The idea for the event stemmed from Dr Marfievici invitation to San Francisco last year to participate in the Computing Research Association‘s Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research, as part of the multi-day mentorship workshop for female graduate students.

Dr Marfievici was part of an international group of observers from Europe, India and Brazil who attended the event in San Francisco. The aim of their visit was to expand the mentorship programme by initiating events in each of their home countries.

On her return to CIT, Dr Marfievici teamed up with Oonagh O’Brien from the Department of Computer Science and Catherine Murphy from the Department of Accounting and Information Systems to set up CIT Advance.

The ‘Women in Technology’ event was designed to encourage female technology students in their careers. Dr Marfievici says this type of support is vital with recent research indicating that women’s marginalised presence in computing may result in women psychologically disengaging, and ultimately dropping out.

Dr Marfievici said, “It is now time to do everything we can to support and encourage this new generation of women to strive for career longevity and excellence”.