Eco HydroInformatics Research Group - EHIRG

10/08/2026

🌊 Advancing the Next Generation of Water Quality Indices

We are pleased to share our latest research:

📘 “Re-Engineering Water Quality Indices: From Linear to Probabilistic—Advancing the Irish Water Quality Index (IEWQI) Model.”

🔗 Research findings: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2026.105151

Three years after developing the IEWQI, the EHIRG team critically reassessed its architecture to identify opportunities for improving Water Quality Index design. Rather than proposing another fixed index, this study introduces a generalized, uncertainty-aware framework for evaluating:

🧩 Alternative sub-index functions
⚖️ Expert-, statistical-, and AI-based weighting schemes
➗ Multiple aggregation operators
🔍 Ambiguity and eclipsing effects
🎲 Monte Carlo and bootstrap uncertainty
📊 Statistical agreement and distributional effect sizes

Using 1,494 IEWQI variants, the findings show that methodological choices substantially influence index scores, uncertainty propagation, classification consistency, and overall robustness.

🌍 The proposed framework provides a transparent, reproducible, and transferable basis for developing reliable WQIs across diverse aquatic environments. The broader objective is to support general methodological guidelines for WQI development—not simply to create another index.

University of Galway
Marine Institute - Foras na Mara
Charles Sturt University

15/05/2026

Much delighted to share our research work “A methodological framework for assessing aquatic contamination using data science approaches” has been accepted for publication in the Water Resources and Industry journal (Impact Factor: 7.5; CiteScore: 10.6). Details of the research outcomes can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wri.2026.100372

📍 In this research, we introduced a novel Environmental Contamination Index (ECI) for assessing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pollution in aquatic ecosystems. The research combines environmental science with cutting edge data-science approaches to improve how contamination risks are evaluated and predicted.

⚡ Key innovations include:
🟢 A new framework for rating environmental contamination in water bodies.
🔴 Integration of machine learning- artificial intelligence models to test reliability, sensitivity, and uncertainty.
🟡 Superior predictive performance using Gradient Boosting Regression with Bayesian Optimization.
🟣 Improved accuracy compared with traditional tools/methods.
🟤 Potential scalability for monitoring multiple environmental contaminants beyond PTEs.

The research findings highlighted how data-driven environmental monitoring can support rapid, evidence-based decision-making for protecting vulnerable aquatic ecosystems 🌊 . Finally, heartiest congratulations to EHIRG research team and our collaborative partners for their tremendous dedication for delivering efficient tools to safe-guard aquatic ecosystems.

🧠 have an idea? Let’s collaborate!!! We’d love to hear from you. please contact at [email protected]

18/02/2026

☪️ Ramadan Mubarak ☪️

To all in our University community who are observing, we wish you and your families a joyful, peaceful, and blessed Ramadan.

💡 The Irish for 'community' is 'pobal'

09/01/2026

🥳 Starting off the new year with another research outcome. The research was conducted through a collaboration work between Iran and Eco HydroInformatics Research Group - EHIRG. Heartiest congratulations to the team for the tremendous outcome. Details of the research outcomes can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22387-3

🧠 Have an idea? Let’s collaborate!!! We’d love to hear from you. please contact at [email protected]

07/01/2026

Career opportunities at Marine Institute - Foras na Mara

✨Join the Marine Institute in 2026.

We currently have 2️⃣ job vacancies https://bit.pulse.ly/uw3hdonnrs

🔹PIRS: Team Lead BlueAction Atlantic & Arctic (BlueActionAA) - PIRS: BlueAction Atlantic & Arctic (BlueActionAA) Project Lead

🔹OCIS: Experienced Postdoctoral Researcher Ocean Modeller - OCIS: Experienced Postdoctoral Researcher Ocean Modeller

📅Closing date: Friday the 16th of January 2026

#2026

25/12/2025

Happy Christmas 🎄❤️

Beannachtaí na Nollag oraibh ar fad. 🎅❤️✨

Wishing all our students and staff a very Merry Christmas, from all the team at University of Galway. 🙌❄️

05/12/2025

🚨 Call for Papers: Pollution Detection and Management in BMC Artificial Intelligence! 🚨
🌍 Harness artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning to tackle environmental pollution. From environmental monitoring to predictive analytics and waste management—submit your innovative research!

Key topics include:
📍 AI applications in air quality monitoring
📍 Machine learning models for water quality assessment
📍 Deep learning for pollution source identification
📍 Environmental management through AI technologies
📍 Predictive analytics for pollution trend forecasting
📍 Real-time monitoring systems utilizing IoT and AI
📍 AI-driven strategies for waste management and recycling
📍 Spatial analysis of pollution data using machine learning
📍 Integration of satellite imagery and AI for environmental monitoring
📍 Development of decision support systems for policymakers
📍 Citizen science and AI in community-driven pollution monitoring
📍 Case studies showcasing successful AI implementations in pollution management

👨‍🔬 Guest Editor: Dr MD Galal Uddin, University of Galway, Ireland
📌 Deadline: August 27, 2026
⚡ Submit here: https://link.springer.com/collections/bcgifhefci

16/10/2025

Congratulations to the AquaCop team! Great achievement 👏

📍 Another full length journal paper from our Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland-funded project on "An exploitation of remote sensing CMS products for monitoring of​ transitional and coastal waters​".

📚This article presents an innovative and comprehensive review of remote sensing–based approaches for retrieving optically inactive water quality (WQ) indicators — a domain that has received limited attention compared to active WQ indicators. The study’s insights into the strengths and limitations of empirical, semi-empirical, and ML/AI-based models make it a valuable resource for advancing global, reliable, and cost-effective WQ monitoring 🌊. Its findings directly contribute to the achievement of UN SDG-6 💧 by promoting sustainable and data-driven water resource management. We are confident that the findings could be considered another masterpiece in this domain.

👏 This achievement would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of the project research team. Heartiest congratulations to our research team! Your hard work behind the scenes made this success a reality.

👉 For full details on the findings and insights, check out the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105259

University of Galway
EPA Ireland
Eco HydroInformatics Research Group - EHIRG

29/09/2025

📌 Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme
is now open to new entrants to a Master’s or PhD programme. If you are an enthusiastic applicant with a strong background in Civil/Environmental Engineering and related fields, we would be happy to support your application. Detailed information on the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is available here: https://www.researchireland.ie/funding/government-ireland-postgraduate/

💡 We’d love to hear your research ideas! Please contact us ([email protected]) and share your plans before submitting your application.

👉 Curious about our research? Head over to our website to explore our ongoing projects: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/ehirg/

The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme is an established national initiative, funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and managed by Research Ireland.

21/09/2025

🌍 Proud moment for the University of Galway! 🎓✨
The 2025 Stanford/Elsevier list of the World’s Top 2% Scientists has once again recognized outstanding researchers from our university across diverse fields including Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Biomedical Research, and Energy.
🌊 Celebrating Excellence at the University of Galway! 🌍✨
Two leading members of the EcoHydroInformatics Research Group (EHIRG),
🔹 Dr. Md Galal Uddin – Environmental Engineering
🔹 Dr. Agnieszka I. Olbert – Environmental Engineering
have been recognized in the prestigious 2025 Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists list for their outstanding global research impact.
📌 Dr. Md Galal Uddin (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=g6xaAOkAAAAJ&hl=en)
• Ranked in the top 64,516 scientists worldwide (Environmental Engineering).
• Pioneering work on water quality modelling, AI/ML integration, and development of indices (IEWQI, ATSI) to safeguard transitional and coastal waters.
📌 Dr. Agnieszka I. Olbert (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RdMmMFsAAAAJ&hl=en)
• Ranked in the top 64,516 scientists worldwide (Environmental Engineering).
• Expert in hydrodynamic & water quality modelling, flood forecasting, offshore renewables, and climate change impact studies, leading multiple national & EU projects.
Their recognition highlights the global influence of EHIRG’s cutting-edge research, bridging engineering, climate resilience, and marine ecosystem protection.

Details of the metric can be found at August 2025 data-update for "Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators" - Elsevier BV
👏 Congratulations to both for advancing science and strengthening Galway’s position on the world research map! We also express our sincere gratitude to our colleagues, funders and collaborators for their support and cooperation.

University of Galway