Coding theory is a major component of Applied Algebra. It has many applications in the mathematics of communications and has many links with other scientific disciplines, such as electrical engineering and computer science. Coding theory arises in almost every imaginable digital communications and storage system. In UCD, it is taught at the undergraduate level in the module MATH30180 An Introduction to Coding Theory.
Initiative
GENIE – GENerative Intelligence in Engineering: building critical and ethical GenAI capacity in Civil Engineering
About this initiative
GENIE aims to build critical and ethical GenAI capacity across the School’s Civil and Structural Engineering programmes, reaching approximately 120 students in target pilot modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It does so by redesigning teaching, assessment and guidance so that both students and staff use GenAI in ways that support deep learning and uphold professional standards.
The project delivers three main outputs:
- An evidence-based project report mapping where GenAI is useful or risky across pilot modules, documenting the redesigned activities and assessments, and summarising what changed for students and staff, with particular attention to staff confidence and practice.
- A structured case study that other programmes can adopt, with examples of activities, assessment wording, student guidance and staff training approaches, released as open educational resources under a Creative Commons licence.
- Peer-reviewed publications targeting journals and conference proceedings in engineering education, sharing lessons with the wider community.
For students, the concrete outcomes are clarity, confidence and transferable capability. In each pilot module, students will receive explicit guidance on when and how GenAI may be used and how its use must be acknowledged. Through assessed tasks that require them to interrogate, verify and critically evaluate GenAI outputs, they will develop the ability to exercise independent engineering judgement when AI is in the loop, articulate the limitations of GenAI outputs in technical contexts, and discuss responsible AI use in professional settings such as work placements and graduate employment. These are the capabilities that Engineers Ireland’s accreditation framework is actively examining in the context of AI, as evidenced by its 2026 assessor training programme, and that employers in the sector are beginning to expect.
| Project Leads | Associate Professor Arturo González & Associate Professor Daniel McCrum |
|---|---|
| College | UCD College of Engineering and Architecture |
| School | UCD School of Civil Engineering |
Lead organisations
Affiliated organisations
Linked open educational resources
Contributors
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