Prosperity. Happiness Works.

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have launched a new app that allows users to view the most recent NASA and European Space Agency images of the sun.
The web app, SolarMonitor.org, shows information such as how many sunspots are visible and if any flares have occurred on the sun.

Dr Peter Gallagher, solar physicist and former NASA employee, led the team from Trinity. He said the app has been getting 3,000 to 4,000 hits from around the world each day.
“We get everyone from secondary school students to professional astronomers using it. Also, those working on GPS systems want to know what’s going on in the sun. If there is an explosion it can affect their GPS systems.”
Gallagher said the team’s aim is to develop the app further as activity on the sun increases.
“Over the next year three years things are going to get active, with the sun at its most active in 2012 and 2013.”

Interaction12 will provide the perfect opportunity for jobseekers to network, according to Seamus Byrne, co-chair of the conference experience, and creative director, Graphic Mint.
From 1 to 4 February 2012, the conference will bring together business leaders, designers and researchers from around the world for presentations, workshops and social events.

Speakers include Dr Genevieve Bell, anthropologist and researcher, and Luke Williams, author, professor and fellow at Frog Design.
Two recruiting events will take place during the conference which will be held at The Convention Centre Dublin.
“The whole theme of the conference is building bridges and connecting people in Europe with other parts of the world. There will be a lot of stuff happening both on and off line and on Twitter,” says Byrne.
Tickets for the full conference are almost sold out but the organisers have just released day passes which will be of interest to locals. You can also sign up for workshops, which will take place at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology.

OpenJaw Technologies is hiring in Ireland. The firm, which delivers online retail technology and services to the global travel industry, is to create 45 new jobs over the next two years.

In the meantime it is investing €3.3 million into its research and development programme.
The new ‘high-value’ jobs will be created mostly in sales, engineering, development and product management. They’ll be based across the firm’s Dublin operation and at its regional office in Galway.
OpenJaw is headquartered in Dublin but has offices in Galway, Madrid, Frankfurt and Dallas.
The new jobs will bring the total number of people employed by the firm to 169, 151 of whom will be employed in Ireland.
OpenJaw’s customers include airlines, online travel agencies and hotel chains.
Kieron Branagan, CEO, OpenJaw Technologies, said the firm sees great opportunities for ongoing growth.
“Our growth strategy is aimed clearly on greater penetration of the global travel market.”

Dublin Web Summit (DWS) is set to bring Ireland’s top tech entrepreneurs together with developers, designers, investors, mentors and tech executives, in a new series of events.
The first Start Summit kicks off on 15 February in the Odeon on Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.

Organisers expect about 300 people to attend the invitation-only event.
It provides a great opportunity for entrepreneurs, investors and their friends to network, according to Paddy Cosgrave, DWS organiser.
“It also provides a chance for a number of Irish start ups to speak and exhibit. For those hiring or looking to get hired there’ll be opportunities too,” he said.
Cosgrave hopes the summit will become a regular part of the DWS calendar of events.
“This is a great opportunity for companies to show off their latest product developments and for investors to see the great talent we have here.
“Dublin is clearly buzzing when it comes to tech and we want to meet that demand.”