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Dr. Ciaran Mc Goldrick

Associate Professor (Computer Science)
LLOYD INSTITUTE
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Ciaran Mc Goldrick

Associate Professor (Computer Science)
LLOYD INSTITUTE

 Ciaran.McGoldrick@tcd.ie

 3531896 3626


Professor Ciaran Mc Goldrick is an Associate Professor in the School of Computer Science and Statistics at Trinity College Dublin. His research asks how information, and in particular the meaning in data and information, can be effectively represented, secured, searched and optimised in challenging environments and constrained systems. His sustained scholastic agenda spans peer-to-peer and wireless networking, cryptography, signal processing, STEM education and quantum information science. Professor Mc Goldrick's recent work achieves deterministic and exact approaches to quantum search, including work on recursive Hilbert-space decomposition currently under review at ACM Transactions on Quantum Computing. Earlier work includes new and unique formulations and constructions in secure and homomorphic information systems, in autonomous and sensor-networked infrastructure, and through research-led educational innovation. He has led and contributed to European-funded research, was recognised as one of Ireland"s Champions of EU Research, and has held a Visiting Professorship at UCLA. Professor McGoldrick is an elected Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and currently serves as Secretary to the Fellows and on the Central Fellowship Committee. He is also active in European Commission research-evaluation activity, curriculum and standards work, postgraduate supervision, and the development of scalable and quantum-informed computing education. His work is characterised by a career long emphasis on original technical questions, rigorous verification, open scholarship and the translation of research into educational, institutional and practical consequence.
  ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE   autonomous vehicles   Communication Sciences   Communication Systems   Communications engineering   Computational mathematics, discrete mathematics   Computer Engineering   Computer Hardware   Computer Science   Computer Simulation/Modeling   Computer Software   Computer Vision   Computer vision and robotics   Computer/Data/Network Security   Control Applications (Computer Sciences)   Control Theory (Computer Sciences)   Cryptography   Cryptography and coding theory   Cryptology   Data protection, storage technology, cryptography   Distributed systems   Electrical Engineering   Electronic commerce,Payment, Signature   Gateways   Harmonic Analysis, Wavelets   Image Processing   Imaging and Computer Vision   Imaging, image processing   Information Technology   Information/Communication Systems   Internet technologies   Local Area Networks   Location Based Services   Microelectronics   MOBILE   Mobile Applications   MOBILE COMMUNICATION   Mobile Communications   Mobile Computing   Mobile Networks   Mobile Positioning   MOBILE RADIO   MOBILE RADIO SYSTEMS   MOBILE-RADIO   Network Positioning   Network technology, Security   Networking   Networks and telecommunications research   OPTIMISATION   Pattern Recognition   Quantum Physics   Quantum technology   Queuing   Satellite, Technology, Systems, Positioning, Communication   Signal Analysis   Signal processing   Software Engineering   Surveillance Systems   Telecommunication Engineering   Telecommunications   Telecommunications Policy   Telecommunications Research   Wireless Communication Systems   Wireless Sensor Networks   Wireless systems, Radio technology
Project Title
 ICONN
From
01/10/2015
To
30/09/2019
Summary
ICONN is a unique European Industrial Doctorate initiative to meet the current and future demand for highly skilled offshore wind and wave energy engineers by developing and advancing European capacity in the design, development and performance optimisation for Offshore Wind and Wave Energy installations. The initiative is strongly shaped by active participation from industries, and will develop and enhance European capacity in the offshore renewable energy area at a critical juncture in time when Europe strives to occupy a lead market position globally in this sector. The ICONN EID will i) provide state-of-the art training to Early Stage Researchers jointly with industries in the scientific and engineering disciplines of power take-off (PTO) and structural control, wave mechanics and hydrodynamics, CFD, sensing and system identification; ii) advance expertise, and research capacity, in the techno-economic-environmental factors that impact on the reliability and operational efficiency of offshore renewable energy installations; iii) instil business, management, entrepreneurship and innovation skills pertaining to offshore wind and combined wind-wave energy sector to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation; iv) promote clearly defined scientific dissemination, public outreach and commercialisation/IP agendas. The three scientific work packages, which scaffold the individual research activities, progress from addressing specific challenges and capability deficiencies that impede the effective and efficient deployment of offshore wind and wave infrastructures (floating systems and optimisation of power take-off (PTO) ) through to activities that seek to create, and innovate in, new control algorithms and in operational efficiency domain (fatigue control, new algorithms for control of PTO).
Funding Agency
European Commission
Programme
Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks
Project Type
European Industrial Doctorate
Project Title
 SYSWind
From
2009
To
2013
Summary
Training future mechanical, civil, electronic engineers and computer scientists in SYStem Identification, Condition & Health Monitoring for a New Generation of WIND Turbines. www.syswind.eu
Funding Agency
Euopean Commission
Programme
Seventh Framework Programme
Project Type
Marie Curie Initial Training network
Person Months
60
Project Title
 TinyTorrents - An efficient, scalable, robust, co-operative infrastructure providing global accessibility to local wireless sensornet information
From
01/09/2006
To
31/08/2009
Summary
Wireless sensor functionality is predominantly constrained by sensor size and battery life considerations. Existing sensornet frameworks e.g. Deluge, are designed for specific purposes, such as sensor code update. TinyTorrents proposes a unique architectural platform which makes sensor data promptly, transparently and globally available using trackerless, co-operative Peer to Peer concepts. A key element of TinyTorrents will be the modelling and integration of wireless Quality of Service Active Queue Management functionality together with accurate power consumption and transmission characterisation. Sensors will be able to request prioritisation for "important" data subject to prevailing framework constraints.
Funding Agency
Science Foundation Ireland
Programme
Research Frontiers Programme
Project Type
Basic Research
Person Months
5
Project Title
 Wireless Active Queue Management: A Robust, Scalable Approach using Control Theory.
From
01/09/2006
To
31/08/2009
Summary
Active Queue Management (AQM) techniques have been successfully incorporated into existing Internet routers to signal dynamically congestion to sources on fixed networks. The increasing proliferation of mobile devices has created a growing awareness of the need for wireless AQM schemes. However, wireless links have intrinsic characteristics that invalidate the underlying assumptions of fixed infrastructure AQM. This project proposes to advance the theoretical understanding of the fundamental issues involved in wireless AQM. This knowledge will then be used to design and implement new, highly efficient Active Queue Management schemes for the wireless environment.
Funding Agency
Science Foundation Ireland
Programme
Research Frontiers Programme
Project Type
Basic Research
Person Months
3

Details Date
Co-Chair : Horizon Europe. MSCA-DN Programme. STEM panel. 2023-present
Multiple recurrent external expertise roles and representations. Vice Chair, Auditor, Approver, Evaluator : European Commission Horizon Europe ITN, PF, HADEA, RIA programmes, including call definition, award, funding and validation. 2020-present
Conference Committee Roles e.g. Frontiers in Education, Mobile AD-Hoc and Sensor Networks, DAMAS 2015
External Expert Certifier, QQI/HETAC. New degree and graduate programmes in DBS, NCI, IT Carlow, etc. 2008-2015
External Examiner, Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering, IT Sligo 2004-2007
Interview Panels - TCD, UCD, MU, ITS 2009-2024
DAMAS Conference, Local Chair 2013
General Chair, Greener Conference 2019
IEEE/ACM/AAAI task force to revise and update Computer Science curricula internationally(CS202x project) 2021
Multiple recurrent external expertise roles and representations. Vice Chair, Auditor, Approver, Evaluator : European Commission H2020-MSCA-ITN, PF, HADEA, RIA programmes, including call definition, award, funding and validation 2015-2023
External Expert. Hetac Panel of Expert Evaluators - MSc programmes. 2011-2016
Invited External Expert, QQI. Definition of National Common Award Standards in IT 2013-2016
PhD External Examiner - Ireland and UK 2014
International Expert Reviewer - including funding bodies in Ireland, Belgium, Slovakia, USA, Canada. 2006-2024
Session Chair - WONS 2017
Select peer reviewing for key, impactful conferences and journals, e.g. IEEE Communications Letters, ACM SIGCSE, Elsevier Computer Communications, IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, Elsevier Computer Networks, Elsevier AdHoc Networks, IEEE Frontiers in Education, ACM Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education 2002
Steering Committee, IEEE Ireland. Co-founder 2013
Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Medium Medium Basic
Irish Fluent Medium Medium
Details Date From Date To
Member: Engineers Ireland/Institution of Engineers of Ireland (IEI) 1992 Present
Senior Member: Association for Computing Machinery (SMACM) - Member from 1998 2004 Present
Senior Member: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE) - Member from 1992 2002 Present
International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR) 2015 2022
John Burke, Ciaran Mc Goldrick, Exact and Optimal Recursive Quantum Search via Hilbert-Space Decomposition, arXiv, quant-ph, 2026, p1-28 , Notes: [under review at ACM *Transactions on Quantum Computing*, TQC-2026-0181. DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2608.23002], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
John Burke, Ciaran Mc Goldrick, Quantum Search without Global Diffusion, arXiv, quant-ph, 2026, p1-25 , Notes: [under review at *Quantum*. Code: https://github.com/JohnBurke4/Quantum_Search_Without_Global_Diffusion], Journal Article, PUBLISHED
John Burke and Ciaran Mc Goldrick, Deterministic Quantum Search via Recursive Oracle Expansion, Quantum Physics arXiv, 2025, Notes: [https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.15797], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
John Burke, Biswajit Basu, Ciaran Mc Goldrick, Reduced Gate Count for Quantum State Preparation of 2D Data, IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE), Bellevue, WA, USA, 17-22 September 2023, 2, IEEE, 2023, Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1109/QCE57702.2023.10274], Conference Paper, PUBLISHED  DOI
Materials Research Proceedings:Floating Offshore Energy Devices GREENER, 20, (2022), Ciarán Mc Goldrick, Meriel Huggard, Biswajit Basu, [eds.], Journal, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Ciaran McGoldrick, Meriel Huggard, Reconfigurable context reactive blended networking and communication courses, ACM SIGCOMMEDU Workshop, Online, August , 2020, pp1-4 , Conference Paper, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text
Additively Homomorphic IBE from Higher Residuosity in, 2019, pp496-515 , [Clear, M. and McGoldrick, C.], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED  DOI
Clear, Michael and Mc Goldrick, Ciaran, 'A Note on Attribute-Based Group Homomorphic Encryption', 2019, - 1-18, Notes: [https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/752.pdf], Protocol or guideline, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text
Joy, Josh and Gray, Dylan and Mc Goldrick, Ciaran and Gerla, Mario, 'XYZ Privacy', 2018, - 1-17, Notes: [https://arxiv.org/abs/1710.03322 v5 21/2/2018], Digital research resource production, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text
Joy, Joshua; Grey, Dylan; Mc Goldrick, Ciaran; Gerla, Mario, K Privacy: Towards improving privacy strength while preserving utility, Ad Hoc Networks, 80, (11), 2018, p16 - 30, Notes: [Elsevier], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
  

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Sean Rowan, Michael Clear, Mario Gerla, Meriel Huggard, Ciarán Mc Goldrick, Securing vehicle to vehicle communications using blockchain through visible light and acoustic side-channels, 2017, Notes: [Publication date 2017/4/9 Journal arXiv preprint arXiv:1704.02553], Working Paper, PUBLISHED
Meriel Huggard, Sensor Research, US-Ireland F&D Partnership - Sensor Workshop, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin, 20-21 February 2007, 2007, Poster, PUBLISHED
Meriel Huggard, Ciaran Mc Goldrick, Avoiding Technology Trauma: Interrelated Initiatives at TCD , Second Irish Universities Quality Board Conference, Galway, Ireland, 6 - 7 Feb. 2004, 2004, Poster, PUBLISHED

  


Award Date
One of "Ireland's Champions of EU Research" - for outstanding leadership in Horizon 2020 programme definition, award and management June 2017
Invited Visiting Professor (University of California Los Angeles) - global top-10 university and CS department (QS/THE) at the time 2015-2017
External Expert Certifier, QQI/HETAC " new degree and graduate programme accreditation 2008-2015
Nominated, Trinity Excellence in Teaching Award 2020
Elected Fellow of Trinity College Dublin - on independent, external international assessment of longitudinal research distinction ("consequence and impact") 2023
Invited Irish Nominator for VinFuture Awards - Vietnam's international science and technology prize recognising breakthrough research and innovations that improve lives worldwide 2025
My research asks one question, pursued since my doctorate: how can information be represented, secured and searched with maximum fidelity under the tightest constraints of scale and physical resource. I established its mathematical foundations in 1998, in a doctorate on image coding using the Singular Value Decomposition and vector quantisation. That PhD thesis fixed my conviction, sustained since across three research generations, that the meaning and fidelity of information determines everything a system can subsequently compute, secure or optimise. In networking, I originated some of the first scalable peer-to-peer protocols for autonomous vehicular and IoT communication, more than a decade before decentralised networking became a mainstream priority. Our open-source realisations remain in international use, including an energy model still downloaded and cited fifteen years on. In cryptography, I conceived multi-identity, multi-key homomorphic encryption years before the field recognised encrypted-data computation as foundational. CRYPTO 2015's Programme Chair called the work "the most significant work in its field in the year". Since 2023 I have developed a third, wholly original generation of this programme in quantum information science. This is wholly distinct from the common device- and optical-networking-led quantum activity, since my locus is search, optimisation and the meaning and fidelity of the information itself. In August 2026 I established the first exact and deterministic treatment of recursive quantum search, built from nested reflection operators rather than the amplitude-amplification hierarchies the field has relied on since Grover. This recovers exactly the spatial-search bounds Aaronson and Ambainis postulated in 2003 and left unresolved for two decades, and drew direct engagement from Professor Aaronson within ninety minutes of publishing on Arxiv. I am now "closing the loop" and extending these approaches to the fundamental transforms of classical information science - the Singular Value Decomposition, the Karhunen-Loève Transform and the Discrete Cosine Transform - to establish their first natively quantum analogues: the direct continuation, twenty-eight years on, of the question my doctorate first posed.