This International Women’s Day, ADAPT is spotlighting researchers whose work reflects the 2026 #GiveToGain theme in action. Among them is Dr Esther Murphy (School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin), founder of DigiAcademy Technology, an award-winning initiative transforming digital inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. DigiAcademy Technology is a Trinity College Dublin campus company, supported by Enterprise Ireland, delivering innovative, co-designed digital skills learning.
Esther is also the Principal Investigator on the HEA Performance Funding 2025 programme, working with Education and Training Boards to scale DigiAcademy over three years, with the goal of achieving national accreditation for accessible digital skills learning. The programme delivers digital literacy, financial literacy, and transferable skills, unlocking talent, enhancing education opportunities, and supporting pathways into employment.
Image: Dr Esther Murphy commended at the TCD Researcher of the Year awards, 2024.
Founded with the ethos “Nothing about us without us,” DigiAcademy was co-designed with and for its community, giving participants a platform to shine and showcase their strengths. Through partnerships across education, industry, and community organisations, the initiative exemplifies shared value and mutual empowerment.
Commended by the European Commission as a best-practice model, DigiAcademy challenges conventional approaches to accessible education. The programme equips members of its Citizen Advisory Panel (CAP) with training and coaching to become educators themselves. CAP members deliver short, practical video tutorials on digital topics identified through community focus groups, creating a model rooted in deep co-creation and capability-building.
In recognition of this work, Esther was Highly Commended in the Impact Award category at the 2024 Researcher of the Year (IRC Legacy) Awards, and DigiAcademy won the Social Impact Award at the Association & Institute Awards, highlighting the platform’s role in advancing AI literacy and inclusive digital education through co-designed learning experiences.
Image: Dr Esther Murphy & Shalom Pagidipally (Lead Software Engineer)
At the core of Esther’s work is a commitment to inclusive research and leadership. Through paid expert roles for CAP members, mentoring, internships, and collaborative teamwork, she fosters curiosity, confidence, and ambition, creating a positive ripple effect across communities and inspiring others to adopt inclusive practices in research, education, and innovation.
As ADAPT marks International Women’s Day under the banner of #GiveToGain, Esther’s work demonstrates how inclusive design and co-creation can unlock talent, strengthen communities, and reshape how research engages with society.
Also involved in the team:
Image: DigiAcademy team members and supporters pictured for European Commission Year of Digital Skills Inclusion Category Award
