Biomedical Communicator | Translating clinical and biomedical research across surgical and medical disciplines
University Hospital Limerick, Limerick
University of Limerick
SOH.ISRS.ie is the official website for the Sylvester O’Halloran Perioperative Symposium, a national, three‑day academic conference organised for the University of Limerick, the Department of Surgery, and the Professor of Surgery, in collaboration with the Irish Surgical Research Society. I led the end‑to‑end design, development, and technical delivery of the website and play an active role in the operational running of the symposium itself. The website was conceived not just as an information platform, but as a core operational system supporting the full lifecycle of the event, from abstract submission and registration through to post‑event certification and reporting.
The platform is built on WordPress, configured as a structured content management system rather than a traditional blog. Custom page hierarchies, reusable templates, and modular content patterns were designed to support annual reuse, evolving programme requirements, and long‑term institutional archiving. To support administrative and academic workflows, the site integrates Google Drive and Google Sheets. This hybrid architecture allows structured data to be captured via the website and processed collaboratively using secure cloud-based tools, while keeping the public-facing system performant, stable, and secure.
The symposium programme spans multiple surgical and perioperative specialties across parallel session tracks, including oral presentations, digital posters, video sessions, masterclasses, and named lectures. I designed a robust information architecture organising content by date, specialty, and presentation format. Consistent layouts and naming conventions reduce cognitive load for users and simplify administrative updates. The structure supports both live delivery and long‑term access, allowing previous symposium years to remain available while new content is introduced.
The website facilitates online abstract submission, online registration (including student-specific pathways), submission of oral presentation files and digital posters, and structured collection of disclosures and supporting documentation. Submission and registration data is routed into Google Sheets, where it is reviewed, filtered, assigned, and processed by the organising committee. This data directly informs programme scheduling, reviewer allocation, judging workflows, room planning, and session logistics. Because I am deeply involved in the operational delivery of the event, these workflows were designed around real administrative needs, significantly reducing manual handling and allowing the organising team to focus on academic quality and event delivery.
Following the live event, the structured data collected via the website is used to issue CPD certificates to attendees, generate certificates of presentation for oral and poster presenters, produce invoices and receipts for registrations and sponsorships, and support post‑event reporting and archival for the University of Limerick. This end to end data lifecycle ensures continuity from submission through to certification, demonstrating how the website underpins both academic recognition and administrative accountability.
In addition to academic workflows, I work closely with industry sponsors to ensure they receive maximum value from their involvement in the symposium. The website supports sponsor visibility through structured online presence, including listings, branding, and programme integration. This digital presence is aligned with in person sponsorship activities during the event itself, ensuring consistency between online promotion and on site engagement. My role spans both the technical delivery and the practical coordination of sponsor requirements, balancing institutional standards with commercial expectations.
Security and compliance are core to the system design. WordPress is configured using best practice security measures, including controlled user permissions and restricted administrative access. Sensitive data handling is intentionally segregated from the public site, relying on secure Google Workspace tools where appropriate. GDPR compliant privacy notices, photography and filming policies, and conflict of interest disclosures are built into the platform, ensuring alignment with university governance and healthcare regulatory standards.
All visual assets, icons, imagery, and FAQ content were created specifically for this project. The design maintains a professional, academic aesthetic suited to a university led surgical symposium while prioritising clarity and accessibility. The site is fully responsive and optimised for use across devices, supporting clinicians, researchers, and students who often access content under time pressure.
SOH.ISRS.ie is a production grade operational system, not merely a marketing website. It supports the full lifecycle of a national academic conference, from submission and registration through live delivery, certification, financial processing, and archival. The project demonstrates my ability to design and deliver secure, workflow driven digital systems, integrate cloud platforms, manage complex datasets, and align technical solutions with real world academic and institutional needs, particularly within higher education and healthcare environments.
