Three top researchers tell John Downes why they made the move to Ireland.

Professor Suzy Jarvis

Position: SFI research professor at Trinity College, Dublin.

Specialisation: Molecular research.

Moved from: Japan.

Why Ireland? "I like things that are new and exciting. There is a definite feeling that is the case in Ireland. People feel that the economy is doing well, it's an exciting place to be. However, coming from Japan was not economically as good a move - most of my team took a pay cut to come here. . . I will be interested to see what happens in the future. Research needs a steady supply over a long period of time. You have not been funding for long enough to see whether it is going to continue."

Professor Eugene Freuder

Position: Director, Cork Constraint Computation Centre at UCC. Science Foundation Ireland research professor.

Specialisation: Computer science/artificial intelligence.

Moved from: United States.

Why Ireland? "It was a wonderful combination of the SFI and UCC providing a generous funding opportunity to take my research to the next level. . . This was an exceptional opportunity to bring things to the next level. The university I was at (the University of New Hampshire) didn't have a big group of people in my field. There are a lot of people here I can talk to from all over the world. I brought my wife over and she's acclimatised well."

Ciaran Morrison, Ph.D

Position: Science Foundation Ireland investigator, Department of Biochemistry, NUI Galway.

Specialisation: The biology of cell-division.

Moved from: Scotland.

Why Ireland? "All my friends and family are in Ireland, and I have a couple of kids. It was a chance to come back and do appropriate scientific work. . . there was a very strong initiative in the specific research topic I work in. . . In terms of attitude and personnel, it is as good as anywhere in the world, although (Galway) perhaps suffers from being on the periphery a little. I have no complaints about the resources - I wouldn't have come back otherwise."