Trinity researchers scooped four out of eight awards at the annual Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Science Summit, held last night at the Ballsbridge Hotel. The awards marked the beginning of Science Week, a campaign organised by SFI.
Professor John Boland, chemistry professor and Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research (AMBER) principal investigator, won SFI Researcher of the Year. The award recognises a researcher who has contributed significantly to the Irish research community. His research involves the electrical and mechanical properties of nanoscale materials. Earlier this year, Prof. Boland received an outstanding researcher award from the Intel Corporate Research Council.
Professor Tomás Ryan, assistant professor at the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, won SFI Early Career Researcher of the year recognising his outstanding research talent. Prof. Ryan investigates the basic neuroscience of memory storage using a multi-disciplinary approach. He was also one of the principal organisers of the Schrödinger at 75 conference, held earlier this year
Dr. John O’Donoghue of the School of Chemistry won the SFI Outstanding Contribution to STEM Communication award. The award recognises the recipient’s work on the popularisation of science and their efforts on raising public awareness. Dr. O’Donoghue is a chemistry education coordinator at Trinity and is one of the pioneers of the Spectroscopy in a Suitcase programme, which showcases real-world applications of chemistry to schools all over the country. Dr. O’Donoghue shared the award with Dr. Niamh Shaw of the Blackrock Castle Observatory and Cork Institute of Technology.
Professor Jane Farrar of the School of Genetics and Microbiology won the SFI Best Reported Impact Award, which recognises the impact of an SFI researcher. Her current research interests shed light on the molecular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Prof. Farrar shared the award with RCSI’s Professor Gianpiero Cavalleri.
