(Pictured Left to Right: Vice Provost, Prof. Orla Sheils, Prof. Alan O'Connor, Provost Dr Linda Doyle, Dean of Faculty of STEM, Prof. Sylvia Draper)

On Wednesday 3rd April 2025, Professor Alan O’Connor, Chair of Structural Engineering and Head of the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin, delivered his inaugural lecture entitled “Spanning the Void: The Trials and Triumphs of a Bridge Engineer.” The event took place in the historic surroundings of Trinity’s campus and was attended by over 100 guests, including Professor O’Connor’s family, friends, colleagues, students and invited stakeholders. 

This ceremonial occasion marked a major career milestone for Professor O’Connor, celebrating his promotion to full Professor - an achievement honoured through Trinity’s long-standing tradition of inaugural lectures. These lectures offer a newly appointed Professor an opportunity to reflect on their research, teaching, and public engagement journey in front of a wide-ranging audience. The event saw Professor O’Connor and the platform party don academic robes, emphasising the moment’s significance within the University’s calendar. 

Spanning the Void: The Trials and Triumphs of a Bridge Engineer

An excerpt of Prof. O'Connor's Lecture:

The life of a bridge engineer is one of constant challenge and innovation. From designing signature structures—such as floating and opening bridges—to modelling extreme loads, calibrating load probabilities, and performing probabilistic assessments, each project presents unique complexities. Engineers must balance resilience, risk, and lifecycle optimisation to enhance sustainability while refining design codes and adapting to evolving demands. This lecture explores the trials and tribulations of the profession, reflecting on past achievements and ongoing challenges. Finally, it looks ahead to the future of bridge engineering, where advancements in materials, digital modelling, and climate resilience will redefine the field.

The lecture also served as a fitting moment to acknowledge Professor O’Connor’s outstanding three-year tenure as Head of the School of Engineering, which concludes later this year. His leadership has been pivotal in advancing the School’s mission, enhancing academic excellence and inclusivity, and fostering a strong sense of community among staff and students alike. 

A Chartered Engineer (CEng), Fellow of Engineers Ireland (FIEI), and Fellow of Trinity College Dublin (FTCD), Professor O’Connor is globally recognised for his research in infrastructure risk, asset performance, and structural resilience. He has advised agencies including Irish Rail, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and the World Bank, and leads a prolific research group at Trinity that has produced more than 350 academic papers. 

During his term as Head of School, Professor O’Connor oversaw the successful completion of the School’s Quality Review, supported excellence in teaching and research output across its three disciplines: Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering; Electronic and Electrical Engineering; and Mechanical, Manufacturing and Biomedical Engineering - and led the School to the prestigious Athena Swan Bronze Award in recognition of its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Admired for his intelligence, humour, humility and compassion, Professor O’Connor leaves an enduring legacy as Head of School. His vision and dedication have helped position the School as one of the largest, most dynamic, and most forward-thinking in Trinity College Dublin. 

The School of Engineering extends its warmest congratulations to Professor O’Connor on his inaugural lecture and offers sincere thanks for his exemplary leadership over the past three years.