Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry officially opens at Trinity College Dublin - Engineering

Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry officially opens at Trinity

The School of Engineering joined colleagues from across Trinity last week to celebrate the official opening of the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry, a landmark new facility at the heart of the University's E3 initiative. The new six-storey building brings together teaching and learning across the Schools of Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Computer Science and Statistics, creating a shared space for interdisciplinary education centred on Engineering, Environment and Emerging Technologies

02 Nov 2026

The opening event welcomed representatives from across academia, industry, public life, and the philanthropic community whose support helped make the project possible. The occasion also provided an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary contribution of Dr Martin Naughton (1939-2026), whose vision and generosity played a central role in bringing the Learning Foundry to life.

For the School of Engineering, the event was also a celebration of student achievement and innovation.

Throughout the afternoon, visitors met student-led teams showcasing the breadth of engineering activity taking place across Trinity. Representatives from TF Wind, Formula Trinity, and EirSpace engaged with guests, donors and supporters, sharing the work behind their projects and demonstrating how students are applying their knowledge to real-world challenges.

Members of the TF wind team at their stand

Members from TF Wind at the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry Opening Event

an image of Formula Trinity at the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry Opening Event

Formula Trinity at the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry Opening Event

Eirspace team at the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry Opening Event

Lily K. Hayes-Nally, Head of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) at Eirspace speaking with Philanthropist Eric Kinsella

The event also featured an Innovation Sprint organised by Gordon O'Brien, Chief Technical Officer in the Discipline of Mechanical, Manufacturing & Biomedical Engineering. The Sprint gave visitors an opportunity to experience the collaborative, project-based approach that sits at the heart of the Learning Foundry, offering a glimpse into the type of work students will undertake within the building for years to come. Congratulations to the winning team Formula Trinity: Ben Cullen, Eric Siedlarz, Patryk Cwik, Tim Murphy.

An image of the Innovation Sprint Winners and Judges at the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry opening event

Judges and winners from the Innovation Sprint at the opening event

The Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry provides capacity for an additional 1,800 STEM student places and has been designed around collaborative, project-based learning, allowing students to move beyond traditional classroom settings to design, test and develop solutions to complex challenges.

The School of Engineering would like to thank everyone who contributed to this ambitious project, including Trinity colleagues, industry partners, donors and supporters. We extend particular thanks to the Naughton Family, whose commitment to education, research and opportunity will continue to benefit generations of students.

As students, staff and researchers continue to make use of the new facilities, the Learning Foundry stands as a shared home for E3 and a place where future engineers, scientists and computer scientists can learn, collaborate and create together.

What the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry Means to us

Hear from students and the Heads of School behind E3 as they reflect on what the Martin Naughton E3 Learning Foundry means for learning, collaboration and discovery at Trinity. Featuring Prof Anil Kokaram (Engineering), Prof Matthew Saunders (Natural Sciences) and Prof Gregory O'Hare (Computer Science & Statistics) as they discuss the role of E3 in bringing disciplines together.