Trinity STEM researchers win SFI awards
Posted on: 15 November 2016
Trinity College Dublin's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) researchers won two awards celebrating their impact and contribution at the annual Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Science Summit. Additionally, Trinity was affiliated with a further award for developing an outstanding link between research and industry.
Trinity researchers and affiliated research thus won three of the seven awards at an event that brings together over 400 leading members of the Irish research community.
Research Professor Valeria Nicolosi, who is based in AMBER, the SFI-funded materials science centre based in Trinity, won the SFI Early Career Researcher of the Year Award. Professor Nicolosi has brought in funding of approximately €12 million to Trinity in the past five years. Dr Martin O'Halloran, National University of Ireland Galway, was the joint-recipient of this year' award.
Research Assistant Professor in Psychology at Trinity, Dr Sabina Brennan, won the SFI Outstanding Contribution to Science Communication Award. Dr Brennan was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the popularisation of science, having raised public awareness of the value of science to human progress.
Her projects raise awareness about the importance of brain health and dementia risk reduction which covers many aspects of science and human behaviour. Dr Brennan’s animated films have been viewed in 140 countries and have been translated into 15 languages, (e.g. Arabic, Punjabi, Somali, Urdu, French, German, Sign Language.
Successful in the SFI Industry Partnership Award category were AMBER and Merck, recognised for forging an outstanding link between a research group and an industry body.
Congratulating the award winners, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government of Ireland, Professor Mark Ferguson said, “Science Foundation Ireland is delighted to recognise and honour the excellent work and achievements of Irish scientific researchers in a number of fields. 2016 marks the addition of five new awards recognising crucial areas of research and development including: industry collaborations, entrepreneurship, communication, public engagement and outstanding early career researchers. I want to congratulate the award winners on their hard work and accomplishments. I hope their success will be a source of inspiration to others.”