EGA Distinguished Graduate Award Ceremony 2018
This year's ceremony took place on Thursday 6th September 2018 at 6:30pm in the Minerva Suite, RDS (The Royal Dublin Society). Every year, the EGA presents Distinguished Graduate Award to a UCD Engineering graduate in recognition of the achievement and outstanding contribution they have made to society. This event is now one of the highlights of the Engineering Graduates Association’s yearly calendar and the practice of awarding an Annual Distinguished Graduate Award commenced in 2002.
The EGA President, Mr John Power, was delighted this year to present the 2018 Distinguished Graduate Award to Professor Eileen Harkin-Jones, UCD Engineering Class of 1983 and Bombardier Aerospace Royal Academy of Engineering Professor at the Ulster University.
Professor Eileen Harkin-Jones; 2018 EGA Distinguished Graduate Awardee:
Professor Harkin-Jones received her first-class honours in Mechanical Engineering from UCD in 1983 and went on to complete her PhD at Queens University Belfast. Prior to joining the world of academia, she worked in the plastics industry as a Research and Development Engineer. In 1993, Professor Harkin-Jones was appointed lecturer at Queens University and in 1999 went on to not only become the first women ever to be appointed as an Engineering Professor in Ireland, but subsequently sat as Chair of Women in Science and Engineering in Northern Ireland.
She is heavily involved in the promotion of gender equality in STEM at an international, national and local level and is the Athena SWAN Coordinator for the Ulster University School of Engineering. Recognising the impact she was making on the Engineering Sector, the Royal Academy of Engineering made Eileen a Fellow in 2011- a huge and pretty unique achievement - and that was followed by a richly deserved OBE for services to higher education in 2013. Professor Harkin-Jones currently leads the Advanced Future Materials and Manufacturing Research Group at Ulster University. Having been involved in plastics processing and materials research for over 20 years and published over 150 papers in this area, she is a renowned expert in this field. Professor Harkin-Jones has experience in optimizing processes for new materials, developing new thermoplastic composite and nanocomposite materials and in sustainable manufacturing of polymers and composites. She has extensive experience of technology transfer to the plastics industry, winning two national awards for excellence in this regard. She was appointed to the All-Party Parliamentary Manufacturing Group in December 2014 and is currently the Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering Materials & Mining membership committee.
Details of previous awardees are available on our website including photos from last year's event.
Many thanks to those who attended on the evening and congratulations again to the highly deserving awardee, Professor Eileen Harkin-Jones.
Celebrating 35 Years
This year also marks the 35th Anniversary of the formation of the UCD Engineering Graduates Association.
Established in 1983 with Thomas P.Hardiman elected as first President, the EGA still holds strong to its core value and aims, as originally set out in 1983:
- The provision of a networking forum for Engineering graduates;
- Promoting their interest and fostering links between industry and UCD through placements and research
- Supporting our Engineering undergraduates
- Helping to raise the profile and standing of UCD Engineering
Mr John Power, EGA President was delighted to welcome those present and had the following words to say:
'The world and Ireland have changed enormously over the past thirty-five years and the Engineering profession has changed along with it – indeed our profession has probably contributed more to change for the good of mankind than any other profession and when grouped with the combined efforts of the Medical and Engineering professions working together, there is no doubting the impact for good made by Engineers during these years. As an Association committed to supporting and assisting our graduates, the EGA has managed to travel this journey with you and watch as you have helped to drive economic and sustainable development through enterprise, research and innovation. We have been most fortunate to have had twelve Presidents of the EGA before me, each of whom played a significant role in the promotion of the interests of our Engineering graduates, both nationally and internationally, throughout the now hugely expanded Engineering profession.'
The EGA President closed by thanking the EGA past Presidents for their work and asked the current Dean of UCD Engineering and Principal of the College of Engineering and Architecture, Prof. David FitzPatrick, to present the past Presidents with a commemorative gift, to mark the occasion of our 35th Anniversary.