'History Made’ - EIRSAT-1 wins 2024 UCD Research Impact Competition
23 January 2025
Dr David Murphy, a post-doctoral researcher in the UCD Space Science group, and Professor Lorraine Hanlon, Director of UCD Centre for Space Research and Professor of Astronomy at UCD School of Physics Credit: Vincent Hoban
EIRSAT-1 has won the 2024 UCD Research Impact Case Study Competition for securing UCD’s place in Ireland’s space history.
Detailing the historic achievement of building, launching and operating Ireland’s first satellite, this year’s winning case study ‘Ireland’s first satellite: transforming the national space landscape with the launch of EIRSAT-1’ was led by (opens in a new window)Professor Lorraine Hanlon, Director of UCD Centre for Space Research and Professor of Astronomy at UCD School of Physics.
The result of more than a decade of research at the University, EIRSAT-1 was designed, built, and tested at UCD, under guidance of the European Space Agency (ESA), and its development led to a clean-room, mission control centre and satellite test facilities at UCD that will benefit future space research and education.
The project introduced space systems engineering and skills not previously seen across any Irish industry or academia and helped lead to the country’s largest space investment of €7.9m in a UCD-led space project seeking to expand Ireland’s emerging space industry.
The EIRSAT-1 team alongside lead Professor Lorraine Hanlon and UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact, Professor Kate Robson Brown Credit: Vincent Hoban
Building EIRSAT-1 also had a transformational educational impact for 50 university students, while inspiring thousands of schoolchildren, according to the winning case study.
Professor Hanlon and her team were among 11 finalists at this year’s UCD Research Impact Competition – which encourages researchers of all disciplines to showcase how their work has made a positive difference on wider society.
The 2024 UCD Research Impact Case Study Competition winner and finalists are:
Winner
- (opens in a new window)Professor Lorraine Hanlon, UCD Centre for Space Research & UCD School of Physics - Ireland’s first satellite: transforming the national space landscape with the launch of EIRSAT-1.
Finalists
- Engaged research winner: (opens in a new window)Professor Patricia Fitzpatrick, UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science - Supporting cancer patients to quit smoking post diagnosis.
- (opens in a new window)Dr Edward Burke, UCD School of History - Investigating loyalist paramilitarism and cross-border bombings during the Troubles.
- (opens in a new window)Dr Alison Connolly, UCD Centre for Safety and Health at Work & UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science - Using human biomonitoring to understand chemical exposures among the population.
- (opens in a new window)Associate Professor David Coyle & (opens in a new window)Dr Claudette Pretorius, UCD School of Computer Science - Providing resources for young people seeking help online for mental health.
- (opens in a new window)Professor Judith Harford, (opens in a new window)Dr Rachel Farrell and Amalia Fenwick, UCD School of Education - Power2Progress: building educational resilience in DEIS schools.
- (opens in a new window)Dr Andrew Hines, UCD School of Computer Science & SFI Insight Centre for Data Analytics - Sound check: audio quality technologies for entertainment, communication, and accessibility.
- (opens in a new window)Associate Professor Carl Ng, (opens in a new window)Dr Joanna Kacprzyk, Patrick Quille, UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science - Reducing chemical fertiliser use for improved sustainability in agriculture.
- (opens in a new window)Dr Lucía Tiscornia, UCD School of Politics and International Relations - Understanding the behaviour of criminal gangs and influencing policymaking.
- (opens in a new window)Professor Gerry Wilson, UCD School of Medicine & UCD Centre for Arthritis Research - Identifying a new severe inflammatory disorder.
- (opens in a new window)Dr Jufan Zhang, UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering - Anywhere, anytime, anybody: administering medication at home with microneedle injections.
(opens in a new window)Professor Patricia Fitzpatrick, from UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, and her work supporting cancer patients to quit smoking was named the runner-up and received the ‘Engaged Research’ impact prize for strongly demonstrating meaningful collaboration with the public and stakeholders.
Her case study ‘Supporting cancer patients to quit smoking post diagnosis’ showed impressive evidence of patient engagement, leading to improved treatment outcomes and positive effects on patients’ health.
Congratulating this year’s awardees, Professor Kate Robson Brown, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact, said it was wonderful to celebrate such ground-breaking research and be able to recognise “how this work is influencing policy, building collaborations, enriching lives and inspiring the next generation”.
“The number and quality of applications this year reflects the depth and breadth of impactful research taking place across the university at all career levels," she said.
The 2024 UCD Research Impact Case Study Competition finalists Credit: Vincent Hoban
"It also illustrates how the ongoing provision of research impact resources is helping our community to communicate the ways in which their research is effecting change in a wide range of contexts; in modern technology, sustainable agricultural practices, public health, by improving the lives of young people, and through contributions to research on violence both in Ireland and further afield.”
She continued: “I encourage UCD researchers from every College to explore the UCD Impact Toolkit and consider applying for the 2025 Research Impact Competition.”
Details of the next round of the Impact Case Study Competition will be announced in Spring.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations (with materials from Emma Loughney, UCD Research and Innovation)
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
