South East Technological University (SETU) held its inaugural award ceremony for students from the Departments of Science and Land Science at the Waterford Campus on Wednesday, 8 June 2022.
Following two years of virtual award ceremonies, students across multiple disciplines within both departments were recognised at this live event for their outstanding achievements throughout the year.
This event does more than just acknowledge the efforts of the students. It forms a stepping stone between their academic life and the future industries they will be entering. Both the profile of these awards and calibre of businesses associated with them demonstrates to the students the importance of their qualification and the potential for their future careers.
It’s a reflection on the prestige of the awards that they’re sponsored by the region’s leading companies in their respective sectors. National and international brands such as Teva, Dawn Meats, McDonalds, Sofrimar, Sanofi, TriviumVet, Eurofins, Source BioScience, Bausch & Lomb, Barry`s Tea, Comeragh Veterinary Practice, ASA, Glanbia, Society of Irish Foresters, Carragh Paving & Landscapes, Dairy Master, Seedtech and AIB.
Prof Peter McLoughlin, Head of the School of Science and Computing in his opening speech said: “These awards are an extremely important part of our academic year where we celebrate our students’ achievements and also acknowledge the support of our many partners from across the region. The awards presented today are a fitting reward for a student group that have had to navigate the many challenges of the pandemic over the past two years. The resilience and dedication to their studies demonstrated by our awardees are qualities in which they can be justly proud. The new South East Technological University will be defined by its connectivity to industry. We are delighted therefore, that this year the number of partners who are supporting the awards has increased significantly. This support demonstrates their commitment to our students and is a vote of confidence in the future of higher education in region.”
This is the first time the Land Science Department has been recognised at the awards and shows the importance of the growth in this industry. Understanding the drivers, state, trends and impacts of different land systems on social and natural processes helps to reveal how changes in the land system affect the functioning of the socio-ecological system as a whole and the trade-off these changes may represent.
The national award winners
The event lead with prestigious national awards.
The Philip Kelly Teva Excellence Scholarship 2022, sponsored by Teva, was won by Kate Phelan, Waterford
Environmental Science Association of Ireland Undergraduate of the Year Level 8 was won by Anna Kavanagh, Co Laois
Environmental Science Association of Ireland Undergraduate of the Year Level 7 was won by Zak Dunphy, Waterford
The Great Agri Food Debate winners for 2022 hailed from the then Waterford Institute of Technology, now SETU. Sponsored by Dawn Meats & McDonalds, the perpetual trophy was won this year by Owen Meladey Captain, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Jake Delaney, Laois, Thomas Banville, Wexford, Vicki Woods, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Jack O`Neill, Mallow, Co. Cork and Katie Fallon, Co Roscommon.
Department of Science award winners
BSc (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Science Undergraduate Research Project Literature Review Presentation Award, sponsored by Sofrimar, was won by Jessy Fong See Cheng. Runner Up: Niamh Gunning, Roscrea. Co. Tipperary. Undergraduate Research Poster Award, sponsored by Sanofi, was won by Niamh Gunning, Roscrea. Co. Tipperary. Runner Up: Niamh Doyle Waterford. Analytical Chemistry Academic Excellence Award was won by Jessie Howard, Ballinaboola, Co. Wexford.
BSc. in Pharmaceutical Science Academic Excellence Award, sponsored by TriviumVet, was won by Donal Barry, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford.
BSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science Excellence in Undergraduate Biology Research, sponsored by Eurofins was won by Nicole O`Connor Cullen, Wexford. Runners up were Jane Ustiani. Waterford and WengYan Chan. Certificate of Merit: Marina Barry, Waterford. Analytical Chemistry Academic Excellence Award was won by Dylan Brophy, Waterford.
BSc in Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science Excellence in Level 7 Undergraduate Biology Research, sponsored by Source BioScience, was won by Sophie Bridgeman, Limerick. Runners up were Zahra Algharrash, Waterford and Laetcia Meins, France (Erasmus). Certificate of Merit: Aimme McDonald.
BSc (Hons) in Physics for Modern Technology Physics Project Award, sponsored by Bausch & Lomb, was won by Kate Murphy, Waterford City.
Department of Land Science winners
BSc in Agriculture Final Year Project Poster Award, sponsored by Comeragh Veterinary Practice, was won by Kelly Duffin, New Ross, Wexford and Cora Hogan Doyle, Dunmore East, Waterford Best Agricultural Business Innovation, sponsored by Waterford Local Enterprise Office, was won by Ben Bailey, Wexford; Joe Dillon, Kildare & Stephen Harding, North Tipperary. ASA-Irish Farmers Journal and Glanbia Farm Placement Bursary, sponsored by ASA and Glanbia, was won by Ciara Leonard, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
BSc in Forestry The Augustine Henry Memorial Award, presented by Society of Irish Foresters, was won by Conor Noonan, Hillview, Waterford (2020) & Rory Cullinane, Clonakilty, Co. Cork (2021)
BSc in Horticulture Best Final Year Project- Kildalton College was won by Petra Moore, Waterford. Best Final Year Project- Botanic Gardens was won by Eleanor Nolan, Terenure, Dublin
BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Innovation Year 3 Best Market Research Analysis Award, sponsored by Barry`s Tea, was won by Isobel Carroll, Wexford; Aimee Hanrahan, Tipperary; Shannon Boland, Tipperary & Chloe Hempenstall, Wicklow.
BSc (Hons) in Food Science and Innovation Final Year Food Science and Innovation Award, sponsored by Dawn Meats, was won by Chloe Holden, Piltown, Co Kilkenny. Runner Up: Sorcha Cantwell, Co. Tipperary.
BSc (Hons) in Agricultural Science Dairymaster Student Award, sponsored by Dairy Master, was won by Stephen Frend, Roscrea, Tipperary and Lucy Culleton, Kilmoganny, Co. Kilkenny. ASA-Irish Farmers Journal and Seedtech Work Placement Bursary, sponsored by ASA and Seedtech, was won by Emma Codd, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.
BSc (Hons) in Land Management (Agriculture) Final Year Project Award, sponsored by AIB, was won by Craig Buttimer, Cork. Runners up were George Tyrell, Kildare & Dylan Houlahan, Waterford.