SETU graduate and member of the Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps in the Irish Defence Forces, Signalman Ben McMahon, was recognised at the Global Undergraduate Awards on 9 October for his dynamic project, AQUA-TRIC.
The annual Global Undergraduate Awards celebrates the best of undergraduate research, elevating original academic work and connecting students from across a multitude of disciplines.
Signalman Ben McMahon was awarded Regional Winner for Best Engineering project on the island of Ireland. Ben’s outstanding achievement marks the latest success for an SETU graduate from the Irish Defence Forces at the annual awards, joining Stephen Cooper who won in 2024.
I wanted to create something that could genuinely make a difference in how we monitor safety during open-water events. Being recognised for AQUA-TRIC is a huge honour and reflects a lot of late nights testing, troubleshooting, and improving the system. It means a lot to see the project acknowledged at this level, especially knowing it could one day go into production and potentially save lives.
Sgmn Ben McMahon
Ben’s project, AQUA-TRIC (Aquatic Tacking, Reporting and Integrated Communications) proposes the design and development of a wearable life monitoring transponder for use in open-water competitions and exercises within the Defence Forces.
Diarmuid O’Briain, Head of Department of Electronic Engineering and Communications, said, “This is a remarkable accomplishment for Ben, representing both SETU and the Defence Forces in engineering. This represents the importance of SETU’s longstanding partnership with the Defence Forces and highlights the developments made in Military Communications Systems (MCS).”
Keith Smyth, SETU Lecturer and Programme Director, said, “SETU’s partners prioritise continuous learning and professional development. Ben’s outstanding achievement serves as a great testament to the positive impact of partnerships such as the one between SETU and the Defence Forces.
SETU delivers undergraduate programmes in Military Communications Systems, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Leadership, Management and Defence Studies (LMDS) as well as masters programmes in Cybersecurity for Industrial Networks, Communications Technology Management, Military Engineering Management, and Weapons, Ordnance, Munitions and Explosives. These programmes provide valuable opportunities for personnel to expand their knowledge and enhance their skills within these areas of Engineering, Leadership and Management.”