The Royal Irish Academy, the academy for the sciences and humanities in Ireland, has announced the launch of the Annual All-Ireland ICT Dissertation Award, which awards the best post-graduate thesis in information and communication technology (ICT).
The aim of the Annual All-Ireland ICT Dissertation Award is to highlight the significant scientific contributions made by Ireland, in particular by post-graduate students, to ICT. The award is also aimed at initiating knowledge transfer from the universities and institutes of technology into society and the economy.
The award is organised and sponsored by the Science Foundation Ireland-funded Centres for Science, Engineering and Technology (CSETs) in the ICT sector (DERI, CLARITY, CTVR, CNGL, and LERO) under the auspices of the Royal Irish Academy. The successful thesis author will be awarded €1,500, sponsored by the CSETs.
The president of the Royal Irish Academy, Prof Luke Drury, said, “This award reflects the importance of ICT research as an integral part of the academic landscape in Ireland. Digital tools and electronic communications are now indispensable in all areas of research, as well as more generally in civic society and commerce. Excellence in this area in our universities and institutes of technology is a necessary prerequisite for economic growth and prosperity.”
The director of ICT research in Science Foundation Ireland, Prof Fionn Murtagh, said, “Our ever-changing ICT industry will play a pivotal role in Ireland’s economic recovery. With a large number of ICT multinational companies based in Ireland collaborating with ICT-focused research bodies, it is crucially important that we continue to position Ireland at the leading edge of technological innovation. Science Foundation Ireland has been instrumental in facilitating this, and is committed to continuing such a role in partnership with a diverse range of agency, commercial and academic partners.”
Chairperson of the evaluation committee and director of DERI, NUI Galway, Prof Stefan Decker, added, “ICT has a critical economic role in Ireland. Thanks to the foresight of Science Foundation Ireland, Irish ICT research is internationally competitive, with many areas in a world-leading position. This award is showing the ingenuity of Irish-based ICT research to the public. ”
The closing date for submissions is Saturday, 7 May 2011. The winner will be announced in June.
