A project which promotes the employability of young people with disabilities, a portable sensor for the detection of harmful toxins in drinking water and a biodegradable straw that can detect if drugs are present in drinks, are recipients of this year’s DCU President’s Awards for Engagement and Innovation.

The awards, which encourage and recognise innovative and impactful achievements by DCU students, staff and researchers, were presented earlier today by Professor Brian MacCraith, president of DCU, at a virtual ceremony.

Prof MacCraith praised the winners achievements and highlighted the role of innovation and engagement in DCU’s COVID-19 response: “Innovation and engagement are part of DCU’s DNA.

"They are values that fuel DCU’s mission ‘to transform lives and societies’. As DCU plays its part in the national effort to overcome the threat of COVID-19, innovation and engagement have been critical to ensuring our response to the crisis is timely and effective.”

Innovation Award recipients

  • Student Category (Undergraduate): Amy Ní Lionnáin and Ciara Williams (BA Gaeilge & Gnó) developed a ‘Sip N’ Safe biodegradable straw that can detect if drugs are present in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. 

  • Student Category (Postgraduate): Anastasios Karadkolidis from the Centre for Assessment Research, Policy and Practice in Education (CARPE), used animation to improve the assessment of complex competencies. 

  • Administration & Support Category: The Discover DCU project designed a series of eight short interactive online courses to help first year students settle in and introduce them to the tools and skills needed to succeed at university. The project involved staff from a number of departments, including Annabella Stover, Karina Curley and Cillian Murphy from Student Support & Development; Mark Glynn from the Teaching Enhancement Unit; James Brunton from DCU Connected and Lisa Callaghan and Victoria Smyth from DCU Library.  

  • Academic and Research Category: Dr Caroline Murphy and Prof Richard O’Kennedy, DCU School of Biotechnology, were awarded for their project ‘Biosafety for Environmental contaminants using Novel Sensors’ which aims to develop on-site, portable antibody-based sensors for the detection of harmful algal toxins in drinking water. 

Almost 50 nominations were received for the Engagement Awards and award recipients were chosen based on strategic objective, internal and external impact and sustainability.

Engagement Award recipients

  • Staff Category: DCU Ability project which promotes the employability of young people with disabilities by offering a university-based programme which includes workplace training and work placements. 

  • Special Merit: Dr Yvonne Crotty, School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies, for her ongoing work in the community, beyond that which she does in the classroom, nurtures creativity and culture across the University, and it has deepened DCU’s profile in creative and performing arts. Over the years, Yvonne has produced a number of high profile events, created a DCU Access Schools Choir and contributed significantly to DCU’s strategic goal of establishing a DCU Cultural Quarter in North Dublin. 

  • Student Category: John Noone, PhD Track student, School of Health and Human Performance, for his extensive engagement with the public through his research and in voluntary capacity. John’s volunteering work includes his involvement with DCU Biological Research Society, fundraising for charities including Pieta House and Barretstown, and outreach talks in schools and colleges during Science Week Ireland and Space Week Ireland. 

  • Special Merit – Daniel Kyne (DCUBS, MINT) & Darragh O’Flaherty (School of Computing, BSc Computer Applications) co-founders of OpinionX, an online platform for public consultation, facilitating citizen-led input to better inform political decision making. The platform promotes digital democracy and brings together democratic activism with social entrepreneurship through a civic technology platform. 

To watch a recording of the ceremony or to learn more about the award projects visit https://www.dcu.ie/president/presidents-annual-awards.shtml