SETU hosted its fourth annual Research Excellence Awards 2025, at a ceremony at the university’s campus in Carlow.
The awards are designed to recognise and celebrate SETU’s outstanding research contributions across various academic disciplines.
This year’s ceremony honours the hard work, innovation, and impact of SETU’s academic community, showcasing the University’s commitment to fostering innovative and pioneering research that addresses national and global challenges.
Professor Veronica Campbell, president of SETU said: "SETU is extremely fortunate to have such a high calibre of researchers, postgraduate supervisors, and teaching excellence across our faculties.
"Our staff’s commitment to finding solutions and improving people’s lives is commendable and while the awards today will acknowledge their contribution to their given areas of research, the true driver of their innovation is the realisation of their research into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
“These awards recognise the intrinsic connectedness of research and innovation in our society. They showcase the range of impactful research activity from SETU to the wider region, economy, and society. We have set down the markers of excellence for our new University and for the next generation of researchers to aspire to.”
Five categories
The awards highlighted the achievements of SETU’s researchers, from faculty members and postdoctoral researchers to research supervisors, offering recognition across five categories. These included:
- Established Researcher Award;
- Early-career Researcher Award;
- Engaged Research and Impact Award: Research Impact: Industry and Commercialisation;
- Engaged Research and Impact Award: Policy and Practice;
- Research Supervisor Award.
Dr Geraldine Canny, head of research at SETU introduced 32 nominees across the five awards categories, announcing overall winners for each. Awards were presented to researchers by Prof Campbell and Professor Marie Claire Van Hout, SETU’s vice president for research, innovation, and impact.
Prof Van Hout said: “At SETU, a key focus is to elevate our research and innovation capabilities over the coming years. We are finalising our strategic plan for research, ‘Connecting Research to Impact’.
"This plan further develops SETU’s strategic objectives and seeks to consolidate excellence across research, innovation, knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship, rural engagement and graduate studies. I am heartened to see the great work of nominees and awardees today, congratulations to you all.”
In addition, Mark Bowkett, founder of Aquamonitrix and managing director of TelLab, and longstanding regional industry partner of research at SETU, addressed attendees. He shared the importance of supporting research projects by illustrating the transformative societal impact of this work.
TelLab is a multidivisional company which includes contract testing laboratories and chemical reagent manufacturing laboratories. Much of its success to date is due in no small part to Bowkett’s passion for innovation and research.
By combining chemistry and analytical testing expertise with a well-funded R&D department, TelLab has launched several technologies onto the national and international marketplace. Collaborations with academic research teams have also been a key part of TEL’s research activities.
Dr Luke Power, SETU RSU projects manager, said “The SETU Research Excellence Awards aimed to celebrate the power of innovation and the dedication of our research community while recognising the transformative impact research can have in shaping a brighter, more sustainable future and I am confident that we accomplished exactly that.
"These awards not only recognised the exceptional individual achievements of research at SETU but sought to inspire a culture of excellence, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing that drives progress and prosperity to the southeast region and beyond.”
SETU’s Research Excellence Awards serve to inspire future research endeavours at the University. They act as a platform for SETU to enhance its reputation as a leading research hub, cultivating research excellence and attracting further collaborations, partnerships, and funding.
2025 awardees
- Prof Gillian Gardiner | established Research Award;
- Dr James Cullen | Early-career Researcher Award;
- Dr David Culliton | Engaged Research and Impact Award: Research Impact: Industry and Commercialisation;
- Dr Sharon Kinsella | Engaged Research and Impact Award: Policy and Practice;
- Dr Susan Flynn | Research Supervisor Award.