National Conference

Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, Associate Professor at University College Dublin in the School of Mathematics & Statistics, where she is director of the BSc. Science, Mathematics & Education initial teacher education programme in the UCD College of Science. Chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss.

Niall Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer at Uisce Éireann. As Ireland’s national water utility company, Niall and his team are making a multi-billion euro investment to enable economic and social growth and to ensure communities in Ireland can thrive.  A mechanical engineer.  Niall is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.

Seán Atkinson, a mechanical engineer and Managing Director of ESB International, the leading global engineering consultancy. The company is headquartered in Dublin, with a central hub in the Kingdom of Bahrain. ESB International has utilised its experience in 120 countries.

Jason Hill is the founder, owner and CEO of the Hill Group, a UK-based aerospace engineering company that is developing the HX50 light helicopter, GT50 gas turbine engine and HDC suite of avionics.  Jason holds a Mechanical Engineering first degree from Aston University and a Ph.D. in computational helicopter aerodynamics from Cranfield University and has two decades of experience in running hi-tech engineering companies.  Jason has been developing the technology and design of HX50 & GT50 since 2005 through his engineering company Dynamiq Engineering, before spinning the product out into the Hill Group in 2020.  Since then, Hill Helicopters has accumulated 950 pre-orders for helicopters, with an order book of £400M, gained a 56% global market share and is set to reignite interest and uptake in general aviation globally.

Dr Ronan Lyons is an Associate Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin, where his primary research areas are housing markets, urban economics, and economic history. In addition, he is a Research Associate at the Spatial Economics Research Centre in LSE and author of the Daft.ie Reports on Ireland’s sale and rental housing markets. Dr Lyons also serves as Director of TRiSS, Associate Director of the CEPH and is a member of Ireland’s Housing Commission.

Dr Tanya Harrington is the Chairperson of Renewable Energy Ireland, an open partnership of sustainable energy associations working collectively to support the energy transition in Ireland. Dr Harrington is a public policy and regulatory affairs professional with over 20 years’ experience and currently serves as An Post’s Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer, leading the company’s engagement with government, regulatory authorities and stakeholders at international, European, and domestic levels.

European Sustainable Development Leader and Global Leader for Climate Services, Arup

Dr. Matt Kennedy (Phd) is an energy and environmental scientist and engineer with over 20 years’ experience in delivering national and international carbon, climate and sustainable development initiatives across government, industry and academia. Matt is Arup’s European Sustainable Development Leader and is Global Leader for Climate Services. He has worked with the United Nations on energy transformation and adaptation projects across Africa, Asia and Middle East. Matt was lead EU Negotiator at the UNFCCC’s international climate change negotiations (COP21) and was Chair of UNEP’s Climate Technology Centre and Network. He served as Chair of the IEA’s Renewable Energy Technology Deployment Implementing. Matt holds a PhD from the School of Engineering of Trinity College Dublin, and Masters’ degrees from NUI Galway and University College Dublin. Matt is a Chartered Environmentalist from IEMA.

Dr Richard Manton is the Registrar at Engineers Ireland, responsible for accreditation, registration, titles, regulation and risk at the professional body of 25,000 engineers. Richard is a Chartered Engineer with qualifications in civil engineering, financial management and digital transformation management. He was awarded the ESAI Postgraduate Researcher of the Year for his PhD research on greenways and sustainable travel. 

Dr. Elena Tsalaporta is a distinguished Lecturer in Process and Chemical Engineering at University College Cork (UCC), renowned for her exceptional contributions to the field of Sustainable Engineering and Climate Change technologies. She is an esteemed alumna of UCD's Earth Institute and the School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, underscoring her deep-rooted commitment to environmental sustainability.

Dr. Tsalaporta's impact extends far beyond the lecture hall. She serves as a Principal Investigator in UCC's prestigious Environmental Research Institute (ERI) and is a founding member of the cutting-edge SFI Centre for Sustainable Fermentation and Bioprocessing Systems for Food and the Bioeconomy (SUSFERM). Her expertise encompasses a wide range of crucial areas, including Sustainable Engineering, Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS), Direct Air Capture (DAC), and multi-disciplinary Climate Change technologies.

Over her illustrious career, Dr. Tsalaporta has achieved remarkable milestones. She secured an astounding €2.6 million in personal research funding, a testament to her visionary thinking and relentless pursuit of transformative ideas. Her innovative spirit has led to the filing of six related patents, emphasizing her exceptional ability to not only conceive groundbreaking concepts but also secure the essential resources for pioneering research in the critical realm of Climate Change technologies.

Beyond her exceptional research achievements, Dr. Tsalaporta is a trailblazer in promoting diversity and inclusivity within STEM disciplines. As the sole female academic in Ireland specializing in Carbon Capture and Direct Air Capture, she is on a mission to inspire the next generation of researchers and foster a more inclusive and diverse STEM community.
With unwavering dedication and a pioneering spirit, Dr. Elena Tsalaporta continues to push the boundaries of engineering and academia. Her tireless efforts are driving progress toward a more sustainable and resilient future while inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.