Tyndall is proud to join in the celebration of Board Member Dr Ann B. Kelleher, today awarded Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) prestigious St Patrick’s Day Science Medal at a ceremony in Washington, DC. The Medal recognises Dr Kelleher’s connection to and support of research in Ireland.
“Ann is well known as an international technology executive and is very focused on ensuring Ireland remains globally competitive in advanced manufacturing, research and development. We value her advocacy for Ireland and her sustained leadership on the Tyndall Board. We were very proud to nominate her for this prestigious award, and pleased she’s been recognised for her outstanding career and significant contributions to academia, research and industry.” commented Prof William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall National Institute,
Now in its seventh year, the SFI St Patrick’s Day Science Medal is awarded annually to US-based STEM leaders with strong Irish connections. Originally from Macroom, Cork, Dr Kelleher is Senior Vice President (SVP) and General Manager at Intel. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from UCC, and in 1993 became the first woman to receive a PhD from Tyndall National Institute, then called the National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC). She was also the first Irish woman in the history of Intel to be named as a Vice President, and she maintains strong links to Ireland, making significant industry contributions across several areas. Ann was invited to represent industry in the Global Irish Network by the Irish Government in May, 2014 which enabled her to bring the global manufacturing perspective to the network.
Welcoming the award, Dr Kelleher, said:
“I am honoured to accept the SFI St Patrick’s Day Industry Medal for my work at Intel. I am a firm advocate for industry collaboration between Ireland and the United States, given my career with Intel began in Leixlip. The benefits and positive impact of this collaborative relationship are considerable. This is evidenced by the long and fruitful collaborative research engagement between Tyndall, multiple SFI Research Centres and US multinationals. These relationships present significant opportunities for people in Ireland to work and prosper in major multinational companies such as Intel. I hope that awards such as this will also highlight the career paths available to young women who have an interest in working in STEM.”
Also honoured was Prof Neville J Hogan, Sun Jae Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dublin-born Prof Hogan is regarded as the father of rehabilitation robotics.
and Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Prof Mark Ferguson, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, congratulated the Medal recipients, saying: “The SFI St Patrick’s Day Science Medal shines a light on the incredible achievements and diversity of Irish researchers in the diaspora. As we continue to advance Ireland’s society and economy through excellent ground-breaking research and technology, the forging of strong international collaborations remains vital. US-Ireland research collaborations generate new insights and create significant value to both countries, their academic communities and industry. I am delighted to see two highly deserving recipients in Prof Hogan and Dr Kelleher, whose leadership, vision and passion are helping to address significant national and global societal challenges.”
The sentiment was echoed by Professor Patrick O’Shea, President of University College Cork, who said, “As a university, we are extremely proud of our alumna Dr Ann Kelleher. She is a great inspiration to the UCC community and we value her on-going commitment to UCC and Tyndall.”