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Teagasc 2026 Walsh Scholars Awards
The Walsh Scholars of the Year and Gold Medal Awards Ceremony was held at Teagasc Ashtown, as part of Teagasc’s celebration of the inaugural European Doctoral Day on 13 May 2026.
The Walsh Scholars of the Year competition recognises excellence in research, innovation, communication and leadership among final year doctoral students within the Teagasc Walsh Scholars Programme. This year’s finalists represented a broad range of disciplines addressing key challenges facing agriculture, food systems, climate action, environmental sustainability and rural development.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Jane Kavanagh, Head of Research Development and Walsh Scholars at Teagasc, said: “The Walsh Scholars Programme supports exceptional postgraduate researchers who are helping to shape the future of Ireland’s agri-food sector through high-quality, applied research. This year’s finalists demonstrated outstanding scientific excellence, innovation and commitment to addressing real-world challenges."
Notable in the context of the Duck-Feed project was our own Walsh scholar and UCC PhD student, Jack Prendeville, who was awarded a second place in the Food Programme for his work exploring duckweed as a protein source for food and feed systems.
Many congratulations to Jack and to all finalists in the Walsh Scholars of the Year 2026!