UCC Research Awards

University College Cork (UCC) is an internationally recognised, research-led institution, one of Ireland’s oldest institutes of higher education.

The quality and recognition of research success across the University, including outputs from individuals and our Research Institutes and Centres, is measured by key research metrics such as publications, citations, collaborative interactions, patents and spin-out companies.

Held annually, the UCC Research Awards, which are awards for excellence in research and innovation, recognise the extensive contributions made by UCC research and researchers to our University and to wider society. They recognise and celebrate those UCC researchers who have made exceptional and influential research and/or innovation contributions, pushing boundaries, enhancing knowledge and raising the national and international research profile of our institution.

The UCC Research Awards embrace excellence in research, innovation and entrepreneurial activity, across the entire university research community and from all disciplines.

There are fifteen (15) research award and five (5) innovation award categories recognising achievements of researchers and entrepreneurs.

Eligibility Criteria

Nominee(s)

• All UCC employees are eligible for nomination.
• Self-nominations and nominations by UCC peers are accepted.
• Self-nominations are not accepted for 'Research Supervisor of the Year', which is student-led.
• As UCC Innovation oversees inventions, licences, spin-out formation and consultancy, nominations for these awards will be submitted by the UCC Innovation team.
• Nominees may be involved in individual or multi –partners’ research in any discipline.
• Nominees MUST NOT have been the recipient of a research award in the last 3 years. The three-year ban does not apply to recipients of the Research Team of the Year Award.

Nominator(s)

• Nominator(s) and Seconder(s) must be: UCC Staff members; Current and/or past postgraduate students. For Engaged Researcher Award (Category 15) the seconder should be external.
• An individual can nominate at most one researcher/team per category.
• Nominations must be made using the forms provided on the webpage.
• Failure to complete or comply with the requirement of the nomination procedure will result in the nomination being withdrawn without review.

Scope

• With the exception of the Research Career Achievement Award, nominees’ assessment will be based on their research and innovation achievements over the calendar year 2022.

Awards Committee

The UCC Research and Innovation Awards Evaluation Committee, chaired by the Vice President for Research and Innovation will evaluate the nominations. Members of the Evaluation Committee include:

• Vice President for Research and Innovation - Professor John Cryan
• Director of Research Strategy & Projects - Dr Siobhán Cusack
• Director of Research Support & Policy - Dr David O'Connell
• Director of Innovation - Dr Sally Cudmore
• Vice-Dean of Research and Innovation, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science - Dr Ger McGlacken
• Vice-Dean of Research and Innovation, College of Business and Law - Professor Anthony McDonnell
• Vice-Dean of Research and Innovation, College of Medicine and Health - Professor Ger O’Keeffe
• Vice-Dean of Research and Innovation, College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences - Dr Helena Buffery
• Chief Scientific Officer, Tyndall National Institute - Dr Michael Nolan

In addition to the awards committee, guest judges will evaluate a number of award categories:

• Best Publication of the Year [Undergraduate Author] - Professor Paul McSweeney
• Creating a Culture for Responsible Conduct of Research - Professor Ken O'Halloran
• Engaged Research of the Year - Dr. Martin Galvin
• Research Award for Open Research - Ms. Coral Black
• Research Communicator of the Year - Mr. Eoin Hahessy
• The President’s Award for Research Impacting the Sustainable Development Goals - Professor John O'Halloran

Awards Ceremony

The UCC Research Awards ceremony will take place in Devere Hall on Thursday 01 June 2023 at 6pm, by invitation.

• Nomination forms and queries are to be sent to researchawards@ucc.ie