At a glance

• Value: €500
• You must be a current UCC Student enrolled in 1st year BSc Computer Science to be eligible for this prize
• Questions about this prize can be directed to sefs-support@ucc.ie

The School of Computer Science & Information Technology wishes to establish a prize for the BSc Computer Science student who achieves the highest mark in 1st year. The award will take the form of a monetary sum of €500 and is sponsored by the family of Dr Joseph Manning.

Dr Joseph Manning graduated in mathematical sciences from UCC in 1975. He then went on to complete an MSc in computer science at the University of British Columbia, after which he became one of the first lecturers in the newly formed UCC Department of Computer Science. He went away again to complete a PhD in computer science at Purdue University in 1990, and taught at the University of Missouri and Vassar University NY, before rejoining UCC in 1998, from where he retired in 2016. He passed away in 2019.

Joseph taught computer programming to generations of students who went on to work in the IT industry here and abroad, and all of whom remember him with great fondness and for the evident passion (and classically brilliant nerdy humour!) which he brought to a complex topic. Joseph was an exemplary colleague, ready to chat and offer valuable advice, kept his office door wide open, and always had a funny comment to contribute. He had a keen interest in Asia and played a leading role in developing UCC's early university partnerships in China.

Joseph cared deeply for first year computer science students and this new prize is intended to reflect that dedication, ensuring that his name will continue to inspire future students in the pursuit of excellence.