- Home
- About the College
- Governance
- College Committees & Steering Groups
- College Assembly
- College Council
- College Executive Management Committee
- College Academic Programmes and Curriculum Development Committee
- College Graduate Studies Committee
- College Research & Innovation Committee
- College Teaching Learning and Student Experience Committee
- College Student Recruitment and Outreach Committee
- College Sabbatical Research Leave Committee
- College of SEFS Adjunct Appointments Committee
- International Education Committee
- College Postgraduate Student Committee
- Athena SWAN Steering Group
- College Committees & Steering Groups
- Human Resources
- Annual UCC STEM Awards
- Scholarships and Prizes
- Women in STEM Panel Talks
- Inaugural Professorial Lectures
- Athena SWAN in SEFS
- Proposal Calls
- Contact Us
- Science in Society Public Lecture Series
- Governance
- News
- Staff
- Schools and Departments
- Current Students
- Undergraduate Courses
- Postgraduate Courses
- International Students
- Research and Innovation
- Employability and Careers
- Outreach and Public Engagement
- Science Week
- Transition Year Programmes
News 2017
France honours ‘father of ocean energy’ Tony Lewis
Professor Tony Lewis, a Principal Investigator in MaREI and Professor Emeritus at UCC, has been awarded the Chevalier des Palmes Académiques.
Professor Lewis, who has dedicated his entire career to marine renewable energy and spearheaded the development of the MaREI Centre, was presented with the award by the French Ambassador to Ireland, H.E. Jean-Pierre Thébault, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the offshore renewable energy sector across Europe.
Fundamental to the development of the Lir National Ocean Test Facility, Professor Lewis, dubbed ‘the father of ocean energy, has been one of the most active members of the ocean energy community for the past four decades.
Congrats @tonyoceanork on receiving the award of Chevalier des Palmes Académiques from @FranceinIreland tonight! pic.twitter.com/UrnzVBSfrc
— Brendan Cahill (@bgcahill) February 2, 2017
Congratulations Professor Tony Lewis @tonyoceanork from all your colleagues past and present @MaREIcentre @eriucc @ucc @FranceinIreland pic.twitter.com/KQlCLOR4N5
— MaREI (@MaREIcentre) February 2, 2017
Originally a decoration founded by Emperor Napoléon to honour eminent members of the University of Paris the Chevalier des Palmes Académiques is a national order of France for distinguished academics and figures in culture and education.
Prof. led the first MaRINET programme, which helped industry speed up the development of offshore renewable energy technologies and infrastructure.
With the man of the moment Chevalier Prof Tony Lewis @tonyoceanork pic.twitter.com/7iycPHVEtV
— Exceedence Ltd (@Exceedence) February 2, 2017
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Lewis said: “I am hugely honoured to accept the award of Chevalier des Palmes Académiques from Msr. Jean-Pierre Thébault, the French Ambassador to Ireland. I have a longstanding positive relationship with many French Universities through exchange of students as well as joint European-funded research projects such as MaRINET2.”
Coordinated by the MaREI Centre with 39 partners ranging from research centres to organisations from 13 countries #marinet2 @MARINETfp7 https://t.co/q1dRRl3uWM
— MaREI (@MaREIcentre) February 3, 2017
Congrats to Prof Tony Lewis @tonyoceanork who received the Chevalier des Palmes Académiques from French Ambassador @FranceinIreland pic.twitter.com/xVV6750DBK
— DF Chief of Staff (@DF_COS) February 2, 2017
During the first four-and-a-half year long MaRINET project, which ended last year, over 700 weeks of access was made available to 178 projects and 800 companies. Prof. Lewis will continue to be a driving force in MaRINET2, the Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network, a network of 39 partners, involving research centres and organisations who work together to progress offshore renewable energy technologies such as wave, tidal and offshore-wind.