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News 2025

UCC STEM Awards 2025

20 Nov 2025
SEFS Graduate of the Year Fionnuala Murphy, BE Energy Engineering with Prof Sarah Culloty and Prof John Cryan. Photo: John Allen

On 19 November, the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (SEFS), University College Cork hosted a special ceremony to celebrate the achievements of 41 exceptional students and researchers. The event highlighted academic excellence, innovation, and industry collaboration within the College. 

Awards presented included: 

  • Quercus College Scholarships
  • Quercus University Scholar for the College of SEFS 
  • SEFS Postgraduate Research Publication of the Year 
  • Head of College Award 
  • Endress+Hauser Group Scholarship 
  • Qualcomm Emerging Leaders in STEM Award 
  • Head of College Award for Sustainability 
  • The College of SEFS Graduate of the Year Award 

Gold supporter Qualcomm was honoured for its outstanding contribution to the UCC STEM Awards, alongside Bronze partners NetApp and Cadence, whose support continues to strengthen links between academia and industry. 

The ceremony was hosted by Dr. Alan Morrison, SEFS Vice Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, with awards presented by Professor Sarah Culloty, Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science.

Professor Culloty underscored the vital role of SEFS staff in enriching the student learning experience and empowering students to reach their full potential.

One of the evening’s highlights was the Research Publication of the Year Award, which reaffirmed SEFS’s commitment to research excellence by celebrating outstanding peer-reviewed academic work across the College.

In his welcome address, Professor John Cryan, UCC Vice President for Research and Innovation, stressed the importance of UCC’s research-informed curriculum in shaping future leaders and advancing knowledge.

A full list of awardees is below. Congratulations to all the winners! 

Quercus College Scholars 2023-24

  • Louise Anne Ambrose, BSc (Chem. of Pharm. Cpds.) 
  • Stefan-Cristian Balint, BSc (Genetics) 
  • Tommaso Batori, BE (Energy Engineering). 
  • Aidan Burke, BSc (Biomedical Sciences) Joint UCC/MTU 
  • Iris Kelvin Carvalho, BSc (Biochemistry) 
  • Laura Mary Cosgrave, BSc (Mathematical Sc) Single Hons. 
  • Sarah Esther Cussen, Agricultural Science 
  • Fionn Thomas Foley, BSc (Chem. of Pharm. Cpds.) 
  • Sara Goldschmidt BSc (BEES) - Ecology & Env Biology. 
  • Moritz Kaestner, BSc (Biological and Chemical Sciences) 
  • Eamon Keating, BSc (Physics) Single Honours 
  • Igor Zbigniew Kwas, BSc (Industrial Physics) 
  • Caoimhe Deborah Mc Grath, BSc (Chemistry) 
  • Rory Dylan Moore, BSc (Mathematical Sc) Single Hons 
  • David John Nolan, BSc (Math Sc) Financial Mathematics 
  • Luke Christopher O’Sullivan, BSc (Physics and Astrophysics) 
  • Liam Timothy Waldron, BSc (Mathematical Sciences) 
  • Alexander Walsh, BSc (Chemical Sciences) 
  • Aíne Pauline Watson, BSc (Biological Sciences) 
  • Alexander Oliver Wright, BSc (Computer Science) 
  • Radek Zajíček, BSc (Computer Science) Single Honour

Quercus University Scholar (Academic) 2025

Bryan Chan, 3rd Year, Chemical Physics 

Postgraduate Research Publication of the Year

  • Conor Fitzpatrick, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences 
  • Tiffany Goh, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences 
  • Andriana Grafakou, School of Microbiology. 
  • Niall Kennedy, School of Physics. 
  • Tinghao Liu, School of Engineering and Architecture. 
  • Jordan McCarney, School of Mathematical Sciences. 
  • Niamh McDermott, School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. 
  • Andrea Rossi, School of Computer Science and Information Technology
  • Alida Russo, Tyndall National Institute 
  • Vaishali Vardhan, School of Chemistry 

Head of College Award

Sean Neville (PhD student, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences) 

Endress+Hauser Scholarship

Isabelle Martin, 2nd year, Food Science

Qualcomm Emerging Leaders in STEM Award

  • Ciara Rees (3rd Year, Computer Science)
  • Saviyo Thamel (3rd Year, Data Science and Analytics) 
  • Klaudia Serafin (ME Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 
  • Darren Moynihan (3rd Year, Physics) 

Head of College Sustainability Award

Grace Lynch, BSc Applied Plant Biology  

SEFS Graduate of the Year Award

Fionnuala Murphy, BE Energy Engineering  

Graduate of the Year Runner up awards

  • Kara Gupta, BSc Geology
  • Tara McInerney, BSc Chemistry with Forensic Sciences

College of Science, Engineering and Food Science

Coláiste na hEolaíochta, na hInnealtóireachta agus na hEolaíochta Bia

Block E, Level 3, Food Science Building, UCC, Cork, T12 YN60.

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