Official Opening of UCD Science Centre by Taoiseach

On Friday last I was invited by UCD President Hugh Brady to attend the Official Opening of Phase 1 of the new Science Centre to be performed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny. I was kindly met beforehand by Professor Gerry Byrne Incoming Dean of Engineering with whom I attended the Opening. Gerry is also a past President of Engineers Ireland (2000 - 2001).

In addition to meeting the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, I also met President Hugh Brady and Vice President of Research Des Fitzgerald.

Pictured with the Taoiseach touring the New UCD Science Centre and meeting staff together with from left Professor Hugh Brady UCD President, Professor Pat Guiry UCD Chemistry, Professor Gerry Byrne UCD Dean of Engineering (partly hidden), P J Rudden President of Engineers Ireland and Professor Des Fitzgerald UCD Vice President of Research

The new Science Centre is on the site of the old Science Block beside the lake and the Arts Block/Library where I did Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Maths Physics in First Engineering in the 1970s but has been completely transformed architecturally and internally. The new space is merely Phase 1 of what will be the single largest capital investment (€300m) in third level education in the history of the state.

We toured the new Centre for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery with the Taoiseach, who stopped from time to time to hear the scientific story attached to this or that piece of laboratory equipment or simply to enquire the origins of the many Irish and multicultural staff employed there.

The new Centre involved the gutting of the old Chemistry building and the construction of significant additional space with a new highly appealing architectural entrance, not at all reminiscent of the old Belfield which I once knew.

The Taoiseach appeared to be highly impressed by what he saw and heard and that was very obvious in his inspirational speech at the Official Opening afterwards.

The new Building will house three new research units - the Institute of Food and Health, the Centre for Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Centre for Nanomedicine. UCD currently have some 200 collaborative partnerships underway in the general science area and the nexus of this creative endeavour is the Science Centre.

UCD Science Centre

UCD President Hugh Brady stated

"Investment in research is a necessity not a luxury. It is the foundation for the discoveries and technology developments that will build the economy of the future. The new Science Centre highlights innovation as part of the engineering and science life cycle. The project is creating what we call a transformative resource for Ireland to spark an innovation revolution in Ireland.'

The striking thing about this visit was to see at first hand research engineers and scientists working side by side in a common purpose.

The reason was this is clear. There is no boundary between Bioscience and Bioengineering but all working together in the interest of Assisted Living.

I look forward to seeing further phases of this extremely impressive enterprise completed at UCD. Principal of the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture Gerry Byrne is equally excited about this new development. 'Obviously there are new ideas being generated across the board but often the science end of the relationship would be working on the basics and engineering on the application and transfer' he says.

New NUIG Engineering Building Opened by Taoiseach

I was invited by Dr Jim Browne President of NUIG (and Past President of Engineers Ireland) to attend the Official Opening of the new NUIG Engineering Building (http://www.nuigalway.ie/new-engineering-building/) by Taoiseach Enda Kenny last Friday. NUIG's Engineering School is the largest in Ireland with 1,100 students and 110 staff, offering nine fully accredited undergraduates programmes in areas as diverse as civil and environmental engineering, computer and electronic engineering and biochemical engineering.

Pictured at the Official Opening of the new Engineering School in NUIG were Professor Padraic O'Donoghue Chairman of West Region Engineers Ireland, P J Rudden President of Engineers Ireland and Dr Jim Browne President of NUIG

Also present from Engineers Ireland (http://www.engineersireland.ie/) at the Opening were Vice President John O'Dea who is based in Galway, Chairman of our Finance Committee Murt Coleman and Executive Board Members Professor Padraic O'Donoghue (Chairman of the West Region) Domhnall Blair and Kieran Feighan together with Engineers Ireland Registar Damien Owens and Director of Communications Fionnuala Kilbane. Past President John Killeen was also present.

Carmel Brennan President of Galway Chamber of Commerce, P J Rudden President of Engineers Ireland, Mayor of Galway Cllr Hildegarde Naughton and Dr Jim Browne President of NUIG

The Opening of the Building was a tremendous credit to President Jim Browne in particular, together with Padraic O'Donoghue Professor of Civil Engineering and Former Dean and the current Dean of Engineering and Informatics Professor Gerry Lyons.

In addition to the Taoiseach, I was also happy to meet the Mayor of Galway Cllr Hildegarde Naughton (http://www.galwaycity.ie/), City Manager Joe O'Neill and President of Galway Chamber of Commerce (http://galwaychamber.com/index.asp) Carmel Brennan at                                                                                            the Opening which was truly a major cause for celebration throughout Galway City. There were in excess of 350 people attending.

The new NUIG Engineering Building is truly an iconic curved structure designed to blend with the gentle curves of the River Corrib on whose banks it sits. The building has been designed to be a 'teaching tool' in itself with exposed construction techniques and an array of green building methods.

NUI Galway offers a degree in energy systems engineering and has a significant focus on research into environmental technologies. The engineering building itself contains a range of green technologies which will add to the 'hands on' experience of students. There is large scale rainwater harvesting, a biomass boiler, low- embodied energy materials, such as zinc, grass roofs for water attenuation, heat exchangers and many other cutting-edge technologies.

The structure is among the first in Ireland to employ the use of voided slab systems. The innovation introduces 'plastic bubbles' into the concrete reducing its weight and quantity of concrete used. Areas of the building such as the plant room will be accessible to showcase to students the industrial biomass boiler and combined heat and power unit at work.

All Irish engineers can be justly proud of this new national learning centre in NUIG, as Learning and Research Institutes are the future of Irish Engineering and the roots of future Job Creation.

That's why I've decided during my year as President of Engineers Ireland to visit a number of Research Institutes around Ireland like Tyndall Institute in Cork (http://www.tyndall.ie/), Marine Institute in Galway (http://www.marine.ie/home/) and many others in addition to also visiting various Infrastructural Projects in the Regions to highlight their role in Job Creation and in balanced regional development.

'The Building of the State' in Merrion St

Last evening I was invited by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the President of UCD Dr Hugh Brady to celebrate 100 years of the Engineering Building in Merrion St which is now the Taoiseach's Office. It was a wonderful celebration of a historic building that started life as the Royal College of Science in 1911 then the UCD Engineering School and finally became the Taoiseach's office in 1989 (http://www.taoiseach.ie/eng/).

Pictured at Government Buildings Taoiseach Enda Kenny P J Rudden President of Engineers Ireland and Dr Hugh Brady President of UCD

As the emerging State asserted its independence, the engineers of UCD in Merrion St were at the forefront in the practical expression of that independence. As the country's industrial ambitions grew, so too did the scale and scope of the research in Merrion St. The engineers educated there played a vital role in creating a technologically advanced Irish economy.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny in his opening remarks joked that the reason why Queen Elizabeth felt so much at home in his office recently was that the building shared the same architect - Sir Aston Webb - with Buckingham Palace.  Still though I thought the most iconic image of the evening shown here in the wonderful atrium of light was the stained glass window by Evie Hone depicting 'My Four Green Fields'!

"The Four Green Fields" by Evie Hone

Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Dermot McCarthy current Secretary General of the Dept of the Taoiseach and Secretary to the Government. Also present were former Taoisigh and Secretary Generals of Government Depts including T K Whitaker, Dermot Gallagher, Paddy Teahon and Padraig O'hUiginn. Ministers Ruairi Quinn and Brendan Howlin accompanied the Taoiseach. President Hugh Brady of UCD had his Vice President for Development Aine Gibbons.

The current Dean of Engineering Dr David Timoney represented the UCD College of Engineering Mathematical and Physical Scientists. Former Presidents of Engineers Ireland present were Brian Sweeney, Liam Connellan, Brian Kearney and Jack Golden - all former or current Captains of Irish Industry with Siemens, Dalkia, Project Management and CRH respectively. It was a pity that Professor James Dooge another former President of Engineers Ireland and - in my days in UCD - Professor of Civil Engineering did not live to see yesterday's centenary event as he was the principal bridge between Engineering and Government over the past century. I was pleased though to see there his successor Professor Tom Casey who remains very active in consulting circles. Also present were Gabriel D'Arcy CEO of Bord na Mona and Dermot Byrne CEO of Eirgrid.

The event booklet 'The Building of the State' by Professor Orla Feely was aptly named. The event was truly a dual celebration of the State and Engineering working together to build the new formative nation. In the 1920s and 1930s hydroelectric plants were built to fuel the emerging state. Semi states like Bord na Mona ESB and Aer Lingus were set up. Roads, bridges, rural electrification, factories, airports, radio, TV, and telecommunications were all designed and built by Engineers and were the foundations for our modern Infrastructure of today.

Within the Merrion Street complex, generations of scholars studied, created, invented and adapted while generations of political leaders and officials determined the policies that have shaped modern Ireland.