2018 Awardees Archives - UCD Alumni Awards

ROB KEARNEY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN SPORT

Having achieved at the highest level in his rugby career, International rugby player Rob Kearney is one of the top full backs of the modern era. Rob emerged as a real prospect whilst playing schools rugby at Clongowes Wood College.

ROB KEARNEY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN SPORT

Having achieved at the highest level in his rugby career, International rugby player Rob Kearney is one of the top full backs of the modern era. Rob emerged as a real prospect whilst playing schools rugby at Clongowes Wood College. He first played for Leinster as a schoolboy and the U19s, before becoming a senior in 2005, amassing 197 appearances and 223 points. His Ireland debut was against Argentina in 2007, and has 84 caps for Ireland. He has four Six Nations titles and was on the winning British & Irish Lions team in their test series against Australia. In an outstanding achievement, Rob started every game of the 2014 and 2015 Six Nations-winning campaigns and every game of the 2009 and 2018 Grand Slam seasons.

As an undergraduate Rob played with UCD RFC and was a UCD sports scholarship recipient, he continued to play with UCD RFC in the early period of his Leinster and Ireland career. Off the pitch, he is successful in business and advocates for concussion screening.

DR GRÁINNE HEALY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

As a long-standing feminist activist Dr Gráinne Healy is a celebrated leader in gender equality and social justice. Working in activism for the past 40 years, Gráinne was instrumental in helping to turn Ireland into a nation of equals in May 2015 as co-head of the Yes Equality Campaign.

DR GRÁINNE HEALY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

As a long-standing feminist activist Dr Gráinne Healy is a celebrated leader in gender equality and social justice. Working in activism for the past 40 years, Gráinne was instrumental in helping to turn Ireland into a nation of equals in May 2015 as co-head of the Yes Equality Campaign, the campaign which led and won the marriage equality referendum.

She is founder and chairperson of Marriage Equality Ireland since 2004 and is a published author. Dr Healy’s global impact is also notable in the areas of violence against women, migrant rights and sex trafficking. She is Chairwoman of the European Women’s Lobby’s Observatory on Violence against Women and is a former Chairwoman of the National Women’s Council of Ireland.

DR RHONA MAHONY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN HEALTH SCIENCES

As the first female master since the foundation of the National Maternity hospital in 1894, Dr Mahony oversees one of Europe's largest Maternity hospitals, delivering almost 10,000 babies each year, a busy gynaecological unit and over 800 staff.

DR RHONA MAHONY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN HEALTH SCIENCES

As the first female master since the foundation of the National Maternity hospital in 1894, Dr Rhona Mahony oversees one of Europe's largest Maternity hospitals, delivering almost 10,000 babies each year, a busy gynaecological unit and over 800 staff.

A specialist in fatal foetal abnormalities and maternal medicine, she founded the National Maternity Foundation, which supports the work of the NMH. Dr Mahony has been published in a range of international academic journals. She is a Fellow of the RCOG UK, and of the RCPI in Ireland. In 2016 she was awarded an honorary Fellowship of the American College of O&G and an honorary Doctorate of Medicine from NUI for her contribution to women and infants’ health.

FINTAN O’TOOLE

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN ARTS AND HUMANITIES

The award-winning journalist Fintan O’Toole is one of Ireland’s most influential public intellectuals and a critical voice on politics and the arts. His writing career began with In Dublin as the theatre critic, a role he later took up with The Sunday Tribune, The New York Daily News and The Irish Times.

FINTAN O’TOOLE

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN ARTS AND HUMANITIES

The award-winning journalist Fintan O’Toole is one of Ireland’s most influential public intellectuals and a critical voice on politics and the arts. His writing career began with In Dublin as the theatre critic, a role he later took up with The Sunday Tribune, The New York Daily News and The Irish Times.

In 1988 after a period as editor of Magill, he joined the Irish Times and his column has featured for 30 years. He has written books on theatre, politics, biography and cultural history. Ship of Fools was a bestselling account of the fall of the Celtic Tiger and Ireland's current postage stamps are based on his History of Ireland in 100 Objects. He is currently working on the official biography of Seamus Heaney.

VINCENT KEAVENY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN LAW

Vincent Keaveny is a partner at international law firm, DLA Piper LLP, and a highly regarded practitioner having had a stellar career advising banks and companies throughout the UK and Europe on banking, finance and capital markets matters.

VINCENT KEAVENY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN LAW

Vincent Keaveny is a partner at international law firm, DLA Piper LLP, and a highly regarded practitioner having had a stellar career advising banks and companies throughout the UK and Europe on banking, finance and capital markets matters. He is an outstanding role model for UCD Law students and is supportive of their learning, while his firm is most accommodating with internships and student visits.

Vincent was one of the City of London's 25 Alderman in 2013 and was recently elected as one of two City of London Sheriffs for 2018-2019, a title dating back to the 14th century. Vincent is passionate about Music and Theatre and is a trustee of the music ensemble Exaudi, the Actors Theatre Company and is on the board of the Sir John Soane Museum.

DR ANN DERWIN

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN AGRICULTURE AND VETERINARY SCIENCE

Over her 25 year career, Dr Ann Derwin has held a variety of positions. Starting out in veterinary practice, she joined the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine in 1992.

DR ANN DERWIN

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN AGRICULTURE AND VETERINARY SCIENCE

Over her 25 year career, Dr Ann Derwin has held a variety of positions. Starting out in veterinary practice, she joined the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine in 1992. Since then she has worked as Agriculture Attaché in Madrid before becoming Chief Economist. She was appointed Assistant Secretary in 2016, becoming the first woman to serve on the Management Board of that department.

Ann is a passionate advocate in Ireland and internationally of the need to enhance the role of women in the agri-food sector. Since 2017, Ann has worked as Director General, Global Irish Services in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade where she also leads gender equality and diversity initiatives.

DR JULIE MCENERY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND IMPACT

An astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Julie McEnery received her PhD in Physics from UCD in 1997.

DR JULIE MCENERY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND IMPACT

An astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Julie McEnery received her PhD in Physics from UCD in 1997. She has worked for over ten years in the field of high energy gamma-ray astrophysics, working with all elements of the mission as the Project Scientist for the Fermi gamma-ray Space Telescope.

A curious child, Julie was interested in the fundamental questions and is now directly involved in opening up new ways of looking at the universe, discovering exciting new things and posing new questions. Alongside her work in NASA she is Adjunct Professor of Physics at the University of Maryland and at the George Washington University. In 2011, she was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society.

DR MICHAEL BYRNE

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN SCIENCE

A physicist who used theoretical knowledge from his degree to invent a new technology which he has turned into a global business.

DR MICHAEL BYRNE

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN SCIENCE

A physicist who used theoretical knowledge from his degree to invent a new technology which he has turned into a global business. Dr Michael Byrne graduated with a BSc in Physics and went on to complete a PhD in Atmospheric and Aerosol Physics in 1976.

From his involvement in the development of the basic ionisation smoke alarm, in 1988 he and his colleagues were part of a management buyout, following which Ei Electronics was established in Shannon which employs over 700 people. It is the leader in residential fire products, and the originator of innovative products including smoke detectors, carbon monoxide sensors, unique electronic circuits, RF technology and sounders. It holds over 25 patents in these technologies.

JOHN CAREY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

John Carey is passionate about creating an inclusive and diverse organisation, which puts safety and the customer at the heart of the business. Having graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1983, he has built his career leading a number of global businesses.

JOHN CAREY

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

John Carey is passionate about creating an inclusive and diverse organisation, which puts safety and the customer at the heart of the business, having graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1983 and has built his career leading a number of global businesses.

He has lived and leads businesses in Europe, Africa and the USA and has a unique skillset in transforming and growing businesses in highly complex and turbulent environments. Most recently, as Deputy CEO of ADNOC Distribution in Abu Dhabi, John has led their recent IPO; the largest international IPO in the Middle East in over a decade. John is a Trustee of the autism charity, Autistica.

JANE ANN MCKENNA

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN BUSINESS

Through her work with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) over the past ten years, Jane Ann McKenna has built up extensive on the ground experience in delivering emergency medical aid to some of the most acute conflicts in Africa, Middle East and Asia.

JANE ANN MCKENNA

UCD ALUMNI AWARD IN BUSINESS

Through her work with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) over the past ten years, Jane Ann McKenna has built up extensive on the ground experience in delivering emergency medical aid to some of the most acute conflicts in Africa, Middle East and Asia. In 2007, she left her career in banking to join MSF in Darfur where she led MSF’s response to crises in the Central African Republic, Sri Lanka, Iraq, Ethiopia and most recently Afghanistan.

As former Director of MSF Ireland, she led the strategic growth and development of MSF’s Irish office, focusing on fundraising, communications and recruitment initiatives. She was actively involved in engaging Irish audiences and advocating on humanitarian issues including, Ebola, the Syrian conflict and the refugee crisis. Jane Ann is currently leading the development of MSF's Strategic Plan for 2020-2023 in the MSF HQ in Amsterdam.