Fulbright honour for Dr Tom Curran and Dr Elizabeth Shotton

On the 12th of June, 2017 the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Mr Reece Smyth, Chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Ireland, announced 38 new Fulbright Irish Awardees.

Recipients include students, academics and professionals from 15 HEIs across Ireland and Europe. These Awardees will go to top US institutions to study and collaborate with experts in their field.

The College of Engineering and Architecture were proud to learn that two of their graduates, Dr Tom Curran and Dr Elizabeth Shotton were one of the 38 recipients for 2017.

Fulbright Picture Conor McCabe Photography

Dr Tom Curran is a lecturer in the School of Biosystems and Food Engineering and Director of the MSc Environmental Technology Programme at University College Dublin. As a Fulbright-TechImpact Scholar, he will be hosted by North Carolina State University to develop an early warning system for sewer network blockages caused by ‘fatbergs’. In recent years, Dr Curran has developed a European wide reputation as a specialist in ‘fatbergs’ and has made frequent media contributions on this issue.

 

 

 

Fulbright Picture Conor McCabe Photography

 

Dr Elizabeth Shotton is currently Director of Research, Innovation and Impact in the UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy. She teaches in construction technology and design studio, with an emphasis on sustainable building and development. Her research is in the field of construction history and she is currently working on an Irish Research Council funded project Minor Harbours, which examines the evolution of maritime engineering in small harbours in Ireland from the 17th century to the present. As a Fulbright-TechImpact Scholar, Elizabeth will work with the Digital Humanities group of the UCLA Cotsen Institute to develop strategies to digitally visualize these harbours.