March 2011 Annual All-Ireland Dissertation Award Announced

Information and Communication Technology The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is one of the most important export-oriented economic sectors in Ireland, with great opportunities for economic development and contributing to the recovery. Innovations made in Ireland, based on research, are creating these opportunities. The Annual All-Ireland ICT Dissertation Award of the Royal Irish Academy aims to make more visible the significant scientific contribution made by Ireland, in particular by post-graduate students, to Information and Communication Technology. This award also aims at initiating knowledge transfer from the Universities and Institutes of Technology into society and the economy. As some of the largest research efforts in ICT in Ireland, this thesis award is organised and sponsored by the Science Foundation Ireland funded Centres for Science, Engineering and Technology (CSETs) in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector (DERI, CLARITY, CTVR, CNGL, and LERO) under the auspices of the Royal Irish Academy. The award is combined with a cash prize of €1500, sponsored by the CSETs. The President of the Royal Irish Academy, Professor Luke Drury, said: "This award reflects the importance of ICT research as an integral part of the academic landscape in Ireland. Digital tools and electronic communications are now indispensable in all areas of research as well as more generally in civic society and commerce. Excellence in this area in our Universities and Institutes of Technology is a necessary prerequisite for economic growth and prosperity." The Director of ICT Research in Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Fionn Murtagh, said: "Our ever-changing ICT industry will play a pivotal role in Ireland s economic recovery. With a large number of ICT multinational companies based in Ireland collaborating with ICT-focused research bodies, it is crucially important that we continue to position Ireland at the leading edge of technological innovation. Science Foundation Ireland has been instrumental in facilitating this, and is committed to continuing such a role in partnership with a diverse range of agency, commercial and academic partners." Chairperson of the evaluation committee and Director of DERI, NUI Galway, Professor Stefan Decker said: "ICT has a critical economic role in Ireland. Thanks to the foresight of Science Foundation Ireland, Irish ICT research is internationally competitive, with many areas in a world-leading position. This award is showing the ingenuity of Irish based ICT research to the public. " The closing date for submissions is Saturday, 7 May, 2011. The winner will be announced in June, 2011. For more details about the award please go to :http://ria.ie/our-work/grants---awards/national-prizes-awards.aspx -Ends-