Four NUI Galway students have been announced as winners of the 2012 Undergraduate Awards - an international academic awards programme that identifies top students across the globe through their innovative undergraduate research.  A further nine NUI Galway students were highly commended.

Neasa O’Callaghan was announced winner of the prestigious award in the Ancient & Classical Studies category for her essay entitled “Mapping Europa from Antiquity to Present: Contrasting Images of an Abductee and Queen” whilst Isaac Burke secured a win in the Mathematical & Physical Sciences for his essay “Finding a non-broken circuit basis for the Orlik-Solomon algebra of an arrangement of hyperplanes“.  Joining them as winners were Cathal Kelly in the Engineering & Mechanical Sciences category with his essay“Phosphorous Removal From Wastewater Using Pyrrhotite” and Marek Bohacek for his essay on “Process timing and its relations to the perception of tonal harmony: an EEG study” which bagged him an award in the Psychology category.

Panels of international academics assessed the 2890 coursework entries that were received from students attending third level institutions across Ireland, the USA, UK and Canada, and selected two winners per academic category.

Congratulating the students, NUI Galway President, Dr Jim Browne said: "The success of these talented students highlights the quality of study which our undergraduate students are engaged in.  Their success in these Awards will undoubtedly add lustre to their academic development, as well as underscore NUI Galway’s increasing profile as a centre of world-class research and teaching".  He continued by wishing them continued success in their academic endeavours.

The four winning NUI Galway students, along with the 35 other UA winners, will be brought to Dublin for the UA Summit, “a Davos for students”, from 7-10 November.  “This conference will serve as a three-day pop-up incubation centre for some of the world’s most exceptional young minds” said Louise Hodgson, UA Programme Director. “>From hands-on workshops and talks with inspiring young achievers, entrepreneurs and academics to networking events with top graduate recruiters, the UA Summit is going to be one of the most exciting student-focused events in Europe.”

As part of the UA Summit, President Michael D. Higgins, patron of the Undergraduate Awards, will award the 39 winners at the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony at Royal Hospital Kilmainham on 9 November for excellence and innovation within coursework at undergraduate level.

The UA Summit will also include the Forum on Higher Education that will bring together edupreneurs and pioneers in the field of education to discuss disruptive education.  Speakers include CEO of the Wolfram Group and world famous TEDster, Conrad Wolfram.  For further information on the UA Summit and the results of the 2012 Undergraduate Awards, please see www.undergraduateawards.com.

ENDS