The 'ESAI Postgraduate Researcher of the Year Award' for ESAI members started in 2013 and welcomes applications from students doing either a PhD or a Masters degree by research in an environmental topic.
Postgraduate Researcher of the Year 2022 was launched at Environ 2022 on June 21st 2022 and is now open for applications has been extended until January 31st 2023.
The winner will receive the prize of €500 and their certificate will be presented at the opening ceremony of Environ 2023. They will also be invited to give a guest lecture at the subsequent ESAI AGM which takes place at the ENVIRON 2023.
Applications were evaluated under three criteria: Scientific excellence and originality, Impact (economic/environmental/societal) and Dissemination (conferences, outreach, media). Candidates were asked to outline research objectives, background to research, why research is necessary and novel, environmental relevance, methods, results, accomplishments, awards, publications/patents, the potential impact of the research (economic/environmental/societal), and outline the dissemination activities related to the project.
Applications forms are available here. Completed application forms accompanied by a CV should be emailed to administrator@esaiweb.org by January 31st 2023.
Listen back to previous winner Philip Shine talking about the how applying and winning the award benefited his research
Please note:
Applicants must be registered as a student at an Irish HEI or working in partnership with an Irish research organisation. The applicant must not have submitted their final thesis prior to the Post Graduate of the Year application deadline date.
2021 Winner: Irene O’Callaghan, UCC whos research thesis focuses on the development of a novel technique to improve the detection and quantification of emerging contaminants within the freshwater environment.
2021 Highly Commended: Katherine Burns, UCD for her research project
looking at the contributions and conservation of Irish Pollinators in Ireland.
2020 Winner: Sean O’Connor, Institute of Technology Sligo
PhD thesis entitled “Meeting Ireland's Sustainability Challenges and Obligations - The role of small-scale waste/energy management as sustainable solutions in the
circular economy.”
2020 Highly Commended: Kate Mahony, University College Cork
PhD thesis entitled “A temporal investigation of Europe-wide drivers of cockle Cerastoderma edule biology, health and population dynamics.”
2020 Highly Commended: Samuel Ross, Trinity College Dublin
PhD thesis entitled “Understanding the consequences of global environmental change for ecological dynamics and resilience.”
2019: Molly-Ann Williams, Dublin City University
PhD thesis entitled “Development of a Novel Biosensor for the Detection of Specific Species using Enviornmental DNA”
2018: Conall Holohan, National University of Ireland, Galway
PhD thesis entitled “The Anaerobic Digestion of Fats: exploring microbial technological solutions”
2017: Philip Shine, Cork Institute of Technology
PhD thesis entitled “Electricity and direct water consumption on Irish dairy farms”
2016: Christopher Finnegan, Institute of Technology Carlow
PhD thesis entitled “Detection and bioremediation of tributyltin in several environmental matrices such as sediments, soils, water and biological samples”
2015: Luke J. Prendergast, University College Dublin
PhD thesis entitled “Monitoring of scour around structures using changes in natural frequency of vibration”
2014: Richard Manton, NUI Galway
PhD thesis entitled “Route Selection and Design of Greenways: Guidance for the Irish National Cycle Network”
Growing from strength to strenght over the years the ESAI run student competition at Environ is a great opportunity for students to gain recognition for their presentation skills. This year we had ...
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