Noel Dempsey T.D., the Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources today launched the Charles Parsons Energy Research Awards at the Charles Parsons Building in Trinity College Dublin. The research awards, aimed at stimulating and developing Irish energy research, will provide funding for research groups who wish to further develop their research groups and undertake projects in priority Energy areas.
“Energy research is a key component of the Government Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation. Our aim is to ensure that Ireland can develop sustainable sources of energy, increase our energy efficiency and improve the security of our energy supply and cutting edge research in the energy area will play a key role in acheiving this,” said Minister Dempsey.
The Initiative announced today will provide funding for:
- full time researchers,
- post graduate students who wish to undertake research leading to a PhD and
- undergraduate students who will be given the opportunity of working as part of a research group during their holidays, so that they can better appreciate what is involved in research.
“My aim is provide researchers with the necessary funding to allow them to achieve significant results. This is an innovative scheme which provides up to seven years funding for the best researchers thus also making it attractive to international researchers. It is also specifically aimed at attracting more engineers into energy research,” he noted.
It will generate new knowledge and increase the number of skilled individuals required to support our energy policies. These policies will be articulated in more detail in the Energy Green Paper I will launch this Sunday,” continued the Minister.
“It is fitting that the initiative is named after Charles Parsons (1854-1931), who in 1884 invented the steam turbine, which made affordable electricity readily available. He was raised and educated in Birr Co Offaly the son of the Earl of Ross and the building we are in today is named after his legacy,” he concluded.
The awards will be advertised in the national press very shortly and research groups who apply will be evaluated by an international panel of researchers. The first awards will be made before the end of the year.
Speech by Minister Dempsey at Launch of the Charles Parsons Awards
ENDS
For further media information, please contact:-