Professor Ann Ledwith, Director of UL@Work, UL’s Human Capital Initiative project, was recognised with the Engineers Ireland Thomond Region President’s Engagement Award for her outstanding leadership of the Explore Engineering initiative.
The annual engineering engagement award recognises engineers for their dedication and commitment to the advancement and promotion of engineering within the region.
Previous award winners include Barry Lowe, Lufthansa Technik Turbine Shannon (LTTS), and Damien Walsh, ON Semiconductor.
Explore Engineering is an event-based initiative that promotes and showcases the breadth of exciting engineering opportunities on offer. Through her leadership, Professor Ledwith has not only inspired countless students but has also strengthened partnerships between academia and industry, fostering a vibrant engineering ecosystem in the Midwest.
Reflecting on this recognition, Professor Ledwith said, "It's truly an honour to receive this award, which underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in promoting engineering education. It’s great to see the work done by Explore Engineering being recognised through this award. Explore Engineering has had a real impact on the quality and quantity of engineering talent in the region. Great credit is due to all our volunteers who have supported the growth of the network over the past 10 years. It has been a pleasure working with them.”
David Purcell, Chair of the Engineers Ireland Thomond Region, commended Professor Ledwith's achievement: “I am delighted on behalf of the Engineers Ireland Thomond Region to recognise Ann’s significant contribution to the promotion of the engineering profession in our region. She is passionate about promoting engineering as a great career choice for everybody, especially our students in the Mid-West region. Ann is the Chair of Explore Engineering and has done an outstanding job leading the steering committee. Explore Engineering’s yearly showcase has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, with this year’s event at Shannon Airport, without doubt, being the biggest to date. Ann is a very worthy recipient of this year’s Engineering Engagement Award in the Thomond Region.”