St. Patrick's Day Science Medal

Note: this is not a limited submission and is being announced as a courtesy only.

From: Invitation from Director General SFI
Sent: 07 July 2015 14:18
Cc: Cotter, Ciara
Subject: Science Foundation Ireland St. Patrick's Day Science Medal

Dear Colleague,

As Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government of Ireland and Director General of Ireland’s National Foundation for Research, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), I would like to extend an invitation to you to join SFI in recognising and celebrating the achievements of senior scientists and engineers with Irish heritage or connections that have made some of the world’s leading research institutes in the US their academic home. 

SFI honours these exceptional individuals through our St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal which is awarded by the Taoiseach (Ireland’s Prime Minister) in Washington D.C. during the official St. Patrick’s Day Programme in March each year.  The inaugural Medal was awarded to Dr Garret FitzGerald FRS from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 and (no relation!) Dr Kate Fitzgerald at the University of Massachusetts was the recipient in 2015.  The awardees are recognised for their significant achievements in their field and also for their enduring dedication to supporting the research and business community in Ireland.  Through their leading research and contribution to science and engineering in the US and their commitment to retaining close ties to their homeland these individuals are a key element of the continued success of the substantial collaborative ties between our countries.  During 2014 the US was the highest ranking country for SFI funded researchers to engage in academic research collaborations with over 360 recorded formal collaborations.

I would ask you please to consider nominating any senior Irish academics hosted at your University for the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal.  The nomination process is straightforward.   Full details are on our website at http://www.sfi.ie/international/sfi-st.-patricks-day-science-medal.html .  I also attach the call for nominations and nomination form here for convenience.  The closing date for nominations is September 4^th 2015.  We want there to be a fantastic list for the judging panel to select from.  If successful, hopefully this award will bring prestige not only to the individual, but to you as their host University.

The SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal is, of course, just one in our suite of programmes dedicated to nurturing existing, and creating new, relationships between researchers in Ireland and the US.  The US Ireland R&D Partnership Programme and SFI’s participation in the NSF GROW programme are other specific programmes which are dedicated to developing our strong relationship with the US.

I sincerely hope that you will consider nominating at least one suitable individual from your University and join us in Washington D.C. with our Taoiseach next March should your nominee be successful.  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact my colleague, Ciara Cotter at Ciara.cotter@sfi.ie or +353 1 6073211.

Kind regards.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Mark WJ Ferguson

Director General, Science Foundation Ireland

and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland

Ciara Cotter l Senior Executive, Enterprise and International Affairs

Strategy & Communications Directorate

Science Foundation Ireland

Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2

Main Telephone: +353 1 607 3200

Direct: +353 1 607 3211

E-mail: ciara.cotter@sfi.ie

Web: www.sfi.ie

Follow SFI on Twitter: twitter.com/scienceirel

Application Instructions

N/A

Not a limited submission.