Faculty of Engineering and Computing header
Faculty of Engineering and Computing
DCU Deputy President Prof Anne Sinnott, Executive Dean Prof Jennifer Bruton, and Conal O’Donnell, Chief Executive Officer at Ergo, a Presidio company, standing with Ergo staff members outside DCU’s new Polaris building. The group is posed in front of the modern glass façade, smiling and gathered for an official visit or event

DCU Showcases Student Innovation at 2026 Final Year Project Expo

Almost 400 students unveiled their final-year projects at the Faculty of Engineering and Computing’s Final Year Projects Expo 2026. Now in its 42nd year, the Expo continues to stand as one of the university’s most significant academic and industry‑engagement events, drawing strong attendance from employers across Ireland’s engineering, computing, and technology sectors.

This year’s Expo was proudly supported by headline sponsor Ergo, a Presidio company, whose continued partnership underscores its commitment to nurturing Ireland’s future STEM talent pipeline.

Students presented projects that demonstrated technical depth, problem‑solving, and a strong awareness of real‑world challenges, with the 2026 exhibition showcasing an equally impressive breadth of socially impactful, future‑focused research. Projects ranged from Autonomous Weather Station, a solar-powered marine monitoring system designed for remote, harsh environments, to CrowdSkills, a crowd-sourced coaching platform that helps competitive gamers improve through community-driven feedback. Other standout projects included BumpBudget, a financial planning tool designed to support expecting and new parents, Zeph, a blockchain-based solution that automates EU261 flight delay compensation, and GesturASL, a gamified ASL-learning app powered by real-time gesture recognition. These projects represent only a fraction of the creativity and ambition on display throughout the day.

The event opened with a breakfast reception in the U Building, giving students and industry guests the chance to connect informally before the formal programme began. Attendees were then welcomed by DCU Deputy President Prof Anne Sinnott, Executive Dean Prof Jennifer Bruton, and Conal O’Donnell, Chief Executive Officer at Ergo, a Presidio company.

Reflecting on the event, Prof Jennifer Bruton said: 

“The Final Year Projects Expo 2026 celebrated our students’ innovation, resilience, and technical skills. As Generative AI becomes more influential, problem-solving, creativity, and independent thinking matter more than ever, and these projects show those qualities in full. Throughout the Expo, it was clear that students were tackling real-world problems and thinking critically about context and responsibility, using their skills in meaningful and effective ways. The pride, ambition, and sense of community in the faculty was evident throughout the day.”

Conal O’Donnell also praised the students’ achievements: “The DCU Expo once again demonstrated the exceptional creativity and capability of DCU students. The breadth of projects on display highlighted not only technical skill but also a strong commitment to solving real‑world problems. We are proud to continue supporting this event and to play a role in developing Ireland’s future workforce.”

The 2026 Expo was supported by headline sponsor Ergo, a Presidio company and nine prize sponsors: SAP, Intel, Davy, Infineon, Fidelity, KAESER Compressors Ltd, Aviva and Microsoft. Media coverage was provided by TechCentral.ie.