DCU Honours Researchers at 2026 President’s Awards
The 2026 President’s Awards for Research were presented at a ceremony in the Helix Theatre on DCU’s Glasnevin campus today (Thursday 30 April). DCU President Prof Daire Keogh and Vice President for Research spoke as each of the awardees made a presentation.
2026 President's Awardees:
- Academic Staff: Prof Silvia Giordani, School of Chemical Sciences
- Early Career Researcher: Dr Jonathan Harris, School of History and Geography
- Research Impact: Dr Sinéad McNally, School of Language, Literacy & Early Childhood Education#
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Professor Daire Keogh, President of Dublin City University, said:
“With these awards, we recognise the sustained contributions of exceptional DCU researchers across a range of disciplines and at various career stages. Today, we not only showcase the awardees and their achievements, but we also celebrate the excellence of the University’s wider research community and their continued impact in addressing global challenges and issues.”
Prof Silvia Giordani: Academic Staff Award
Professor Silvia Giordani of the School of Chemical Sciences has been honoured for her internationally recognised research in materials chemistry. Over two decades, Prof Giordani has demonstrated sustained leadership, guiding interdisciplinary teams across Italy and Ireland to innovate in the field of carbon nanomaterials.
Her research into nanotechnology holds transformative potential, particularly regarding the development of non-invasive anti-tumour therapies. Recently appointed Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, Prof Giordani noted that her success is rooted in collaborative teamwork across diverse scientific disciplines.
Dr Jonathan Harris: Early Career Researcher Award
The 2026 Early Career Researcher award was presented to Dr Jonathan Harris from the School of History and Geography. Dr Harris’s work examines international migration, social justice, and postcolonial citizenship.
His distinguished research includes a study of training programmes for pioneer diplomats from emerging nations, while his current project focuses on the diasporic diplomatic activities of Indian, Brazilian, and Algerian communities. Notably, Dr Harris successfully negotiated to bring a Research Ireland Pathway Grant to DCU, a significant feat that has bolstered research capacity within his School.
Dr Sinéad McNally: Research Impact Award
Dr Sinéad McNally, from the School of Language, Literacy & Early Childhood Education, received the award for Research Impact. Dr McNally leads a distinguished research programme focused on creating high-quality, inclusive educational environments.
A cornerstone of her work is elevating student voices that are often missing from educational discourse. Her research has had direct policy impact, being cited by the National Disability Authority and contributing to the Autism Innovation Strategy. Internationally, her findings on shared reading have been adopted by BookTrust in the UK, and she recently presented her work to government ministers at the Welsh National Conference on Early Years Reading.