NCSPT awards today at Dublin City University
25th September 2002

At a ceremony held today at Dublin City University, the National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology presented its annual prize for the best undergraduate project to two students from NUI Cork, Bride Ni Riagain and Caroline Nyhan. Prof Eugene Kennedy, Director of the National centre for Plasma Science and Technology was one of the judges on the panel.

Bride and Caroline were undergraduates of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the NUI, Cork. They carried out joint research into bench testing of a new polarimetric technique for plasma diagnostics under the supervision of Dr S L Prunty.

Dublin City's University's president, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski presented the prize of €500 to the students. "This is a particularly appropriate day to make these presentations. Not only are we opening a new Research and Engineering Building at Dublin City University, but we are encouraging excellence in research. Bride and Caroline have demonstrated a tremendous commitment to their discipline, and I applaud their achievement".

The National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology was founded in 1999 under the PRTLI scheme as a focus for fundamental and applied research in Ireland and internationally. It includes interdisciplinary groups of researchers such as chemists, engineers, mathematicians and physicists. It also maintains collaborations all over the world and has strong links with industrial partners in Ireland and abroad.

ENDS