All-Ireland chemical engineers gather for inaugural dinner
12th March 2014
Chemical engineers from across Ireland gathered last week in Cork, Republic of Ireland, for the Institution of Chemical Engineers’ (IChemE) inaugural All-Ireland Member Group Dinner.
The chemical and process industries, across the whole of Ireland, have grown strongly over the past 50 years and are now a major contributor to the island’s economy.
The Irish pharmaceutical sector employs over 24,000 people and has attracted inward investment from 120 international companies. However, Ireland has a diverse process sector including Europe’s largest and most technologically advanced alumina refinery located on the Shannon Estuary.
The importance of the food and drinks sector is reflected in the continuing exceptional growth of the Irish whiskey business while it is projected that following recent investment from Danone that one-in-five babies in the world will be fed by infant formula milk made in Ireland over the next few years.
The island is also home to award winning universities including Queen’s University Belfast, which has collected five global chemical engineering awards and medals in the last six months.
Dr Denis Ring, lecturer at University College Cork and chair of IChemE’s All-Ireland Member Group, said: “The chemical and process industries in Ireland are vibrant and growing strongly. Chemical engineers are in strong demand and we expect this to continue in coming years especially in the fields of biotechnology, sustainability and environment.
“From a skills and talent perspective it makes really good sense for Northern Ireland and the Republic Of Ireland to work together to take advantage of the fantastic opportunities for future economic growth and job creation across the island.
“Our newly formed IChemE All-Ireland Member Group and inaugural dinner has been a great success and is hopefully just the start with lots more events and opportunities planned for the future to develop the chemical engineering profession in Ireland.
“We are thankful to PM Group and Irish Distillers for sponsoring the event, which was also supported by major companies including Eli Lilly, Jacobs Engineering, Pfizer Ireland, GSK, Janssen, DPS Engineering and Rockwell Automation.”
During the event, Professor Peter Croot from the National University of Ireland, Galway, was presented with the Hutchison medal. The medal is awarded by IChemE for practical and wide-ranging, philosophical or thought-provoking published papers.
Peter received his medal for his role as part of a multinational group of academics for their paper – ocean fertilisation for geoengineering: a review of effectiveness, environmental impacts and emerging governance – published in Process Safety and Environmental Protection Journal.
Nearly 120 people attended the dinner held at Maryborough House Hotel, Cork, on 6 March 2014, with some traveling from as far as Belfast, Athlone, Galway, Limerick and Dublin.