Bi-Monthly Web Newsletter from University of Limerick Alumni Association (ULAA) Feb/Mar 07 - No.52

1987.... ULAA CELEBRATING 20 YearS ....2007

UL ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT The Chancellor of UL and Chairman of its Governing Authority, Sean Donlon has announced the appointment of Professor Don Barry as the next President of UL. Speaking after the announcement, Prof Barry said he was genuinely honoured and added "it is heartening to see the unique contribution of universities to the economic, social and cultural development of our country given due recognition and, increasingly, the resources required to fulfil their missions."    A native of Mallow, Co Cork, Prof. Barry attended the Patrician Academy there and was awarded a BSc (Mathematical Science) and MSc (Mathematics & Statistics) from University College, Cork. He subsequently received a PhD in Statistics in Yale University.  Prof. Barry was appointed Vice President Academic & Registrar at UL in 2004 with responsibility for academic developments across the University.    Prof. Barry will take up his duties on 1 May, 2007 and succeeds John O'Connor who has been acting as President since the resignation of Prof. Roger Downer  last year due to ill health.   On behalf of the growing UL graduate community worldwide, ULAA congratulates President-designate Barry and we look forward to his continued support of our ULAA programme.

ULAA MARKS RETIREMENT OF PRESIDENT EMERITUS Following the announcement in May last year by Prof. Roger Downer to retire early from the position of President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, many tributes have been paid.   In recognition of the considerable contributions of UL's second President to the growth, development and academic advancement of UL during his 8 years in office, the University's Governing Authority awarded the lifetime title of President Emeritus to Prof. Downer.   The ULAA Board and Executive Team also took the opportunity to honour Prof Downer and his wife, Jean at a special dinner in Plassey House in January.  ULAA's incoming Chairperson, Dr. Matt Cannon PhD '01 made a presentation and expressed "sincere appreciation to Roger for his unwavering support of Alumni activities. We wish him a long and happy retirement while also looking forward to welcoming Roger and his wife, Jean as our guests at future ULAA events".   Prof. Downer enjoyed his return to the campus for this special occasion and happily reported significant improvements in recent times with his personal health.  He also continues his involvement in various UL activities.

BANK OF IRELAND UL ALUMNI AWARDS 2007 Following the phenomenal success of the Inaugural Alumni Awards held last year, ULAA now invites you to nominate graduates for this year's event.   UL Graduates continue to make enormous contributions via their chosen life paths and their achievements reflect enormously well on their alma mater.    The Bank of Ireland UL Alumni Awards 2007 will be presented to UL Graduates who have made an outstanding contribution in any of the following spheres: Science & Technology, Cultural/Arts, Business, Academic, Societal/Humanitarian and Sport.   One of our 2006 Award recipients, Paul Gleeson BBS '98 was recently named 'Limerick Person Of The Year' at a Gala dinner attended by An Taoiseach.   A copy of the 2007 Nomination Form is available from ULAA.  Those nominated for the awards must be graduates of UL, while nominations can be made by any member of the campus, alumni communities or the public.  All nominations for consideration by the Alumni Awards Selection Committee must be received by 6 April 2007.

ALL ABOARD FOR 2007!      At the 19th Company AGM held in January, a new Board of Directors to lead ULAA through the next phase in its development was elected.   Comprising nine graduates and two University representatives (representing UL and UL Foundation), the new Board - together with the ULAA Executive Team on campus - has identified a number of Plans for 2007.   As we progress these projects, we will bring you regular updates and as always, invite your feedback.  At ULAA, we celebrate our 20th anniversary this year and we are planning some special events ... watch this space!  For now, you are invited to find out more about what we do at ULAA and our new Board.

UniversaL - DID YOU KNOW?... Registrations to our free, exclusive online network have now reached over 3,300!   Did you know UniversaL has many great features to help keep you in touch with your classmates including the ability to email each other directly?  Already, this handy facility is proving popular with graduates tracking down lost friends!   All members registered by 30 March will automatically be entered in a draw for a €100 voucher for Brown Thomas.   Congratulations to Sean O'Donoghue BSc Computer Systems '98 from Sweden who recently won a two-night break in the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel.   UniversaL is generously sponsored by the Ulster Bank Enablement Fund.   Register now!

GRADUATE INTERVIEW Here you learn about the life today of two graduates ... as well as their thoughts on their alma mater.

Name: Caroline Storan   Graduate: BSc Computer Sys '85   Based: Geneva, Switzerland.  Occupation: World Intellectual Property Organization.    Quote: "We believed we were the cream of the crop so graduated confident in our ability to make a difference ...''.  Name: Kevin Brew    Graduate: BBS (Personnel & French) '94    Based: Dublin, Ireland.    Occupation:  Radio Producer, RTE    Quote:"The course was at its best when it was trying to give us real brain food, as in Industrial Relations, Law or Communications". '    For full interviews and more photos, select ...   Caroline Storan        Kevin Brew   Previous interviews with other graduates are also available here

CUPID ON CAMPUS ! Campus life isn't just about study ... for some it also means falling in love!   ULAA caught up with a couple who met while students at UL.  Phillipa Harper, BA Applied Languages with Computing '05 & Martin O'Brien BBS '05 are now living in Limerick and met in their first year of UL in the Christian Union.    Electronic Engineers Ray Brick BEng '96 & Susan Pratt BEng '00 first crossed paths in 1998 while she was on co-op at his workplace, Analog Devices, Limerick.   With Valentine's Day upon us, we're bringing you their special stories. Read on...

WAITING TO MEET YOU... Promoting the University of Limerick's campus and all of the other conference and sports facilities in the both Limerick & Clare region as the ideal destination for companies to bring meetings, conferences and sporting events is all in a days work for local alumna Karen Brosnahan (neé Ronan) BBS '97.   As Business Development Manager with the 'Meet Limerick Shannon Conference & Sports Bureau', Karen says the most exciting part of her job is ''the opportunity to work on attracting events to the region I am so passionate about''.  One of the events already secured for 2008 is the World Baton Twirling Championships at the University Arena which will see 2,500 baton twirlers from all over the world descend on campus for a world sports event spanning 8 days.   Karen is now calling all UL graduates to become conference and event envoys. If you or your company are planning events that could potentially be held in the Limerick/Clare region, then she wants to hear from you at Karen@meetlimerickshannon.com

UL AWAITS DECISION ON MEDICAL SCHOOL  The waiting is almost over as a decision is now imminent on the location of Ireland's first Graduate-Entry Medical School.   UL's tender for this presitgious facility is now under review by an international panel under the auspices of the Government's Department of Education & Science.   The CAO has already invited applications for the first 60 places in this new medical programme which will commence in September, 2007.  The only remaining question is ... where?   UL's bid is considered to be highly competitive so, here's hoping there will be many doctors in the house soon!

Changing the Picture at ul The UL Access Campus recently celebrated months of hard work by members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) with the launch of a Photographic Exhibition & 2007 Calendar.   Both have been produced by members of the IWA as part of a year-long course in photography.  The Exhibition will run at the UL Access Campus (located at the Roxboro premises of LEDP in Limerick) until early March.

€3million Energy BOOST FOR UL Ten interdisciplinary UL research projects in the areas of: Energy Efficiency & Conservation; Bio-fuels & Advanced Conversion Processes; Wind & Ocean (generation) Solutions and Energy Storage, have been awarded Charles Parsons Research Funding of over €3million.   Several research centres within UL came together  to create the Charles Parsons Initiative with the purpose of researching viable solutions to energy issues of national priority, such as the ever-increasing price of fossil fuels.

what's in your back yard?  An exciting, interactive presentation examining live specimens of creepy crawlies which live in our back gardens was just one of the highlights of UL Science Week attended by over 3,000 primary and secondary school children.   Hosted by UL's College of Science, the week's events aim to engage school pupils' interest in and appreciation of science and technology, and to illustrate the great career potential in this sector.

'A Day of Kate O’Brien' - Invitation The Department of Languages & Cultural Studies at UL's College of Humanities in collaboration with the Department of English, Mary Immaculate College invites you to this special event to be held on Friday, 23 February.   'A Day of Kate O'Brien' will explore many themes relating to the internationally renowned Limerick-born novelist and playwright.  Themes include 'Kate O’Brien and the Challenge for the Literary Biographer', 'An Exploration of memory, of imagination and of fact: Kate O'Brien's Archival Notes', 'Kate O’Brien, Spain and the Basque Country' and 'Kate O’Brien’s Successors, Contemporary Irish Fiction'.    Registration is free, but places are limited.  Please contact:  tina.otoole@ul.ie or kathryn.laing@mic.ul.ie

ON THE MOVE...    ULAA extends very best wishes to former colleagues.

Prof. Eamonn McQuade (left) recently retired from the Dept. of Electronic & Computer Engineering.  A former Dean of UL's College of Engineering, Eamonn reflects on his 27 years on campus and says " My greatest pleasure while at UL has been interacting with the students and graduates over the years, and following their developing careers."   We also wish Dr. Ger Lyons (middle) every success in his new position of Professor of Electronic Engineering at the National University of Ireland, Galway.  Ger started his academic career in UL in the Dept. of Electronic & Computer Engineering in September 1990 and also acted as Assistant Dean, Research for the College of Informatics & Electronics at UL.   Recently retired also after a long-serving career at UL is Matt Sharpe (right).  A member of UL's portering service, Matt was in fact the first person on campus having been charged with looking after Plassey House and the estate before even the first faculty, staff and students arrived in 1972.  From the start, Matt - who has a keen interest in horticulture and golf - was always at the centre of things and one of the first students, Trish Kerr BCS '76 recalls that ''Matt's' presence at that time still holds such very special memories for all of us of that period.  Never to be forgotten are the times we all spent at Matt's residence on campus".

IRISH BUSINESS NETWORK FOR GERMANY The Irish Government agency responsible for developing Irish industry has launched an Irish Business Network in Germany as a forum in which Irish professionals can meet to share experiences, make new friends and perhaps even to find new business partners.   Enterprise Ireland has devleoped this network to provide access to Irish decision makers in industry, government level business support as well as local expert advice.   Social events provide business and non-business networking opportunities, including support in the form of new friendships for newcomers to Germany.  Membership is open to Irish citizens living and working in Germany and others having strong business/personal links to Ireland.  If you are interested, visit www.irishbusinessnetwork.de.

HOME CITY HONOURS SIR TERRY WITH SPECIAL AWARD At a Gala Dinner held in Limerick in early February, a Special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ireland’s greatest living broadcaster, the ever-entertaining Sir Terry Wogan.   Limerick’s most famous son received the award from his native city because of his achievement as Europe’s top broadcaster and his tremendous work for charity.  Sir Terry said “what Limerick man would not be honoured to receive such an award from a proud and historic city."   The popular TV and radio chat show host who has the highest radio audience across Europe of 8 million listeners said he got his great love for rugby in his native city.  Sir Terry added "Limerick never left me, I follow all the rugby teams and I am very proud when I see Munster doing so incredibly well".   He is also very proud of the Honorary Doctorate that he received from UL in 2004 and and said “every time I come back, the city is growing ... the University of Limerick is so brilliant”. Sir Terry is also a Board member of the UL Foundation.

THERE WAS A RED ARMY FROM MUNSTER... Over 600 aspiring poets competed for special rugby tickets in a national competition when the ‘Pat Kenny radio show’ on Radio 1 invited listeners to use their best poetic skills to write a Limerick, a five-line poem with a strict meter, popularised in the mid 19th century.   Pat Kenny said they were overwhelmed with entries ‘from the bizarre to the brilliant’.  The much-coveted prize was a pair of stand tickets to Munster’s Heineken Cup home game against Leicester Tigers in January - the last historic match in the old Thomond Park before the €40million re-development starts. The winning Limerick penned by Cork woman Phil Doyle read:   There was a Red Army from Munster, Whose fans spread from old wan to youngster, Their motto was fight with all of their might, And they did not come home ‘til they won, Sir. Let’s hope defending European champions Munster can make it two in a row!

OVER TO YOU... We hope you enjoyed this issue of @lumni@ul.  Your feedback on the design/content is always welcome.   We invite submissions of interest to graduates.  If you have something you would like to see included in the next issue, send it to us with photos, if possible before Friday, 30 March to ulaa@ul.ie  We cannot guarantee inclusion but will do our best!   Thanks for reading.

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