DCU Educational Trust hold annual Leadership Circle Dinner
The Leadership Circle Dinner is held annually to recognise DCU’s leading supporters and the powerful impact of their philanthropy.
Following speeches by DCU Educational Trust Chair Eamonn Quinn and DCU President Professor Dáire Keogh, Dr David Dowling spoke to Professor Christine Loscher on stage. Dr Dowling is a global leader in vaccine development, and went directly from DCU to Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, where today he is a Principal Investigator of his own laboratory within the Precision Vaccines Programme. His work focuses on novel vaccines developments, including for Covid-19, and for the hardest to vaccinate populations such as older people, children and those with chronic health issues.
Professor Blánaid White, Dean of DCU’s Faculty of Science and Health, then spoke to Ronan Langan, the Clinical Lead of DCU’s Exoskeleton Programme and Jack Kavanagh and Chloe Greene, two regular users of the programme. The Exoskeleton programme is a physiotherapist-led service allowing persons with reduced mobility due to paralysis access the Eksobionics exoskeleton, Ekso GT to allow them to complete sessions of supported walking facilitated by a trained handler.
The Individual Leadership Award for 2023/24 went to DCU’s anonymous donors, represented by Community Foundation Ireland. This award recognises those individuals who, through their substantial engagement with and support for the University, have taken a central role in the development of DCU and its mission to transform lives and societies. Community Foundation Ireland is a remarkable philanthropic hub through which many of our anonymous donors give to DCU. Their mission of equality for all in thriving communities, and their expertise in effective and strategic giving, make them a powerful partner for anyone who believes in the transformative power of philanthropy.
The Staff Leadership Award was presented to Professor Noel O’Connor. This award recognises DCU staff members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership to advance DCU’s mission to transform lives and societies. Professor O’Connor is CEO of the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics and a Full Professor in Electronic Engineering. This award recognises his work in building partnerships that advance philanthropy. As leader of Insight, Noel has built many industry and social partnerships that harness the power of AI, machine learning, and data analytics to build a better, healthier future. In the area of philanthropy too, Noel has demonstrated exemplary leadership and a talent for building partnerships that drive innovation, research and inclusion.
The Corporate Leadership Award was presented to KPMG, in recognition of their continued partnership with the university and their generous philanthropic support for DCU students over many years. This award recognises the contributions of DCU’s leading corporate supporters who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in supporting DCU in its mission to transform lives and societies. For over four decades, KPMG has been a strong supporter of accounting education at DCU, and it continues to be one of the top employers of DCU graduates today. Through the years, KPMG has supported research in Autism Education, a founding gift to the National Centre for Family Business, and transformative student internships through DCU Access to the Workplace.
For more information on the DCU Educational Trust and its work, please follow this link.