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Honours and Awards 2004
Here are the Criteria for Selection.
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 Back row: Colm Kearney, Alan Coakley, Martina Donnellan, Mark Radford, Daniel O'Shea. Front row: Billy Walsh, Brian Curtis, Lord Mayor Cllr. Sean Martin. President ISA Ireland Martin Almond, Kevin Dignam. |
The annual presentation of honours and awards was held in the Common Room of University College, Cork on Monday 6th December 2003 at 7.00pm. The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Seán Martin, attended.
- Craft Apprentice Award
Recipient: Mr. Alan Coakley, Turners Cross, Cork
Nominated by: Mr. Pat McCarthy, FÁS Training Centre, Cork.
- "Alan completed his apprenticeship in electrical and instrumentation during the period 1999 to 2004 at Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceutical Ringaskiddy Co. Cork. During this period I have followed his results with interest from phase 2, 4 and 6 of his apprenticeship and as can be seen Alan has achieved credits and merits in every module completed.
His attitude and commitment to detail during his time in FAS was exceptional. Alan continued his studies at night and attended the Cork Institute of Technology and Carlow Institute of Technology.
Where he completed the city and Guilds 275 Industrial Measurement and Control Technicians Certificate in Instrumentation and again achieved Distinctions and Credits throughout.
I have found Alan to be a very dedicated and sincere person. I am delighted to nominate Alan for the 2004 ISA Craft Apprentice Award in recognition of his accomplishments."
Alan is currently employed as an Instrument Technican with Kieran Electrical & Instrumentation Ltd, South Link Park, Ballycurreen, Cork, - Technician Award
Recipient: : Ms. Martina Donnellan , Mountbellew, Co. Galway
Nominated by : Mr. Gareth Roe. Course Coordinator,Certificate GMIT, Galway-
Martina DonnellanÕs nomination for this award is based on her outstanding achievement on the certificate course in Physics and Instrumentation at Galway Mayo Institute of technology in gaining a distinction with an average mark of 82.8%.
Impressively in MartinaÕs case it could be ventured that this overall mark in itself does not do her justice, as she was consistently excellent across the entire range of subjects she took from Instrumentation and Control through to Physics.
Indeed all of the marks she achieved in either the theoretical, practical, or project elements of all the subjects she took during the year, came in at above the distinction level of 70%.
In addition to this she must be complimented for her enthusiastic, resourceful and cheerful engagement with the course, her fellow students, and her lecturing staff through the duration of the Certificate course. - Technologist Award
Recipient: Mr. Daniel O'Shea, Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Nominated by : Dr. Liam McDonnell Cork. Institute of Technology- Daniel O'Shea received a distinction grade in the National Diploma I n applied Physics and Instrumentation with an average mark of 86.81%. Due to subject weightings this average cannot be computed directly from the marks shown on the transcript of his results. For achieving first place in the National Diploma in Applied Physics and Instrumentation, Daniel Received the Alcon IrelandLtd prize at the recent 2004 CIT Annual Science Awards ceremony.
During his Diploma Year Daniel carried out a three months placement in Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands where he developed a computer program to fully automate the operation of a plasma experiment. The project necessitated the use of LabWindows/ CVI software package for Data acquisition and instrument control.
Daniel received support from Science Foundation Ireland and worked with the Quantum Optics Group at Cork Institute of Technology for 11 weeks in the summer of 2004 under the supervision of Sile Ni Chormaic. During this time he worked on automating different aspects of the research experiments, setting up an imaging system, and a few other minor projects.
Daniel developed a program in LabView to automatically align two key optical components at the optimum position using an optical feedback loop. To realise this alignment Daniel developed a variation on the binary search algorithm
The algorithm is logarithmic, so it is very efficient, as opposed to a linear algorithm which would be exceedingly time consuming. After 17 iterations the optimum position should be achieved (within the resolution of the piezo-actuator). All power readings and actuator movements are recorded into a data file so that comparisons can be made with different spheres, laser pump powers etc.
Daniel also worked on a method for manufacturing the fibre tapers using a pull-and- draw technique. For this purpose he constructed a device using two stepper motors that will apply the pulling force to either end of an optical fibre.
All the settings such as speed and duration of the pull are software selectable in a command file. A LabView program has been created that will read and execute this file i.e. the motors are controlled by the computer. The necessary driver electronics were designed to enable this control.
Currently Daniel is on the final year of the BSc in Applied Physics and Instrumentation at Cork Institute of Technology.
- Ger. Dullea Award
Recipient: Mr. Colm Kearney, Skibbereen, Co. Cork
Nominated by: Dr. Liam McDonnell Cork. Institute of Technology-
The Department of Applied Physics and Instrumentation in CIT has two four-year honours degree courses based on instrumentation and/or applied physics: the long established BSc in Applied Physics and Instrumentation and the new BSc in computerised Instrumentation Systems from which the first students graduated in 2004.
Colm Kearney received a first class honours in the BSc in Computerised Instrumentation Systems with an average mark of 85.15%. Due to the subject weightings this average cannot be computed directly from the marks shown on the transcript of results.
Colm out performed the best student on the BSc in Applied Physics and instrumentation to win the 2004 Cork Institute of Technology Award for best honours degree graduate in the Department of Applied Physics and Instrumentation.
Furthermore Colm obtained the highest final year project mark with in the BSc in Computerised Instrumentation Systems.
For his final year project Colm developed a computer based viewing aid for the visuallyÐimpaired. During the project the physiology of the eye was extensively researched with emphasis on the causes of visual defects and the most relevant effects on individuals.
A computer desktop magnifier was created to increase the visual acuity of programs on the computer screen. Furthermore, an imaging system was developed using a flatbed scanner to display a magnified portion of the image. Throughout the project user friendliness was of prime concern.
The project was developed using Visual Basic software with Twain interfacing to the scanner. A comprehensive set of help files was developed to help the user learn the system.
The Computerised instrument system developed by Colm is one of the two final year project deliverables that are being used by Cork Institute of Technology to promote this unique course nationally and internationally.
Currently Colm is pursuing post-graduate studies at Dublin City University- Technology Achievement Award
The committee decided, that the nominations submitted did not merit the presentation of this award for 2003.- Instrument Pioneer -
Recipient : : Mr. Maurice Radford
Nominated by: Mr. Peadar Walsh and Mr. Brian Nolan-
Maurice was born in 1933 and educated in Wexford; Maurice played hurling with Wexford Minors. He started his working career in an office but knew it was not for him.
He joined the Air Corps 1953 to train as an Instrument Mechanic and was the first person in Ireland to be granted an X License to certify an airplane's instrumentation as Airworthy.
In 1959 he married Brenda and joined the ESB at the Marina Generating Station and extended his knowledge with industrial instruments, pneumatics, chlorine analysers and boiler controls. About this time, the station was put on automatic control using pulverised coal.
The family moved to Dublin in 1960 and Maurice worked briefly for ARIC (Accurate Recording Instrument Company) before joining Industrial Instruments Ltd. servicing customers such as the hospitals, blood banks and Urney chocolates.
In 1963 Elliott's were a leading English instrument manufacturer, making both their own designs and instruments under licence, Maurice joined the Irish headquarters in James St. Dublin as Instrument Service Engineer and was promoted to their business manager for Ireland and Northern Ireland in 1967. Elliott's became part of the GEC group at this time and a total of nearly 130 different manufacturers was sold and serviced from the James St. office. These included ElectroFlo, Londex, Fisher valves, Bristol Instruments (made under licence) and Satchwell controls. Related products included Traffic counters and a "Cardioverter" Ð a forerunner of defibrillator.
Phillips and Elliott's were the two main manufacturers of load cells and Maurice sold and maintained weighing systems for most of the concrete plants at this time and supervised the design, installation and commissioning of the instruments and control systems at the new Silverman's in Tipperary. Other new instrument users included Sony, De Beers and SPS at Shannon and County Council waterworks throughout the country.
In 1972 Maurice and Brenda formed their own company Measurement Control & Automation and in later years Mytec Ltd. to distribute and service instruments and continued to work together until Maurice's ill health forced their retirement in 2003. Maurice designed a CO2 analyser in 1973 and these were manufactured in their workshop at Clondalkin and sold as far away as New Zealand. One was still working away in Belgium in 2002.
Early customers included Dunlop, Carrigaline Potteries and Youghal Carpets. Major instrumentation and control projects were completed at Syntex, Courtaulds, Enkalon and DuPont. As well as supplying equipment, Maurice also advised on course content and delivered lectures to the new instrumentation courses at ANCO, Bolton Street, Kevin Street, Carlow RTC and the School of Engineering at Limerick.
Maurice was one of the first ISA members in the country in 1964, along with Tom Nulty of Guinness. From its conceptual days of 1974/75 He helped to start the ISA Ireland section, the Section received its charter from the Executive Board on June 29 1978. For the next ten years Maurice served on the section committee, his commitment included organizing Technical Talks, distributing training and educational material to the ISA membership.
Hugh Wilson President ISA presents the Charter to Fred Gilroy IrelandSection President- Also included: Eddie O'Connell, Tom Nulty, Bob Shine, Eddie Kenny, Dan O'Sullivan and Maurice Radford. (Silver Springs Hotel, Cork, September 4th 1978)
Maurice's Presidency extended from September 1980 through to December 1981. The society progressed at a steady rate during this period with the membership increasing to 167. The financial position was very healthy due entirely to the success of INTRON '80 (an Instrumentation Exhibition and Seminar held in the RDS Dublin). This was a very ambitious undertaking for what was virtually a newly formed section.
Maurice Radford District 12 (Europe)
Vice President and Pablo E. Herron
District 12 Vice President Elect.
In 1982 Maurice was elected ISA District 12 Vice President (all geographical areas outside U.S. and Canada). He served for two terms untill 1986 and during this time the society changed, to reflect the increased role and importance of sections outside America. During this period he attended meetings in Miami Florida, Houston Texas,
In 1994 Maurice was one of the founder members of the Leinster section and over the last ten years has helped to raise its profile and membership to its current position. He was an active member until ill health forced his retirement in 2003.
"Tonight we honour Maurice Radford with the Pioneer Award; He really has been a pioneer in the development of the Instrumentation industry in Ireland over the last Fifty years. We also honour his dedication to ISA for thirty of those years where he has played a major role in developing the ISA mission in Ireland and throughout Europe."
- Technology Achievement Award
