DkIT Announces Winner 2019 Peter Rice Engineering Award

12 December 2019

Daniel McWall, a Co Armagh graduate of the BEng in Electrical and Electronic Systems has been announced as the winner of the Peter Rice Awards 2019 at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT).

The annual awards ceremony, which is sponsored by Engineers Ireland North East, honours the renowned Dundalk-born engineer, Peter Rice who worked for Ove Arup on major global projects such as the Centre Pompidou, Lloyd’s of London, the Louvre Pyramid and Sydney Opera House.

The Peter Rice medal is awarded each year to the best Level 7 Engineering student project at DkIT. It is an opportunity to showcase project work within the School of Engineering, with student posters and projects on display during the event. For the competition itself, three candidates from a range of Engineering disciplines presented their Level 7 student projects to an audience of students, staff and a panel of judges from Engineers Ireland North East Region.

2019 finalists were Daniel McWall from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh representing electronic engineering and Ruairí McCann, also from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh representing civil engineering. Following their presentations, each candidate was interviewed by the judging panel. The judging panel consisted of Andrew Crowley, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineer with Suretank Ltd, Eamon Dillane, Managing Director at E. Dillane Electrical Services Ltd., David Hatchett, Vice-Chair of Engineers Ireland, North East Branch and Control System Engineer at Combilift, and Sean McCarthy, Lean, IPD and Project Management Consultant.

The panel awarded this year’s Peter Rice Medal to Daniel McWall based on his excellent presentation, and the completeness of his handheld distance measuring device, which he designed, assembled, programmed and tested himself. Ruairí McCann, also from South Armagh received a certificate of commendation for his work on designing a pedestrian underpass below the N52 which would allow students to safely travel from the DKIT main campus to DKIT Sport.

Congratulations to all who took part in the competition.

Captions for Images:

IMAGE 1: Pictured (from left) are David Hatchett, Control System Engineer at Combilift & Vice Chair of Engineers Ireland, North East with 2019 Peter Rice Award Winner, Daniel McWall who is a graduate of BSc in Electrical & Electronical Systems Graduate at DkIT
IMAGE 2: Pictured (from left) are Sean McCarthy, Project Management Consult Engineer; Eamon Dillane, Managing Director, E.Dillane Electrical Service Ltd.; Ruairí McCann, Civil Engineering Graduate, DkIT; David Hatchett, Control System Engineer, Combilift & Vice Chair of Engineers Ireland, North East; Andrew Crowley, Mechanical Engineer, Suretank Ltd. and Daniel McWall. Electrical & Electronical Systems Graduate, DkIT at the Peter Rice Awards Ceremony 2019 in DkIT.
IMAGE 3: Pictured (from left) are David Hatchett, Control System Engineer, Combilift & Vice Chair of Engineers Ireland, North East; Eamon Dillane, Managing Director, E.Dillane Electrical Service Ltd.; Daniel McWall Electrical & Electronical Systems Graduate, DkIT; Dr Tom Dooley, Head of School of Engineering, DkIT and Ruairí McCann, Civil Engineering Graduate, DkIT at the 2019 Peter Rice Awards
IMAGE 4: Pictured (from left) are the 2019 Peter Rice Industry Judging Panel, Eamon Dillane, Managing Director, E.Dillane Electrical Service Ltd.; Sean McCarthy, Project Management Consult Engineer; David Hatchett, Control System Engineer, Combilift & Vice Chair of Engineers Ireland, North East and Andrew Crowley, Mechanical Engineer, Suretank Ltt. at DkIT Awards Ceremony.