Speech
Remarks by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the presentation of the St. Patrick’s Day Science Foundation Ireland Medals
From Department of the Taoiseach
By: Taoiseach;
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From Department of the Taoiseach
By: Taoiseach;
Published on
Last updated on
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Thank you Philip (Professor Philip Nolan).
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, it’s a great pleasure to be in Washington D.C. to mark St. Patrick’s Day, and to recognise the calibre of scientific collaborations between Ireland and the United States.
We live in a world of rapid change, driven sometimes by necessity, sometimes by human curiosity.
Increasingly, we turn to science to overcome the challenges and discover the opportunities presented by global issues such as the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and the need to make our food systems more sustainable.
Science and research are also helping us to prepare for an aging society and the future of work. These are critical challenges common to all countries and the championing of research collaboration and partnerships and of the public good will be at the heart of the best solutions.
As you might have heard, the Government of Ireland recently undertook a public engagement campaign called ‘Creating our Future’ to better understand how the public felt research could play a part in navigating the challenges we face. Our diaspora - including here in the United States - also contributed to this national conversation. There were over 18,000 submissions in total – that’s a lot for a country the size of Ireland.
It has sparked a rich conversation on the role that research plays in understanding the risks, opportunities and choices within innovation and it informed our new government strategy for research & innovation – Impact 2030.
This St. Patrick’s Day, we are marking the 25th Anniversary of the historic Good Friday Agreement peace agreement on our island. We continue to work to consolidate its achievements, one of which led to the establishment of the US-Ireland R&D Programme. In collaboration with the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health here in the US, as well as with partners in Northern Ireland, over 85 research partnerships and 500 research students have benefitted since.
Today, we see further examples of important collaborations such as the recent ‘Co-QREATE’ joint US-Ireland research partnership to investigate technologies that will form the foundations of a quantum internet.
And a new partnership in machine translation and accessible content was announced today between LinkedIn and the ‘ADAPT SFI Research Centre for AI-driven Digital Content Technology’.
It is a great privilege for me to present on behalf of the Government of Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland, the 2023 SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medals.
These prestigious awards celebrate distinguished US-based science, engineering, and technology leaders, with strong Irish connections.
Recipient of the 2023 SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal for Academia is Dr Paul K. Whelton, Professor of Global Public Health at Tulane University in New Orleans, and President of the World Hypertension League.
A native of Cork City in Ireland, and alumnus of University College Cork, Dr Whelton is an internationally recognised epidemiologist who has served as the principal investigator for leading research studies that have informed the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of high blood pressure.
Your outstanding research in cardiovascular and renal disease epidemiology continues to push for new discovery and improved clinical outcomes for patients.
The recipient of the 2023 SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal for Industry is Mr Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive – Technology and Chief Technology Officer at Accenture.
Responsible for leading all aspects of Accenture’s technology business, Mr Daugherty has been recognised as a leading voice in driving innovation through R&D and leveraging emerging technologies. He has won awards for his leadership in developing ethical AI and was one of the main people behind ‘The Dock’ – Accenture’s flagship R&D and Global Innovation Hub in Dublin.
Both Dr. Whelton and Mr. Daugherty with their Irish roots and as influential US-based scientists and technology leaders, embody the achievements and contribution of the Irish diaspora to the United States and the value of our Ireland-US collaborations.
Congratulations to you both.