Pictured are Prof Lionel Briand, Lero Director UL and Prof. Joe Walsh MTU. Photo by Brian Arthur.

Professor Joseph Walsh, Head of the School of STEM and Director of the IMaR Research Centre at Munster Technological University (MTU), Tralee and Co-Principal Investigator at Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, has been awarded the prestigious Lero Director’s Prize for Innovation at the sixth annual Lero’s Director’s Prizes. Established in 2005, Lero aims to position Ireland as a global leader in high-quality software research and development.

The award ceremony, hosted on December 11th at the University of Limerick recognises academic excellence across Ireland. Professor Joseph Walsh was recognised for his contributions to intelligent mechatronics, robotics, and bio-instrumentation, which has secured more than €20 million in research funding over the past five years. Since receiving the funding, Professor Walsh has published more than 200 scientific papers which has resulted in numerous industry collaborations and intellectual property agreements with prominent companies like Dairymaster, McHales, and Tricel.

The Lero Awards were presented to nine top academics and researchers from leading Irish universities and institutes of technology. The Lero Director’s Prizes are presented annually to exceptional Lero members from the Lero 12 partner universities and institutes of technology, recognizing their outstanding work and achievements throughout the year.

Commenting on the Lero Director’s Prize for Innovation, Professor Joseph Walsh, said: “I’m honoured to receive the Lero’s Director’s Prize for Innovation. This award reflects the hard work and dedication poured in by my research team and collaborators at MTU over the last five years. Together, we strive to push the boundaries of intelligent systems and develop technologies that make a tangible difference in society.”

Congratulating the winner, Lero Director, Lionel Briand, emphasizing  the importance of their contributions to the field of software research, stated, “The Lero Director’s Prizes highlight the dedication and excellence of our  members in advancing software engineering, information systems, and human-computer interaction across various cutting-edge areas.”

For more information on the Lero Director’s Prizes and this year’s award recipients, visit www.lero.ie.