Entries are now being accepted for the 2024 Lero Director’s Prize. The annual awards programme was founded by former Lero Director, Professor Brian Fitzgerald in 2019 to recognise the enormous commitment and contribution of Lero members to the research centre’s success.  

All members of the Lero team across the centre’s 12 higher-education institute partners may nominate themselves or a Lero colleague in any of the eight Director’s Prize award categories: Research Excellence; Innovation; Education and Public Engagement; Diversity and Inclusion; Outstanding Service to Lero, Collaboration; PhD/Post-Doctoral Researcher Contribution; and Open Source/Open Science. 

Winners will be selected by the awards’ committee, chaired by Lero Director, Professor Lionel Briand.   

Nomination forms can be downloaded here and emailed to DirectorsPrize@Lero.ie. 

The closing date for nominations is Monday, August 5th, 2024. 

Research Excellence 

Research excellence is traditionally measured by publication in high-quality venues or high citation counts for articles. However, the latter are lagging indicators and take time to accrue. In recent times, Altmetrics have focused on leading indicators such as reads or recommends. Research impact is also extremely important and several categories of impact exist, economic or societal benefit, for example. We invite you to submit an example of research excellence, and are happy for you to make the case for excellence in whatever way you choose. 

Innovation 

Research and innovation (R&I) are key components in securing Ireland's economic future and are at the heart of national and European policy. The Lero Director’s Prize for Innovation recognises the important role that innovation plays in stimulating economic growth through transitioning basic and applied research into viable products and services. The award recipient will identify an area of their research that has significant potential for commercial development. 

Education and Public Engagement 

The Lero Education and Public Engagement programme has been going from strength to strength each year across all Lero sites. The Director’s Prize for Education and Public Engagement will recognise an individual that has demonstrated initiative around developing and delivering innovative EPE activities or events. 

Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion 

Within Lero, we value diversity and inclusion. Much Lero research has focused on software to support diversity and inclusion. Examples include software for people with hearing impairments, refugees, older adults and people with intellectual and developmental disability. 

The Director’s Prize for Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion will recognise an individual who has contributed to diversity and inclusion within Lero by supporting the centre in becoming more diverse and inclusive, developing a research project supporting diversity and inclusion or being involved in an Education and Public Engagement initiative supporting diversity and inclusion. 

Professor Rory O’Connor Prize for Outstanding Service to Lero 

As a research centre operating across 12 higher-education institutes, Lero’s greatest strength is its dedicated team. Presented in memory of our late colleague Professor Rory O’Connor of DCU who was a valued member of Lero from its foundation in 2005 until his passing in 2019, this award seeks to recognise an individual with an outstanding record of support for, and commitment to, Lero. The Professor Rory O’Connor Prize for Outstanding Service to Lero will be presented to a nominee who has made a significant contribution to the centre. 

Collaboration                   

As a research centre operating across 12 higher-education institutes, collaboration both internationally and between our national institutions and external partners is key to the success of both the centre and the research undertaken by Lero members. The Director’s Prize for Collaboration will recognise a research team that embraces smart collaboration on a project. This collaboration can be with industry, national institutions, international partnerships, or the integration of multiple disciplines in a project. 

PhD / Post Doctoral Researcher Contribution:  

Within Lero, we recognise and commend the incredible contribution that PhD Students and Post Doctorate Researchers make to the research projects and teams that they are a part of. The Director’s Prize for PhD / Post Doctoral Researcher Contribution will recognise an individual who has had a wide-ranging impact through their contributions to a research project or team. 

Open Source / Open Science 

Having launched an Open Source Programme Office and published an Open Science Charter, Lero introduced a new category in 2023, the Director’s Prize for Open Source / Open Science. This prize will be awarded to a recipient who has shown outstanding dedication to the principles and practices of Open Science and Open Source in their work.