The Engineering building was renamed the Alice Perry Engineering Building this week. Alice Perry was the first woman in Ireland or the UK to earn a degree in engineering in 1906, graduating from Queen’s College Galway.
The naming of the building is the culmination of a series of activities focusing on equality and diversity in Engineering at NUI Galway’s award-winning Engineering building during Engineering Week and International Women’s Week.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Engineers Ireland on this important event during Engineers’ Week. This week in NUI Galway is also being celebrated as International Women’s Week. We are enormously proud of Alice Perry and what her life’s work symbolises,” said Professor Anne Scott, Vice President for Equality and Diversity at NUI Galway.
“Decisions on career paths are shaped by the world around us. Having a visible tribute to the achievements of trailblazers like Alice Perry on campus can serve to both recognise an individual legacy and also to inspire the next generation when they make their own career decisions.”
A scholarship to encourage female students to consider engineering courses has also been established by distinguished engineering alumna of NUI Galway Áine Brazil through Galway University Foundation.
Professor Peter McHugh, Dean of Engineering was very positive about the changes.
“This is a fantastic development for Engineering at NUI Galway and a clear demonstration of our commitment to equality of opportunity, education and career development,” he said.
“It is most appropriate that we should name the Engineering Building for one of our most notable and pioneering alumni, with Alice Perry being the first female engineering graduate in the UK and Ireland. I believe that this an extremely positive and progressive decision by the University, and it should serve as an inspiration to all students as to the wonderfully rich and diverse career opportunities open to both men and women in the engineering domain.”
Alice Perry will feature in the Path-Breaking Women of NUI Galway exhibition, which will take place on campus in March 2017. For further details see: www.nuigalway.ie/pathbreakingwomen.
-By Sorcha O’Connor
