Winners & finalists

I am a fifth year Mechanical Engineering master’s student specializing in Digital Systems. I have a diverse set of professional experiences spanning Technology working with Accenture, ICT working on a Data Centre in Germany and Teaching with the Centre of Talented Youth. This experience extensively enhanced many of my skills from teamwork, leadership and problem solving to value creation and effective communication. I have always had a passion for technology with my professional experience and set of projects demonstrating this and showing my continuous drive for improvement.

My name is Seán McDermott and I am a first year undergraduate student studying Mathematics and Economics in Trinity College Dublin. I come from Swords and attended Fingal Community College there. I am passionate about what I study as I love maths, problem-solving and strategy games, and economics is interesting and goes well with it. After college I aspire to work in Finance or Economics. I enjoy all things games; Card games, Trivia Games and strategy games in particular I like playing with friends and family. In my spare time I am interested in Music, Video Games and Reading, with the Dune and Game of Thrones series being my absolute favourites, the intricate plots and rich characters being what I love about them. Being considered for the First Generation award is a huge honour for me. It's a recognition of the hard work and determination that have brought me to where I am today, and I am delighted to have the opportunity.

As a person I thrive on finding unconventional solutions that challenge the norm. My passion for social entrepreneurship fuels my work within my own ventures and as Chairman of Enactus TU Dublin. Inspiring others and cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders is my driving force – I'm committed to being a catalyst for positive change.

I am a 2nd year student at TU Dublin studying Electrical and Computer Engineering. Engineering was always a passion of mine as a child. Despite my background, l have still managed to maintain this passion and take the plunge in order to be an engineer! This year I have become a student ambassador for Microsoft, Intel and Engineers Ireland. All in all, these leadership roles will allow me to encourage others to pursue a career in tech/engineering.

Karen, a fourth-year University of Galway student studying Financial Mathematics and Economics, is committed to empowering and motivating women in STEM disciplines. She has worked with Teen Turn's Technovation initiative and on the CreateHer panel to help female students identify and develop their leadership potential, as well as a term as Maths Officer in the Women in STEM society. Karen is grateful for the mentorship she has received, particularly from receiving the Johnson and Johnson Women in STEM2D award in 2022. In the future, she hopes to continue her work encouraging and empowering females in the STEM space.

As a third-year Electronic Engineering student at Maynooth University, I am deeply passionate about the field of electronic engineering. What draws me most to engineering is its inherently creative nature; it's a field where I can unleash my imagination, design innovative solutions, and tackle complex problems hands-on. The ability to bring ideas to life and witness their impact firsthand is truly rewarding. Beyond my academic pursuits, I am actively involved in advocating for under-represented parties, such as women in STEM. In fact, I am honored to serve as the Vice-President of our Women in STEM society on campus, where I champion diversity and representation. Additionally, I am working on various projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, including creating an app to enhance accessibility for wheelchair users and individuals with mobility issues. Simultaneously, I am a proud member of RoboEireann, an autonomous robotics team comprised of lecturers, researchers, and students. Collaborating with like-minded individuals, we develop software and AI for our robots to compete at the highest level in the Standard Platform League of RoboCup soccer.I am excited to travel with my team to Eindhoven, this July to compete in this League.

I am a fourth-year mechanical engineering student in Trinity College Dublin. I am passionate about volunteering, having started my journey into social justice in third year of secondary school. Now I am a member of the Trinity branch of the Vincent De Paul Society and help to organise a biweekly soup run around Dublin City Center.

I am a second year student studying Law (BCL) and Taxation at University of Galway. I achieved the highest overall result across all law disciplines in first year. I am Careers Director of the 103rd session of the University of Galway Law Society and I have recently been elected as the Communications Officer for the 104th session. I am also a member of the Debating Society and An Cumann Gaelach. I have sat and passed one FE-1 exam. I am an avid mooter, having won the University of Galway Matheson Novice Moot 2023 and the Ross O'Driscoll Moot 2024. In my spare time, I play hurling and football.

Is mise Pádraig Mac Brádaigh agus táim i mo mhac léinn i gColáiste na Tríonóide. Táim sa cheathrú bliain ag déanamh staidéir ar an Luath agus ar an Nua-Ghaeilge. Mairim mo shaol ar fad trí mheán na Gaeilge agus táim thar a bheith tiomanta dá cur chun cinn i ngach gné de shochaí na hÉireann. Táim díreach tar éis a bheith tofa mar an chéad Oifigeach Gaeilge lánaimseartha in Aontas Mac Léinn Choláiste na Tríonóide (AMLCT/TCDSU) agus táim ag súil go mór le láithreacht na Gaeilge a threisiú sa Choláiste an bhliain seo chugainn.

I am Sophie Ray, a dedicated educator, sustainability change-maker and the driven founder of REBOXD, an innovative online marketplace designed to make education more accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Being the first in my family to attend university, I personally faced many financial barriers to accessing quality education, one of those being finding affordable quality teaching and learning resources. My passion for sustainability, combined with the business mindset I developed when awarded a position with AIB, inspired me to create REBOXD to address the wastefulness of educational resources. I also led a nationwide biodiversity initiative, which recently launched in the UK, showcasing my commitment to environmental causes in Ireland and beyond. My mission is to pave the way for a future where education worldwide is within everyone's reach, in a way that doesn't cost the earth.

Joseph is a final year B.A. (Hons) Economics and Mathematics student at Trinity College Dublin. Last year, Joseph undertook an international exchange programme, spending a year at the University of Pennsylvania. During his time at Trinity, Joseph has been awarded the Louis Kennedy award, the Arthur Lyster award and the Entrance Exhibition Scholarship for his academic performance. Furthermore, Joseph is active within the Trinity Student Managed Fund acting as the Chief Macroeconomist for the 2023/2024 session. Joseph has demonstrated a keen interest in finance, completing internships in Goldman Sachs, VentureWave Capital and Torquay Capital.