Congratulations to Emma Herd, 3rd year MSci Maths student at the School, who was one of nine top students awarded the Royal Irish Academy prestigious undergraduate Hamilton Prize, 2021.

This prestigious award is given to the top mathematical students in their penultimate year of study as nominated by their university. 

The ceremony took place on 15 October to mark Hamilton Day, on the eve of the anniversary of famed Irish scientist William Rowan Hamilton’s discovery of quaternion algebra on 16 October 1843.  

In recognition of their mathematical excellence, the students each receive a cash prize of €250, a certificate of achievement and are invited to attend an exclusive masterclass with the 2021 Hamilton Lecture speaker Caroline Series, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick. Following the ceremony, they enjoyed a private audience with Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin in conversation Professor Caroline Series.

Emma said, "I am honoured to have won this award in memory of a great mathematician. My thanks to Queen's for all their support over the years and to the Royal Irish Academy for making Hamilton day so special".

Dr Mary Canning, President of the Royal Irish Academy said,

“The Hamilton Prize recognises these outstanding young mathematicians as they enter their final year of studies in universities all around the island of Ireland.  We celebrate Hamilton Day because Ireland has a rich history of scientific excellence, but through this prize we also look to the future. In honouring their academic excellence and we hope to support and encourage the next generation of great Irish scientists.”

Ibec, who sponsor the RIA prize and Hamilton Day activities, see developing STEM talent as a key role in safeguarding Ireland’s economic future.

The 2021 Hamilton Prize winners are Edwina Aylward, Trinity College Dublin; Isabel Cooke, Technological University Dublin, Aaron Cooney, Dublin City University; Emma Herd, Queen’s University Belfast; Dan Kelly, University Limerick; Ciara Murphy, University College Dublin; Eoghan Murphy, Maynooth University; Ciara O’Keefe, University College Cork; Lijun Zou, NUI Galway.

Mathematics departments in Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dublin City University, University College Cork, NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, University of Limerick, TU Dublin and Queen's University Belfast  are invited to nominate their "best" student in their penultimate year of undergraduate mathematical studies. The selection of the best student is based either on the results of the annual assessment of the year’s performance or on the best performance in the ordinary institution examinations in Mathematics at the end of the penultimate year.