Dundalk man gets top industry award
DUNDALK born Pearse Lyons was awarded the Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) prestigious ‘St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal’ by An Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Washington last week for his significant contribution to academia and industry.
The medal is awarded every year to a distinguished Irish scientist, engineer or technology leader living and working in the USA. Dr. Lyons was awarded alongside Dublin native Dr. Adrian Raftery.
Congratulating the recipients at an award event held in the United States Institute of Peace in Washington D.C., An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said:
‘I am delighted to present the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal on behalf of Science Foundation Ireland, to these two exceptional leaders. Dr. Lyons and Prof Raftery have both had a huge impact in their own areas of expertise and played pivotal roles in the development of researchers in Ireland.’
‘ They have demonstrated how academic and industry based scientific research can create jobs, tackle global problems and impact positively on people and society.
These distinguished Medal recipients are driving globally significant innovation in the areas of agriculture, food production, health, and population and weather forecasting, to name just a few.’
Dundalk-born biochemist and entrepreneur, Dr. T. Pearse Lyons, is the first Irish scientist to have created a global business based on scientific research.
With the aim of creating the next ‘green revolution’ to improve the health and performance of people, animals and plants, Dr. Lyons founded Alltech, in 1980 with just 10,000 in US dollars in capital.
He has subsequently led the company to now having annual sales of over €2.8 billion, trading in 128 countries worldwide and employing more than 6,000 people. Dr. Lyons and his team at Alltech remain committed to innovation and development, with three Alltech biosciences centres dedicated to research and education - two located in the U.S. and one in Dunboyne, Co. Meath.
At the event in Washington, D.C., Dr. Lyons said: ‘I am so proud to accept the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Medal from Science Foundation Ireland.
While my business is global, my passion for biochemistry and entrepreneurship started at home in Ireland.’
He added: ‘As a company, we still have very close links to Ireland with one of our three biosciences research centres based in Dunboyne. Science and technology play a very important part in my company’s success and all of the Alltech team work to innovate every day. We strive to put scientific research at the core of our business and to use that research to drive our success at home and abroad.’
He explained how almost 100 students have graduated with their Masters and PhDs from Alltech facilities in Ireland, in cooperation with virtually every Irish university, providing a platform that was once described by the European Commissioner of Food and Safety as a ‘Primacy in Science.’
Congratulating the recipients Prof Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, said: ‘ The Irish scientific and technology diaspora are outstanding representatives for Irish science abroad and play a huge role in promoting Ireland internationally. The research undertaken by these two Irish leaders has had a profound and diverse impact across the globe. As a nation, we should be immensely proud of the influence that D.r Lyons and Prof Raftery have had in their respective fields and indeed, across the globe. In presenting them both with the SFI St. Patrick’s Day Science Medal, Science Foundation Ireland recognises the significant value and impact of their work.’