The Royal Academy of Engineering Soiree & Exhibition
(in association with The Irish Academy of Engineering)

Queen’s University, Belfast – 27 June 2007

Each year the Royal Academy of Engineering organises a Soiree and Exhibition to highlight and celebrate particular aspects of engineering. This year for the first time the Soiree was held in Ireland in association with the Irish Academy of Engineering. The event was hosted by Queen’s University and sponsored by Bombardier Aerospace and Invest Northern Ireland. An exhibition of engineering research by Queen’s and Bombardier was held in a special marquee from 6.00 pm. Dinner was served at 8.00 pm and the event finished around 10.30 pm. It was a superb occasion attended by over 160 Fellows of both Academies and their guests. The association of The Irish Academy of Engineering was very well received and acknowledged at the event and in subsequent press coverage.

President Eric Beatty together with Lord Browne, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Professor Peter Gregson, President of Queen’s University, formed the official welcoming line. President Beatty also gave a short address at the end of dinner and had the pleasure of proposing the toast to ‘The President of Ireland’.

The Academy was pleased to welcome seven guests to the event:

  • Michael Ahern TD Minister for Innovation; Dept of Enterprise, Trade & Employment
  • Tim O’Connor Secretary General; Office of the President, Aras an Uachtarain.
  • Jack Golden FIAE President; Engineers Ireland
  • Linda Golden
  • Dr Gary Crawley Director of Eng. & Sc. Research; Science Foundation Ireland
  • Margaret Crawley
  • Aidan Gough Director of Strategy & Policy; InterTrade Ireland
  • Fionnuala Gough

The guest list also included Ian Paisley jr, Minister OFDFM; Professor Jim Slevin, President RIA; Professor Frances Ruane, Economic & Social Research Institute; Professor Roger Whatmore, CEO Tyndall Institute; Professor Peter Kennedy Vice-President Research UCC.