This is a particular honour for Tom, who is a member of the Academy’s governing Council and has contributed on a broad number of fronts to the development of the Academy in recent years.
During 2020 he successfully lead the campaign to secure membership for the Irish Academy of the world body of engineering and technological academies, CAETS, and thereby greatly expanded the international reach of the Academy
Tom is a well known and respected expert in the field of water supply and, amongst other roles, he currently chairs an International committee of bodies in 28 European countries in responsible for delivering water services to 550 million people.
On his elevation to the role of President elect Tom said “Engineering Academies throughout the world are a key feature of all developed economies and provide independent expert advice to governments and policy makers. It is both a unique honour and challenge to take a leadership role as President in shaping the future of the Academy”
Tom is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of Engineers Ireland, a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering, where he served as a Director and Director of Communications and is an Alumnus of the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University.
The Irish Academy of Engineering, created in 1997, is an all- Island body of up to 200 members.
Its members are Irish engineers of distinction, men and women drawn from a wide range of disciplines and from all parts of the island. All play, or have played, leading roles in society and the profession and give of their time and expertise on a pro bono basis in the public interest.
The aim of the Academy is to advance the wellbeing of the country by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to policy makers on matters involving engineering and technology.
Recent publications include reports on the future challenges of electricity transmission, the challenges of Covid and a major symposium in 2019 on the opportunities for innovation and the significant strides made by the med-tech sector.