ACADEMY NEWS – Academy Northern Region meeting held in Belfast on 28th February 2025

The spring meeting of the IAE Northern region was held on 27th February 2025 in the Board room of Catalyst Inc. in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast.

Photo L-R: Simon Cotton, Don McQuillan, John McCanny, Tom Leahy, Jonathan Hegan(Chair), Danny McCaughan, Joe Harford, Karen Rafferty, Kathryn McKenna RAE (Guest), Paddy Larkin ( Present but not when photo taken– Seamus McKeague & Gavin Campbell). Kevin Lunney had a problem connecting via VC to the hybrid meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Jonathan Hegan who thanked Steve Orr for facilitating the meeting and the agenda included:

  1. Welcome – Jonathan welcomed the attendees and in particular welcomed Academy President Seamus McKeague and Executive members Tom Leahy (Past President & Special advisor) and Joe Harford( Hon. Secretary). Three new Fellows, Karen Rafferty, Kevin Lunny and Simon Cotton , who joined the Academy were warmly welcomed as was Kathryn McKenna RAE.
  2. Apologies were noted. Kevin Lunny had difficulty in connecting via VC.
  3. Report on the Enterprise Fellowships Initiative and the People & Place Ireland Study with the Royal Academy of Engineering. Kathryn Mc Kenna RAE Senior Enterprise Manager (Ireland) on behalf of Gillian Gregg RAE Head of Regional Engagement briefed the meeting. The People and Place study is progressing well,
  • Stage 1 – the data analysis is at final sign off stage,
  • Stage 2 – the creation of an on- line dashboard is underway,
  • Stage 3- the creation of an all- Island report is being discussed.
  • The open call for Enterprise Fellowship applications is completed and of the 10 Fellowships awarded one comes from QUB. Kathryn has analysed the interest from ROI and has a plan in place to increase awareness over the next 12 months before new funding arrives in 2026.
  1. Update on Academy activities including the Academy’s latest publications. Tom Leahy briefed the meeting on the latest developments including the following highlights
  • Euro Case 2026 conference to be held in Belfast from 18-20 November 2026 (next year) in the Waterfront conference centre as joint RAE/IAE event under the MoU. Occasion will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the RAE.
  • Report on Infrastructure at pre-publication stage (Including contributions from a dozen Academy Fellows in ROI and NI.
  • Invitation for IAE to present at MacGill Summer School 2025 from 17-19th July 2025.
  • Report on Energy to be published in Q2 2025
  • CAETS Energy community publishing Sequel Report in 2025 (IAE chaired chapter on Buildings & Smart Cities).
  • AGM 2025 and Fellows Lunch on 1st May 2025 – put in your diary
  • Welcome event for nine new Fellows taking place on 13th June 2025
  • New Academy pins mailed to all reflecting the history of the Academy (New fellows will be presented with pin/Parchment and Citation in June 2025.
  • Active 2025 regional events programme agreed and published

5. Reports

  • Progress with the Parsons Medal Award. Sir John McCanny chair of the Parsons Medal and Joe Harford (Former committee chair) confirmed that the 2025 medal award will be made in Birr Castle to coincide with the Birr Engineering Heritage festival. Candidates from last year will remain on the list, open call for candidate will issue in March 2025 and close in mid-April. Important that Fellows provide names/details of candidate who do not have to be Fellows of the Academy. Meeting thanked John and Joe for a very successful 2024 event and award to Ann B. Kelleher of Intel.
  • Committees – Meetings of the Southern and Western Regions took place in September and news bulleting issued for both meetings.
  • The Sir Bernard Crossland Lecture took place in QUB on 18th February 2025 was very well attended and Warren East addressed the topic of Engineering and climate change. Jonathan Hegan has now been succeeded as Chairman of the SBC organising committee by Peter Quinn, former President of EI and a Fellow Member of the Academy.

6. Recommendations for new Patrons- Chair requested suggestions from the region. David Jones indicated that he could assist ( After the meeting he made introduction of potential new Patron) . Tom Leahy confirmed Academy was in good financial shape. Two Patrons departed and two new Patrons supported the Academy.

7. Recommendations for Site Visits. Site visits will form part of the 2025 Northern Region programme with visit to the Moyle interconnector arranged by Paddy Larkin to take place on 11th June 2025. (10:30   Presentation and site visit

12:30   Lunch, 13:00  Northern Region meeting, 14:30   Finish).

8. Nominations for Vice Chair for 2025 were discussed and Fellows were asked to make direct contact with Jonathan Hegan. Both the Southern and Western Regions have vice chairs.

There was a very good active discussion, which reflected the depth and detail of the work of the Academy and how Academy fellows live and deliver on the Academy mission of providing thought leadership in a time of great change.