Wednesday 13 May 2026

In 2026, three academics from the School of Engineering and Architecture at University College Cork (UCC) have been honoured with Qualcomm Faculty Recognition Awards.

The award recognises university academics for their remarkable contributions to advancing research and fostering innovation in key technology areas. Each award comes with a philanthropic gift to support the academic’s teaching, learning and research initiatives.

QT Technologies Ireland Limited (Qualcomm Ireland) and UCC, alongside Tyndall, share a long-standing and impactful collaboration, resulting in innovative new technologies and solutions, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

The 2026 UCC academics honoured with Qualcomm Faculty Recognition Awards are:

• Dr Kevin McCarthy, lecturer, School of Engineering and Architecture, UCC;
• Professor Dimitra Psychogiou, professor of microwave communications at UCC, SFI Research Professor, and Head of the Advanced RF Technology Group at Tyndall National Institute;
• Dr Colin Murphy, lecturer and director of first year engineering, School of Engineering and Architecture, UCC. 

Prof Psychogiou’s research focus is microwave communications at UCC and head of the Advanced RF Technology Group at Tyndall National Institute. She was the first woman to secure a highly competitive 'SFI Research Professorship'.

She holds a PhD in electrical engineering from ETH Zurich and Dipl Eng degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Patras, Greece. Her world-leading excellent  research focuses on reconfigurable microwave and  millimetre‑wave RF systems, including filters, frequency‑agile antennas, and advanced additive manufacturing for antenna subsystems.

Prof Psychogiou has published more than 300 papers and is the recipient of  numerous  international honours, including the 2023 IEEE MTT‑S Outstanding Young Engineer Award and the 2020 NSF CAREER Award.

She currently serves as president of All‑Ireland URSI and holds senior editorial and leadership roles across IEEE committees and journals.