Green Innovator receives award

UCD has presented professor Kevin O’Connor, a leading green technologies researcher and innovator, with the NovaUCD 2016 Innovation Award.
Professor O’Connor’s interests include research into the development of biodegradable polymers; methods of improving the recycling of plastic and other materials i.e. upcycling; the transformation of waste products and industrial side streams into value added products.
His expertise includes areas such as the bioeconomy, environmental technology, bioprocessing, biocatalysis, and protein engineering.
The award was presented to professor O’Connor, a professor at the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science and a principal investigator at the UCD Earth Institute, by UCD president, professor Andrew J Deeks, during an event held at NovaUCD, the centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the event the UCD president said: “I am delighted to present this to Professor O’Connor in recognition of the quality and impact of his peer-reviewed research, his technological developments for the production of bio-based products as well as his industrial collaboration and successes in the commercialisation of the intellectual property arising from his research at the University.”
On receiving the award Professor O’Connor said: “I am honoured to receive this prestigious award.
“It recognises the huge effort, commitment and intellect of the current and past researchers and students in my research lab in UCD and in Bioplastech to develop and commercialise our technologies.”