2020 President’s Award for Engagement
Congratulations to NICB PhD student John Noone (School of Health and Human Performance), who received the 2020 President’s Award for Engagement in the Student category (Wednesday, May 27th at DCU) for his extensive engagement with the public through his research and voluntary activities.
The annual DCU President’s Awards are awarded to staff and students who have been recognised for their outstanding contributions in their fields of endeavour and in the pursuit of DCU’s mission to transform lives and societies.
John’s volunteering work includes his involvement with DCU Biological Research Society, fundraising for charities including Pieta House and Barretstown, and outreach talks in schools and colleges during Science Week Ireland and Space Week Ireland.
Due to the COVID-19 shutdown, the event was communicated digitally and hosted by the President of DCU, Professor Brian MacCraith. The video is available below (jump to 13:58 to see John’s mention)
John recently added the following:
“I want to start by extending my thanks to those within DCU who put me forward for the DCU Presidents Award for Student Engagement. To be placed amongst the other wonderful nominees who have helped those inside and outside of DCU in so many extraordinary ways was in itself an amazing endorsement. Events like this really highlight the enormous beneficial capacity that DCU has for outreach, engagement and charitable causes. Educational institutes, such as DCU, are at the fore in promoting the importance of giving back to society, emphasising the vast array of valuable causes out there!
Our ability to come together for the greater good was emphasised quite recently within DCU’s Faculty of Science and Health when, collectively, we donated thousands of items of PPE to local institutions such as Feed Our Homeless, who do great work in helping to manage the homeless crisis within inner-city Dublin to help continue their efforts during this pandemic, to number of hospitals in our region to help our frontline health workers do their best in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
I am a proud member of the NICB, School of Health and Human Performance and Biological Research Society (BRS); collectives where I have learned the value of giving back both philanthropically and academically. I have used these experiences and built on them within my long-standing role within Scouting Ireland as Deputy Group Leader of the 177th Scout Unit local to DCU, through different fundraising efforts for the likes of Pieta House, Barretstown, Movember, as frontline volunteer for Feed Our Homeless and through scientific outreach to schools and youth groups.
Charities such as these are always looking for more volunteers, offering rewarding experiences which can help move us out of our comfort zone into the realization of what really is important. So please don’t be afraid to help out were you can and give back what you can, the first step is always the hardest.”
For more information, please visit the “DCU in the Community” page.
Congratulations again to John, as well as all award recipients and nominees!
