Pictured left-right: Dr Sean Baker, Chairman, Irish Software Association; Yuandong Zhu, UCD School of Computer Science and Informatics; and Tracey Donnery, Software Skillnet.
Yuandong Zhu, a PhD student in UCD’s School of Computer Science and Informatics has been awarded the student medal at the 2009 Irish Software Association (ISA) Awards.
Collaboration of the Year Award went to Local Social, a partnership between Rococo, UCD and the NDRC.
The Awards, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, William Fry and Software Skillnet, recognised the outstanding contribution of companies and individuals in the software industry to the development of Ireland’s smart economy.
Yuandong was presented with the award in recognition for developing the most commercially viable piece of research in 2009 by a student. He is developing easy-to-use, highly automated tools to revolutionise computer forensic investigations. Yuandong’s research is funded by Science Foundation Ireland’s 2007 Research Frontiers Programme.
Yuandong is also the co-promoter of TraceHunter, a new venture which participated on NovaUCD’s 2009 Campus Company Development Programme (CCDP), established to commercialise the output of this research. The other co-promoters are Dr Pavel Gladyshev, Yuandong’s PhD supervisor, and Joshua James. The aim of the CCDP, NovaUCD’s key enterprise support programme, is to assist academic and research entrepreneurs in the establishment and development of new high-tech ventures to commercialise the output of their research activities.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, guest of honour Minister Conor Lenihan said, “As we can see from the calibre of the award-winners, it is clear that the software industry will play a crucial part in our economic recovery and in the development of Ireland’s smart economy. Government will continue to work with the software sector and ensure that the great potential for growth that exists is realised and supported.”
The other 2009 ISA Award winners were:
