Michael Connolly, a doctoral student from UCD’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, was recently awarded the Most Innovative Award for his project submission to the Universitas 21 RISE (opens in a new window)(Real Impact on Society and Environment) competition.
Michael's project ‘Appendable Drag Reduction Methods & Devices for Road Vehicles’, focuses on improving vehicle efficiency by reducing aerodynamic drag through rear-mounted appendable devices. The solution addresses the low-pressure vacuum that develops behind road vehicles - a major contributor to drag, particularly at higher speeds. You can watch Michael’s video pitch (opens in a new window)here.
Reflecting on the award, Michael said: “I’m honoured to receive the U21 RISE Award for Most Innovative Project. This recognition supports my efforts to develop a practical, fuel-saving drag-reduction device for road vehicles. With this funding, I’ll refine and continue my prototyping, road-testing and industry collaboration activities. Thanks to Universitas 21 and UCD for this opportunity”.
The (opens in a new window)Universitas 21 (U21) RISE programme is an international showcase of student projects in social and sustainability innovation. Designed to accelerate the scale and impact of student led-initiatives, the programme highlights projects that are grounded in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrate practical implementation beyond theory.
This is the second time in recent years that a UCD student has received a U21 RISE Award. In 2023, UCD Medicine alumnus Ethan Waisberg’s project ‘Preventing Blindness with Space Medicine Technology’ received the U21 RISE Provost Award. These achievements demonstrate the value of the U21 RISE programme in providing UCD students with an international platform to develop, showcase, and scale innovative projects that address global challenges.
The UCD Careers Network plays a central role in guiding and supporting students through the U21 RISE programme, coordinating recruitment and providing ongoing support to students applying to the programme.
Pictured above are UCD doctoral student Michael Connolly, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (centre); Dr Vincent Hargaden, Head of the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (left); and Professor Aoife Ahern, College Principal for the College of Engineering and Architecture (right).