Associate Professor Síofra Pierse awarded Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques
Posted 15 December 2023
France has awarded one of its highest civilian honours to (opens in a new window)Associate Professor Síofra Pierse in recognition of her service to French language and culture at university level over the past two decades.
Ambassador of France to Ireland H.E. Vincent Guérend presented an insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Academic Palms (Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes académiques) to the UCD academic for her service to education and culture, saying that it “rewards a specialist in 18th century French philosophes, and a pillar of the French-speaking world”.
Head of UCD School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, Associate Professor Pierse is an expert on 18th-century French literature, with particular focus on Voltaire's historiography, 18th-century female-authored narratives and the 18th-century literature/doubt interface.
She lectures in language and literature at all levels from undergraduate through MA, and has supervised a number of PhDs in 18th-century French.
Très heureux de remettre les insignes de chevalier dans l’ordre des Palmes académiques à la Pr. Siofra Pierce, directrice de l’école de langues de (opens in a new window)@ucddublin. Cette décoration vient récompenser une spécialiste des philosophes français du XVIII ème et un pilier de la francophonie. (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/TA67jLOjI3
— Vincent Guérend (@vincentguerend) (opens in a new window)December 8, 2023
Nicknamed the “purple”, the Order of Academic Palms is one of the highest civilian honours bestowed on academics and educators by the French state.
Its history dates to Napoleon I, who created the palmes académiques as an honorary title to recognise members of the university in 1808.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
