Laura Burke
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
HONORARY CONFERRING
Monday, 1 September 2025 at 2.30 pm
TEXT OF THE INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PROFESSOR AOIFE AHERN, Principal College of Engineering and Architecture on 1 September 2025 on the occasion of the conferring of the Degree of Doctor of Engineering, honoris causa on LAURA MARY BURKE
President, Graduates, Colleagues, Honoured Guests
Laura Burke is a Chartered Engineer who graduated with a degree in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering from UCD. She is a proud alumna of the University and her values and her work reflect UCD’s values, and those of the College of Engineering and Architecture. Her career and her contributions to the profession ably demonstrate the important role graduates of this College can have in creating a sustainable future.
Laura has risen to the top of her profession as a Chemical Engineer and has a made significant and positive impact on public life and public service. She was appointed as the Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency in 2011, the organisation which oversees Ireland’s commitments to sustainability, to water quality and to environmental regulation, and which has responsibility for the Climate Change Advisory Council, the Water Framework Directive and the Radiological Protection Institute.The EPA is also an important funder of research and a participant in research projects that consider how we can improve climate, air quality and water quality and how we can respond to the challenges of climate change. Laura, in her role as Director General, has been instrumental in driving that research agenda.
In Europe, Laura represents Ireland on the Board of the European Environment Agency, and she was chair of this board from 2017-2023. This is the European Union agency that enables cooperation and sharing of data across Europe to shape and support Europe’s environment and climate policies.
Most recently, Laura has completed her term as President of Engineers Ireland. In that role and in her inaugural speech she set out her vision for engineers of all disciplines, to ensure engineering excellence in enabling us to create sustainable and innovative solutions to global challenges. The engineering profession and you, as engineering graduates, as set out by Laura in her vision, will be the drivers in delivering these solutions. Laura has also always been a supporter of ensuring that our profession is more diverse, more inclusive. As she points out, the contributions of engineers to goals of sustainable growth are enriched by diversity and inclusion. And I think we can see in our body of graduates today that we in the UCD College of Engineering and Architecture are a far more diverse student body than would have existing 20 years ago – all of which will enrich our profession and our ability to respond to future challenges.
To conclude: The honorary doctorate is awarded to distinguished individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the university and society. Laura is a unique individual who reflects the values of UCD, in her contributions to sustainability, diversity and inclusion.
UCD is honoured and privileged to recognise Laura’s outstanding contributions by awarding this Honorary Doctorate.
I am proud to call on the President of UCD, Professor Orla Feely to award the Degree of Honorary Doctor of Engineering.
Praehonorabilis Praeses, totaque Universitas,
Praesento vobis hanc meam filiam, quam scio tam moribus quam doctrina habilem et idoneam esse quae admittatur, honoris causa, ad Gradum Doctoratus in Arte Ingeniaria; idque tibi fide mea testor ac spondeo, totique Academiae.