THE Irish Academy of Engineering has awarded its highest honour, the Parsons Medal, to leading Kerry engineer and businessman Dr Edmond Harty.

The Academy awards the Parsons Medal for Engineering Sciences to engineers or engineering scientists of exceptional ability in research or engineering technology. Dr Edmond Harty is CEO and Technical Director of Kerry company Dairymaster.

Dr Edmond Harty commented; “I am honoured to be the recipient of the Irish Academy of Engineering’s Parsons Medal for 2017. The Academy is a body of national importance, providing a valuable, expert unbiased advice on the development of policies and programmes to government, state agencies and other important stakeholders. To receive this level of recognition from my peers of my academic and business achievements is both humbling and inspiring.”

Dr Harty has a strong background in engineering and holds a B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering and a Ph.D from UCD. He is also currently full Adjunct Professor in the School of Biosystems and Food Engineering at UCD College of Engineering and Architecture.

He is also an award-winning businessman. Dairymaster is one of the world’s leading dairy and agri-tech companies and exports to over 40 countries and has direct operations in Ireland, UK and USA. Dr Harty has filed over 96 innovative patents relating to his business which have led to highly innovative products and services for his business.

Dr Harty is the recipient of many other awards for his innovative approach to business, including the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2012 and the Agribusiness Leader of the Year 2015.

Eoin O’Driscoll, former President, the Irish Academy of Engineering commented, “Dr Edmond Harty is an outstanding choice for this year’s Parsons Medal. The award recognises engineers of exceptional ability in research or engineering technology. Not only is Edmond an accomplished engineer with an outstanding research background, he is also an award-winning businessman who has grown a global enterprise.”

The Parsons Medal commemorates the work of Sir Charles Algernon Parsons, the inventor of the steam turbine. Sir Charles was an Irish engineer, best known for his invention of the compound steam turbine.

His father built the great telescope at Birr Castle and his mother was a famous photographer.  He worked as an engineer on dynamo and turbine design, and power generation, and had a great influence on the naval and electrical engineering fields.