The Engineering Excellence Awards 2026 judging panel gains a specialist in autonomous vehicle imaging and biomedical engineering research with the confirmation of Dr Brian Deegan, Lecturer and Researcher in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Galway.

Before stepping into academia, Deegan spent over a decade at Valeo Vision Systems, where the technical demands of machine vision for automotive applications shaped his expertise in ways that a purely academic career rarely does.

Recognised internally as a Valeo Image Quality Expert from 2014, he worked across image quality, HDR imaging, LED flicker, and machine vision, amassing multiple patents and presenting his findings at international conferences throughout his tenure.

That sustained immersion in a commercially driven engineering environment gives him an evaluator's eye for the difference between innovation that holds up under operational pressure and innovation that does not.

His academic credentials trace a similarly rigorous arc. Degrees in Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering from the University of Limerick preceded a PhD at NUI Galway, where his research into blood pressure and cerebral blood flow produced published work, a patent, and a platform for the applied engineering career that followed.

Since rejoining the university sector in 2022, his research has turned to imaging systems for autonomous vehicles, a field where the stakes of getting the engineering right could scarcely be higher.

The Engineering Excellence Awards recognise outstanding achievement across the full breadth of Irish engineering, from construction and manufacturing to software, biomedical, and renewable energy, with shortlisted entrants receiving national exposure through The Irish Times Online.

The 2026 judging panel brings together expertise from across the engineering spectrum. Deegan is joined by Judging Coordinator Matt Cotterell of MTU, Professor Brian Caulfield of Trinity College Dublin, Daniel Clarke Hagan of Atlantic Technological University, Niall Hanley of JJ Rhatigan, James McNamara of TUS, Tom Rowan of Rowan Engineering, and Barry Williams of Mott MacDonald Ireland.

For 2026, the awards programme spans 26 categories including Engineering Project of the Year, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Biomedical, and Software Engineering Project of the Year, Renewable Energy Engineering Project of the Year, Innovation in Engineering, and Sustainability Award.

The submission of entries will close on 3 July 2026. The awards gala will take place on 21 October 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

Visit the official Engineering Excellence Awards website for category details, programme updates, and the full judging panel.