Mayo student joint winner in ATU engineering competition
ATU students James Swift and Killian Smith have been named as joint overall winners of the Undergraduate Engineering Competition at the 2025 ATU Galway annual Engineering Exhibition and Competition. Their work now gains them automatic entry into Engineer Ireland’s Innovative Student Engineer of the Year competition which will take place in Dublin in autumn.
James, from Castlebar, also claimed the Energy Engineering Award for his winning project, Harnessing Hydrogen - A Study into Renewable Energy Storage Using Hydrogen.
Said James: “My project aims to provide a means of storing excess renewable electricity during times of low demand using a hydrogen fuel cell system.
“The prototype I developed uses electrolysis to produce and store hydrogen, which can later be converted back into electricity through galvanic operation when needed. The system is entirely emissions-free, with water as the only byproduct.”
Killian, from Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan, was also awarded the Agricultural Engineering Award for his project titled Engineering Design & Development of an Easy-Lift Mechanism for Efficient Handling of Vacuum Hoses on Trailed & Mounted Vacuum Tankers.
His prototype helps operators of vacuum tankers lift heavy vacuum hoses onto the side of the tanks without risking injury. It’s especially beneficial for elderly farmers, helping them continue working safely, he said.
Students’ work was critiqued and evaluated by a panel of 40 external engineering professionals, from 30 sponsoring companies.
Also among the award winners was Seán Cooney from Cloonfad, who received the Mechanical Engineering, Energy Stream Award for the Swing-Up and Stabilisation of a Rotary Inverted Pendulum with Machine Learning and Condition Monitoring.
“I researched and applied machine learning algorithms to autonomously stabilise a custom-designed rotary inverted pendulum. The system collects and analyses vibrational and temperature data to assess motor conditions, enabling predictive maintenance,” he said.
Event organiser and Mechanical Engineering Departmental lecturer Dr. Oliver Mulryan said: “The Engineering Expo is a flagship event that strengthens the connection between our department and industry. This year’s showcase featured an impressive range of innovative student projects across all stages, clearly reflecting the practical skills and creativity of our students.”