Medtronic global head William Hawkins will be in Galway next week as guest of honour at the launch of this year’s Galway Science and Technology Festival. The festival, which showcases Galway’s many science and technology companies and institutes to young people and families, will take place from November 8 to 21.
Mr Hawkins is the chairman and chief executive of Medtronic, the global leader in medical technology. He will officiate at the festival launch ceremony which takes place at the Aula Maxima at NUI, Galway on Tuesday October 12.
The Medtronic Galway site is a centre of excellence for the development and manufacture of a number of the company's key medical technologies for the treatment and management of cardiovascular and cardiac rhythm diseases.
Medtronic employs 40,000 people worldwide, and in the year ended April 2010 had revenue totalling $15.3 billion. Each year Medtronic therapies help more than seven million people around the world who suffer from pain, debilitating conditions, or chronic disease.
Medtronic is the main industrial sponsor of the Science and Technology Festival, a two-week long celebration of maths, science, and engineering which is aimed at encouraging more Irish students to study maths and science.
The highlight of the event will be the festival exhibition, which will be held on Sunday November 21 in the Bailey Allen complex at NUI Galway. On the day, up to 20,000 young people will attend the special exhibition featuring up to 60 interactive stands and exhibits representing industry and education.
