Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, has been elected Fellow of the European Mechanics Society (EUROMECH ).
Professor McHugh is the first person from the Republic of Ireland to receive the prestigious fellowship award.
Professor McHugh was awarded the EUROMECH Solid Mechanics Fellowship for his outstanding scientific contributions to biomechanics, biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering and the development of biomedical engineering research and education programmes. By honouring him in such a way, the EUROMECH council recognises eminent scientific contributions to the advancement of solid mechanics.
The prestigious accolade is awarded to just three fellows every three years, and there currently are only 20 EUROMECH Solid Mechanics Fellows.
The European Mechanics Society will officially confer fellowship on Professor McHugh at the 12th European Solid Mechanics Conference, which takes place in Lyon, France in July.
Professor McHugh said: “I am delighted to become a fellow of the European Mechanics Society. It is an enormous honour to have my contribution to research and scholarship, and its application in technological development and education, recognised in this way. I look forward to supporting the work of the council and to continue to work with colleagues from across Europe and beyond to identify and promote new research directions.”
Originally from Ballyhaunis, Mayo, Professor McHugh is an internationally recognised research leader in biomedical engineering and his research is focused on fundamental developments and applications of computational and experimental methods in biomechanics, tissue mechanics and medical implants and devices. He has been a pioneer in the development of biomedical engineering research and education in Ireland and internationally.
Professor McHugh joined the university in 1991 and was appointed as the first Established Professor of Biomedical Engineering in 2007. He