A fourth year student at University of Galway has been awarded the prestigious 2024 Hamilton Prize – the top undergraduate mathematics accolade.

Dara Colleran from Salthill is one of nine students to have been honoured by the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) for excellence in their final year of study.

The honour commemorates famed Irish scientist William Rowan Hamilton and his discovery of quaternion algebra in Dublin on October 16 1843 – a four-dimensional number system which has been used in satellite navigation and video game programming.

The awards ceremony takes place on the anniversary each year in the RIA, when the awardees each received a cash prize of €500 and a certificate of achievement at an award ceremony in the Royal Irish Academy.

They also attended an exclusive masterclass with the 2024 Hamilton Lecture speaker, Professor Laura DeMarco from Harvard University, which was hosted by Ibec.

Dara said he was very honoured to receive the Hamilton prize.

“I had a great day with my family in Dublin, where we did the annual Hamilton walk along the banks of the Royal Canal, retracing Hamilton’s steps from Dunsink Observatory to Broombridge in Cabra, and attended a ceremony in the beautiful Royal Irish Academy. I am looking forward to exploring my subject further in a Masters degree,” he said.

Professor Aisling McCluskey, Head of the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at University of Galway, congratulated her student.

“The award of the prestigious Hamilton Prize is a tremendous honour, recognising the exceptional talent of Dara and others like him from universities across the country,” she said.

“I am delighted to acknowledge and celebrate Dara’s achievement. This special prize underscores the importance of valuing and encouraging our undergraduate mathematicians as they progress into final year and into future STEM careers. We are proud that Dara joins the list of Hamilton Prize winners, representing our School and our University nationally.”

Pictured: University of Galway student and Hamilton Prize winner Dara Colleran with Professor Laura DeMarco, Harvard University; Professor Aisling McCluskey, Head of the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at University of Galway, and Professor Pat Guiry, President of the Royal Irish Society.